Torres’ timing was perfect for his second home run of the season.
New York Yankees’ second baseman Gleyber Torres has faced a rough start to this year, marking one of the worst beginnings in his career. At 27, his batting average stands at .208/.289/.562, but he finally saw a positive turn in the Yankees’ 10-6 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
Torres smashed a three-run homer to left field in the eighth inning, expanding the lead to 9-5, as reported by Jomboy Media.
Postgame, Torres expressed his appreciation for his teammates amidst his struggles, as noted by Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.
“I always say this is home, more than teammates, it’s family,” Torres said. “The relationships I have here are amazing and everybody is here with me right now.”
Can the unwavering support from his team help Torres bounce back?
Anticipate an improvement in Torres’ performance as the Yankees’ season progresses. History shows Torres playing below his usual level recently. The two-time All-Star boasts a career .264/.332/.445 slash line over 776 games.
Typically, players return to their usual form as the season advances, indicating that Torres may not struggle for the entire year.
Torres’ second home run this year followed a day of being benched. New York manager Aaron Boone believed a break was necessary amid Torres’ slump.
“Just felt like he could use a day here,” Boone said. “It’s a classic example that hitting is hard, even for really good players. Physically, it’s all there for him to click, and I do think that will happen.”
Yankees hitting coach James Rowson pointed out potential swing issues affecting Torres’ performance.
“We’ve seen some at-bats where there’s more drift than others and not finding consistency with his landing,” he said. “For me, sometimes with him, you see it and you watch it, he goes from the leg lift to just more of the toe tap loading action, still trying to find that timing which will affect how he lands and how his head moves.”
In Sunday’s homer, Torres used more of a toe tap, which might be beneficial moving forward. The reduced leg movement helped stabilize his head position, crucial for a hitter’s vision. Torres agreed with Rowson’s analysis.
“It’s hard to explain, but everything is moving a lot,” he said. “I’m trying to be more quiet at home plate. Just try to have more consistency in my point of contact and just fighting a lot to have success.”
Beyond his spot in the starting lineup, Torres faces financial implications as he is in a contract year. A prolonged slump could affect his future earnings significantly.
Nevertheless, the Yankees are performing well, trailing by half a game for the division lead at 27-15. A resurgence from Torres could propel them ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East race.
