One of this site’s long-running narratives has centered on the dynamic between Gleyber Torres and the New York Yankees. Whatever the expectations were, things ultimately fell flat — both sides were disappointed, and Torres departed for the Detroit Tigers this past offseason.
There’s been some back-and-forth between the two since, but hopefully that chapter is finally closed. Torres appears to be thriving in Detroit, and the Yankees have been rolling. Sure, having this version of Torres in New York would be great — it’s the kind of production fans were desperate for when his performance started dipping in 2020. But at least he’s channeling his resurgence into tormenting the Red Sox, a team he’s historically feasted on.
On Monday night, Torres helped the Tigers demolish Boston 14-2. He kicked off the scoring with a towering two-run homer off Tanner Houck in the first inning, then added an RBI single later. He finished the night 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs scored, and a walk.
If Torres is going to be fueled by proving the Yankees wrong, at least he’s doing it against one of their biggest rivals. He’s always performed well against the Red Sox — Monday’s game only added to his already-impressive stats against them: a .289 average, 18 home runs, 67 RBI, and 10 steals since 2018.
Two games remain in the series — keep going, Gleyber! If there’s ever been a time for Yankees fans to unify on the divisive topic of Torres, it’s now. He’s off to a hot start with Detroit, posting a .304 average, .857 OPS, and a 145 OPS+ through 29 games, along with a 1.2 WAR and solid defense at second base.
Yankees fans may groan when he eventually does damage against them (he missed their first matchup due to injury), but most can appreciate his success — especially when it’s coming at Boston’s expense and shaking up the AL East race.
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