Few things in baseball are quite as exciting as seeing a player get an extra base through hustling. Conversely, few things are as frustrating as seeing an overly aggressive runner run into an out. The New York Yankees and their fans got both over a two-pitch stretch in Friday’s game, thanks to Gleyber Torres.
Torres came to the plate with nobody on and one out in the top of the sixth inning. He smacked the first pitch he saw from George Soriano into the left-center field gap. While left fielder George Soriano cut the ball off, it took him a few steps to slow down and get the ball into the infield. Seeing that, Torres turned what looked like it would be a single into a double. Then came the next pitch.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a slow grounder right at third base. With less than two outs, the general rule for baserunners on grounders is to run if the ball is behind them and freeze if it’s in front of them. This ball was well in front of Torres. Despite that, he got aggressive, trying to advance to third. The ball hit the bag and popped up in the air. Miami’s Jake Burger then caught the ball and dropped a tag on Torres for the easy out.
The pros and cons of aggressive baserunning, starring Gleyber Torres pic.twitter.com/XzAXd382co
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) August 12, 2023
Torres’ baserunning left baseball fans scratching their heads.
Gleyber Torres thinks he’s invisible pic.twitter.com/UUSdOxiEiK
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 12, 2023
After a hustle double, Gleyber Torres gets tagged out trying to advance on a ground ball hit literally at third base. He's a man of multitudes on the bases.
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) August 12, 2023
Gleyber what are you doing man? pic.twitter.com/tqp0CCphNC
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 12, 2023
What is Gleyber doing?? 🤨pic.twitter.com/vCAdB7x3mg
— The Game Day MLB (@TheGameDayMLB) August 12, 2023
There are no words for how clueless Gleyber Torres is running the bases.
— Ernie Acosta (@Ernie__Acosta) August 12, 2023
Torres has been one of New York’s offensive performers this season. As bad as things have been for the Yankees, they’d be even worse without his bat.
But this kind of baserunning is something that anyone involved with the Yankees can live without.
[Photo Credit: YES]
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