In an interleague battle, the New York Yankees came up just short against the San Diego Padres, losing 5-2 on Sunday. While a loss is never good, Gleyber Torres felt his effort at second base played a direct role in the Yankees taking a loss.
Up 1-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Torres tried backhanding a ball and was ultimately given an error as Jake Cronenworth reached base. With a pair of walks and some timely hitting, San Diego was able to bring four runs across the board.
While the Yankees had a few more innings to catch up, Torres knows his error affected the outcome of the contest. He was seething in his postgame comments, especially because it's a play he felt he could've made, via Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News.
“It was a little bit funky, but the ball was catchable,” Torres said. “I just missed it.”
“I'm still made because the play was 100% catchable,” Torres concluded.
His ground ball error wasn't the only mistake from Torres' against the Padres, as he was picked off first base in the second inning. Overall, the infielder went 2-for-4 at the dish with a strikeout.
Even with the loss, New York still leads the AL East with their 37-18 record. The Yankees are counting on Torres to not only be a difference maker in the box but provide solid defense at second. With Torres set to hit free agency after the 2024 season, his game against the Padres wasn't a good look for his present or future.
Gleyber Torres set to hit free agency
Torres has spent his entire major league career with the Yankees after being traded from the Chicago Cubs in 2016. Over 789 games total, the infielder has hit .264 with 127 home runs, 394 RBI and 53 stolen bases.
He burst onto the scene upon his arrival in New York, making back-to-back All-Star Games in 2018-2019. His play seemed to teeter off a bit until the 2022 season. Both then and in 2023, Torres racked up at least 24 home runs, 68 RBI and 10 stolen bases while hitting at least .257. The back-to-back bounce back campaigns had the Yankees eager to see what Torres can do in 2024.
Through 55 games, that has resulted in a .228 batting average with four home runs, 16 RBI and four stolen bases. Alongside his offensive numbers being down, Torres has already committed seven errors in 2024.
That comes after the 15 he made in 2023 and another seven in 2022. Over his entire career with the Yankees, Torres has made 51 total errors and holds a fielding percentage of .974.
As he enters free agency, teams will be tantalized by Gleyber Torres' past offensive acumen. But his work defensively at shortstop could have some teams hesitant to offer a major deal. The Yankees themselves will have a major decision to make when it comes to Torres' future.
Whichever way they decide to go, Torres' work against the Padres certainly won't shine him in the best light. And he knows it.
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