ATLANTA — Gleyber Torres is running his production into the bottom.
One among the Yankees’ most consistent hitters for much of the season, Torres grounded right into a pair of double plays Tuesday night in a 5-0 loss to the Braves, continuing a troubling trend.
He has now hit into six double plays over his last six games — essentially the most by a Yankee in any six-game span in franchise history, in accordance with Stathead — partially sapping the team’s offense during a difficult stretch.
“Just a little bit little bit of a few-day funk for him where he’s been putting it on the bottom a little bit bit,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Normally he does a great job of avoiding that as much as anyone, really.”
Through his first 113 games this season, Torres grounded into 11 double plays. But his six in his past six games suddenly have him tied for the fourth-most double plays within the majors with 17 this season.
Each of Torres’ twin killings on Tuesday got here after Aaron Judge led off an inning with a walk.
Overall, the Yankees recorded 12 of their 21 outs against Braves right-hander Bryce Elder on ground balls.
Harrison Bader was picked off first base for the ultimate out of the sixth inning Monday in a game the Yankees trailed 8-2, but Boone explained why he didn’t think it was the proper move to drag the outfielder due to his baserunning mistake.
“Because to me, it wasn’t a man that wasn’t focused and wasn’t really trying and competing,” Boone said Tuesday. “I feel it was a nasty mistake and egregious. But not one which I didn’t think it was a man that was not completely invested, completely connected and really competing.”
Michael King, whom the Yankees successfully avoided using out of the bullpen on Tuesday, could start the series finale Wednesday.
The reliever threw two innings and 41 pitches as an opener on Saturday, the beginning of the Yankees’ plan to stretch out his workload.
Boone was not able to publicly announce a starter, but either way, Randy Vasquez is in line to pitch the majority of the innings.
The Yankees had the choice to make use of time off this Thursday to rearrange their rotation heading right into a series against the Red Sox.
But as a substitute it appears they are going to stay in line, meaning Jhony Brito is scheduled to pitch Friday (potentially behind an opener) with Gerrit Cole set to begin on Saturday.
