Yanks put Gary Sanchez on DL with groin injury, likely out 3-4 weeks

PHILADELPHIA -- The New York Yankees placed catcher Gary Sanchezon the 10-day disabled list Monday with a right groin injury suffered in Sunday's loss at Tampa Bay.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone called the injury a Grade 1 strain. Because of that, the Yankees believe Sanchez should miss three to four weeks.

"Anytime with a groin or a hammy or a quad, you always feel a little nervous," Boone said. "We feel like it was on the better end of things."

In corresponding moves, the Yankees optioned outfielder Clint Frazier back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and recalled catcher Kyle Higashioka and pitcher Giovanny Gallegos from Triple-A. Higashioka was the only remaining catcher on the Yankees' 40-man roster.

Higashioka is hitting .191 with five home runs and 22 RBIs with a .593 OPS in 51 games for the Yankees' affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

"It's an opportunity and I'm going to go out and make the best of it," Higashioka said. "My job, whenever I get a chance, is to help the team win."

Until Sanchez, 25, returns, he will be replaced in the regular lineup by backup catcher Austin Romine, who is hitting .305 with four home runs and 20 RBIs in 28 games with the Yankees this season.

Although Boone expressed full confidence in Romine's ability to produce offensively in addition to helping manage the Yankees' pitchers, he recognizes just what his team will be missing without Sanchez in the lineup.

"Gary Sanchez out of your lineup? That's a big deal," Boone said.

Sanchez was injured trying to beat out a 6-4-3 double play in the 10th inning of Sunday's 7-6 loss, which came at the end of a three-game Rays sweep of the Yankees.

Although he's among the Yankees' leaders with 14 home runs, Sanchez is hitting .190 with a .291 on-base percentage through 63 games this season.

Former Yankees catcher Jorge Posada weighed in on Sanchez's injury early Monday, telling ESPN New York's 98.7 FM Humpty & Canty that he thought this period away from baseball could be a good thing for the struggling Sanchez.

"I always look at things positive. This might be a positive thing for the Yankees," Posada said. "He's a hell of a hitter. He's going to hit. He's going to hit.

"Like I said, this might be a good thing for him. Able to regroup, able to work on some things and come back strong."

Boone emphatically echoed those sentiments.

"Hopefully this is a positive," Boone said. "Not only allowing him to get physically right, but hopefully it's a little break for him mentally and he can refresh a little bit. Because I know he has been grinding and working really hard, and probably wearing [the season's struggles] mentally, emotionally a little bit.

"I'm confident we'll have a dynamic player the final couple months of the season."