Torres set to try 2nd position
DUNEDIN, Fla. — With Didi Gregorius solidly entrenched as the Yankees’ shortstop for the foreseeable future, it makes sense to get Gleyber Torres, Tyler Wade and Jorge Mateo — all shortstops — experience at other positions.
Wade has played second base and the outfield. Now, the organization’s top position prospect, Torres, will get a taste of something besides short next week when he plays second base.
“I don’t know which day, but I know I have him listed for a day in the next three or four days,’’ said Joe Girardi, who explained there are no plans for Torres to play third at the moment.
The 20-year-old Torres has played in 290 minor league games and all but one have been at short. He appeared in one game for Single-A Tampa at second base last year after arriving from the Cubs in the Aroldis Chapman deal.
In seven games, Torres is hitting .556 (5-for-9) with two RBIs and has Girardi talking him up.
“I am impressed with his at-bats where he has a real good understanding of what the situation called for and what he needs to do. He adjusts with a couple of strikes,’’ Girardi said. “He runs the bases extremely well, very heads up. He is not a flier like Mateo, but he takes extra bases. I am really impressed with his maturity. You see him swing and miss early in the count but he will find a way to put in play with two strikes.’’
Fourteen spring training at-bats is far too small of a sample to announce Aaron Judge is on his way to reducing his strikeouts after striking out at an alarming rate last year in the big leagues.
Judge went 2-for-3 Friday against the Blue Jays. Both hits were singles and he whiffed once. In six games, Judge is batting .429 (6-for-14) and has fanned twice.
“I think he is in his legs more this year than last year,’’ Girardi said of the 6-foot-7, 282-pound right-handed power hitter. “He made a minor adjustment and it has paid off.’’ Not having scored a run and trailing by two runs entering the ninth Friday against the Blue Jays, the Yankees tied the score, 2-2, on the light-hitting Ji-Man Cho’s tworun single. Then in the ninth, lefty reliever Joe Mantiply gave up a one-out homer to Ryan McBroom for the game-winner.