NEW YORK — Jon Berti appeared like a Gold Glove winner in his first skilled recreation at first base.
Pressured to make use of backups following Anthony Rizzo’s damage, the New York Yankees began Berti at first base in Monday night time’s 4-2 loss to the Kansas Metropolis Royals that evened their American League Division Collection at one recreation apiece.
Berti made a clear pickup of Yuli Gurriel’s difficult second-inning squibber over the bag, then a diving stab for an unassisted double play within the sixth to save lots of not less than one run — possibly two.
“I assumed he was nice over there tonight and on the plate,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned.
Berti sprawled for a backhand catch on pinch hitter MJ Melendez’s 105.3 mph liner within the sixth, popped to his ft and stepped on first to double up Michael Massey for an inning-ending double play.
“Simply reacted to it, clearly, and glad we’re capable of get out of that and provides ourselves an opportunity shifting ahead,” Berti mentioned.
Berti went 1-for-4 with a strikeout, hitting a pair of flyouts and a ninth-inning single.
“Berti’s an athlete,” Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. mentioned. “Similar to me, you possibly can put him on any a part of the sphere. He will make performs.”
Acquired from Miami simply earlier than opening day, Berti hit .273 in 25 video games and 66 at-bats for the Yankees this season whereas enjoying second base, third base and left subject.
A 34-year-old veteran of seven huge league season, Berti had no expertise at first base apart from the ultimate three innings of a spring coaching recreation when Miami performed Washington on March 25, 2021. He caught the throw from third baseman Joe Dunand on Jordy Mercer’s eighth-inning grounder for his one putout.
With Rizzo sidelined by a pair of fractured fingers, Oswaldo Cabrera began at first within the Yankees’ 6-5 win Saturday within the sequence opener, going 1-for-4 with three strikeouts and making a number of glowing defensive performs.
New York rookie Ben Rice, who performed at first whereas Rizzo was sidelined due to a damaged proper forearm from mid-June by August, was an alternative choice on the Yankees roster.
Boone was impressed by Berti’s pickup on Gurriel’s grounder.
“Sneaky, powerful play, particularly whenever you’re not over there rather a lot the place that ball’s spinning on you,” Boone mentioned. “Thought he dealt with himself very well tonight over there.”
Harm when hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Ryan Borucki on Sept. 28, Rizzo hopes to be again if the Yankees advance to the League Championship Collection.
Berti labored up to now week with coach Travis Chapman and Rizzo to study first base positioning.
“Simply a variety of nuance to it,” Berti mentioned. “There’s much more to it than folks in all probability suppose. However coming over as third baseman, shortstop, second baseman, you at all times need to go after each single ball. However as a primary baseman, you have to study sort of which balls are going to go in direction of the second baseman and recover from to first.”
Waiting for Sport 3 at Kansas Metropolis on Wednesday night time, Boone chosen and introduced Clarke Schmidt because the starter, and never Luis Gil.
Schmidt, a 28-year-old right-hander, will comply with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon within the rotation, with Cole lined up for Sport 4 within the best-of-five sequence and Rodon for a possible Sport 5. A 28-year-old right-hander, Schmidt was 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA in 16 begins, lacking time between Could 26 and Sept. 7 due to a strained proper lat.
“I feel an ideal alternative and one thing I have been trying ahead to and sort of hoping would occur,” Schmidt mentioned.
Gil, a 26-year-old rookie right-hander, was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA. He struck out 171 in 151⅔ innings however led the most important leagues with 77 walks.
Schmidt mentioned Boone advised him of the choice Sunday.
“It simply seems like he is the precise man for that recreation,” Boone mentioned. “I’ve a variety of confidence in what each carry to the desk and, hopefully, if we’re capable of transfer on, then Luis is clearly going to seek out himself again within the rotation, as effectively.”