Gleyber Torres finally caught a break, albeit an unwanted one, this season. The Yankees’ second baseman was benched for the first time in 2024 on Saturday, marking a turning point in his performance so far.
Manager Aaron Boone explained the decision as an opportunity to give Jahmai Jones his first start of the season. But with Gleyber Torres, struggling through the first 21 games, has only managed a meager .197 batting average and a .527 OPS, it appears to be nothing less than a warning.
Yankees fans, once patient with Gleyber Torres, have grown increasingly frustrated with his slump. The contrast couldn’t be starker on Friday night against the Rays. Juan Soto, the newly acquired right fielder, received a hero’s welcome after launching a game-changing three-run homer and robbing a potential hit with a leaping catch. Meanwhile, Gleyber Torres endured boos from the crowd after striking out three times in a hitless 0-for-4 performance.
This underwhelming start is particularly concerning for the second baseman, who is entering a contract year. While he showed promise during spring training, batting an impressive .356 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 17 Grapefruit League games, his regular season performance has been far from inspiring. He started the season with an 0-for-7 streak and has gone hitless eight times throughout the first 21 games.
With Gleyber Torres’ struggles becoming a growing concern, Boone opted to shake things up by giving Jones a chance to prove himself. This move signifies a potential turning point for the Yankees star, who will need to work his way back into the starting lineup.
Boone backs Gleyber Torres but uncertainty persists
In the midst of Gleyber Torres’ recent struggles, Yankees manager Aaron Boone has expressed his surprise but remains steadfast in his belief in the talented hitter’s ability to overcome this challenging phase.
“Baseball is a game of ups and downs,” Boone acknowledged, “but I’m confident Gleyber’s exceptional hitting skills will enable him to break out of this slump soon.”
The skipper pointed to Gleyber Torres’ impressive performance during spring training, where he showcased his prowess by hitting an impressive .356 with three home runs. He also highlighted Torres’ solid displays during batting practice, suggesting that the issue lies in translating that form into game situations. “He’s just missing pitches that he typically crushes,” Boone explained. “It’s resulting in a high number of foul balls and strikeouts.”
While Boone noted that Gleyber Torres’ at-bats have been competitive, he hasn’t yet experienced that pivotal “breakout moment,” particularly in terms of power hitting. His current slump is a stark contrast to his impressive 27-homer season last year. Boone suggested that Gleyber Torres might be feeling the pressure to replicate his past success, leading to occasional tentativeness at the plate. However, Boone downplayed this concern, believing it’s a minor issue and that Torres is on the brink of rediscovering his hitting form.
Finding his groove is crucial for Gleyber Torres, especially considering his upcoming free agency. He’s currently enduring a homerless streak dating back to last season, reaching 42 consecutive games without a long ball. Despite the slump, Gleyber Torres remains focused on proving himself and has expressed a strong desire to stay with the Yankees.
Stepping into the vacated second base spot, Jahmai Jones had a rough debut, going hitless in three at-bats with two strikeouts.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
I was DUMBFOUNDED to read the start of this sentence: “While Boone noted that Gleyber Torres’ at-bats have been competitive . . .”
Competitive? Are you & Boone both INSANE?
Torres has Struck Out — as in Missing the Baseball Completely — 23 times in 77 at bats. That equates to Torres Striking Out 194 Times in 650 ABs! On what Planet is that Competitive?!
Here’s the math if you like: 650 ABs divided by 77 ABs = 8.44. And 8.44 x 23 = 194.12.
That’s Joey “Piece of Dung” Gallo AWFUL, NOT “competitive”! And he’s batting in the .190s.
Stop & think before you Regurgitate the BS LIES BOONE ALWAYS SAYS in defense of Torres’ Stupidity, his God-Awful Defense, his Little-League Base Running, his Laziness, and his insistence on Swinging from his butt on Every Pitch.
Torres hit well in spring training for 2 reasons: 1) At least 60% of the pitchers he faced weren’t Major-League quality pitchers, and 2) his swing was under control, where he was swinging to drive the ball to the gaps, which naturally produces HRs on mistakes by the pitcher.
But Torres has Completely Abandoned swinging that way during the season, instead trying to hit N2 & O2 out of the park (that’s air, by the way).
Torres has ZERO Baseball Acumen & is Consistent Only in being one of the Dumbest & Most Careless players in baseball. Innate Physical Talent? Yea, Torres has got that.
But Talent Minus Stupidity, Multiplied by Abject Carelessness = Gleyber Torres.
To expect Torres to change after 6 years of employing the above formula is irrational. Plus, he was EXACTLY the same in AA baseball, when I saw him play 5 times; so, he’s effectively been playing like this for at least 7-8 Years.
If DJ comes back healthy, the Yankees should trade Torres (for a Starbucks gift card, if needed) & play either DJ or Cabrera at second & the other one at 3rd.
And if Boone benches Cabrera in favor of playing Torres, Boone should be fired mid-game & escorted out of the stadium by NYPD, after tearing his uniform off of him.
Torres’ Laziness & Carelessness almost cost us the first win against the Jays when he failed to field a ROUTINE pop-up, leaving it to Judge to come tearing in from center to dive for the ball and RISK INJURY! That was the 3rd Time in about 20 games that Torres’ Sloppy & Careless Defense has either Cost them a potential win or almost cost them a win.
TORRES IS NOT A GOOD PLAYER! Physical talent alone doesn’t make a player good. TORRES IS AN INFERIOR PLAYER. Removing him from the roster would constitute Addition Through Subtraction.