For the better part of this season, the Yankees had trouble finding a true leadoff man. They tried Anthony Volpe, Alex Verdugo, and others to no avail. Now, though, it seems that they’ve finally found their 1-hitter, just in time for the most vital stretch of the year. Gleyber Torres is settling nicely into the leadoff role.
Gleyber Torres Finding a Groove as Yankees Leadoff Hitter
First Half Struggles, Second Half Success
Back in June, things were not going well for Gleyber Torres. On June 25th, his slash line was a mediocre .215/.294/.333, which was bad enough to the point of getting benched by manager Aaron Boone. Boone, who has always been an avid supporter of his players both at their highs and lows, suggested that Torres wasn’t so much “benched.” Rather, it was a mental reset, and he stressed that things were right around the corner for his second baseman. Even though Boone may overuse a lot of clichés such as this, in this instance he was absolutely right.
This “mental reset” lit a fire under the 27-year-old Torres. Not only did he go 2-for-4 with a homer in his first game back, but his numbers have improved drastically. Since the All-Star break, he’s batting .284 with 29 runs and 24 RBI in just 50 games. And for the majority of these games, Torres has been batting first, right ahead of Juan Soto.
Unlikely Candidate
When looking at Torres’ skillset objectively, he doesn’t appear to have the prowess of the traditional leadoff hitter. He is not fast whatsoever, and doesn’t hit for a high average. However, he has some key assets that make him a great fit for the 1-hole. First off, he gets on base a ton, whether he’s hot or not. Over his last 30 games, he has an OBP of .383, good for third on the Yankees behind, of course, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. He also has a tendency to make pitchers work to get him out, as he often has long at-bats that help increase the opposition’s pitch count. In fact, Torres has seen 4.28 pitches per plate appearance in 2024, which ranks fifth in all of MLB.
But what makes Torres such a great fit for the role is that he is an experienced hitter who has the situational knowledge that is necessary when batting in front of two greats like Judge and Soto. Though he may lack certain qualities that are seen in the traditional kind of leadoff hitter, he appears to be well-suited for the role as the Yankees look to take the AL East from the Baltimore Orioles.
Uncertain Future
As great as it is now that Torres has found a permanent spot in the lineup, he may not be donning the pinstripes come next season. In his last year before becoming an eligible free agent, there may not be room in the Yankees’ infield (nor in their payroll) for the veteran second baseman. However, if Torres continues on this hot streak and plays a key role in a deep postseason run, the Yankees may have no choice but to bring him back. But for now, it looks like Torres is just showing off his hitting versatility to boost his stock as a free agent this winter.
