Andrew Benintendi modified groups, however he didn’t change resorts. As of Friday, he nonetheless was staying with the Royals, and the outfielder frolicked along with his out of the blue former teammates after his new membership, the Yankees, beat them Thursday.
The scene was by no means stranger than within the fast moments after the baseball world discovered Benintendi had been traded to the Yankees on Wednesday night time, on the eve of the 2 golf equipment starting a collection in The Bronx. He and some teammates had agreed to satisfy in a single room to play playing cards, however they retreated first to their particular person rooms. Their telephones started buzzing.
“Benny instructed us how every thing went down,” Kansas Metropolis utility man Hunter Dozier stated earlier than the Yankees topped the Royals 11-5 on Friday in The Bronx. “Then we simply frolicked and performed playing cards like regular.”
In response to Benintendi’s former workforce, the Yankees have struck gold in buying an outfielder with wonderful contact expertise within the midst of certainly one of his finest seasons.
The 28-year-old, who had an RBI on an infield single within the Yankees’ eight-run eighth inning and completed 1-for-3 with a stroll Friday, hit .320 and posted a .387 on-base proportion in 93 video games with Kansas Metropolis.
“We might joke round saying every single day, Benny’s going to get two hits and a stroll no less than,” Dozier stated of his teammate of 1 and a half seasons. “He simply has been very constant this 12 months. Discovering hits, getting walks, enjoying actually good protection. It’s been spectacular to look at him play.”
One draw back for the Yankees is Benintendi’s unvaccinated standing, which saved him from enjoying a collection in Toronto earlier this season. The lefty hitter, who basically is changing Joey Gallo, stated Thursday he's staying “open-minded” in regards to the vaccine. The Yankees journey to Toronto for a collection in September, and a postseason collection towards the Blue Jays is a risk.
One other draw back is Benintendi’s lack of energy. He hit three dwelling runs this season earlier than the commerce a 12 months after he slugged 17.
In response to Statcast, his dwelling run whole can be doubled to 6 if he had performed all his video games in The Bronx this 12 months.
“He’s a man that may do every thing,” stated Royals second baseman and proper fielder Whit Merrifield. “I do know that his energy numbers aren’t there, however he [was] enjoying within the largest and hardest park to hit a house run in, in baseball.
“He can dash, he can steal bases [four with the Royals], he can hit for common, he can hit for energy. They received a whole, well-rounded hitter, defender and only a nice teammate. It’s a slam dunk for any workforce that went out and received him.”
Benintendi spent his first 5 main league seasons with the Pink Sox, with whom he received the World Collection in 2018. In the course of the postseason that 12 months, he excelled towards the Yankees within the ALDS, posting a .444 on-base proportion in a collection Boston received in 4 video games.
In 21 profession playoff video games, Benintendi has a .729 OPS.
“The expertise of getting been in that state of affairs helps,” stated Royals outfielder Michael A. Taylor, who received the World Collection with the Nationals in 2019. “He is aware of what to anticipate on and off the sphere as a result of there’s a whole lot of media and issues like that within the playoffs and the World Collection.”
The consensus from a number of who know Benintendi finest was that he's each a relaxed and easy-going individual away from the sphere and a hard-nosed competitor on it.
“He’s a man that's going to slot in in any clubhouse as a result of he works arduous. He’s quiet. He’s a fantastic man.”
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