Torreyes contributes with his bat and glove

For the first five games, Ronald Torreyes served as cheerleader/ bench ornament/patient onlooker for the Yankees.

But not playing certainly doesn’t mean not working or preparing.

“I know everyone likes to watch the big boys hit, but watch Toe work in batting practice,” manager Aaron Boone said, noting Torreyes’ pregame work is admission-worthy. “He’ll bounce from third to short to second, he’ll go in the outfield. It’s fun to watch him prepare.”

Torreyes was ready for his season debut Wednesday, starting at second base. To say he responded would be gross understatement. Sure, those in the announced crowd of 40,028 for the 7-2 Yankees win over the Rays at the Stadium will remember a titanic homer by Giancarlo Stanton and the other two-run blasts by Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. But Torreyes made several fine defensive plays and stroked an RBI hit.

“You definitely need mental toughness,” Torreyes, through an interpreter, said of his ability to stay ready. “The important thing is once you get the opportunity, you want to be ready. That’s why although I am not playing in games, I feel like I am playing because I’m in the game for every pitch, every at bat.”

Plus he went above and beyond. In the ninth inning, when wind blew trash all over the field, Torreyes grabbed a bag and stuffed it in his pocket. Anything to stay on the field. With the Rays leading 1-0 against Luis Severino in the first inning and a runner on second, Torreyes made a running, tumbling catch on Wilson Ramos’ pop to end the inning. Torreyes ran, reached out and made a terrific play.

“I thought he had no chance with the way the wind was, the way the ball was fading. Unbelievable play. It allowed Sevy to calm down, come back out and throw up a bunch of zeroes,” catcher Austin Romine said, noting the windy conditions increased the degree of difficulty.

“The way the wind was howling. You saw all the trash at the end. He got attacked by a bag there.”

Torreyes got into the offensive picture from “the little ball side of things,” Boone said. In the fourth inning, with Tyler Austin on third, Torreyes greeted reliever Matt Andriese with an RBI single to center off a high fastball with the infield in.

“You just want to hit the ball up the middle,” he said. “That’s what I practice all the time.”

It’s why he’s always ready.