MINNEAPOLIS — On June 21 Gary Sanchez was hitting .274 with 23 homers, 52 RBIs, a .982 OPS and headed for the All-Star Game.

Sanchez exited Monday night’s 8-6 loss to the Twins at Target Field batting .233 with 24 homers and 58 RBIs to go with an .821 OPS thanks to a 10-for-80 (.125) slide across 20 games (19 starts) in which he has hit one homer and driven in six runs. Monday night he went 0-for-5 and was hitless in three at-bats with runners in scoring position.

And no matter how many times Aaron Boone is asked about Sanchez’s elongated slide the answer remains the same and doesn’t include health. Sanchez suffered a left thumb injury on June 30 against the Red Sox in London and was removed from the game after the eighth inning despite the Yankees holding a 12-8 lead.

“I feel he is getting his ‘A’ swing off a lot. He gets a pitch [to hit]. He is fouling that pitch off,’’ said Boone, who batted Sanchez fourth against Twins lefty Martin Perez. “He is expanding the strike zone right now and that could be the result of him chasing [pitches]. I have talked to him about making sure he is focused and making sure he is having good at-bats. Gary’s talent and swing will lead to success. I don’t think he is that far off.’’

Sanchez, who was called for catcher’s interference in the third inning that led to an unearned run when Nelson Cruz’s bat hit Sanchez’s wrist, said the thumb isn’t a problem.

“The hand his good,’’ said Sanchez, who watched a hard-hit liner to left in the seventh find Eddie Rosario’s glove with two runners on and no outs. “Pitches in the zone I usually connect. Now I am fouling them off. Keep working and find a way to get back on track.’’

Despite the deep freeze Sanchez started Monday night tied for fifth in the American League in home runs (24) with the Twins’ Max Kepler who homered to break the tie.

With Adam Ottavino working in three of the previous four games the Yankees didn’t want to use the right-hander Monday night and didn’t.

Since lefty Stephen Tarpley threw 30 pitches in 1 ¹/₃ innings on Sunday in an 8-4 loss to the Rockies at home he was sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following that game and right-hander Jonathan Holder was recalled. Tarpley also threw 49 pitches on Friday.

Holder started the season on the Opening Day roster but after 31 games and a 6.81 ERA to go with 40 hits and 11 walks in 35 ²/₃ innings he was sent to SWB on June 24. In seven Triple-A games Holder posted a 3.48 ERA in 10 ¹/₃ innings.

In Tarpley’s last two big league outings he worked 4 ¹/₃ innings, allowed an unearned run and fanned seven.

When Holder was sent out on June 24 he looked shaken standing in front of his locker after giving up five runs and five hits (two homers) and not registering an out in a 10-8 Yankees win over the Blue Jays.

“That was a tough night. It passed and I am ready to move forward,’’ said Holder, who explained a few bullpen sessions at SWB helped his fastball command improve.

Holder worked a perfect ninth inning Monday night.

Gleyber Torres walked through the Yankees’ clubhouse with a wrap on his left shoulder, but according to Boone it had nothing to do with Torres’ headfirst slide into second base in the sixth inning when he led off with a double.

Boone said the wrap is a staple of Torres’ postgame routine and that the shoulder was good.

Dellin Betances will take a small step forward Tuesday when he plays catch from 75 feet for the first time since he began a rehab program.

CC Sabathia met local kids behind the Yankees’ dugout before the game with the Twins’ Michael Pineda and Cruz.