NEW YORK — After a dismal performance in the Subway Series opener, fallen second baseman Gleyber Torres was replaced Wednesday night by New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
Oswaldo Cabrera started at second for the third time this season when the Yankees faced the New York Mets at Citi Field. Boone said he was planning to give Torres a few days off “just to reset.”
The Yankees begin a four-game series Thursday night against AL East rival Toronto.
“I felt like he needed it,” Boone said. “I just think he’s very important, and a guy that I’m sure will move forward. But it’s been a grind. It’s been a struggle. I think he’s feeling it a little bit. I think it’s something that will serve him well.” well. – mentally, physically – just breathe and then work on getting him going, because when he’s going like we’ve all seen him go, he’s just a really important piece to the lineup.
Torres began the day batting .215 with seven home runs, 29 RBIs and a .628 OPS — well below his career marks of .262 and .773. The two-time All-Star committed 12 errors, three more than any other big league second baseman.
“He made a lot of mistakes. Those mistakes are certainly part of the story of his season so far,” Boone said.
But they are not injury-related, according to Boone.
“He’s good. I mean, he left with a little problem in his groin, in his hip, but it’s nothing significant,” said the businessman.
Torres had an especially rough night on Tuesday when the Yankees, who still led the AL East after losing seven of nine, lost 9-7 to their crosstown rivals.
Batting cleanup, he struck out in the first inning with the bases loaded and no one out — the first of three consecutive strikeouts that allowed Mets starter David Peterson to escape the inning unscathed.
With the infield on the line, Torres let a grounder get under his glove for an error that helped the Mets score three runs in the sixth. And after Aaron Judge’s grand slam pulled the Yankees within two runs in the eighth, Torres didn’t run much on his inning-ending groundout.
“That’s one of the things that caught my attention, certainly,” Boone said.
Torres finished 0 for 4 with one walk and two strikeouts. Boone said when he went to bed Tuesday night, he initially had Torres as the starter Wednesday. But the coach changed his mind when he woke up and called Torres to tell him he would be on the bench.
Torres respected the decision, Boone said.
“I hope something like this serves him well,” Boone said.
Torres, 27, started 78 of New York’s first 81 games this season at second base. He could become a free agent after the World Series.
“We didn’t specifically talk about it weighing on him,” Boone said. “He has been such a consistent attacking player throughout his career that he is struggling to perform well, I think I feel a weight on him – especially in the last few days. So that’s just my thought process as to why right now.”
From his vantage point in the dugout, Boone believes he’s seen a mechanical flaw in Torres’ swing lately.
“I’ll leave that up to him and the hitters,” Boone said. “I mean, the problem is he’s been working really hard. But sometimes, a little mental jab can go a long way.
“Sometimes I think just sitting back and watching can be a benefit too. Being outside the arena, outside of the action, to get a view of the game from afar, can serve the average player.”
