Torres returns to lineup for penultimate game of series
BALTIMORE — Of course Gleyber Torres wanted to come back before the Yankees’ final game here.
The shortstop, who had been on the injured list with a strained hamstring and quad, was activated before the Bombers game at Camden Yards on Saturday.
Torres, particularly fond of Camden Yards, said last year that its a ballpark where he sees the ball very well. It also has a nice short porch he can take advantage of, and which he has.
“Very excited about that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He got a number of at bats yesterday and looked good. He was ready to go, and the fact that he was able to get here for the night game [Friday]. We’ll have them off tomorrow, but [we’re] excited to have him back in that lineup.
“He’s done really well in his work up from the injury. And just to see how he’s been moving really the last week, even 10 days has been really encouraging and I’m excited to have him back.”
The Yankees needed reinforcements. They ended Friday tied with the Blue Jays for second place in the American League East after splitting the doubleheader with the Orioles. Monday they begin a head-to-head battle with the young, scrappy and hungry Blue Jays with 10 games in the final 21 days of the season.
They were 5-8 coming into Saturday night’s game, with ace Gerrit Cole having lost two straight decisions for the first time since April 2019.
The Yankees activated Torres before Cole started Saturday night’s game against the Orioles at Camden Yards hoping he could add a spark to their lineup in one of his favorite places to hit — and against his favorite opponents.
The 23-year-old infielder hit .394 with 13 homers, four doubles and 20 RBIs against the Orioles last season. It helped him finish with a 3.1 WAR hitting .278 with 38 homers over the season.
So far this year, Torres has not been as hot. When he went down with the double injury to his left leg, Torres was slashing .231/.341/.295 with one home run and six RBI. He had 17 strikeouts and 12 walks in 78 at-bats.
There were signs of him starting to heat up when he went down, however. In his last 12 games, Torres was 13-for-36 with two doubles and four RBIs. Interestingly he drew 10 of his 12 walks this season in those last 12 games.
The Yankees’ offense can use any boost at this point.
Without Aaron Judge (strained right calf ), Giancarlo Stanton (strained left hamstring) and Gio Urshela (bone spur in right elbow), the Yankees lineup is struggling to score runs. Over the last 13 games, in which the Yankees went 5-8, the Bombers have hit .212/.310/.344 with 50 runs scored, including 12 home runs. Luke Voit had three of those homers and DJ LeMahieu had 11 hits, two home runs and four RBI in nine games, coming off the IL in that stretch. Urshela, who missed three games in that span to try and nurse the irritated elbow, slashed .320/.433/.520 in eight games.