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