BOSTON — Gary Sanchez continues to be about the only bright spot these days for the Yankees.
With his mammoth blast off David Price in the third inning of Saturday’s 6-5 loss to the Red Sox that all but ended whatever realistic chances the Yankees had of getting to the postseason, Sanchez became one of five hitters since 1913 to hit as many as 15 homers in his first 42 career games.
He certainly has made an impression on Boston manager John Farrell.
“They’ve got one hell of a catcher,” Farrell said before the game. “That’s a dangerous hitter. Defensively, he’s been much more than we anticipated.”
No doubt the Yankees would say the same thing, as Sanchez has continued to stay productive at the plate after slowing down from his historic beginning.
Even with the reduced pace of homers, Sanchez’s 15 homers are the most by a Yankees rookie since Hideki Matsui had 16 in 2003.
“He’s been our best hitter, so you have to get creative to keep him in the lineup,” manager Joe Girardi said.
Sanchez wasn’t behind the plate for Saturday’s loss, and Austin Romine blamed himself for allowing the winning run to score in the seventh inning on Adam Warren’s wild pitch.
“I can’t make errors like I did right there,” Romine said. “That changes the game. Nine out of 10 times I block that ball, but it hit my wrist and got away.”
Romine had a pair of hits — including a two-run double — but wasn’t interested in that after the loss.
He said of the wild pitch: “It completely trumps [the double]. I’m not here to hit.”
Girardi started Billy Butler at first base. The new Yankee hadn’t started there since July 5, when he was with the A’s and hasn’t played the position regularly since 2010.
The manager said he didn’t want to use Mark Teixeira in a day game after a night game, because Teixeira has been dealing with a bad neck.
But he inserted Teixeira into the game as a defensive replacement in the fifth.
“We’re trying to get as much offense as we can [in the lineup],” Girardi said.
Bryan Mitchell became the latest starter not to last deep into a game, and Girardi admitted the lack of length from the rotation could be catching up with his team.
“It has, because you don’t have everyone available when you do that,” Girardi said.
Luis Severino could be feeling the effects from that usage, since he gave up his first run in 18 ²/₃ innings out of the bullpen.
“He wasn’t as sharp as he’s been,” the manager said of Severino, who gave up a run on two hits and three walks in 1 ¹/₃ innings.
Rob Refsnyder went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts before being removed in the sixth for defensive replacement Mason Williams.
Refsnyder has one hit in his past 15 at-bats.
If the Yankees don’t make the playoffs, Girardi won’t blame his young players.
“Four of our RBIs came from kids today,” Girardi said.