Tyler Wade has become almost an everyday player in the second half for the Yankees, appearing in 26 of the Yankees’ 33 games between July 17 and Saturday.
In that span, he’s played shortstop, third base, and all three outfield positions – and while that may not seem out of place for a utility man, it is for him given the fact that he had never played the outfield before making 16 appearances there in the Arizona Fall League in 2016.
Wade, a shortstop by nature, has since made 92 appearances in the outfield (52 in the majors), and has looked like a natural.
“That six-week crash course in Arizona, getting those game reps got me comfortable doing it more going into Spring Training the next year,” Wade said Saturday.
And, he’s loving it.
“You get the whole view of the whole game out there, and I can use my speed a little bit more,” Wade said. “In the infield, you only get to see so much and it’s more reaction.”
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In addition to his always-stellar defense, Wade has become an offensive force over the last five weeks as well. After going 0-for-9 with a walk in his first three games of the second half and seeing his average drop to .194, he has gone 18-for-46 through Saturday, pushing his second half average to .327 and his overall mark to .278
“It’s opportunity. I’m more confident being in the lineup more often and being able to get into the flow of the game,” Wade said.
And, he’s been able to use his speed more on the bases, too, as the Yankees have embraced a much different offensive mentality.
“I love it, it’s a different part of the game than we’re used to playing, but it’s been fun,” he smiled.
All that has helped add up to a surge that has seen the Yankees win eight in a row and go 26-9 so far in the second half, making up a nearly double-digit deficit to pull into the top Wild Card spot.
“We come in every day expecting to win a game. We know what’s at stake, and we fight every day.”
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