ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ There might have been a reason for Gary Sanchez's lack of hustle Monday night after all.
Or it contributed to him aggravating a previous injury.
A day after not hustling out of the batter's box with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning of the Yankees' 7-6 loss to the Rays on Monday night the Yankees placed Sanchez back on the disabled list, according to a source.
The 25-year-old Sanchez recently had been on the DL with a right groin strain and was just activated last Friday before the start of the season's second half.
It was not immediately clear if Sanchez, who had an MRI earlier in the day Tuesday, played through Monday's game, one in which he was also slow getting to a first-inning passed ball that allowed a runner on second to score, with the injury, or if he hurt it again on the final play.
After Monday night's loss Sanchez conceded what was apparent regarding his game-ending grounder.
"I should have run harder," Sanchez said through his translator.
He insisted he was healthy.
"I'm fine," said Sanchez, who is hitting .188 and slugging .416 with 14 homers and 42 RBIs. "[The injury] is behind me. Today is about doing a better job overall."
Aaron Boone said he first needed to watch video of the game-ending play, as well as the passed ball, but hinted he would be having a conversation with Sanchez about both plays.
"We always address our players," Boone said. "I want him running at that smooth clip. Part of that is getting out of the box."
Trailing by a run, the Yankees loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Aaron Hicks grounded to third, resulting in a forceout at the plate. Sanchez then hit a grounder to overshifted second baseman Daniel Robertson on the shortstop side of second. Robertson fielded the ball and tossed to shortstop Willy Adames on the move, but Adames was too late to get a forceout at second as Hicks beat him to the bag. That appeared to allow the Yankees to tie the score, but Adames then threw to first and easily got Sanchez, who jogged most of the way before picking up the pace far too late to make a different.
"I could have done a better job there for sure running," Sanchez said. "I hit the ball well. When the play developed and I saw the runner safe at second base, I tried to beat the play but I couldn't."
