After a mediocre game in virtually every area in what has been a mediocre season in virtually every area, Gleyber Torres accepted responsibility in a brief interview with the media.
He left the visitors’ clubhouse at Citi Field and could have gone home before becoming distracted.
Manager Aaron Boone asked to speak to him.
The two had a discussion after the Yankees’ 9-7 loss to the Mets in the Subway Series opener on Tuesday, in which Torres had a disappointing day at the plate, in the field and running the bases .
Torres’ batting average – which was .267 over his first six major league seasons – fell to .215.
A 38-homer hitter in 2019 hit seven in his first 80 games this season.
He entered with a .789 OPS this season – huge for a future free agent – and his 2024 OPS (.627) has fallen off a cliff.
Torres’ first out of the 0-for-4 night was a loaded, no-out strikeout in the first inning, a setting in which the Yankees would not be able to muster a single run.
“I just wanted to put the ball in play, but I didn’t do anything,” said Torres, who struck out again in the third inning, walked in the fifth and might have transferred his home plate struggles to the pitch in the sixth inning.
The Yankees were down 6-1 and on the ropes.
The Mets placed runners on first and third base, and the Yankees infield was drawn in.
Phil Bickford got what he wanted, a ground ball from Brandon Nimmo that was hit toward Torres.
But the hard-hit grounder jumped under Torres’ glove and into right field to score the first run in an inning where the Mets would score three.
“Just a play you have to make,” Boone said after Torres’ 12th error of the season. “The ball was hit sharply, but it just didn’t make the play.”
A very bad day got worse in the eighth inning.
Aaron Judge’s grand slam brought the Yankees within two runs in a game in which they suddenly gained momentum.
Torres stepped up, hitting a softly hit, multi-hop ground ball to Francisco Lindor at shortstop.
What could have been a close game was not, with Torres not coming out strong from the box.
Torres is playing with a sore groin that cost him one game last week.
He said it was tight during the at-bat.
“There were some times where he was a little cautious,” Boone said of Torres, who added that he was undergoing treatment and didn’t want to waste time.
But Torres – at least this version of Torres – isn’t helping the club.
“I think it’s bad,” Torres said of his first half. “I have to figure out (how) to improve. I work very hard.
New York Post
