The Yankees seem to have avoided the worst with Gary Sanchez.
The catcher left Saturday’s 6-3 loss for the Rays after taking a foul tip from his exposed right hand in the fourth inning, but X-rays were negative. The Yankees called him from day to day with a bruise on his right index and middle fingers.
“I definitely feel better now than when it happened,” Sanchez said through an interpreter after the game. ‘I have more movement in my fingers. … If I keep improving as I am now, I might be ready to play tomorrow. “
Kyle Higashioka, who replaced Sanchez in the fifth inning, will be linked again with Gerrit Cole on Sunday, but manager Aaron Boone said he expected Sanchez to be back in the line-up on Tuesday after Monday’s off-day.
Sanchez initially had stayed in the game for the remainder of the fourth inning and flew to midfield in the bottom half, but left the field after feeling more bloated after the at bat.