Teixeira: You'd walk Sanchez to pitch to Babe Ruth
It's not every day a rookie gets intentionally walked twice in one game. Then again, not too many rookies have gotten off to a start like Gary Sanchez.
The New York Yankees prospect, who became the first player in team history to hit nine home runs in his first 21 games, was walked twice by the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. Mark Teixeira was the player the Mariners decided they'd rather face, and after the game, the veteran said he's not surprised one bit.
"Shoot, if Babe Ruth is hitting behind him, you intentionally walk him," Teixeira joked with reporters after the game. "I mean, he is as hot as any player I have played with in my entire career. You just don't see guys doing what he is doing. I don't care how old he is."
On top of his Yankees achievement, Sanchez also joined some elite company, becoming only the fifth player in league history to hit nine or more home runs in his first 21 games.
| Player | Year | HR | At-bats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Story | 2016 | 10 | 36 |
| Gary Sanchez | 2016 | 9 | 27 |
| Alvin Davis | 1984 | 9 | 34 |
| George Scott | 1966 | 10 | 32 |
| Mandy Brooks | 1925 | 9 | 28 |
Sanchez's performance in the majors so far, however brief, has been remarkable. According to FanGraphs, in his first 21 games, his wRC+ is an absurd 226 to go along with a hard contact rate of 40 percent. Teixeira said the rookie's hitting the ball better than anyone right now.
"What's his pace, 100 home runs? It is something crazy. Like I said, it is not like he is just getting the bat on the ball. He is hitting home runs 450 feet. He is crushing balls."