Gary Sanchez: Yankees 'never told me why I was benched' in playoffs

Gary Sanchez's future with the New York Yankees is uncertain. The club has been linked to J.T. Realmuto in recent weeks and, if they land him, it seems like Sanchez might be on his way out of the Bronx.

Sanchez didn't have the best season in 2020, and while he's not worried about trade rumors, he decided to discuss his struggles in an interview with ESPN's Marly Rivera. 

The 28-year-old catcher, who was benched in the playoffs, admitted in the interview that the decision caught him off guard due to a lack of communication with Aaron Boone and the Yankees' brass.

"It was something that had never happened to me in my career, whether in the minors or in the majors," Sanchez said. "When they benched me during the regular season, it was explained to me that I would catch one day and have a day off or catch two days and then have a day off to rest, (to) work on things.

"Then the playoffs came along, and you start getting excited, and you have all that adrenaline. I already felt I was in better form and I had so much desire to contribute to the team, to finally do something, which I did not do in the regular season. Feeling like I couldn't contribute was very hard. I always kept supporting my team. But the reality is they never told me why I was benched. I didn't know why I wasn't playing."

Sanchez struggled mightily at the plate in 2020, slashing .147/.253/.365 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI. Despite his struggles, though, he started Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series against Cleveland, hitting a home run and driving in three RBI.

He then appeared in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, going hitless in four plate appearances. After that, he rode the bench for the remainder of the postseason.

While the Yankees never explained to Sanchez why he was benched, the two-time All-Star admitted that he's cleared up communication issues with Boone and plans on trying to get better in 2021.

Sanchez's best season came in 2017, when he slashed .278/.345/.531 with 33 home runs and 90 RBIs. If he can replicate that success in 2021, the Yankees will be much better off.