July 22, 2021 | 2: 13am

There modified into once reason in the abet of the Yankees to be optimistic with Gleyber Torres — and reason to be inflamed, too. In this frustrating season, it modified into once on designate for the young shortstop.

On one hand, he persisted his present uptick in energy. But on the replacement hand, his defensive shortcomings yet one more time were now not doable to ignore.

Both played a predominant feature Wednesday evening in the Yankees’ wild 6-5, 10-inning expend over the Phillies in The Bronx. Torres went deep for the third time in four games and had a key sacrifice bunt in the extra frame that led the Yankees to the expend.

But he also made an essential error to open up the stop of the eighth inning, as the Phillies rallied from three runs down in opposition to Zack Britton and Crop Nelson to pull even.

Gleyber Torres belts a solo home run in the fourth inning of the Yankees' 6-5, 10-inning win over the Phillies.
Gleyber Torres belts a solo home speed in the fourth inning of the Yankees’ 6-5, 10-inning expend over the Phillies.
Robert Sabo

Torres, a shell of himself on the plate a range of the season, has now hit safely in seven of his remaining eight games and is beginning to do love the player the Yankees anticipated to explore. His protection, then all all over again, stays a inform. He has exiguous vary at shortstop and 13 errors. Per the Fielding Bible, Torres is minus-5 in defensive runs saved. Exclusively eight shortstops are worse.

But thus far as his offense goes, Torres is driving the ball with authority and going to the different discipline. He’s pulling the ball less and getting higher results. His double Tuesday evening modified into once to steady discipline and so modified into once his home speed Wednesday.

Till now not too prolonged up to now, it had been a extensive conflict on the plate for the 24-year-mature. He had struggled defensively and his offensive numbers were nowhere shut to the projections. In June, Torres managed appropriate four extra-contaminated hits and a .572 OPS. In his first 78 games of the season, Torres had handiest three homers.

Even now, his numbers are composed underwhelming. His .241/.328/.339 gash line and .667 OPS aren’t even pedestrian. Undergo in thoughts, right here’s a player who hit 38 homers and drove in 90 runs as now not too prolonged up to now as 2019.