Sánchez becomes 12th Yankees player on injured list

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez has a strained left calf and became the 12th New York player on the injured list.

More than half the Yankees starting lineup is hurt. Sánchez joined outfielders Giancarlo Stanton (strained left biceps) and Aaron Hicks (left lower back strain), shortstop Didi Gregorius (recovering from Tommy John surgery last October), third baseman Miguel Andújar (torn labrum in right shoulder) and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (strained left calf) on the IL.

New York placed Sanchez on the 10-day IL retroactive to Thursday and recalled catcher Kyle Higashioka from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before Friday’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox. Sanchez did not play in Wednesday’s series finale at Houston because of calf tightness.

The Yankees injured list also includes pitchers Luis Severino, Dellin Betances, Jordan Montgomery and Ben Heller, and oft-injured outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who last played in 2017. Left-hander CC Sabathia (rehabilitation from cardiac surgery in December) is expected to be activated to start Saturday.

New York is more than halfway to its 2018 total of 20 players who had disabled list stints.