If Gleyber Torres performed each recreation towards the Baltimore Orioles, he’d be destined for a plaque in Cooperstown.
Unfortunately, for Torres, the Orioles solely seem on the schedule 19 instances a 12 months. And it should be a reduction for the O’s when the Bombers transfer on to face one other foe.
The Yankees’ infielder not solely posts insane offensive statistics towards Baltimore yearly, he does so in a approach that appears aimed toward publicly embarrassing your complete franchise.
After a two-homer effort towards his favourite opponent within the Yankees’ wild win on Tuesday evening, Torres was in predictably excessive spirits.
“For sure, I’m feeling good,” he stated succinctly.
Heading into Wednesday’s rubber match, the Yankees have a 46-17 file towards Baltimore since Torres’ debut on April 22, 2018. Yes, that total interval coincides with the Orioles’ ongoing rebuild, however a .730 successful proportion towards any main league crew continues to be thoughts boggling.
As for Torres particularly, his particular person numbers vs. the Orioles hold producing double and triple takes to confirm that they’re in reality appropriate.
For his profession, Torres (who has extra plate appearances towards the O’s than another crew), boasts a puffy-chested .323./397/.642 slash line towards the Baltimore birds. With 18 dwelling runs, 16 doubles and one triple towards them, Torres data an additional base hit roughly as soon as each seven instances he steps into the field towards a black-and-orange clad pitcher. His 1.039 OPS off Orioles’ pitching is 44 factors increased than towards another crew that he’s performed no less than 10 video games towards. He’s obtained 47 RBI and 43 runs scored in 64 video games. In quick, he turns into an absolute terror each time the Orioles descend on Yankee Stadium or he heads down I-95 to Camden Yards.
Going even deeper, a number of of Torres’ most bullied pitchers in his profession are present or former Orioles. Against John Means, the crew’s ostensible ace of the final 4 years, Torres is 3-for-8 (.375) with a trio of walks. Mychal Givens, the longtime Orioles’ reliever who escaped the crew through commerce in 2020 and has not confronted Torres since, surrendered a 1.200 OPS in 12 plate appearances.
Then there’s poor David Hess.
Hess spent 2018-2020 bouncing between the Orioles’ beginning rotation and bullpen and is at present within the Rays’ group. Torres and Hess have collided 11 instances, all whereas Hess performed for Baltimore. Three of these matchups resulted in hits, they usually have been all dwelling runs. Three different ones resulted in a stroll. The solely instances Hess ever obtained Torres out have been on fly balls to the outfield, all of which Baseball-Reference classifies as “deep.” He was by no means in a position to strike Torres out, and even get him to hit the ball on the bottom.
This season, whereas the Orioles have really stored him in test for probably the most half, Torres has made Bruce Zimmermann the brand new object of his torment. Both of Torres’ homers on Tuesday evening got here towards Zimmermann, who he now possesses a 1.625 OPS towards in 9 conferences.
The entire Torres vs. Baltimore factor is each a enjoyable look into the inherent randomness of baseball and an attention-grabbing demonstration of Torres as a participant. When going through groups with a dropping file, Torres’ OPS is .830. Against groups which are above .500, he shrinks to .746. While succeeding towards unhealthy groups and regressing towards good groups isn’t precisely a revolutionary concept, and definitely isn’t unique to Torres, it does converse to a few of his limitations.
In order to be the kind of participant the Yankees envisioned after they traded for him, Torres must rise to the second towards good groups, not draw back from them. With a great deal of strain taken off his shoulders this season (each from not enjoying shortstop anymore and the Yankees’ general success eradicating him from the magnifying glass), Torres has rebounded from his abysmal 2021 season.
Now, if solely the Yankees can trick him into seeing a cartoon Oriole on each pitcher he faces, they’ll have the participant of their goals.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com