After a poor game in virtually every area during what has been a poor season in virtually every area, Gleyber Torres accepted blame in a brief interview with media.
He left the visiting clubhouse at Citi Field and might have been headed home before he got sidetracked.
Manager Aaron Boone asked to talk with him.
The two had a talk after the Yankees’ 9-7 loss to the Mets in the Subway Series opener Tuesday, in which Torres had a disappointing day at the plate, in the field and running the bases.
Torres’ batting average — which sat at .267 through his first six major league seasons — is down to .215.
A 38-homer hitter in 2019 has knocked seven in his first 80 games this season.
He brought a .789 OPS into this season — an enormous one for a to-be free agent — and his 2024 OPS (.627) has fallen off a cliff.
The first out of Torres’ 0-for-4 night was a bases-loaded, no-out strikeout in the first inning, a frame in which the Yankees would not be able to push across a single run.
“I just wanted to put the ball in play, but I didn’t do anything,” said Torres, who struck out again in the third inning, walked in the fifth then might have taken his struggles at the plate to the field in the sixth inning.
The Yankees were trailing, 6-1, and on the ropes.
The Mets put runners on first and third, and the Yankees’ infield was drawn in.
Phil Bickford got what he wanted, a ground ball from Brandon Nimmo that was hit toward Torres.
But the hard-hit grounder skipped under Torres’ glove and into right field to score the first run in an inning the Mets would score three.
“Just a play you got to make,” Boone said after Torres’ 12th error of the season. “Ball’s hit sharply, just didn’t make a play.”
A very bad day got worse in the eighth inning.
Aaron Judge’s grand slam brought the Yankees within two runs in a game in which they suddenly had momentum.
Up stepped Torres, who hit a softly struck, many-hop ground ball to Francisco Lindor at shortstop.
What might have been a close play wasn’t, Torres not running hard out of the box.
Torres is playing with a tight groin that cost him a game last week.
He said it felt tight during the at-bat.
“There’s certain spots where he’s been a little bit careful with it,” Boone said of Torres, who added he is getting treatment and does not want to miss time.
But Torres — at least this version of Torres — is not helping the club.
“I think it’s bad,” Torres said of his first half. “Have to figure out [how] to get better. I’m working really hard.”