Yankees’ Torres grateful to Boone for turnaround on eve of Yankees postseason

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Gleyber Torres found himself feeling disconnected during the first half of the Yankees’ season, watching his teammates thrive while he struggled offensively. Despite the team’s overall success, Torres felt his own contributions were lacking during those months.

However, he turned his season around with a standout September, particularly shining in his role as the Yankees’ leadoff hitter. His late surge has positioned him as a key player in the team’s postseason hopes, as they battle the Royals in the American League Division Series with an eye on advancing further.

Reflecting on his turnaround, Torres credited it to the patient approach of Yankees manager Aaron Boone. He particularly expressed gratitude for the manager’s confidence in him and restoring him to the leadoff spot. He cherishes the role, considering it a privilege to bat ahead of powerhouses Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. Torres appreciates the opportunities this position provides and is determined to make the most of them.

The Yankees’ second baseman also highlighted how he was pushing his improved performance to greater consistency at the plate and heightening focus during each at-bat. He expressed satisfaction with his late-season surge, which came at a crucial time for the team. Torres also emphasized the importance of learning from both success and setbacks throughout a long season.

“I felt more consistency at the plate, a little more focus in each at-bat,” he said as the Yankees hit the nets on Tuesday. “I feel like I got better at the right moment, last month and right into the postseason. As a player, you have to learn from the good moments and the bad moments too. … Thank God, I did a little bit better in the second half. I’m trying to still do good things for the team, especially right now in the postseason.”

Grateful for his second-half resurgence, Torres is committed to maintaining his contributions, especially as the Yankees enter this critical postseason stretch.

Gleyber Torres’ recent success continues to build on his strong September, a resurgence that Yankees manager Aaron Boone has taken note of. In that month, Torres posted a .333/.387/.472 line over 25 games, a significant improvement from his disappointing first half of the season when he hit just .231/.307/.347 across 93 games. With free agency potentially looming, those early struggles were a concern for a player of his caliber.

In the first two games of the ALDS, Torres has been a valuable asset, getting on base consistently. He homered and drew two walks in the Yankees’ Game 1 win, and followed that up in Game 2 with two more walks, also scoring the team’s first run on Giancarlo Stanton’s infield single in the third inning.

Boone stands by Torres as Yankees look to ALDS win

Manager Aaron Boone praised Torres’ recent performances, noting that players with his bat-to-ball skills tend to excel in high-pressure playoff environments. He expressed confidence in Torres’ current form, highlighting his extended stretch of offensive consistency heading into October.

“A lot of times those good hitters, those good bat-to-ball guys, can show up in the postseason,” the Yankees manager told. “He walks into this October in a really good spot, playing really well, having an extended run now of really consistent offense for us.”

Boone speculated that Torres may have been feeling pressure earlier in the year, possibly due to his leadoff role or uncertainty about his future with the Yankees. Though the infielder was open to contract extension talks during spring training, no discussions took place during the season.

Defensively, Torres faced additional challenges, leading all Major League second basemen with 18 errors. He was also benched twice—once for underperformance and once for lack of hustle. The Yankees star shared that he used the All-Star break as a mental reset in Tampa, which helped him refocus for the stretch run.

Since then, Boone has observed a shift in Torres’ attitude, which has been mirrored by teammate Oswaldo Cabrera. Cabrera praised Torres for finding his groove again and restoring his powerful presence at the plate, though he acknowledged the team’s work is far from finished.

“I’m so happy for him,” Cabrera said. “To see how he turned around the season in the last couple months was so special. That’s the Gleyber that we know. Every time he came to the plate, we know that he’s going to do something. Everything is not done yet.”

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