Yankees: Brian Cashman takes aim at Gary Sanchez for benching comments

It’s not really *that* hard to figure out why the Yankees benched Gary Sanchez last year…is it?

We’re extremely ready to give Gary Sanchez a second chance in 2021 after the abbreviated freak show that was 2020 in the Bronx. Trust us. Very ready.

However, his offseason hasn’t gotten off to the ideal start ahead of a “prove it” campaign.

First, Sanchez started red hot in the Dominican Winter League, leading to myriad debates about whether or not we should be paying attention. Then, he fell into a tailspin, and everyone who’d previously claimed we should be putting our full faith in his performance got real quiet.

Then, he returned to the airwaves in New York, explaining his motivated mindset while entering a make-or-break year, yet still making waves by saying he wasn’t entirely sure why he got benched. Everyone … everyone else in the city figured it out, but apparently Sanchez hadn’t been clued in.

Brian Cashman, fresh off flaming DJ LeMahieu, extended his laser in Sanchez’s direction too on Friday, getting on WFAN to claim he was confused by his catcher’s confusion, even questioning his “self-awareness.”

First, Cashman stays mum on Brett Gardner and won’t go beyond calling him a “great Yankee.”

Then he says LeMahieu deserves equal blame for the length of their negotiation and outright says the “whole world” knows why Sanchez was benched? What got into Cash between breakfast and lunch?

Of course … nothing that came out of his mouth was wrong. If Sanchez truly didn’t understand why his name wasn’t on that lineup card, it’s possible he really did buy in too hard on the idea of being Gary Sanchez.

Now, we know he’s hard at work, as always. We know he’s motivated. And we know he knows he isn’t guaranteed anything. Cashman made it clear he believes in his catcher, but belief can only take you so far.

Hopefully, we see Sanchez’s name written out in big, bold ink 140 times this season.

But if not, we’d like to think that the catcher has gotten his self-awareness back by now and knows how to reassess.

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