NEW YORK (AP) — Jon Berti will make his first professional start at first base when the New York Yankees play the Kansas City Royals in Game 2 of the AL Division Series on Monday night.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone also said he picked Clarke Schmidt over Luis Gil to start Game 3 at Kansas City on Wednesday night.
Berti, acquired from Miami just before opening day, hit .273 in 25 games and 66 at-bats for the Yankees this year while playing second, third and left.
With Anthony Rizzo sidelined by a pair of fractured fingers, Oswaldo Cabrera started at first in the Yankees’ opening 6-5 win on Saturday, going 1 for 4 with three strikeouts and making several sparkling defensive plays.
Rookie Ben Rice, who played at first while Rizzo was sidelined from mid-June through August, was another option on the Yankees roster.
Rizzo hopes to be back if the Yankees advance to the League Championship Series.
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