Today Major League Baseball opened up the voting for this year’s All-Star Game in Washington D.C. You can expect the American League squad to be filled with representatives from the Yankees with rookie phenom Gleyber Torres leading the way.
What more can Gleyber Torres do to cement himself as one of the top young players in the game today? The 21-year-old has been absolutely incredible for the Yankees since his debut back on April 22nd, already putting up numbers that are deserving of his first All-Star game nod.
It the first day of June so there’s still a ways to go until the Midsummer Classic on July 17th, but right now Torres should be a shoe-in to make the AL roster.
In just 33 games Torres is hitting .319 and he already has an astounding 9 home runs with 26 RBI in only 113 at-bats. He’s slugging a team-leading .593 and since he’s joined the Yankees they have taken off with a record of 25-8. He just won the first of what should be many accolades throughout his career with the AL Player of the Week and in addition to that he very well could win player of the month honors for May.
If you look at the ballot for American League second basemen there is a clear path for Torres to play in his first All-Star game. Reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve is the premier second basemen in the game and is likely on his way to another starting nod. After him, Torres figures to have the best shot at securing a spot as a reserve especially with former Yankee All-Star Robbie Cano suspended and out of action.
In 25 fewer games, he’s already has doubled the home run total of Altuve and he only has three less RBI. If not for the immense popularity of Altuve maybe Torres would give him a legitimate run for that starting spot, but his late start to the season might cost him some votes. Regardless of how the voting plays out, we can expect these two to battle it out on the ballots and on the field for years to come.
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Yes, the sample size for Torres is only 33 games, but he’s already shown enough to prove he is a star in the making. He’s playing like a 10-year veteran in the field and at the plate and the moment never seems to be too big for him. He already has two walk-off hits after his latest one on Tuesday and since his call-up, he’s produced many more big hits in late game situations.
With runners in scoring position, he’s batting .364. That’s the mark of a really clutch player and the crazy thing is he’s doing this predominantly out of the nine spot in the Yankees lineup.
Along with fellow rookie Miguel Andujar, (who’s also played well enough for some all-star consideration) the Yankees have without a doubt the best 8-9 duo of any lineup in baseball. It’s not normal to see guys at the bottom of the order produce at this level which speaks to their talent along with the overall star power throughout the Yankees lineup.
It’s a roster full of All-Stars and it’s been Torres, the youngest player on the team who’s stuck out the most and already become one of the most beloved players. It’s been a while since we’ve said that about a Yankee this young, probably not since Derek Jeter back in 1996.
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Jeter was a 14-time All-Star and although he didn’t make the team in 96′ he did win Rookie of the Year and helped lead the Yankees to championship #23. Hopefully, Torres can do the same and one up the Captain with an All-Star appearance in what’s already been a magical rookie season.
He has a long way to go before we ever mention him in the same vein as Jeter, but he’s off to a great start. Now let’s just get him and the rest of his Yankee teammates to D.C.