Yankees’ Gio Urshela position change Tuesday is bad news for Tyler Wade

Uh oh, Tyler Wade! Don’t look now, but the Yankees are trying out Gio Urshela at shortstop on Tuesday and making you watch from second base.

Classically, they chose to make this newsworthy position switch in a non-televised game.

With Gerrit Cole on the mound.

Yes, the Yanks are really making you, the fan, work for it this spring.

With just over two weeks to go before Opening Day, Tuesday’s lineup seems like the Yankees confirming loud and clear that they’d rather not be hamstrung in their roster construction by grandfathering Wade onto the team simply because he can play a passable shortstop in a pinch.

He’s shown very little else in what’s becoming an extended major league career by now, and each whiff he’s posted this spring has only been accentuated by the realization that he’s going to knock either Derek Dietrich, Jay Bruce or both off the squad.

Perhaps that doesn’t have to be the case? Urshela is playing short on Tuesday while Wade shifts over to second. Yes, the Yanks actually dared to try something else.

Gio Urshela at shortstop paves a path off the Yankees roster for Tyler Wade.

We’ve discussed this possibility before, noting that Urshela has often popped up in the hole during various shifts, and seems to have the necessary versatility to back up the position in a “worst-case” scenario.

Perhaps more importantly, shouldn’t we be expecting more out of Gleyber Torres, at this point? 162 games played is an absurd goal for anyone of any age, but should the Yankees really accept an offensive zero in Wade taking up precious roster room just to give one of their youngest regulars scheduled breathers?

It’s essential to have a backup shortstop on the roster, but perhaps it’s not necessary to have someone whose stated job is “backup shortstop.”

In justifying Tuesday’s move, Aaron Boone tried to downplay the entire exercise, but it’s hard to hide the significance of such a change.

After this all-important swap, what’s more likely: a Mike Tauchman trade, or the utilization of Tyler Wade’s remaining option for a well-timed demotion?

Probably still the Tauchman trade, yeah. But a fan can dream.

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