By most defensive metrics, Gio Urshela has been one of many American League’s prime fielding third basemen since turning into a full-time participant for the Yankees in 2019.

And regardless that the metrics are on Urshela’s facet, on Sunday, he handed the attention take a look at when he made one of many performs of the yr within the Yankees’ 1-0 walkoff win to clinch an AL Wild Card spot. The Yankees completed 92-70 and can tackle the Pink Sox, who additionally completed 92-70, in Tuesday’s Wild Card sport.

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It was the highest of the sixth inning in a must-win sport for the Yankees when Rays’ outfielder Ausin Meadows hit a ball into foul territory. Urshela charged full pace forward to make the catch, falling down the steps to the Rays dugout in consequence. 

After the play, Urshela was changed defensively at shortstop by Andrew Velazquez as a precuationary measure.

However Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned it might’ve been a lot worse.

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“I feel all issues thought-about, we obtained actually fortunate,” Boone mentioned postgame. “From my vantage level, he regarded like a missile flying in there and it scared me to demise. I jumped out and ran straight over there, not figuring out what I used to be gonna see.”

Boone continued on to say the extent of Urshela’s harm appears to only be a bruise that stiffened up on him, however that should not stop him from taking part in in Tuesday’s wild card sport towards the Pink Sox in Fenway.

Urshela hit .267 with 14 house runs and 49 RBI in 116 video games for the Yankees this season splitting time between third base and shortstop.

The Yankees already obtained a significant blow dealt to their infield once they introduced star second baseman DJ LeMahieu landed on the injured record with a hernia and will not be accessible till the ALCS on the earliest.

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LeMahieu is a two-time batting champion and has completed top-5 in MVP voting in every in of his first two seasons with the Yankees to go together with three All-Star nods and three Gold Gloves.

Urshela will probably assist anchor the Yankees infield in LeMahieu’s absence because the Yankees look to win the Wild Card sport and in the end advance to the World Sequence for the primary time since 2009.

Urshela got here to the Yankees from the Blue Jays in 2018 and made his debut in 2019. Previous to his arrival in New York, he was price -1.2 Wins Above Alternative, however has been price 6.3 Wins Above Alternative since suiting up in pinstripes. He is additionally been second on the group in batting every of the final two seasons.