Speak to any Yankee participant as of late — particularly their pitchers — they usually’re prone to begin raving about Gio Urshela, the newcomer who was summoned as an emergency call-up however has was a magic-maker at third base.
Delicate arms at third? Quick-twitch reflexes? A heavy-duty bat? Not solely does Urshela examine each field, however whereas the Yankees have been propping him up as a possible Gold Glove candidate, he has formally develop into a distinction maker within the ninth inning, too.
Urshela blasted a game-tying, two-run residence run earlier than the Yankees completed off a 5-Four come-from-behind victory in opposition to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night time.
“I used to be actually excited in that second,” Urshela stated, including that he loved the customary celebration of sunshine on the rim of Yankee Stadium. “It feels so good seeing the lights travel.”
Supervisor Aaron Boone may solely shake his head and say, “That was actually enjoyable to look at.”
Urshela was behind 0-2 within the rely in opposition to Anthony Swarzak, however squared up on a middle-of-the-plate fastball that carried nicely over the center-field wall. Little recognized till these days, Urshela raised a fist to the sky as he circled the bases — and was promptly mobbed within the dugout.
The Yankees repeated that scene moments later when D.J. LeMahieu punched a game-winning single by means of the infield, giving them their 13th victory in 17 video games.
Oddly, Urshela’s 11th-hour drama overshadowed a so-so efficiency within the discipline. His fielding error within the eighth inning led to 2 unearned runs that gave Seattle a 4-1 lead. But that did little to decrease Urshela’s rising repute for defensive wizardry.
“I really really feel sorry for guys who hit the ball in Gio’s course, as a result of they haven’t any shot of getting it by him,” stated outfielder Clint Frazier. “He’s simply unreal.”
Urshela’s emergence has created a pleasing downside for the Yankees, as they now have two succesful third baseman in him and Miguel Andujar, who returned over the weekend after sustaining a labrum tear. Andujar began Tuesday night time’s sport in opposition to the Seattle Mariners because the designated hitter, a slot he figures to fill for some time, with Urshela at third.
It took Andujar’s harm to create roster house for Urshela, however the 27-year-old’s path to a spot within the Bronx was solid years earlier in his native Colombia. Rising up in Cartagena, Urshela was like most of his younger friends: He beloved soccer and was a fan of the Portuguese famous person Cristiano Ronaldo.
Urshela was a goalkeeper as a child — “I had an excellent arms,” he stated with a smile — however a love of baseball ran by means of the household. Each of Urshela’s brothers performed in highschool, as did their father, a softball aficionado.
There have been few countrymen in Colombia to root for; solely 21 gamers from that nation have made it to the majors, together with Urshela. Edgar Renteria and Orlando Cabrera have been probably the most distinguished throughout Urshela’s youth.
However regardless of a nationwide fixation on soccer, Urshela grew up listening to a lot in regards to the Yankees.
“For a rustic that doesn’t have quite a lot of baseball, you’d be stunned what number of Colombians love this workforce,” Urshela stated. “There are Yankees followers all over the place.”
Thus, judgment day, when Urshela’s father informed him it was time to choose a sport, {the teenager} knew his goalkeeping days have been over.
“He stated, ‘I need you to focus on soccer,’” Urshela stated, referring to his dad. “I stated, ‘No.’”
He laughed and added, “I believe I made the best alternative.”
Lately Urshela is fielding regular requests for interviews, though the eye goes past the clubhouse. The president of Colombia, Iván Duque, personally tweeted his praise for Urshela after a very good day at Yankee Stadium: a double and two singles within the Yankees’ 9-2 win over the Royals on April 20.
Urshela, who was batting .352 in 71 at-bats getting into Tuesday, insists he’s not completely stunned by the success. “I’ve at all times believed my laborious work would repay,” he stated. Nonetheless, the journey has been circuitous. He was out of minor-league choices when the Cleveland Indians lastly launched him final yr. Their roster was full and Urshela’s path was being blocked by Jose Ramirez, their present third baseman.
Urshela landed with the Toronto Blue Jays however remained on the Yankees’ radar.
“We’d at all times had curiosity in Gio, we acknowledged his elite protection,” stated Common Supervisor Brian Cashman. “The query was: Might we match up with Cleveland to make one thing occur? The reply was we couldn’t. However we saved a watch on him.”
The Yankees ended up buying Urshela from Toronto final August, however didn’t defend him on the 40-man roster. In elements of three seasons with the Indians and Blue Jays, Urshela batted solely .225 with a meager .589 on-base-plus-slugging share. He was creating a repute as an offensively-challenged, profession minor leaguer — till late final season.
Urshela batted .307 with an .815 O.P.S. in 27 video games for the Yankees’ Class-AAA affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He demonstrated related bat-skills in spring coaching, at which level Supervisor Aaron Boone pulled Cashman apart and steered it was time to make room for Urshela.
Solely, the place? The Yankees have been absolutely invested in Andujar, the runner-up for the American League’s Rookie of the 12 months Award final season. Simply because it was in Cleveland, Urshela gave the impression to be caught, however the calculus modified after Andujar suffered {a partially} torn labrum and spent the subsequent month on the injured record.
That prompted the call-up that has launched Urshela’s profession in pinstripes. It was Frazier, who performed with Urshela within the Indians’ farm system and who has additionally seized a possibility caused by accidents this yr, who stated, “This man is a Gold Glove third baseman. I knew it again then, simply watching. He belongs right here, man.”
Nobody is arguing the purpose, least of all Boone, who stated Urshela’s glove compares favorably with these of defensive stars like Oakland’s Matt Chapman, Colorado’s Nolan Arenado and San Diego’s Manny Machado.
The supervisor wouldn’t insert himself into the Gold Glove debate. First, he has to determine how, or if, he can hold Urshela and Andujar in the identical lineup. For now, Andujar will function the first designated hitter, not less than till Giancarlo Stanton recovers from a shoulder harm.
Urshela stated he was “so grateful” for the chance that destiny has given him, though none of it will have been potential with no essential alternative on his half. It’s referred to as selecting the correct horse — or, in Urshela’s case, selecting the correct sport.