NEW YORK – Estevan Florial seized his latest big league chance on Thursday night to hit the first extra base hit of his career.
Later that night, after New York beat the Blue Jays in Thursday’s nightcap of the double header, the Yankees chose the prospect back to Triple-A.
The 23-year-old started with pinstripes for the second time in his MLB career and went 3-1 while playing a solid defense in midfield. It was his brace from the left wall of the field in the sixth inning that made the impression.
“Obviously his last stroke, you see him smoke a ball the other way and we’ve seen that for a couple of feathers with his ability to propel the ball around,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone after the win. “It’s so nice to see that he really stabs the other way to give us almost an insurance run there.”
Florial’s doppelganger almost left the court. A 2-1 fastball from Toronto’s right-handed AJ Cole revealed the ball halfway up the wall before it was devoured on the left by Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Statcast had clocked Florial’s bat double at 102.3 mph to 367 feet. Florial has already completed six double-A and triple-A home runs this season, so his pop on the plate should come as no surprise.
Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez was on first base and it looked like he was going to stop in third and add one more stroke to the inning. Instead, he was wagged around trying to score with two outs.
Sánchez was thrown out by several steps and robbed Florial of the chance at his first RBI in the big league.
Prior to Thursday’s first pitch, Boone alluded to the fact that Florial could be sent down immediately and that he was only called up to bolster the depth of the position player with 14 innings.
Although it’s bittersweet for Florial – who is now 6–2 in two major league games – the downgrade makes Giancarlo Stanton’s return from the injured list even clearer. The The bat was expected to return from the IL on Friday in Detroit and now there is a place available for him on the active roster.
Asked about the depth of that squad after the game – despite losing Aaron Hicks for the season and others like Luke Voit due to significant injuries – Aaron highlighted Judge Florial as an example.
“We’re built for it. It’s no surprise,” said the judge. “The guys I see during spring training who are in Double-A, Single-A, Triple-A and who are producing in the spring training games are ready for the major league. And then to see the boys come.” up, Florial got a big hit, that nice little double hit in the middle left, these are the guys that we have down there just waiting for this opportunity. “
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