Chris Gittens was in bed after his game Friday night with Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre when his phone rang. On the line was Kevin Reese, the Yankees’ senior director of player development.
“They need you,” Reese told him.
Gittens, a hulking 27-year-old lifetime minor leaguer, had no idea who Reese was referring to.
“You’re playing first base for the New York Yankees tomorrow,” he recalled Reese telling him.
“And I was shocked,” Gittens said, “absolutely shocked.”
After four hundred and twenty seven minor league games, 1,727 plate appearances and hundreds of bus rides, Gittens is finally getting his shot.
After seven minor league seasons at five different levels, the Yankees’ 2014 12th-round pick out of Grayson Junior College in Denison, Texas, will get to experience major league baseball for the first time.
“This,” Gittens said, “is what I’ve dreamed of my whole life.”
This wasn’t just any ordinary debut, either. Known as “Hard Hittin’ ” Chris Gittens, he was in the lineup at first base and batting sixth against the rival Red Sox, hopefully providing a jolt to a lineup desperately in need of one.
Gittens was tearing it up in Triple-A at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, with a through-the-roof 1.071 OPS, four home runs and 11 RBIs in 74 at-bats. He had struck out just 16 times, cutting down on his previously high whiff rate.
“He’s earned the opportunity to be here with what he’s done throughout his minor league career,” manager Aaron Boone said of Gittens, who notched a 1.248 OPS and three home runs in 19 at-bats with the Yankees in the spring.
Boone didn’t offer much regarding his plans for Gittens beyond Saturday. Gittens has earned a chance, Boone said, but what kind of opportunity that will be remains to be seen.
“He can continue to earn more,” Boone said. “It’s day-to-day right now.”
With Luke Voit still out for the foreseeable future with a right oblique strain, and the lineup struggling to produce as expected, Gittens may get an extended shot at first base. The Yankees have already gone through a few other options there, from Jay Bruce (retired) to Mike Ford (sent down to Triple-A), and DJ LeMahieu since Voit went on the injured list.
LeMahieu, the defending AL batting champion, switched back to second base Saturday to replace the slumping Rougned Odor, who was batting .182 with 31 strikeouts and a .614 OPS over 123 plate appearances.
Gittens had both of his parents in attendance Saturday night. His father had never been in attendance to watch him play as a professional. When Gittens was drafted, his father told him he would wait until he got called up to the majors.
“It’s a blessing he’ll be able to see me play,” Gittens said. “It was a little push for me to get where I am right now.”
Gittens was with the Yankees for the final spring training game of 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic halted everything. There was no minor league season. To stay in shape, Gittens bought a net and a tee to get work in back home in Texas. In the offseason, he was a free agent and signed a minor league contract to remain with the Yankees.
“Now being here is unbelievable — it really is,” he said.
Reese, at the end of his Friday conversation with Gittens, asked if he would be ready. Gittens laughed recalling the end of their talk.
“Of course I’ll be ready,” he told Reese.
The Link LonkJune 06, 2021 at 12:15AM
https://nypost.com/2021/06/05/yankees-finally-call-up-hard-hitting-chris-gittens/
Yankees finally call up hard-hitting Chris Gittens - New York Post
https://news.google.com/search?q=hard&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
No comments:
Post a Comment