Gleyber Torres is in better condition than he was for much of last season, but he still doesn’t look much like a shortstop.
Torres had a pair of tough plays in the Yankees’ 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday in the season opener.
The first came when Teoscar Hernandez hit a sharp grounder to lead off the top of the second, and the ball got by Torres and into left field. Hernandez scored later in the inning for the game’s first run.
Torres had a worse play in the top of the ninth, again with Hernandez at the plate. Torres did not charge a grounder, then took his time getting rid of the ball. His throw to first was late and Hernandez had another hit.
Manager Aaron Boone called the first grounder, which was measured at 102 mph off the bat, a “do-or-die” play. He didn’t fault Torres for not fielding it.
But Boone acknowledged Torres’ mistakes on the second Hernandez hit.
“[Torres took] just not an aggressive enough angle,” Boone said. “I thought he laid back on the ball a little bit and probably with Hernandez getting down the line a little bit, probably just needed to take a little better angle and a little more urgency to get that. Nothing more than that.”
