**NEW YORK** — After a poor performance in the Subway Series opener, struggling second baseman Gleyber Torres was benched by New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone on Wednesday night.
Oswaldo Cabrera made his third start of the season at second base as the Yankees took on the New York Mets at Citi Field. Boone stated that he planned to give Torres a few days off “just to kind of reset.”
“I just felt like he needs it,” Boone said. “He’s too important, and I’m confident he’ll get going. But it’s been a grind and a struggle. I think he’s feeling that. Hopefully, this will help him mentally and physically to take a breather and then get back on track. When he’s performing well, he’s a key piece of the lineup.”
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Torres began the day batting .215 with seven home runs, 29 RBIs, and a .628 OPS, significantly below his career averages of .262 and .773. The two-time All-Star has committed 12 errors, the most among big league second basemen.
“He’s made too many errors, and those mistakes have been part of his season’s story,” Boone said, noting that the issues are not injury-related.
“He’s fine. He had a minor groin issue, hip, but nothing significant,” Boone added.
Torres had a particularly rough game Tuesday as the struggling Yankees, who were still leading the American League East despite losing seven of nine, fell 9-7 to the Mets. Batting cleanup, he struck out with the bases loaded and no outs in the first inning, leading off three consecutive strikeouts that allowed Mets starter David Peterson to escape unscathed. In the sixth inning, Torres allowed a grounder to slip under his glove, resulting in an error that helped the Mets score three runs. After Aaron Judge’s grand slam brought the Yankees within two runs in the eighth, Torres didn’t hustle on his inning-ending groundout.
“That caught my attention,” Boone said.
Boone initially had Torres in Wednesday’s starting lineup but changed his mind after waking up and called Torres to inform him he’d be on the bench. Torres respected the decision, according to Boone.
“Hopefully, this serves him well,” Boone said.
The 27-year-old Torres can become a free agent after the World Series. Boone hasn’t specifically discussed this with Torres, but he senses that the struggle to find his form has been weighing on him, especially in recent days.
From his view in the dugout, Boone believes there might be a mechanical flaw in Torres’ swing but left that to the hitting coaches.
“The thing is, he’s been working really hard. Sometimes, a mental break can help a lot,” Boone said. “Sitting and watching can also be beneficial. Seeing the game from afar can provide a new perspective for an everyday player.”
