Purple Sox
He has a first-rate alternative in entrance of him.
Within the third inning Friday, when the ball ricocheted off White Sox second baseman Tim Anderson’s glove on a pick-off try, Purple Sox speedster David Hamilton knew precisely the place he was going.
Many gamers would have trotted to 3rd and stopped there, however Hamilton had different concepts. Because the ball squirted into the outfield, he sprinted all the best way residence and scored standing up with none problem.
It was a giant play in Boston’s 3-1 win, and likewise one which encapsulated Hamilton’s long-term potential.
He’s off to a blazing begin within the majors, already recording successful and a stroll, stealing two bases, and scoring two runs in simply three video games. With a significant gap at shortstop on the roster, the 5-foot-10, 188-pound, 25-year-old utility participant has a first-rate alternative in entrance of him.
“Protection, just a little spark on offense, good baserunner,” Hamilton stated earlier than his debut. “So, I feel that may assist just a little bit. Something I can do to assist the group, I’m right here.”
Proper now, his greatest asset – on high of his pace, in fact – is his availability. Hamilton is the sixth Purple Sox beginning shortstop this season, and 5 have performed fewer than two weeks value of video games on the place.
The Kiké Hernández at shortstop experiment went sideways, and Pablo Reyes is on the 10-day injured listing with an belly pressure, so Hamilton seems to be the man for a minimum of the time being.
Towards the Twins on Wednesday, he turned the primary Purple Sox participant since Trot Nixon in 1996 to make his Main League debut as a pinch-runner and steal a base. Hamilton ultimately scored the game-tying run on a Triston Casas double to heart.
Hamilton stole 70 bases in 119 video games with Double-A Portland final yr and 27 by way of 52 video games with Triple-A Worcester this season. It’s clear already that he’s a risk each time he will get on base.
The subsequent day, he recorded his first Main League hit along with his dad and mom watching from the stands.
“It was superb,” Hamilton informed reporters. “Most likely probably the greatest emotions of my life.”
On Friday, he walked, stole second, then confirmed off simply how speedy he actually is.
“We noticed it proper there,” supervisor Alex Cora stated. “He put stress instantly.”
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