May 22, 2019; Baltimore, MD, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres (25) reacts after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
After an impressive rookie season in 2018, New York Yankees youth star Gleyber Torres has further blown the doors of their hinges. Torres has been unstoppable thus far in 2019, hitting an impressive .302 with 12 home runs, two of which came Wednesday night against a battered Baltimore Orioles team. He has now racked up four multi-home run games on the year.
The Yankees are heading into the fourth game of an extended series against the Orioles, and Torres hasn’t held back from pummeling them at every turn. He’s racked up four homers and 5 RBIs in just three games. On the season, he has a total of 26.
With a slew of injuries affecting the team, Torres has stepped up in the absence of players like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Miguel Andujar. Additionally, the youngster has slid into the shortstop position and played very well despite his struggles last season.
On the year, he’s fielding a solid .969 and compared to a .928 percentage in 2018. Torres has committed 5 errors in double the amount of games 42-to-21. Moving over from his usual spot at second base, he has filled in valiantly for Didi Gregorius and Troy Tulowitzki during their injury spells. I imagine upon the return of Gregorius, Torres will move back to second-base where DJ LeMahieu currently features. This would place DJ in a reserve role or the designated hitter spot in the lineup. He’s batting .329 on the year and the Yankees can’t afford to lose his offensive production.
The Yanks have a 20-5 record against teams with a combined winning percentage of .402 and are 13-12 against teams above. This indicates that the quality of opponents has been lesser than average. When facing better pitchers and defenders, Torres’ stats might take a dip.
The next three opponents for the Yankees feature Padres, Red Sox, and Royals, two of which are talented teams. This should present more of a challenge for Torres and his elevated efficiency. I anticipate he will continue his impressive production when facing off against more challenging teams, but it will be interesting to see how he faces adversity.
Gleyber has been electric against the Orioles as of late, and even their announcers have gotten fed up at his success. A deep homer to center field in the 3rd inning sent the announcers in a frenzy.
This post was published on 2019-05-23 08:00
