Gary Sanchez Fires Back At Logan Morrison’s Home Run Derby Dig

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Logan Morrison criticized Major League Baseball on Tuesday afternoon for selecting Gary Sanchez to the Home Run Derby, and the New York Yankees catcher has retorted to the slight with a diss of his own.

Logan Morrison, who is not participating in the Derby, said Gary Sanchez Shouldn’t Compete

“Gary shouldn’t be there,” Morrison told the Tampa Bay Times on Tuesday. “Gary’s a great player, but he shouldn’t be in the Home Run Derby.”

“I remember when I had 14 home runs. That was a month and a half ago.”

Morrison has scored 24 homers thus far this season, which ties him for second in MLB. Nevertheless, he was not invited to participate in this year’s Derby.

“It’s not my fault he didn’t get selected,” Sanchez said through an interpreter.

The 24-year-old Dominican catcher has 13 home runs in an injury-riddled first half of the season and will be competing in the Derby, which will be held Monday at Marlins Park in Miami.

“What can I say?” Sanchez said, emphasizing that he did not ask to play in the Derby. “They gave me a call, gave me an invitation to participate.”

Sanchez’s teammate, Yankees rookie outfielder Aaron Judge, will also participate in the event. Judge leads the majors overall in homers with 28. The other two players who will represent the American League in the Derby are Kansas City’s Mike Moustakas and Minnesota’s Miguel Sano.

Morrison also questioned why two Yankees were chosen to compete in the Derby, and called the league’s selection system “flawed.” Nevertheless, he insisted he has no personal beef with Sanchez, who has the least homers out of all the players participating in the event.

“That was not about Gary Sanchez whatsoever,” Morrison said. “That was about a flawed system. It could be taken out of context I guess if you want, which I know (the Tampa Bay Times) didn’t, but people could read the quote and say, ‘Okay, he’s jealous of Gary because he got picked.’ It’s not about that. (Milwaukee’s) Eric Thames (23 homers) got slighted, too. How is that guy not in the Home Run Derby for the National League? It’s a flawed system. That’s it.”

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – SEPTEMBER 20: Gary Sanchez #24 of the New York Yankees celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run off of pitcher Brad Boxberger of the Tampa Bay Rays during the seventh inning of a game on September 20, 2016 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)