Yankees: 5 things to change if team is still struggling at All-Star break

2. Gary Sanchez’s Days Are Numbered

The situation with Gary Sanchez is similar. Although he hit well when he first joined the Yanks, his performance at the plate has declined significantly. These days, his hitting slumps tend to be much longer and are more frequent than his batting successes — and he has not appreciably improved his fielding thus far either.

For these reasons, manager Aaron Boone has wisely decided to give Kyle Higashioka more playing time, and Higgy has responded nicely. If Higgy continues to play well, he will officially supplant the Kraken and become the new starting catcher for the Yanks, with Sanchez as the clear designated backup.

If this occurs before the All-Star break, GM Brian Cashman will want to trade Sanchez to another club after the mid-season pause for a couple of quality-ish prospects.

With the return of Robinson Chirinos to active duty from a wrist fracture, the Yanks now have another able and less expensive backstop to rely upon. This makes Sanchez’s exit much more likely and signifies that his days with the club are numbered.

Alternatively, the team could hold onto Sanchez and wait to snag a good starting catcher during the offseason as his roster replacement. However, by then, Sanchez will need to be tendered another contract (featuring a raise on his $6.7 million salary), and the team will be forced to let him go without receiving anything in return.