NEW YORK -- Starlin Castro has fewer than 50 games as a second baseman to his name, but plays like the one he made Friday night during a 7-1 loss to the Mariners make it look like he's been at the position his entire life.
With the Yanks leading, 1-0, Castro made a spectacular snag in the third inning, catching a sinking line drive by Leonys Martin from his knees and behind his back. Chris Iannetta, who had been on second following a leadoff single and a wild pitch, got caught in between the bases and Castro tossed to shortstop Didi Gregorius covering second to double up the catcher.
The play didn't just energize fans at Yankee Stadium: Starting pitcher Luis Severino struggled to come up with words to describe it before finally settling on "great."
As for Castro, he was more surprised the play worked out than anything else.
"That's the ball that got hit really hard and to my right," Castro said. "When you see the ball that comes at the last moment, you just try to put your glove in there and hopefully you got it."
Castro's play merely added to a day where all eyes in New York were on second basemen, with All-Star and former Yankee Robinson Cano sitting in the opposing dugout and every player on the diamond sporting Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson's No. 42 in his honor for Jackie Robinson Day.