Berti 'looks like a natural' in first-base debut despite high-pressure spot

NEW YORK – In more than a century’s worth of postseason games, there are only a handful of players who have drawn a start at a fielding position where they had no prior experience, a club that now includes the Yankees’ Jon Berti.

With Anthony Rizzo unavailable due to injury and the Yankees seeking lineup balance against Royals left-hander Cole Ragans, the right-handed-hitting Berti drew the starting nod at first base Monday in Game 2 of the American League Division Series, marking his first career start at the position.

"He looks like a natural," said TBS broadcaster Ron Darling during the Royals' 4-2 victory to knot up the series.

Berti's most impressive highlight at his new post came in the sixth inning, when he turned an unassisted double play to help Tim Hill escape a jam. With one out and runners on the corners, MJ Melendez smashed a line drive (105.3 mph exit velocity, per Statcast) at Berti, who easily beat the runner back to the bag to end the inning -- despite laying out on the catch.

“I just feel like he kind of deserves to be in there,” manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “If we’re going to go long in this, he’s going to play a big role for us. I feel like he’s had a really good week of work over there. He’s obviously a really talented infielder.”

Batting ninth in New York’s order, Berti went 1-for-4. He is just the fifth player to make his first career start at a fielding position (excluding pitcher and designated hitter) in the postseason (min. 100 regular season games).

The last to do it was Carlos Santana, who started Game 3 of the 2016 World Series in left field for Cleveland.

Others include Patsy Dougherty (1903 World Series Game 8, right field), Jake Flowers (1931 World Series Game 2, third base) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001 ALCS Game 5, left field). Only Berti, Dougherty and Ichiro had no prior Major League experience at the position.

“He’s really looked the part in a lot of the work he’s done over there all week long,” Boone said. “He was in here working yesterday. He brings a lot to the table. … It doesn’t mean you don’t make a mistake, but we’re a little depleted there. I have a lot of confidence in the person.”

When Rizzo was hit by a pitch on Sept. 27 against the Pirates, fracturing two fingers on his right hand, the Yankees scrambled for fill-in options at first base. They recalled Ben Rice from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre the next day, and Oswaldo Cabrera started Saturday’s ALDS Game 1 against Kansas City.

The left-handed-hitting Rice was strongly considered for the Game 2 start, with Boone weighing Ragans’ reputation as a pitcher with reverse splits. Though Cabrera is a switch-hitter, he has struggled against lefties and likely would have hit left-handed against Ragans.

That led Boone to settle on Berti, who has been spending the last week-plus in a crash course at the position.

Rizzo has been helpful in that regard; on a Zoom call Sunday, Cabrera said the Yanks infielders “are like the students and he’s like our Mr. Miyagi,” referencing the 1984 action movie The Karate Kid.

“I feel good about him in the way I feel good about Cabrera,” Boone said of Berti.

Acquired from the Marlins in a three-team swap this past March, when the Yanks sent catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Rays and outfielder John Cruz to Miami, Berti was limited to just 25 games this season due to a left calf strain that he sustained in late May.

Berti compiled a .273/.342/.318 slash line in those contests, with a home run, six RBIs and five stolen bases. He appeared defensively at third base (18 games, 17 starts), second base (two games, one start), and left field (one game).