KANSAS CITY, Mo. — If Aaron Boone lets the numbers make the choice, the Yankees will begin Jon Berti at first base in a second straight playoff sport.
It’s onerous to imagine that Boone’s eyes and intestine wouldn’t lead him to the identical conclusion.
However Boone held off on naming a beginning first baseman throughout the journey day earlier than the ALDS shifts to Kauffman Stadium for Sport 3 on Wednesday.
The Yankees and Royals cut up two video games in The Bronx.
“We’ll see,” Boone mentioned. “It’s form of one I’m nonetheless deliberating on.”
In a unusually timed first profession begin at first base with Anthony Rizzo (two fractured fingers) sidelined, Berti seemed easy defensively as he dealt with a cutoff throw from proper discipline and began an inning-ending rundown.
He additionally made a diving catch on a line drive on the sting of the infield grass to show an unassisted double play.
“A whole lot of nuance to it,” Berti mentioned. “There’s much more to [first base] than individuals most likely assume.”
Add to these performs that Berti is 3-for-5 with a double and a stroll in his profession off of Sport 3 starter Seth Lugo and it will appear that Berti has the higher hand on options Oswaldo Cabrera, who began Sport 1, and Ben Rice.
Solely Juan Soto (4-for-16) has extra hits off of Lugo, a former Met, among the many Yankees.
Berti solely had 66 at-bats throughout an injury-marred common season, however he labored 17 pitches throughout 4 at-bats in Sport 2.
His two-out single within the ninth introduced Gleyber Torres to the plate with an opportunity to tie the rating.
“He appears to be like actually snug,” Torres mentioned. “Jon is an superior athlete. All people believes in what he can do for the workforce, and he confirmed [Monday] evening.”
Torres is aware of firsthand how troublesome it may be to modify positions.
He tried shifting from second base to shortstop however two error-filled seasons in 2020 and 2021 ended that experiment.
When the Yankees traded for Jazz Chisholm Jr. earlier this season, Torres balked at taking part in third base.
So, he’s the proper teammate to understand what Berti — a utility infielder and outfielder — is being requested to do below the magnified strain.
“As an infielder, it’s not that simple to modify positions, particularly within the postseason,” Torres mentioned. “He did a extremely good job. I really feel proud for him. We all know he all the time can do the job.”
So, why hadn’t Boone made up his thoughts by the point the Yankees completed their exercise at Yankee Stadium earlier than flying?
As a result of he needed to let it marinate.
“We’ll discuss to a couple coaches and let who I wish to weigh in on that, weigh in,” Boone mentioned. “Attempting to make the very best choice. It’s not all the time simply essentially who begins the sport, however the way it units you up on the bench. It was actually good to see Jon deal with first base so effectively in his first go-around at that, and actually give high quality at-bats.”
