Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Yankees made a significant change ahead of Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets, benching starting second baseman Gleyber Torres in favor of Oswaldo Cabrera.
The Yankees Benched Gleyber Torres on Wednesday
Torres failed to hustle on an infield ground ball during Tuesday’s loss, drawing plenty of criticism. He mentioned that his right groin was bothering him, so his benching could be linked to the injury, but it may also be partially due to his lackluster production this season.
Torres’ Struggling Season Stats
This season, the 27-year-old is hitting .215/.294/.333, including seven homers and 29 RBIs, with an 83 wRC+. His numbers have dropped significantly this year despite being in a contract season and seeking a major payday following 2024.
Oswaldo Cabrera Steps In
In Torres’ place, Cabrera will take over at second base. Cabrera hasn’t been performing better offensively, hitting .237/.273/.344, including five homers and 25 RBIs, with a 78 wRC+. In fact, Cabrera has only two hits over his last three games, totaling 10 at-bats. However, his last appearance against Atlanta yielded two hits and two RBIs.
Defensive Considerations and Team Dynamics
Unfortunately, Torres is simply going through a difficult stretch this season and is clearly mentally affected. Oswaldo offers a fresher option and may provide better defense compared to Torres, who let another ground ball pass by him on Tuesday and has accumulated -4 defensive runs saved this season.
