ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Fresh off returning from a two-game mental “reset,” Gleyber Torres spent the two games leading up to Tuesday resting physically.
But the Yankees second baseman has recovered from a groin strain and returned to the lineup on Tuesday against the Rays, and manager Aaron Boone is hopeful his issues are now resolved.
“Hopefully we can make sure he’s doing what he needs to do in the weight room, in the training room and preparing properly before the game,” Boone said before the Yankees’ 5-3 loss at Tropicana Field. “Hopefully it’s not something that we have to deal with. We were able to avoid any major issues, honestly. It happened both times, but I thought it was pretty minor.”
Torres missed one game last month because of groin soreness but has continued to play through the pain since, eventually leaving Friday’s game against the Red Sox after feeling pain while taking an infield hit.
Boone held Torres out on Saturday, Sunday and Monday as part of the team’s rest day so that he would be fully prepared for Tuesday’s game.
He went 1-for-4 in his return with a single and one RBI.
“At some point you’re always going to try to control yourself, but he’s got to be in a position where he can,” Boone said. “There are going to be times where you’ve got to be smart.” [running]But I feel like, physically, sustainably, he should be in good shape.”
Now the question is which version of Torres the Yankees will bring back.
The soon-to-be free agent has struggled for most of the season, but he is 8-for-26 (.308) at-bats in seven games since Boone benched him for the second straight game.
“It’s been a struggle for him,” general manager Brian Cashman said Tuesday. “Free agency has come back to haunt him. I don’t know if it’s weighing him down or holding him back.”
“Last year, he was our second-best hitter behind Aaron Judge, and then when Judge got hurt, he was our best hitter. You all know what kind of player he is. We’re looking forward to it and we’re waiting with anticipation because we know he’s going to have a really positive impact on our lineup.”
Right-hander Clayton Beiter is scheduled to see Dr. Keith Meister for another evaluation of the shoulder condition that has kept him out of Triple-A play since mid-May.
There’s a chance that Beiter could miss the rest of the season, which could add depth to the Yankees’ starting pitching staff or provide a late-season weapon in the bullpen.
Boone said Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring injury) could be “on the verge of being ready to play” after the All-Star break, but didn’t say whether that would be a rehab game or an actual game.
Stanton was injured on June 22 and said he hoped to return about four weeks later, which would be July 20.
