Jon Berti Could Be Backup First Baseman In Chicago
According to Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, Chicago Cubs infielder Jon Berti could be the team's primary backup first baseman during the 2025 season. The team signed Berti to a one-year contract worth $2 million earlier in the offseason. Last season, Berti logged just 25 starts with the Yankees as he battled a calf injury. During this small stint, he posted a .273/.342/.318 line with five stolen bases. During the 2023 season, Berti logged 133 games with the Miami Marlins and held a .294/.344/.405 slash line. He swiped 16 bags and added 16 doubles. Berti stole a career-high 41 bases during the 2022 season. With the Cubs trading Cody Bellinger to the Yankees, Berti could contend for the No. 2 role at first base behind Michael Busch. Fantasy managers in NL-only formats should monitor his progress during spring training as he could find a path to occasional starts in the infield.
Free-agent infielder Jon Berti and the Chicago Cubs agreed to one-year, $2 million deal on Wednesday, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The deal includes $1.3 million in incentives. Berti will head to the National League Central and the north side of Chicago after spending last year with the New York Yankees, where he played in only 25 games due to a calf injury. In 74 trips to the plate, he hit .273 (18-for-66) with a homer, six RBI and five stolen bases in the Bronx. The 35-year-old could see decent playing time at third base for the Cubbies in 2025 after they traded Isaac Paredes to the Houston Astros this winter in exchange for All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker. Still, third base prospect Matt Shaw should be up in the big leagues sooner than later, and Berti doesn't have much fantasy outside of his positional versatility and speed -- he stole a league-high 41 bases just two seasons ago in Miami.
The New York Yankees non-tendered infielder Jon Berti and left-hander Tim Mayza on Friday, making them both free agents. Berti, 34, stole a league-high 41 bases just two years ago in 2022 with the Miami Marlins, but he was limited to 25 games at the big-league level in 2024 in his first year in the Bronx. In his 74 plate appearances, he hit .273 (18-for-66) with a homer, six RBI and five steals. Berti's speed, on-base abilities and defensive versatility should land him a job somewhere on the open market as a utility man in 2025. Mayza, 32, had a rough start to the year with the Toronto Blue Jays with an ERA over 8.00 in 35 relief appearances, but he was better (4.00 ERA) in 18 relief innings for New York in the second half of the season. He was a successful high-leverage arm for Toronto several years ago and will be looking to bounce back somewhere else in 2025.
Jon Berti Left Off World Series Roster With Hip Injury
New York Yankees infielder Jon Berti (hip) was left off the World Series roster with a hip flexor injury according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Berti suffered this injury during Game 4 of the ALCS when he was running the bases. This allowed pitcher Nestor Cortes to return to the roster. During October, Berti went 2-for-11 with a 1:3 BB:K ratio. In the regular season, the 34-year-old utility man held a solid .273 AVG and .342 OBP with five steals through 25 games in the Bronx. Berti should remain deep league option for his speed in 2025 as he has shown little power upside throughout his big league career.
New York Yankees infielder Jon Berti is back at first base and is hitting ninth in the batting order on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals and right-hander Michael Wacha in Game 4 of the American League Division Series at Kauffman Stadium. Berti received his first professional start at first base in the Game 2 loss on Monday and went 1-for-4 with a strikeout. The 34-year-old will return to the cold corner on Thursday, pushing the left-handed-hitting Oswaldo Cabrera back to the bench as the Yankees look to clinch the ALDS and move on to the Championship Series. Berti has only faced Wacha once in his career and did not come away with a hit. Injuries limited him to only 25 games in the regular season in his first year with the Yankees, and he went 18-for-66 (.273) with only one home run, six RBI and five steals in his limited action. Berti is best avoided in DFS contests on Thursday.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he's still "deliberating on" who will play first base for Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium against the Kansas City Royals. Infielder Jon Berti got the starting nod there in the Game 2 loss on Monday and has had some success against Royals right-hander Seth Lugo, going 3-for-6 against him in his career. Berti made his first career start at first base on Monday and went 1-for-4 with a strikeout. The other options for the Yankees are Oswaldo Cabrera, who got the start in Game 1 on Saturday, and rookie Ben Rice. The 34-year-old Berti missed significant time during the regular season due to injury and only managed to play in 25 games for the Yankees in his first year in the Bronx, going 18-for-66 (.273) with one homer, six RBI and five steals. He lacks power but did steal a league-leading 41 bags in 2022 with Miami.
Jon Berti's Rehab Assignment To Extend Into Next Week
New York Yankees infielder Jon Berti (calf) will continue his minor-league rehab assignment through Sunday and will play "a handful of days next week, too," according to manager Aaron Boone. Berti started his rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Aug. 24 and has gone 3-for-19 (.158) with a homer in his first seven games. Berti suffered a left-calf strain on May 24 and aggravated the injury during the All-Star break in mid-July, which is why he hasn't been able to rejoin the big-league club yet. He was moved to the 60-day injured list on June 12 and has been given at least two platelet-rich plasma injections. At the earliest, the 34-year-old utility infielder won't be back in the Bronx until late next week. He's had only 55 at-bats in 2024 and is hitting .273 with a homer, six RBI and four stolen bases for the Yanks.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone believes infielder/outfielder Jon Berti (calf) will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday. Berti has been recovering from a strained left calf since May 24, re-aggravating the injury during the All-Star break in July. When he returns, the 34-year-old veteran utility man will offer the Yankees some speed and another option to help fill their gaping hole at third base. In 17 games this season, Berti has gone a solid 15-for-55 (.273) with six RBI and four stolen bases. If Jazz Chisholm Jr. (elbow) beats him back to the Bronx, however, Berti will likely be restricted to the occasional spot start and pinch-runner duties off the bench.
New York Yankees infielder Jon Berti (calf) continues to do some hitting and fielding at the team's spring training complex in Tampa and could start a minor-league rehab assignment next week. Because of the fact that Berti hasn't played in a game since May 24 due to his calf injury, he could require a pretty lengthy rehab assignment before rejoining the Yankees' major-league roster. The 34-year-old veteran isn't going to have much fantasy appeal, either, in a utility role for the Yankees. However, his return will be a welcomed sight with Jazz Chisholm Jr. (elbow) potentially needing season-ending UCL surgery. Berti was only able to play in 17 games for the Yankees earlier this year before his injury, going 15-for-55 (.273) with a homer, six RBI and four stolen bases. At best, Berti could be worth a roster spot in AL-only leagues for his speed.
New York Yankees infielder Jon Berti (calf) hit and played catch on Monday before the team's contest against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, according to manager Aaron Boone. Berti had a setback recently with his injured left calf and required a platelet-rich plasma injection, but he's not shut down and is already doing baseball activities. As long as he doesn't suffer a setback, the 34-year-old veteran should be able to go on a minor-league rehab assignment soon. In his first year with the Bronx Bombers, Berti has hit .273/.322/.327 with a homer, six RBI and four stolen bases in just 17 games played. He's been out since late May and will be a utility infield option for the Yanks whenever he returns, limiting his fantasy value to AL-only leagues.
