Jon Berti shines at first base in New York Yankees’ 4-2 loss

NEW YORK — Jon Berti looked like a Gold Glove winner in his first professional game at first base.

Forced to use backups following Anthony Rizzo’s injury, the New York Yankees started Berti at first base in Monday night’s 4-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals that evened their American League Division Series at one game apiece.

Berti made a clean pickup of Yuli Gurriel‘s tricky second-inning squibber over the bag, then a diving stab for an unassisted double play in the sixth to save at least one run — maybe two.

“I thought he was great over there tonight and at the plate,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Berti sprawled for a backhand catch on pinch hitter MJ Melendez‘s 105.3 mph liner in the sixth, popped to his feet and stepped on first to double up Michael Massey for an inning-ending double play.

“Just reacted to it, obviously, and glad we’re able to get out of that and give ourselves a chance moving forward,” Berti said.

Berti went 1-for-4 with a strikeout, hitting a pair of flyouts and a ninth-inning single.

“Berti’s an athlete,” Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. “Just like me, you can put him on any part of the field. He’s going to make plays.”

Acquired from Miami just before opening day, Berti hit .273 in 25 games and 66 at-bats for the Yankees this season while playing second base, third base and left field.

A 34-year-old veteran of seven big league season, Berti had no experience at first base besides the final three innings of a spring training game when Miami played Washington on March 25, 2021. He caught the throw from third baseman Joe Dunand on Jordy Mercer‘s eighth-inning grounder for his one putout.

With Rizzo sidelined by a pair of fractured fingers, Oswaldo Cabrera started at first in the Yankees’ 6-5 win Saturday in the series opener, going 1-for-4 with three strikeouts and making several sparkling defensive plays.

New York rookie Ben Rice, who played at first while Rizzo was sidelined because of a broken right forearm from mid-June through August, was another option on the Yankees roster.

Boone was impressed by Berti’s pickup on Gurriel’s grounder.

“Sneaky, tough play, especially when you’re not over there a lot where that ball’s spinning on you,” Boone said. “Thought he handled himself really well tonight over there.”

Hurt when hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Ryan Borucki on Sept. 28, Rizzo hopes to be back if the Yankees advance to the League Championship Series.

Berti worked in the past week with coach Travis Chapman and Rizzo to learn first base positioning.

“Just a lot of nuance to it,” Berti said. “There’s a lot more to it than people probably think. But coming over as third baseman, shortstop, second baseman, you always want to go after every single ball. But as a first baseman, you’ve got to learn kind of which balls are going to go towards the second baseman and get over to first.”

Looking ahead to Game 3 at Kansas City on Wednesday night, Boone selected and announced Clarke Schmidt as the starter, and not Luis Gil.

Schmidt, a 28-year-old right-hander, will follow Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon in the rotation, with Cole lined up for Game 4 in the best-of-five series and Rodon for a potential Game 5. A 28-year-old right-hander, Schmidt was 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA in 16 starts, missing time between May 26 and Sept. 7 because of a strained right lat.

“I think a great opportunity and something I’ve been looking forward to and kind of hoping would happen,” Schmidt said.

Gil, a 26-year-old rookie right-hander, was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA. He struck out 171 in 151⅔ innings but led the major leagues with 77 walks.

Schmidt said Boone told him of the decision Sunday.

“It just feels like he’s the right guy for that game,” Boone said. “I have a lot of confidence in what both bring to the table and, hopefully, if we’re able to move on, then Luis is obviously going to find himself back in the rotation, as well.”