NEW YORK — Jon Berti will make his first professional start at first base when the New York Yankees play the Kansas City Royals in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Monday night.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone also said he picked Clarke Schmidt over Luis Gil to start Game 3 at Kansas City on Wednesday night.
Berti, acquired from Miami just before Opening Day, hit .273 in 25 games and 66 at-bats for the Yankees this year while playing second, third and left.
With Anthony Rizzo sidelined by a pair of fractured fingers, Oswaldo Cabrera started at first in the Yankees’ 6-5 win in Game 1 on Saturday, going 1-for-4 with three strikeouts and making several sparkling defensive plays.
Rookie Ben Rice, who played at first while Rizzo was sidelined from mid-June through August, was another option on the Yankees roster.
Rizzo hopes to be back if the Yankees advance to the American League Championship Series.