Yankees expect Gary Sanchez to be in lineup Wednesday
Gary Sanchez of the Yankees looks on before a game against the Royals at Yankee Stadium on April 19. Credit: Jim McIsaac
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Yankees’ crowded injury list is about to decrease in number by one.
Gary Sanchez, on the IL since April 11 with a left calf strain, came through his rehab assignment with Class-A Charleston Monday night and rejoined the club here Tuesday night. The catcher, who went 0-for-3 Monday with two passed balls, is expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday.
“He’ll be activated tomorrow,” Aaron Boone said.
Sanchez is hitting .268 with a 1.065 OPS in 11 games. His six homers are tied for first on the club — Clint Frazier went into Tuesday also with six — and his 11 RBI are tied for third most.
CC closing in
CC Sabathia takes the mound Wednesday six strikeouts short of becoming just the 17th pitcher, and third lefthander, to record 3,000 in his career.
“The possibility of getting that out of the way will be great,” said the 38-year-old Sabathia, a California native who will have “a bunch” of family and friends in attendance. “Especially this early in the season so I can just focus on pitching and trying to stay healthy and help the team win.”
Sabathia trails 16th-place John Smoltz (3,084) by 90 on the all-time strikeout list.
Seven-up
Going into Tuesday, Yankees No. 7 hitters were hitting .360/.414/.667 (27-for-75) with six homers, five doubles, 17 runs, eight walks and 15 RBIs this season. Catcher Austin Romine, who was hitting .286 this season, batted seventh Tuesday night.
Extra bases
With their bullpen taxed by back-to-back extra-inning games Sunday (10 innings) and Monday (14 innings), the Yankees brought up RHP Jonathan Loaisiga from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as long-man insurance and optioned RHP Joe Harvey…According to Elias, Monday’s victory, in which the Yankees accumulated only five hits, was the first win in franchise history with five or fewer hits in a game that lasted at least 14 innings.
