This is one throbbing secondary pinstriped headache.
The good news for the Yankees, their first home in the books, is that Gary Sanchez has shown some signs of life, and their biggest risk is that the off-season would play as if he were saving.
The bad news? Another winter risk – a minor one, it turned out at the time – left quite a sting.
Gleyber Torres ’10th innings fee did not directly lead to the Yankees’ 4-3 defeat against the Orioles Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium as the game ended in the 11th frame. The shortest stop’s second official deception of the year, in addition to some other memorable unofficial errors, highlighted the Yankees’ first loss against the Orioles at home since May 15, 2019, marking a stretch of 12 consecutive wins on these guys ended up in The Bronx.
And this strengthened the investigation into the fourth-year player, who arrived in the big leagues as a serviceable second player, and who struggled to be switched to Didi Gregorius’ successor in a short time, although he was there in Venezuela as a counter played. If, of course, it is too early to wonder about a change in the important position, it is late enough to notice the problem here.
“He has all the ability to go there and do it,” manager Aaron Boone said after the game over Torres. ‘If he’s misleading a high profile, he should work on it. … He has all the equipment to work through it, through the bumps, and he has the confidence to know that he has the equipment to get through it. ”
Although Boone obviously did not intend to turn up on behalf of a player (he felt before the game that Ryan Mountcastle of Baltimore had to be called out on Tuesday in a ninth innings that Torres took too long to perform, and Mountcastle with donated a single field)), he offered no alibi for Torres’ game-changing relay.
Chad Green scored two playoffs, which could only allow extra-innings runner Anthony Santander to advance from second to third when O’s catcher Pedro Severino struck an easy foundation to Torres. With enough time to get the slow-footed Severino, Torres unleashed a terrible throw that inexperienced first-timer Jay Bruce could not grain, and Santander was able to sail home. Those who stayed out of the announced crowd of 10,254 had Torres get it with a stream of drinks.
“He made a very difficult throw for Jay,” Boone said. “It should be more of a target.”
Kyle Higashioka gave his teammate a temporary respite when he singled out home winner Tyler Wade from second place in the second half of the innings. However, when Green served a one-off single to pinch the victim Chance Sisco in the eleventh, and Rio Ruiz scored from third base, the spotlight turned to Torres again.
He was standing on the deck at the bottom of the innings when Santander caught DJ LeMahieu’s line drive to the right field and nailed a Gio Urshela label at home, leaving Urshela confused and Yankees fans hoping that the questionable steering did not result in any injury. Boone said Urshela was OK because he had his neck miserable, and it seems like a good time to mention that injury-prone Aaron Judge was unavailable and is in doubt for Friday due to pain in his left side.
Sanchez clocked a strong night, contributed a step, single and double, and handled his duties without controversy. He returns to Florida with a .278 / .350 / .667 dash.
Torres took a step and made some contributions to lift his line to .250 / .333 / .292, far below what is expected of him. After all, his brand demands that he outsmart his mistakes with the glove.
At the moment, there is little for the Yankees to do except support their youngest player and hope their faith pays dividends. Even if he is never Ozzie Smith out there, he will significantly reduce the mental errors. They made up for him in the first class place.
It’s a headache for now. Certainly not an incurable one. But one that the Yankees hah hoped to avoid before playing as much as a road game.