Cleveland Indians smart to stick with Giovanny Urshela

The Cleveland Indians opted to keep Giovanny Urshela over Erik Gonzalez as the backup infielder once Jason Kipnis returned, which was the right decision.

Sunday was not exactly a fun day for the Cleveland Indians, but one player had something to smile about.

Giovanny Urshela remained in the dugout and even appeared in the game on the same day Jason Kipnis made his return to the roster, while Erik Gonzalez headed back to Columbus.

This may not surprise some fans after seeing the highlight plays from Urhsela last week, but Gonzalez does have higher marks on offense and can slot in at any infield position.

Statistics aside, the Indians should have both players on the roster on September 1 when the rosters expand meaning Gonzalez’s demotion is temporary. This fact may have been why the team opted to go with Urshela’s defense over Gonzalez’s offense.

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Gonzalez is slashing .263/.272/.400 in 39 games this season, while Urshela is at .216/.286/.255 in 19 games. There is a noticeable difference but Urshela’s fewer appearances point at the fact he could raise those numbers with some more playing time.

Ultimately, Urshela and Gonzalez will never be everyday players for this team when the rest of the infield is healthy. They are needed for pinch-running and defensive situations, along with the occasional start once or twice a week.

So when it comes down to choosing one, Urshela’s amazing defense at third seems to outweigh Gonzalez’s solid defense all over the field.

And with Kipnis just returning from the disabled list, Jose Ramirez could always slide over to second while Urshela can play third late in games if Terry Francona wants his best defense on the field.

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Urshela shouldn’t see too much playing time over the next few weeks, but his presence is worth it even if he saves just one or two runs in one of his appearances. He may never have a long-term role with this team, but it makes sense to utilize his elite glove while he is still here.