Yankees' Gleyber Torres added to All-Star team
New York Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres runs along the baseline on his solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of an MLB baseball game at Yankee Stadium on June 25. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Gleyber Torres is an American League All-Star after all.
The day after Aaron Boone called it “a joke” that Torres wasn’t on the squad, the 22-year-old was named to it, replacing the Rays' Brandon Lowe, who was placed on the injured list Thursday with a right shin contusion.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Torres said Thursday before the Yankees started a four-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. “I feel good for sure.”
Torres, who received the news Thursday morning via a phone call from Boone, also was an All-Star in 2018 but was unable to play in the game in Washington because of a right hip strain.
“Super-excited. It’s a dream come true for sure to be able to play in the All-Star Game,” said Torres, whose parents will join him here, then fly to Cleveland on Sunday night for Tuesday's game. “I can’t wait to go to Cleveland to play for the first time.”
Torres has topped the season he had last year, when he finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. Among the Yankees’ most consistent offensive performers this season, he entered Thursday's game hitting .298 with a .908 OPS, 19 homers and 50 RBIs in 78 games.
Torres, who spent the majority of the season’s first half filling in capably for Didi Gregorius at shortstop before returning to second base, became the Yankees’ fourth All-Star, joining Gary Sanchez and DJ LeMahieu, who were voted in as starters, and closer Aroldis Chapman.
His consistency with runners in scoring position has been particularly impressive. Torres entered Thursday's game 28-for-68 (.412) with seven homers and 37 RBIs in such situations this season. In his last 15 at-bats with runners in scoring position, he had 11 hits, including four homers and seven RBIs.
“I think it’s a joke that he’s not on that team,” Boone said Wednesday at Citi Field. “I mean, Gleyber Torres not an All-Star? You can kick rocks on that one. That’s ridiculous.”
Boone, like Torres, was all smiles while discussing the topic on Thursday.
“I was very excited. It was a good way to wake up this morning,” said Boone, who was alerted to the Torres news by general manager Brian Cashman. “Always fun news to deliver. Very deserving. Man, he’s 22 and he’s got two [All-Star bids] under his belt now.”
Torres’ reaction when Boone told him?
“I was hoping to be able to tell him [at the ballpark] in person but then I realized MLB was going to release it at noon, so I was like, ‘You better call him,’ ” Boone said. “I called him this morning and in his very reserved way, I could tell he was really excited.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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