The Yankees lost to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday evening with a final score of 8–5. The loss was largely due to a disappointing performance from starting pitcher Marcus Stroman.
The Yankees Need More From Stroman
Stroman pitched just 2.2 innings before being replaced by Michael Tonkin. During his time on the mound, he allowed eight hits and seven earned runs, striking out only three batters with a total of 64 pitches. This outing inflated his ERA from a mid-3.65 to 4.10 in just one game.
Stroman has shown signs of regression over the past few weeks, and his performance in the first three innings against the Blue Jays was particularly concerning. Despite the pitching struggles, the Yankees’ offense managed to put up a robust effort, amassing 10 hits and scoring five runs.
Gleyber Torres’ Misjudgment
The game also featured a notable misstep from starting second baseman Gleyber Torres. Torres hit a ball to left field that he believed was a home run, and he jogged out of the batter’s box accordingly. However, the ball fell short of the wall, and Torres ended up with only a single when he could have easily secured a stand-up double.
Compounding the error, Torres was later thrown out at home plate while attempting to score from first on a double by Anthony Volpe. Following this sequence, Manager Aaron Boone had a stern discussion with Torres in the dugout and substituted him for Oswaldo Cabrera, who went hitless in three at-bats.
Managerial Decisions and Future Prospects
After the game, Boone looked to move past the incident, indicating that Torres would be back in the lineup on Saturday. Nonetheless, Torres expressed remorse for his actions:
“For one second, I thought it was a homer. Unfortunately, it’s just a single. I have to get better. I feel really sorry for whatever I did tonight, especially for the fans and also for my teammates.”
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Boone typically defends his players, but his decision to bench Torres mid-game was notably stern. It remains to be seen how quickly the Yankees can recover from this setback and whether Torres will demonstrate improved hustle in future games.