CLEVELAND — Quite a bit has been made about Brayan Rocchio when he’s at the plate for the Cleveland Guardians this season.
And for good reason.
The versatile Rocchio leads the team in on-base percentage (.365), is second in OPS (.773) and stolen bases (11) and fourth in RBIs (30).
What people forget, or maybe take for granted, is his glove.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt heaps praise on Brayan Rocchio
Just two years removed from being a gold glove finalist, Rocchio flashed his leather June 8 during a 7-5 loss to the New York Yankees.
Sure, the Yankees won, but Rocchio did plenty to make an impact on the extra-inning game.
“We know he can play short,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’ve seen what he can do at second base. He’s an elite defender that can play anywhere. He can play a really good shortstop.”
Rocchio proved it time and again in the series opener against the Yankees.
Brayan Rocchio is the true quarterback of the Guardians infeld
His biggest play came in the eighth when Jazz Chizholm Jr. sent an absolute missile back up the box on a drawn in infield.
Rocchio dove to his left, tagged second with his glove and threw to Rhys Hoskins at first from the seat of his pants to end the inning and keep things tied at five.
“Obviously, we’re playing three depth there with the option to go home and turn a double play,” Vogt said. “It was just an unbelievable play by him and a big momentum swing for us. Just really good defense.”
That wasn’t the only highlight of the night as he kept his cool and turned Gumby when he took a throw from Patrick Bailey in the sixth to tag out Chizholm on a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play.
In extra innings, he had the wherewithal on Cody Bellinger’s two-run single to cover third when Jose Ramirez cut off the throw to the plate and threw to Rocchio to take out Max Schuemann trying to advance.
Brayan Rocchio’s teammates have come to expect greatness from him
“Rocchio was phenomenal, as always,” Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams said. “He does it every game. I see the work everybody puts day in and day out. They’re pretty good at it.”
That’s what fans have come to expect from the 25-year old, who has made six errors in 195 chances. He’s got 118 assists, 71 putouts and sports a .969 fielding percentage.
“I feel like it’s a pretty set routine, very simple,” Rocchio said through interpreter Augustin Rivero. “You have to keep it simple because once the game starts, it gets really fast.
“So for me, once I cross the line, I feel like adrenaline takes over and I just make sure to play the game, while making sure I have good routines and prepare properly.”
Brad Bournival can be reached by email at bbournival@usatodayco.com and is on X at @bbournival.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Brayan Rocchio’s love for the glove has made him outstanding in Cleveland
Reporting by Brad Bournival, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brad Bournival, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
