Gleyber Torres, Yankees earning immediate dividends for their patience

NEW YORK — Gleyber Torres, a player who spent all offseason and spring training mired in questions about his future with the Yankees, is making the Bombers feel terrific about their decision to keep him in the Bronx.

"I’m trying to be more patient than normal," Torres said. "Don’t try to jump at pitches. Just see the pitch really well and try to put the ball in play."

Right now, Torres is as selective as he’s ever been. He enters Monday with a 24.3% walk rate, fourth among qualified hitters across MLB. His nine base on balls trail only Mike Trout in the American League. Torres didn’t record his ninth walk until June 4 last year, in his 49th game of the season.

"Really patient, under-control at-bats," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Torres. "That’s what he’s capable of. We’ve seen that. Hopefully we’re seeing a guy that’s really starting to enter the prime of his career. He’s a young man. But I just feel like every at-bat has been super competitive whether it ends in a good result or not. There’s a lot of calm to what he’s doing out there right now."

Torres also has the eighth-lowest strikeout rate (8.1%) through the first nine games of the season. Compare that to his first stretch of games last year and Torres’ patient approach is a striking difference. Through nine games in 2022, Torres’ 25.0% strikeout rate ranked 166th.

MLB’s new rules, particularly the larger bases, are treating Torres well. The 26-year-old is swiping bags at a higher clip than ever before. He stole just six bases over his entire All-Star rookie season, a career-high 14 in 2021 and 10 (out of 15 attempts) across 140 games last year. Already, Torres has stolen five bases in just over a week’s worth of games. Last week, Torres became the first Yankee since Rickey Henderson in 1989 to draw six walks and steal five bases in his first six games.

"He’s fearless on the basepaths and instinctual," Boone said. "But I also think in the past, he’s not invisible, right. He’s doing a really good job of being patient. Obviously picking his spots wisely. I’ve just been really pleased with him on the bases so far this year. It’s absolutely been a factor and it’s a credit to him for working on different things."

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That includes trying to be more patient at the plate, which was a focus of Torres’ while playing in the Venezuelan winter league ahead of his eventual participation in the World Baseball Classic. Torres gained more discipline against veteran pitchers who mixed a lot of pitches. He tried to work each at-bat up to a full count, which he said helped toward his ultimate goal: "Don’t strike out a lot."

Just as Torres was refining his approach in the box, the Yankees were reportedly fielding offers for Torres — as well as Isiah Kiner-Falefa. New York’s middle infielders were thought to be on the trading block to make room for infield prospects Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza. Torres, of course, was nearly dealt at last year’s trade deadline in exchange for pitching help when he still had more than two years of team control before hitting free agency after the 2024 season. This past offseason seemingly would've been the perfect time for the Yankees to maximize a potential return for Torres, who crushed 24 home runs amid a comeback campaign in 2022.

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Flash forward to late March, and both Torres and Kiner-Falefa were standing on the first-base line at Yankee Stadium, wearing pinstripes on Opening Day. Both infielders are now a part of the Yankees’ plans with mostly clear paths on how the club will move forward with them. Volpe made the club as the starting shortstop and Peraza, despite a solid spring, was the odd man out and began the year in Triple-A. Torres said Boone helped his confidence in spring training with the conversations they had about his role in 2023.

"Every day I’m in the lineup I’m trying to do my 200 percent," Torres said. "I just want to be here a long time. I feel at home here. If I have to do something better, I try to do it and try to be here with the guys."

Torres, in the young season, has proved he’s essential to lengthening New York’s lineup. His successful early start has led to a ridiculous 213 OPS+ (100 being league average) and a 219 wRC+, seventh among qualified hitters. Torres has been not just a difference-maker for the 6-3 Bombers but one of the most impactful players in baseball.

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It begs the question, will the Yankees front office support their second baseman when he inevitably goes through a rough patch in this long, 162-game season? Knee-jerk reactions and reopening trade conversations could hurt the good thing that New York has going with Torres, who has the potential to put up a 30-30 season.

The key for Torres is to maintain his plate discipline and confidence long term. If he can continue developing his new, good habits while remaining aggressive on the basepaths, he'll reestablish himself as a core piece of the Yankees rather than a candidate to make noise for an opposing club.

"Any opportunity I have, I just try to help and be myself," Torres said. "Get a good pitch to hit, be patient and put the ball in play. That is the mentality right now."

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets for 3.5 seasons as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. She never misses a Rafael Nadal match, no matter what country and time zone he’s playing in. Sleep can always be sacrificed for sports. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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