Gleyber Torres has endured a challenging season with the Yankees, falling short of expectations in what was supposed to be a pivotal walk year before free agency. After posting a solid 116 OPS+ in 2022-23, his performance has dropped significantly to an 86 OPS+ in 104 games this year. His struggles have included defensive errors, baserunning blunders, and a slew of unproductive at-bats, raising concerns for a key player on a team striving for a playoff spot.
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Gleyber Torres
The frustrations of Torres and the Yankees reached a head during their 8-5 loss to the Blue Jays. On Friday night, Marcus Stroman put the Yankees in an early hole, with Toronto scoring three runs in the first inning. New York responded promptly, with Aaron Judge launching a powerful home run to close the gap to 3-2. In the following inning, Torres had a chance to contribute, hitting a ball off the left-field wall at 110.7 mph. Despite the potential for a double, Torres was caught admiring his hit and remained at first base, missing a crucial opportunity to advance.
The situation worsened when Anthony Volpe hit a double down the left-field line, prompting third-base coach Luis Rojas to send Torres home. Torres was subsequently thrown out at the plate. While the decision to send Torres may be debated, the Blue Jays executed a flawless relay throw, making it evident that Torres would have scored easily had he been on second base instead.
It seems Yankees manager Aaron Boone had similar thoughts, as Torres was pulled from the game after the fourth inning, replaced by Oswaldo Cabrera. YES Network announcers Joe Girardi and Michael Kay observed that players who make the last out sometimes linger on the field awaiting a glove handoff, but Torres was pulled without such a transition.
There was initial speculation about a potential injury, given Torres’ awkward landing while fielding a grounder in the third inning. However, footage later showed Boone and Torres engaged in an animated discussion, suggesting that the removal was more about performance issues than injury.
If the move was indeed about holding players accountable, it may have been overdue. As Chris Kirschner of The Athletic pointed out on Twitter, other Yankees have also had lapses in performance. While Stroman’s poor pitching contributed to a 7-2 deficit, which was a tough challenge to overcome, Torres’ lack of hustle highlighted an issue that teams aiming for championship success cannot afford. Sending a message, even late in the season, might be a necessary step for the Yankees as they push to improve their performance.
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