When Ivan Rodriguez addressed former Yankees star Gary Sanchez's struggles: "He comes to the ballpark and it’s a depressing thing for him"

Former New York Yankees star Gary Sanchez had a poor 2020 season. In 49 games, he batted .147 with 10 home runs and 24 RBIs. He also led all catchers in errors, with six. His struggles led to him being benched by manager Aaron Boone midway through the season.

In an interview with WFAN Sports Radio in 2021, Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez spoke about Sanchez's problems. He said Sanchez was not enjoying his time on the mound and needed to rediscover his love for the game.

“He doesn’t enjoy baseball right now. He comes to the ballpark and it’s a depressing thing for him right now. That’s what I see when he’s playing. I think he has too much pressure on himself. He’s trying to do too much. I’ve talked to him a few times and he’s very positive.

"But Gary plays in an organization and in a city where, obviously, you have to do a good job pretty much every night. That’s the part of the game that he needs to work the most.”

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Gary Sanchez is an established catcher

Gary Sanchez in Atlanta Braves v Washington Nationals

Gary Sanchez debuted in the MLB in 2015 with the Yankees. In August 2016, he won the Rookie and Player of the Month award in the American League. Despite playing only 53 games, Sanchez placed second in the voting for Rookie of the Year.

In 2017, he was named an All-Star and won the Silver Slugger award. He's the quickest catcher in MLB history to hit 100 home runs.