Yankees' Gary Sanchez 'Capable of Wrecking a Game' Despite Struggles, Says Boone

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has a .121 batting average and 46.7 percent strikeout rate through 107 plate appearances in 2020.

On Thursday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone gave the backstop a vote of confidence, telling reporters that he believes Sanchez is close to breaking out of his slump and that he can wreck a game at a moment's notice.

Sanchez has gone 6-of-51 after hitting home runs in three straight games from Aug. 12-15.

At his best, Sanchez is one of the best power-hitting catchers in baseball. He emerged on to the MLB scene with 20 home runs in 53 games during the 2016 season. He hit 33 bombs in 2017 and 34 more in 2019, and Sanchez featured in those years' All-Star Games.

However, Sanchez has hit just .200 since the beginning of the 2018 season. He's suffered numerous injuries over the years that have limited him to just 229 games in that time.

Sanchez isn't the only Yankee struggling at the dish, as the slumping team has hit just .234, ranking 11th in the American League. New York currently holds the eighth and final AL playoff spot with a 22-21 record.