Aaron Boone Admires Gio Urshela’s ‘Valuable’ Role, Despite Yankees Moving On Without Him

As Spring Training marked the gateway to the 2024 season, speculations were raised concerning the available players’ probable deals, and Gio Urshela’s case was no exception. The 32-year-old third baseman Gio Urshela brushed off all the rumors, signing the Detroit Tigers on Thursday for one year. While his current clubhouse is “thrilled to add him to this (Tigers) group”, Gio’s former team has got enough admiration coming from their skipper.

The Pinstripes’ manager, Aaron Boone, didn’t step aside; rather, he opened his heart out when talking about Urshela, despite the Yankees’ consideration for other options.

Aaron Boones’s admiring approach

Recently, one of the renowned MLB insiders, Gary Phillips, posted an appreciative statement of the Pinstripes’manager Aaron Boone. The Yankees’ skipper stated, “You felt good being around Gio every day, & that’s a valuable thing in the grind of a season, to have people that are energy-givers, that breathe some life into the clubhouse,” indicating his favourable approach towards the former Yankees’ infielder.

This is not the first time he spoke highly of him. Earlier in 2022, when asked about the Yankees’ shortstop, he didn’t spend a split second before uttering the name of Gio Urshela. During the 2022 offseason, when asked about the team’s shortstop in an interview, the Bronx manager couldn’t find a more appropriate one than Urshela. However, despite his favorable consideration, the team has had other plans.

Read More: Yankees’ Pursuit of 32-Year-Old Third Baseman: Is There More Than Meets the Eye?

The former Yankees’ infielder was associated with the team from 2019 to 21 and was traded in Josh Donaldson’s deal back in 2022 before getting associated with the Angels in November 2022. However, after a season-ceasing injury in 2023, he remained in the free-agent market for a longer period before setting foot in the Tigers’ troop recently.

Though rumors swirled around about his reunion with his previous team throughout the off-season, speculations proved to be futile, as the Yankees couldn’t match his ask for a front-row position. But that isn’t the case with the Red Sox, although the result remains the same for both the pursuers.

How the Tigers acquired the final nod over the Red Sox

Another team that was pursuing the “versatile” infielder was none other than the Boston Red Sox, though it couldn’t even match the basic monetary ask of the 31-year-old Urshela. While the Sox kept them sidelined in order to pursue Jordan Montogomery, the Tigers didn’t let the opportunity hang loose as they locked him for one year for $1.5 million.

Read More: Yankees’ Potential Gio Urshela Reunion: A Troubling Echo of the Josh Donaldson Trade Debacle and Steinbrenner’s Trust in Brian Cashman

Under other conditions, Urshela, who hit .299 in 62 games before fracturing his pelvis while trying to beat out a throw to first base in 2023, intends to make a robust return with his new team. Will he get his 2019 form back under the guidance of the new team? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.