New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone benched struggling second baseman Gleyber Torres for Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets, citing the need for Torres to “reset” and work through his current slump.
Torres has been struggling at the plate, batting just .215 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs, and has made 12 errors in the field, three more than any other major league second baseman.
Boone emphasized that Torres is not injured, but rather needs a mental and physical break to get back on track. “He’s too important and a guy that I’m confident will get going,” Boone said. “But it’s been a grind. It’s been a struggle. I think he’s feeling that a little bit.”
Torres’ struggles were on full display in Tuesday’s loss to the Mets, as he struck out three times, including once with the bases loaded, and made an error that led to three Mets runs. Boone noted that Torres’ lack of hustle on a groundout in the eighth inning also caught his attention.
By sitting Torres, Boone hopes that he will be able to regain his form and return to being the consistent offensive performer he has been throughout his career.
With Torres eligible for free agency after the World Series, Boone acknowledged that his struggles may be weighing on him, but hopes that this brief reset will serve him well.