NEW YORK — Star infielder Francisco Sanchez is hopeful to return to the diamond for the New York Nighthawks before the regular season wraps up next weekend, although he stopped short of guaranteeing his comeback from a nagging back issue. Sanchez has been sidelined since September 11, when he exited a crucial matchup against the Philadelphia Freedom in the seventh inning due to discomfort.
Despite taking a few days off and making a brief appearance on September 15, Sanchez was forced to miss the Nighthawks’ entire seven-game homestand against the Washington Senators and Philadelphia Freedom. During his absence, the team went 6-1, including a thrilling series win over the first-place Freedom, to maintain a two-game cushion over the Atlanta Blaze for the final National League wild card spot.
Sanchez’s status for the upcoming showdown against the Blaze remains uncertain. “If I take the field this year, I don’t expect to be 100% pain-free,” Sanchez admitted after the Nighthawks’ 2-1 victory over the Freedom. “I’m willing to play through some discomfort, but I don’t want it to be a constant issue that affects my performance and puts my teammates in a tough spot.”
The 30-year-old Sanchez underwent medical tests on Monday, which revealed no structural damage, but the exact nature of his injury remains undisclosed. He received a facet joint injection on Thursday to accelerate the healing process and reported that the shot reduced, but didn’t eliminate, the pain. Sanchez has since resumed batting practice on the field, albeit with limited intensity.
“I’m focused on pushing myself to the limit every day and working with the trainers to reach the threshold they’ve set,” Sanchez explained. “Today, I reached that mark, and it’s another small step in the right direction.”
In addition to his batting practice sessions, Sanchez has been tracking pitches in the bullpen, playing catch, taking groundballs, and running. However, he has yet to test his back by running the bases. He also hinted that he might need to face live pitching before making his return.
“For me, it’s not a must to see live pitching, given the limited time left in the season,” Sanchez said. “But we’ll see how it goes.”
Sanchez has been an MVP candidate this season, boasting 31 home runs, 27 stolen bases, and an.836 OPS in 148 games while playing elite defense. While replacing him is a tall order, the Nighthawks have received significant contributions from rookie sensation Carlos Ramirez, who has filled in at shortstop, and veteran middle infielder Juan Hernandez, who has taken over the leadoff spot. Ramirez has gone 11-for-29 with three home runs and a 1.228 OPS in 30 plate appearances across nine games, while Hernandez is riding a 16-game hitting streak, batting.419 with a.978 OPS since September 6.
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