Why Gleyber Torres may be writing his final Yankees chapter in these playoffs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A hint of melancholy trailed Gleyber Torres this season, possibly his last as a Yankee.

Perhaps that daily awareness, that this could be his final months in pinstripes, contributed to Torres' slide in production through mid-August, when he began an upward trend at just the right time.

A big October performance, on a championship club, might provide Torres a gold key for all-time among Yankees Universe, but it’s unlikely to change management’s trajectory for 2025 and beyond.

Torres is a month away from free agency, and he’ll be seeking a long-term deal worth more annually than the $14.2 million he’s earning this year.

This winter, the Yankees will be saving wherever possible to sign Juan Soto to that coming megadeal in free agency, and they already have an Opening Day second baseman on the roster.

Jazz Chisholm Jr., under team control through the 2026 season, is an obvious candidate to switch back to second base from third base, where he’s been pressed into service this year.

Gleyber Torres' turnaround since mid-August

So, Torres has October, and these playoffs, to become part of that first Yankees team to win a World Series since 2009, and to set himself up for free agency at age 27.

And as the Yankees' leadoff hitter, Torres has “an opportunity to set the tone,’’ something he’s done well since mid-August.

That’s when manager Aaron Boone – searching for a leadoff hitter all season – re-instated Torres atop the order.

At the time, Torres was batting .236 with a .658 OPS in his first 115 games and found it “personally frustrating’’ because “I feel like I didn’t do too much in those months, just trying to find a way to get better every day and help the team.’’

The Yankees’ expected leadoff hitter in 2024, DJ LeMahieu had suffered a late spring training foot fracture and never got back on track.

Torres became the Opening Day leadoff hitter, but his rough start had knocked him out of that spot by mid-April.

Anthony Volpe’s early hot stretch elevated him to leadoff, but he slumped and was replaced by Alex Verdugo, who nosedived offensively after mid-June.

Even Ben Rice saw 10 starts out of the leadoff spot before Boone turned back to Torres, who batted .313 over his last 39 games with an .840 OPS.

“It doesn’t matter how I (did) in the first half, Boonie gave me the confidence to get back (at) leadoff,’’ said Torres. “And as a player, if they believe in you, you have to do something back.’’

Writing a new October chapter

Never the most patient hitter, Torres has worked some long at-bats already in postseason, with an awareness of how much damage Aaron Judge and Juan Soto can do behind him.

In the Yankees’ AL Division Series opening win, 6-5, against the Royals, Torres had two leadoff walks and a two-run homer to right – a Yankee Stadium special – in his first three plate appearances.

Game 2 saw Torres draw walks his first two times up. In the ninth, he went after Lucas Erceg’s first pitch and grounded out to end the game as the tying run, a 4-2 Royals win.

“He's having long at bats, but at the same time, going up and (being) really aggressive early in the count,’’ Boone said recently.

Occasionally defensive lapses at second base and bad baserunning decisions crept into Torres’ season again in 2024, and Boone chose – in midgame, Aug. 2 – to discipline Torres for non-hustle.

Torres hasn’t been the only Yankee not busting it out of the batter’s box on occasion this year, and he’d been dealing with a groin issue on and off this summer.

Since August, “I think it's fair to say…he's in a better head space because of how well he's performed,’’ said Boone.

“But it's credit to him (for) getting through some of the tougher moments of the year that he certainly went through,’’ said Boone, proud of Torres keeping “the blinders on’’ and “working’’ toward a strong finish.

“He’s a big reason why we’re in this position'' to compete for a title.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Why Gleyber Torres may be writing his final Yankees chapter in these playoffs