#Gary Sanchez strikes out four times: ‘Needs to be a little better’

Forget about the All-Star Gary Sanchez was two of the previous three years.

At this point, it’s fair to wonder just how much longer the Yankees and their ineffective lineup can keep throwing Sanchez out there.

The latest example came in Saturday’s 6-1 loss in Baltimore, when Sanchez struck out in each of his four plate appearances.

He’s now fanned seven straight times since a homer on Friday, but the slump goes far beyond the last two games.

There’s also the 4-for-41 slide he’s in and the fact he’s hitting a mind-boggling .130 with three weeks to go in the regular season.

“We’ve got to find a way with Gary at this point,’’ Aaron Boone said after Saturday’s loss. “He’s just too talented to have some of these at-bats that are happening. Whether it’s subtle mechanical adjustments, we’ve got to do some things to help him get going because he’s too important to our offense.”

Saturday was especially ugly, since Sanchez, serving as the DH with Kyle Higashioka catching Gerrit Cole, was up against southpaws all game.

“A night like tonight, we had some lefties out there,” Boone said. “We need him to be a little bit better.”

Facing left-hander Keegan Akin, Sanchez struck out swinging in the top of the second and whiffed looking in the fourth, as the Yankees wasted a leadoff double by Gleyber Torres. Sanchez struck out for a third time in the sixth versus Akin before Paul Fry got him swinging in the eighth.

On Friday, Boone reiterated he didn’t believe there was anything wrong with Sanchez, who has been among the worst hitters in the majors in 2020. And Sanchez and the Yankees are running out of time for him to figure it out.

Boone opted to not have Sanchez behind the plate for Cole on Saturday, saying he wanted to be able to catch him in Sunday’s day game.

“He has all the equipment to turn it around,’’ Boone said. “I do believe he understands that. You’ve got to find some subtle ways to find a way right now. [Whether] it’s subtle adjustments with approach, timing and getting started, these things have to start happening.”

It didn’t sound like Boone was considering benching Sanchez with Higashioka and Erik Kratz both on the roster.

“He’s had some days off here and there,’’ Boone said. “I know he’s working very hard behind the scenes. We’ll talk and we’ll consider everything because we need to all be part of the solution here, working alongside and helping him find what we know is in there.”