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By the numbers: Why Sanchez is being dubbed 'The Great Sanbino'

Gary A. Vasquez / Reuters

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez added his name to Major League Baseball's record books yet again Saturday when he became the fastest player in the game's history to reach 11 home runs.

The 23-year-old Dominican rookie, who has earned the nickname "The Great Sanbino," has set baseball ablaze with his home run power. In the process, he's helped turn the Yankees around since being recalled on Aug. 3, with the team going 14-8 with him in the lineup, moving them within 2 1/2 games of a wild-card spot.

Here is a breakdown of some of Sanchez's greatest feats during his young tenure in the bigs, as well as some of the other potential marks he's on pace to achieve.

  • Sanchez's 11 home runs in 20 games are the most in a calendar month by an American League rookie since Mark McGwire hit 15 in May 1987 as a member of the Oakland Athletics.
  • He became the first rookie with more than 10 home runs in a month since Ryan Braun hit 11 in July 2007.
  • Sanchez is the first rookie to have 10 home runs and 20 RBIs in his first 20 games since RBIs became official in 1920.
  • He is the first Yankees rookie in club history to hit 10 home runs in a single month.

And while his numbers are already remarkable, the marvelous power display Sanchez has showcased during the beginning of his rookie season is already eclipsing the performances of some other notable names across baseball.

2016 HRs

PLAYER HR PA
Gary Sanchez 11 90
Lorenzo Cain 9 412
Hunter Pence 8 308
Yasiel Puig 7 303
Jason Heyward 6 476
Jacoby Ellsbury 6 497

It may be a small sample size, but Sanchez is absolutely hammering the ball, as well as getting on base, putting up numbers akin to two of the game's most recognizable names in history.

All-Time OPS, OPS+

PLAYER SEASON OPS OPS+
Barry Bonds 2004 1.422 263
Barry Bonds 2002 1.381 268
Babe Ruth 1920 1.379 255
Barry Bonds 2001 1.379 259
Gary Sanchez 2016 1.367 247

He may only be 21 games into his career, but Sanchez could even put himself in possible contention for an AL Rookie of the Year award.

2016 AL Rookie HRs

ROOKIE HR PA
Max Kepler 15 331
Nomar Mazara 15 460
Tyler Naquin 14 278
Dae-Ho Lee 13 253
Byung Ho Park 12 244
Gary Sanchez 11 90

Sanchez has put on a show, but becoming the Yankees all-time leader for home runs by a rookie appears unreachable as he trails DiMaggio by 18 with 34 games to go.

Most HRs by Yankees rookie in single season

ROOKIE HR SEASON PA
Joe DiMaggio 29 1936 669
Bobby Murcer 26 1969 625
Joe Gordon 25 1938 519
Kevin Maas 21 1990 300
Gary Sanchez 11 2016 90

If Sanchez could somehow, some way, remain on the torrid pace he's kicked off his career with, he could potentially join some of the most elite power hitters in baseball's history - but that's going to take a lot of work.

On pace for greatness

PLAYER G bf 11 HR CAREER HR
Barry Bonds 61 762
Hank Aaron 72 755
Alex Rodriguez 87 696
Babe Ruth 175 714
Gary Sanchez 21 11

Hey, anything can happen in baseball, and as it stands, no one in the game is putting on the kind of show Sanchez is, and luckily for the Yankees, the prized catcher is leading the team's youth movement in the right direction.

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