It took a while — longer than he would have preferred — however Mike Yastrzemski lastly is making a reputation for himself on the large league stage.
Yastrzemski spent six seasons within the Baltimore Orioles’ farm system earlier than the Giants traded for him in March. Since donning the SF orange and black, he has helped remodel the Giants’ outfield from one of many worst in baseball into one of many group’s strengths.
In 74 video games for the Giants, Yastrzemski is hitting .259 with 17 dwelling runs, 47 RBI and an .890 OPS. His emergence with the Giants has made one individual, specifically, very proud: His grandfather, Boston Crimson Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski.
“You realize, the primary factor is, he is an excellent child,” Carl Yastrzemski informed The Athletic’s Steve Buckley. “He is labored arduous. He at all times thought he was going to make it and I am very, very comfortable for him.”
The youthful Yaz helped the Giants go on a torrid run from the center of June by way of the tip of July, placing them within the thick of the NL wild-card race. Whereas the Giants have fallen again to Earth in August, they nonetheless will go to the Crimson Sox at Fenway Park subsequent month with one thing to play for.
Watching his grandson patrol the identical outfield he did for the ultimate time 36 years in the past can be a particular second for Carl Yastrzemski.
“To see him come play at Fenway … that’ll be one thing,” Yaz informed Buckley. “And me … enjoying right here for 23 years, after which see my grandson are available and play right here. It will be emotional, sure.
“I understand how arduous he labored, and to see him there, and having them announce the identify Yastrzemski, I really feel nice due to him, how a lot he wished it.”
Mike’s father, Carl Yastrzemski Jr. died in 2004 after issues from hip surgical procedure. Mike’s success, in Carl’s eyes, has so much to do with how a lot his father labored with and helped him at a younger age.
“His father noticed me play,” Carl Yastrzemski mentioned. “And his father was right here for my 3,000th hit and my 400th dwelling run. And to emulate his success – my grandson has to owe all of it to his father. He spent lots of time with him, working with him and stuff like that. After they would do issues so far as baseball and figuring out, I type of stood within the background. His father did essentially the most with him.”
There can be lots of Yastrzemskis readily available at Fenway Park on Sept. 17-19 to look at Mike take the sector on the hallowed grounds his legendary grandfather famously referred to as dwelling for 23 seasons.
Mike made some tweaks to his swing within the offseason, and it is paid dividends. One a part of his recreation, specifically, stands out to Yaz.
“He is bought good energy to all fields,” Carl mentioned of Mike. “The extra usually you employ the entire subject, it is higher so far as individuals attempting to protection you. You do not need to pull and pull and pull. With that shift they use now it is fairly arduous to get a base hit. The one factor I’ve talked about to him is that you’ve good energy to all fields, so use all fields.”