For the season, Gleyber Torres has a .262/.375/.402 line with a .346 wOBA and a 120 wRC+. Last season, he put up a .278/.337/.535 line with a .358 wOBA and 125 wRC+. Except for the slugging percentage, the New York Yankees‘ star shortstop is having a very similar season. However, a couple of weeks ago, that wasn’t the case.
We may be experiencing some skill growth from Torres, who is still somehow 23. But the fact remains that the Yankees’ infielder is currently tearing the cover of the ball after a difficult start of the season.
Torres started the year with the wrong foot, hitting .231/.341/.295 with a .295 wOBA and a 85 wRC+ until August 20, the day he injured his quad and hamstring. He returned on September 5, and since that date, Torres has been more like himself at the plate: .318/.434/.591 with a .434 wOBA and a 181 wRC+.
The Yankees have a true star
In fact, that looks like the Yankees’ young player ceiling: a player similar to last year, but capable of hitting at or close to .300 and with a 15.1 BB% and a 18.9 K%. Last season, those stats were at 7.9% and 21.4%, respectively.
So, in short, we are currently seeing the best version yet of Gleyber Torres. In 2019, he could rake but taking walks wasn’t really part of his game. But so far in 2020, he has shown the patience required to take a base on balls enough to drive up his OBP.
In the minor leagues, Torres frequently ran BB% north of 10.0, even close to 15.0. We are now seeing his display his full offensive arsenal just in time for the playoffs.
For the New York Yankees, having the best version of the players that spent some time injured and recently returned will be huge with the postseason in the horizon. Getting Torres, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton back into a groove will make the lineup a true Murderers’ Row for opposing pitchers.