When the New York Yankees let Didi Gregorius walk in free agency last year, some were perplexed at the decision, and others were happy to see Gleyber Torres make the step up to starter. In 2019, Gleyber Torres played 77 games at shortstop while Gregorius healed from Tommy John surgery. Over those 77 games, Torres recorded 11 errors and a .961 fielding percentage. He turned 40 double plays, eighth fewer than his 48 at second base in 65 games.
Gregorius, on the other hand, played in 80 games at shortstop for the Bombers, allowing six errors with a .979 fielding percentage and 48 double plays. Ultimately, he was one of the most liked Yankees on the team, and letting him go was a tough decision, but one that was meant to propel Torres.
How has Torres fared in 2020, so far?
Through 17 games, Torres has allowed four errors, with his last being on Tuesday evening against the Atlanta Braves. He nearly had a second that pulled Luke Voit off first base on a high throw. Despite his errors, manager Aaron Boone believes he’s been fantastic at the position.
“I think he’s been really good. You look at the Tampa series and I thought he played really well.â€
“That ball ran up on him a little bit with (reliever Luis) Cessa in there that first (time),†Boone said, regarding Torres’ error on Thursday. “I know he’s a little frustrated with that. But I feel like overall, while he’s kind of finding his way offensively right now, I feel like overall the defense has been strong.â€
Up to this point, it has been Torres‘ bat that has struggled to get going. After having a dominant 2019 season with a .278 batting average, 38 homers, and 90 RBIs, he is hitting a paltry .151 with one homer and two RBIs this year. It was only a matter of time before Torres came crashing back to earth, but one slight cold streak should not amount to any consistent negative thoughts. Torres is a phenomenal player and has plenty of baseball left in front of him with the New York Yankees, so giving him more time to develop at shortstop is a priority and essential for his growth.
There is another option next year:
However, some believe he is not the answer at shortstop and would rather the Yankees go out and sign Francisco Lindor. Lindor is one of the best shortstops in Major League Baseball. At 26 years old, he has earned All-Star status four consecutive years in a row and has ranked no less than 15th in MVP voting. Lindor’s offensive and defensive dominance has been obvious, but the Yankees feel they have a similar player in Torres, but waiting for him to develop into a quality defender is the catch.
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