NEW YORK -- Gary Sanchez moved one step closer to rejoining the Yankees' active roster, reporting no discomfort after playing catch at a distance of 60 feet at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.
Sanchez has been on the 10-day disabled list since April 8 with a right biceps strain. The Yankees are hopeful that Sanchez can return four weeks from the date of the injury, which he sustained while fouling off a pitch in a game against the Orioles.
"Rehab is going well," Sanchez said on Twitter. "Hope to be swinging soon. Thank you for the well wishes."
Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka have handled the Yankees' catching in Sanchez's absence. Manager Joe Girardi said that Sanchez has been working out defensively to remain sharp.
"He's been doing things like catching off the machine to try to keep his legs in shape, catching five or six innings," Girardi said. "He's been blocking. I think he took some dry swings today, so everything is going well."
Girardi said that Sanchez will continue to increase the distance on his throws until he can resume throwing to the bases. The Yanks will look to have Sanchez play in Minor League rehab games sometime in the first week of May.
"He said he feels good, but again, it's the first time he's thrown," Girardi said. "It was only 60 feet, so I'm sure it wasn't as hard as we've seen him throw the baseball."
Sanchez was 3-for-20 (.150) with one home run and two RBIs in five games this season after slugging 20 homers in 53 games for New York last season.
In other injury updates, shortstop Didi Gregorius is slated to play in his first Minor League rehab game on Friday for Class A Advanced Tampa at Lakeland. Gregorius sustained a right shoulder strain in March.
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Gleyber Torres, the Yankees' No. 1 prospect as rated by MLB Pipeline, has been placed on the seven-day Minor League DL at Double-A Trenton. Girardi said that an MRI exam showed inflammation in Torres' right shoulder, and that he "probably won't be down that long."