Joey Gallo left Saturday’s game with neck tightness, but Aaron Boone is holding out hope that the Yankee slugger can be back in the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Indians.
“Hopefully it’s just something where you kind of sleep on it wrong or whatever,” Boone said. “I’ve been there before where it really affects you swinging. Hopefully it’s something that they can work their way out of there and hopefully he’s potentially back in there tomorrow, but we’ll see.”
Boone confirmed that Gallo’s neck was bothering him Friday night, when he smashed two home runs in an 8-0 win, and wasn’t able to shake it off through Saturday, and was taken out after fouling out in his lone at-bat of the day.
“He got some treatment last night, and then I think was trying to just work through it all morning with different stretches and stuff,” Boone said. “After his first at-bat it was just barking too much on him. So we’ll see.”
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Boone said there is no testing scheduled for Gallo.
“He got some more treatment during the game, so we’ll see where we’re at for tomorrow,” Boone said.
Gary Sanchez had another defensive lapse on Saturday, dropping a popup behind the plate that appeared to be routine. That left the door open for a seven-running inning, and while the disastrous frame was far from just Sanchez’s fault, it was the continuation of other recent troubles, like a lazy tag attempt against the Mets that led to a run last weekend
Boone says the starting catching spot will be monitored regularly between Sanchez and Higashioka.
“They’re both gonna play,” Boone said. “Higgy has obviously earned more playing time over the last couple of years with his outstanding play and obviously what he brings behind the plate.”
Higashioka has struggled badly at the plate, but Sanchez has behind it. Two wild pitches earlier this week led to the tying run scoring in the ninth inning in a loss to the Orioles, which Boone said were balls Sanchez should have stopped. Higashioka started the following day with Corey Kluber pitching, and while Boone said it wasn’t related to Sanchez’s defensive miscues, it does seem like Sanchez’s hold on the starting job isn’t as tight as it once was.
“It will be a day-to-day situation, and try to play the guy that gives us the best chance to win that night,” Boone said.
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