'Best infielder on the planet': Giménez's incredible play proves crucial

CLEVELAND -- There’s a reason why Andrés Giménez will likely add a third Gold Glove to his mantle in 2024. His defensive wizardry over the past three seasons has been nothing short of spectacular, and it was on display once again in a critical moment of the Guardians' wild 7-5 victory over the Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday night at Progressive Field.

While the dramatic late-inning home runs on both sides will be the big moments forever replayed from this instant classic, it is impossible to downplay the importance of the absolute gem by Giménez in the 10th inning.

Shortly after Jhonkensy Noel’s heroic game-tying two-run homer off Luke Weaver with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees were once again threatening in the 10th. A one-out walk by Giancarlo Stanton, who was pinch-run for by Jasson Domínguez, set up New York with a go-ahead run on base and Jazz Chisholm Jr. coming to the plate against Guardians reliever Pedro Avila. Chisholm chopped a bouncer that initially had the look of a single to right that would easily move Domínguez to third.

Then, Giménez came to the rescue.

Venturing into shallow right field, the second baseman snagged the ball mid-air with his glove, spun around and fired an off-balance throw to Josh Naylor, who was almost equally as impressive with his ability to stretch out to his right for the ball and get his foot back on the first-base bag just in time to beat a hustling Chisholm.

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“Andrés Giménez is the best infielder on the planet,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “He has been and he will be. He makes plays that make us wow every single day it seems like. For him to even get to that ball, spin and throw a very good runner out and for Naylor to make an in-between hop pick as he's falling over fully stretched, that is just unbelievable defense by both of them.

“What Andrés does night in and night out is so much fun to watch. We are spoiled to watch him play second base every day.”

Instead of runners at the corners with only one out, that play provided a crucial second out for Avila. The right-hander was once again an unsung hero out of Cleveland’s bullpen, keeping the game tied with a scoreless frame that included a strikeout of Aaron Judge -- who tied the game earlier with a two-run blast off Emmanuel Clase -- to begin the inning.

Even as the reigning AL Platinum Glove Award winner, Giménez was admittedly shocked by his ability to even get to the ball, let alone complete what could be viewed as a risky throw.

“I was kind of surprised when I caught the ball,” Giménez said. “It was really hard for me to get to it. Once I caught the ball, I was like, ‘It's not the best angle to throw the ball, right? Just throw it.’ … Jazz was running, and he comes flying down the line. I just throw it and Naylor saved my life.”

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Naylor may not be regarded in the same realm as Giménez when it comes to defense, but the impressive flexibility shown by his 5-foot-11, 250-pound frame was essential in making this amazing play possible.

“I’m trying to win a Gold Glove,” Naylor said. “That's my goal as a first baseman. I try to win the Gold Gloves by picking everything I can for [the infielders].”

From Giménez’s clutch defense to Avila making it four hitless innings of relief in his three appearances during this ALCS, Thursday’s 10th inning was the epitome of what this Guardians team is all about. Anyone can step up in any given moment, and it took the whole squad to get this series back to a manageable 2-1 deficit.

“That game is who we are, right?” said Guardians starter Matthew Boyd, who set the tone with five innings of one-run ball. “You go back and you look and think of some of those key plays, what Giménez did on that play right there, getting an out there more than anything was amazing.

“ … That's Guards baseball.”