Through the thick and thin of the early season, New York Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres has struggled in the batter’s box.
Across 12 games (45 plate appearances), he has totaled five hits, one home run and two RBIs which equates to a .119 batting average, a .368 OPS and a six OPS+. Torres is hitless in his last 23 at-bats.
Despite the dragging start, Yankees manager Aaron Boone isn’t “really worried” about his shortstop (quotes per Zach Braziller of the New York Post).
“I’m not really worried about Gleyber too much,†Boone said over Zoom before the Yankees opened a four-game series against the Rays in Tampa with a 1-0 setback. “He’s been probably a little over-aggressive, probably expanding the zone a little bit, chasing [pitches]. We’re all human, even as great of a player as Gleyber is.â€
“So I feel like he’ll break out sooner than later,†Boone said.
Torres has mostly hit in the three hole for the Yankees this season but was moved to sixth in their 1-0 loss on the road to the rival Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night. Torres went 0-for-4.
Last season Torres totaled 38 home runs and 90 RBIs while hitting .278 and posting an .871 OPS and 128 OPS+. He has started at both middle infield positions across his three seasons at the big-league level.
The Yankees began the season 8-1, going 5-0 against divisional opponents (Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox). They have since lost three of four games, being held to seven runs over their last three games.
The Yankees offense is second in Major League Baseball in home runs (24) and OPS (.782), eighth in batting average (.244), ninth in runs (65) and 16th in hits (99).
New York has a doubleheader with Tampa Bay on Saturday, the continuation of a four-game series concluding on Sunday. It will be the second doubleheader of the season for the Yankees.