Gary Sanchez to undergo shoulder surgery

Brian Cashman dropped a bombshell at the GM Meetings on Wednesday night, and it’s not the kind Yankees fans were expecting. While speaking to reporters, Cashman indicated that Gary Sanchez will undergo surgery on his left shoulder.

The Yankees General Manager revealed that Sanchez has experienced discomfort in his non-throwing arm since 2017. The problem persisted and flared up noticeably while the catcher worked out in Tampa last week. A cortisone shot didn’t do the trick, and now he’s heading under the knife.

The team expects a three-month recovery, with Sanchez healthy and ready to go for Opening Day. Should the rehab take longer than expected, Cashman gave a full vote of confidence in Austin Romine.

Sanchez, 25, hit .186/.291/.406 with 18 home runs in an injury-shortened 2018 campaign. It was by far his worst showing in a young major league career, a far cry from his successful runs in 2016 and 2017. He battled lower-body injuries for most of the summer, but a shoulder problem would go a long way towards explaining his struggles at the plate.

This marks the second significant Yankees injury of the offseason. The team previously announced that Didi Gregorius required Tommy John surgery. Now Sanchez will get his shoulder operated on. Thankfully it sounds like this injury isn’t as significant. Nonetheless, it’s never good when a player needs surgery, especially one as important as Sanchez.