HOUSTON — Clean-shaven and a little sleep-deprived, Jon Berti found himself out of the Yankees’ lineup on Opening Day.
Aaron Boone had left the door open to starting the super-utility man, acquired the day before the start of the season, at third, but Berti didn’t get to Houston until 2 a.m. on Thursday morning.
“A lot was Berti getting in in the middle of the night and just the whirlwind that I know it’s been for him as you’re getting ready to break for your team and all of a sudden you’re traded,” Boone said of the decision to start Oswaldo Cabrera at third. “But then getting in in the middle of the night with the day game, just want him to get acclimated as best as he can. Hopefully, today helps get him settled in a little bit and then we can roll.”
Just a few hours before the trade, Berti had been preparing for his sixth season with the Marlins. He was actually taking grounders when Miami manager Skip Schumaker pulled him aside to tell him of the three-team trade that sent him to the Yankees.
“There’s just a whirlwind of emotions,” Berti said. “Super excited, obviously, just to come to an organization that’s so prestigious. I grew up watching the Yankees all the time and stuff, so pretty surreal.
“It’s been quite the 24 hours.”
While Berti didn’t start on Thursday, he should see regular playing time at third with DJ LeMahieu on the injured list due to a bone bruise on his right foot. And once LeMahieu returns — Boone didn’t have any new updates on the infielder on Thursday — Berti’s ability to play second, short and the outfield should make him a regular in the lineup.
“Once you do get whole, which hopefully happens at some point here early on, then you have really an elite utility guy that can play a lot of different positions,” Boone said Wednesday. “So before a few hours ago, I was concerned about our infield depth and kind of our bench and how we’re going to maneuver that a little bit. I feel like that improved a lot.”
Berti said that his best position depends on the day. If he gets an extended run at one spot, he’ll naturally start to feel most comfortable there.
“But I love playing all over,” the 34-year-old said.
In addition to being versatile, Berti brings some speed and contact to the Yankees.
He led the majors with 41 stolen bases two seasons ago, and he slashed .294/.344/.405 over a career-high 133 games last year. Now, after a career year, Berti has reunited with Yankees hitting coach James Rowson, who used to be the Marlins’ bench coach.
While Berti brings a few different components to the Bronx, he was able to sum himself up in succinct fashion.
“Play the game hard,” he said. “Play the game the right way and just do whatever I can to help this team win.”
COLE TO THE 60
The Yankees made a handful of roster moves before first pitch on Thursday. The most notable saw Gerrit Cole (elbow inflammation) moved to the 60-day injured list.
This was a formality, as Brian Cashman had already made it known that Cole was going to miss that time. The move opened a spot on the Yankees’ 40-man roster.
Cole is with the Yankees for their season-opening road trip, and he was about to go do some arm exercises when the team’s clubhouse opened up to reporters on Thursday.
Prior to today’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
•Placed INF DJ LeMahieu on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 3/25) with a right foot contusion.
•Placed INF Oswald Peraza on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 3/25) with a right shoulder strain.…— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) March 28, 2024
DUMBO DONG
When asked to share memories from his first Opening Day with the Reds in 1998, Boone offered a stinky surprise with his answer.
The manager recalled the time that late Cincinnati owner Marge Schott brought an elephant onto the field, where it proceeded to take “a giant movement right on the turf, right in front of the dugout, about 15 minutes before the game.”
“It actually helped settle me down a little,” Boone said, referring to his Opening Day jitters.
