Yankees ALDS Game 1 Player of the Game: Alex Verdugo
Yesterday at 07:00 AM
Verdugo's go-ahead RBI single in the seventh gives Yankees a 1-0 lead in the ALDS.
Alex Verdugo's first season in the Bronx hasn't been as fruitful as Yankees fans hoped when he signed a one-year deal with the team in the offseason. In the second half of the season, General Manager Brian Cashman had fans begging him to call up Jasson Domínguez from the minors to replace Verdugo in left, which eventually happened in mid-September.
But when Game 1 of the ALDS rolled around, it was the Yankees' Opening Day starter, Verdugo, still penciled in as the starter in left. When asked before the game against the Kansas City Royals why he chose to start Verdugo over Domínguez, Aaron Boone credited his decision to Verdugo's strong defensive skills and confidence in Verduo's hitting ability.
To the fans' surprise, Boone was right, at least for one night. Verdugo proved his value in left field and at the plate, hitting the go-ahead RBI single that ultimately won the Yankees the game.
Verdugo's offensive success started in the bottom of the third inning, when he hit a lead-off line-drive single to left off of Royals' starting pitcher Michael Wacha. Next up, Gleyber Torres hit a two-run home run to put the Yankees on the board and give them a 2-1 lead.
In the following inning, Gerrit Cole got into trouble, giving up two runs and the Yankees' lead. With two outs and runners on first and second, Verdugo made a sliding catch in shallow left field near foul territory to get Michael Massey out and prevent the Royals from scoring additional runs off of Cole. Based on Domínguez's performance in left field during the last two weeks of the regular season, I'm not sure he would have made that play.
Verdugo's true moment of glory in this game came in the seventh inning. With the game tied 5-5, Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a single to right to start off the inning. Chisholm stole second and was called safe, but the Royals quickly challenged that call. The replays indicated that Chisholm was in all likelihood out at second, but MLB ruled that there wasn't clear and obvious evidence, and the call stood. After both Anthony Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrebra struck out, Verdugo came to the plate and hit a single to left field, scoring Chisholm. That run would be enough to secure the Yankees' 6-5 victory.
Verdugo ended his night going 2-for-3 with one walk. Though Verdugo had a successful game last night, Boone may opt to keep him on the bench in favor of Domínguez in Game 2 of the ALDS on Monday, since the Yankees will face left-handed starter Cole Ragans. Regardless of how Boone plays it on Monday, Verdugo will always have had a Saturday night to remember in Game 1.
