Heller: MLB debut with Yankees ‘surreal’

NEW YORK — It’s a good thing that Ben Heller has a sense of humor.

Two outs into his Major League debut Friday night, the 25-year-old rookie got Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim to ground a ball toward first base. Fellow rookie Tyler Austin fielded the ball, turned and tossed it to first, where Heller had rushed to cover. But Heller couldn’t squeeze the ball and Kim was safe. Less than an inning into his MLB career, Heller had already recorded an error.

The error set up Heller for the opportunity to face Manny Machado, a vaunted power hitter who had already hit two home runs in the game. But Heller jammed Machado, forcing a fielder’s choice at second base to end the inning. And it was at that point that Heller started to smile.

“Once I got out of the inning, I just kind of laughed,” Heller said. “I make that play 99 times out of 100. But I joked around with [pitching coach Larry Rothschild] and [manager Joe Girardi] and said I’ll be in early from some [pitchers’ fielding practice] work.”

Joking aside, Heller said his first game as a big leaguer was nerve-wracking but dream-fulfilling. After the game, he recounted his feelings as he jogged out to the mound for the first …

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