Yankees Gary Sanchez Continues to Give Hope for 2017

While the recent four game sweep by the Red Sox may be the low point of the 2016 season, rookie Gary Sanchez is inspiring hope for the prospects of next year’s Yankees club.

Gary Sanchez’s usual supporting cast in the New York Yankees lineup had all but disappeared by the fourth game of the team’s recent series against the Boston Red Sox. New York had lost three regulars to injury during Saturday’s contest, and several other key contributors were already sidelined.

Luckily, the Kraken is more or less a one-man offense at this point. He went 7-for-19 with two doubles, two homers, and five RBI in the series, raising his overall line to .327/.393/.698 (182 OPS+) in 178 plate appearances this season. This is looking less and less like a fluky hot streak, and more like the player Gary Sanchez is at this point.

Sanchez has definitely gotten the attention of Red Sox manager John Farrell When asked for his thoughts on the new look Yankees, the skipper singled out the 23-year-old when speaking to reporters before Saturday’s game:

"They’ve got a hell of a catcher. That’s a dangerous hitter. I think defensively he has been more than we had anticipated. The accuracy of his throws, his arm strength that he has, his blocking ability…he’s a frontline player. And to be thrust into the middle of an order at this stage of his career, that speaks volumes."

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The first wave of the Yankees youth movement has met with mixed results for the most part and that is putting it kindly. Aaron Judge, Tyler Austin, and Rob Refsnyder have all struggled mightily at the plate. Pitchers Luis Severino, Chad Green, and Luis Cessa have had their moments, but none have established themselves as a no-doubt starter for next season.

Sanchez stands out as the potential cornerstone of the franchise at this point, a true two-way player. He is a major reason why New York has gone 25-19 since his call up August 3rd, even with their recent injury-fueled slide.

With a few reinforcements from the trade and/or free agent market this offseason and some steps forward from his fellow Baby Bombers, it’s not hard to see Sanchez leading the Yankees back into contention next year given how they’ve looked down the stretch.

Next: Yankees All-Time Greatest Rookie Seasons

It’s hard not to be let down by the crushing end to New York’s Cinderella run in September, but it’s important to remember how much unexpected promise the team and its new superstar have shown.