Inside The Pinstripes

Andrew Velazquez Starting at Shortstop For Yankees in Wild Card Game

New York Yankees shortstop Andrew Velazquez to help replace injured infielder DJ LeMahieu, playing a key role in the Wild Card Game vs. the Boston Red Sox

Pat Ragazzo

With DJ LeMahieu sidelined for the foreseeable future, this paves the way for a young spark plug to take his place in the Yankees’ starting lineup.

The Yankees called up Andrew Velazquez on October 2 and have included him on their Wild Card roster for Tuesday night’s showdown at Fenway. Velazquez is starting at shortstop with Gio Urshela sliding over to third base due to LeMahieu’s absence.

READ: How the Yankees Will Replace DJ LeMahieu to Begin the Postseason

While his overall numbers don’t tell the entire story (one home run, six RBI, .224/.235/.358), Velazquez stepped in for an injured Gleyber Torres in early-August and injected a jolt of energy into the Yankees’ lineup, which led to a 16-6 stretch.

From August 9 to September 1, Velazquez served as the everyday shortstop and slashed .228/.241/.386. He was also a major upgrade defensively over Torres, making some eye-popping web gems in the field and showing off impressive range at his position.

Not to mention, Velazquez produced 4 RBI in the Yankees’ three game set with the Red Sox to help his team complete a crucial series sweep over their AL East rivals in mid-August.

At this point, Tyler Wade is most valuable when coming off the bench and Rougned Odor is 14 for his last 120 dating back to August 1.

Once Torres came back from the IL on September 3, Velazquez only appeared in six more games before the regular season ended. However, another opportunity has now opened up for him to contribute and the Yankees shouldn’t ignore what he brings to the table.

The Bronx native is a spark plug and he proved that during his time filling in at shortstop. And out of the latter two options, Velazquez is certainly the most capable of making something happen on a big stage.

More to get you ready for the American League Wild Card Game:

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Pat Ragazzo
PAT RAGAZZO

Pat Ragazzo is the reporter, publisher, site manager and executive editor for Sports Illustrated's Mets and Yankees On SI websites. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. He has been seen on several major TV Network stations including: NBC4, CBS2, FOX5, PIX11 and NY1; and is frequently heard on ESPN New York FM 880 AM and WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM as a guest. Pat also serves as the Mets insider for the "Allow Me 2 Be Frank" podcast hosted by Frank "The Tank" Fleming of Barstool Sports. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @ragazzoreport.

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