Urshela keeps 3b

[jacksonianmarch]

Andujar's injury allowed Gio Urshela to take over 3b full time and the kid hasn't let up. He has shown a unique combination of contact, clutch hitting and some power while also playing a dynamite 3b. He is interestingly following the same peripherals as his most successful minor league campaign. In 2014, Urshela played 20 games in AA and then got promoted to AAA. That season was his best high minor performance of his career posting a triple slash of .276/.331/.473. Right now, Urshela is hitting at an unreasonable .354/.416/.532 clip, but there are a lot of similarities between the two seasons. His Iso that year was .197, this year it is .177 yet skewed down by his abnormally high BA. His walk rate this season is up to 6.7% and his K rate is down to 12.4%. In the minors 5 years ago, his rates were 11.9% and 7%. In-between these seasons, he saw sparse playing time in the majors and his K rate rose and his walk rate dropped considerably. If he is finally comfortable, maybe this is hit ceiling. A .270-.280 hitter, 10-15HR and a near .800OPS? I would take that every day and twice on sunday with his glove. It is great he came around when he did, because the Andujar who has returned from injury looks nothing like the guy who hit the DL. He has shown no ability to drive the ball and has made 2 errors in the only games he played there since coming back. For now, Gio will be the starting 3b and Andujar the DH, but I wonder if we hear about surgery in Andujar's future. He doesn't look right

[jacksonianmarch]

Andujar looks so lost offensively that a option to AAA could help him