The Yankees seem to have avoided the worst with Gary Sanchez.
The catcher left behind the 6-3 defeat against the Rays on Saturday after picking up a nasty point from his bare right hand in the fourth innings, but X-rays were negative. The Yankees branded him from day to day with his right and middle fingers.
“I definitely feel better now than when it happened,” Sanchez said after a match by an interpreter. ‘I have more movement in my fingers. … If I keep improving as I am now, I may be ready to play tomorrow. ‘
Kyle Higashioka, who replaced Sanchez in the fifth innings, will be linked with Gerrit Cole again on Sunday, but manager Aaron Boone said he expects Sanchez to be back in the series on Tuesday after the away day.
Sanchez initially stayed for the rest of the fourth inning in the game and flew to center field in the bottom half, but left after feeling more swollen after the bat.