Gleyber Torres Benched Amid Struggles: Yankees Grapple with Key Decisions
In a surprising yet calculated move, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone decided to leave second baseman Gleyber Torres out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets. The benching comes a mere day after Torres failed to hustle on a critical late-inning ground ball, an omission that didn't go unnoticed by Boone and the wider Yankees fanbase.
Taking over Torres' usual position, Oswaldo Cabrera got the nod from Boone, signaling a crucial juncture in Torres' season—a season marked by struggles and a notable dip in performance.
At 27 years old, Gleyber Torres has seen better days in pinstripes. For the 2024 season, Torres is batting .215/.294/.333 with seven home runs over 80 games, numbers that translate to an OPS+ of 78. This is a stark contrast to his career OPS+ of 114 coming into the season. Over the past two weeks, Torres' struggles have become more pronounced, slashing an anemic .108/.222/.324. Clearly, the Yankees need more from their once-promising infielder.
Complicating matters is Torres' explanation for his lack of hustle on the ground ball, citing groin discomfort as the culprit. While this provides some context, it also raises questions about his ongoing health and ability to contribute effectively to the Yankees' lineup.
The timing of Torres’ struggles couldn’t be worse. The Yankees are already dealing with the absence of key players like Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton, both pivotal to the team’s success. The Yankees entered Wednesday's showdown with a solid record of 52-29, but recent form has been less than stellar. They've dropped five of their last six games and seven of their last nine, significantly tightening the AL East race where they hold a two-game lead over the Orioles.
"We need him to go. We need him to get going, especially through this stretch," Boone emphasized. "We need him to be a presence in the middle of our lineup. We've got to get that out of him."
The urgency in Boone's words is palpable. The Yankees have a pressing schedule ahead and can ill afford prolonged slumps from any of their players, let alone a key figure like Torres. With the Mets boasting the best record in Major League Baseball for June at 14-6, every game is becoming increasingly crucial.
Ensuring Torres' health and reigniting his bat will be critical to the Yankees’ aspirations this season. The need for his contributions cannot be overstated as the team looks to navigate this challenging phase and maintain their standing in the AL East.
The decision to sideline Torres, while perhaps not a popular one, underscores a larger strategy. It’s a wake-up call not just for Torres but for the entire team. The Yankees need every player firing on all cylinders, especially as they face mounting pressure both from their schedule and their opponents.
With key players on the injury list and a formidable stretch of games ahead, the Yankees are betting on tough love to get Torres back on track. Whether this approach will pay dividends remains to be seen, but for now, both manager and player are aware of the stakes involved.
As the Yankees continue to vie for dominance in the AL East, the spotlight will remain firmly on Torres, who now faces the dual challenge of returning to peak physical condition and rediscovering his form at the plate.
By taking these aggressive steps, Aaron Boone is making it clear that complacency will not be tolerated, a message that reverberates through the clubhouse and resonates with the fans who expect nothing less than a wholehearted effort from their beloved pinstripe warriors.