Cleveland Indians: Yandy Diaz’s defense may ultimately win him a job

Some Cleveland Indians fans were worried about Yandy Diaz’s defense heading into the 2017 season, but he has been great at third base through seven games.

The narrative surrounding Cleveland Indians third baseman Yandy Diaz heading into the 2017 season revolved around his defense. He was known to be a force at the plate with his giant biceps, but some worried about how he would handle himself at third base.

It is early, but he has helped to erase some early doubts about any struggles on defense.

The play that highlights this point came in Tuesday’s home opener. The Chicago White Sox had runners on second and third with one out in the eighth inning, with Andrew Miller on the mound. The White Sox were putting the ball in play off the dominant reliever, so it was up to the defense to hold the 1-1 tie.

Tyler Saladino ripped a ball to third that seemed to be headed to the outfield, thus firing up the Andrew Miller hot take machine. But Yandy Diaz made an amazing diving catch to save the day and quiet the hot takes, for now.

This one play is not enough to claim Diaz is a star in the field, but he showed the natural reaction time that is needed to play third base. And not just the ability to react, but he actually made the play, which is the most important part.

We all knew Diaz had the physical abilities to succeed at the plate, and he has proven to be just as capable in the field, through seven games.

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Now that Diaz has shown success on defense, the argument of Diaz’s offense needing to be superior to Giovanny Urshela‘s defense is no more. With Urshela’s struggles on offense, Diaz’s ability to be great on both offense and defense makes him the clear favorite to be next in line for a permanent job with the Indians.

Jason Kipnis‘ return will likely mean Diaz is sent down to Triple-A Columbus, but it doesn’t mean he will stay there all season.

Jose Ramirez‘s extension, and success a year ago, means his job is safe, but it doesn’t mean he will be kept at third all season if Diaz dominates in Triple-A and is deserving of another call-up.

Some roster shuffling can be done by the front office to find a way to get Diaz a spot in the lineup, whether that be at third base or even in the outfield. The same goes for Ramirez, who can play nearly anywhere in the field.

Next: What if Yandy plays too well to sit?

It is a great problem for this team to have, and it likely means a Yandy demotion in April won’t be for too long.