Aaron Boone is happy to have Gary Sanchez back, but he needs him to be a little bit faster.
The Yankees manager revealed he chatted with his catcher Saturday after the team won 7-6 to the Mets, saying he understood Sanchez wanted to be careful with his recovering groin, but that he can push himself a little more.
“I talked to him a little bit [Saturday] about finding whatever you want to call it, that 80 percent run, where you are running and striding out you are less inclined to injure something,’’ Boone said, via the New York Post. “He should be good to go and be fine. Probably in his mind just easing into things.’’
Sanchez returned from the DL Friday after he suffered the groin injury trying to beat out a double play grounder on June 24 at Tampa Bay.
During Friday's 7-5 loss to the Mets, Sanchez was barely half-speed when he grounded to third in the second inning.
He was less productive Saturday as the Yankees' DH, when he went 0-for-4 at the plate.