The Yankees announced they’re placing shortstop Gleyber Torres on the 10-day injured list with a left thumb sprain. Utilityman Andrew Velazquez has been selected to the roster in a corresponding move.
Torres suffered the injury diving into the second base bag during the fourth inning of Sunday’s game against the Mariners. He stayed in for a few frames before being removed for a defensive replacement in the top of the ninth. Torres was sent for an MRI after the game, however, with manager Aaron Boone acknowledging the Yankees had some concern it was a noteworthy issue. There’s no indication at this point that Torres will have to miss anything beyond the 10-day minimum, but the injury is apparently severe enough for the organization to shut him down for the next week-plus.
The issue comes at an unfortunate time for Torres, who had heated up at the plate over the past couple weeks after a subpar first half. Altogether, the 24-year-old has a .253/.328/.351 mark with six home runs in 407 plate appearances this season. Torres’ power production has largely evaporated over the past couple years, but he’d shown signs of life coming out of the All-Star break. Torres has popped three home runs and hit .300/.337/.500 over his past 90 plate appearances.
With Torres landing on the IL, the Yankees rather incredibly have 20 players on the injured list at the moment. A few of those players figure to return in the coming days after testing positive for COVID-19, but the Bronx Bombers will have to make do for now without lineup regulars such as Torres, Gio Urshela, Gary Sánchez and Anthony Rizzo — as well as key starters Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery. It’s particularly poor fortune for a Yankee club 2.5 games back of the Red Sox for the American League’s final playoff spot.
Torres, Urshela and Tyler Wade are the only players to see action at shortstop for the Yankees this season. It now seems Wade and the switch-hitting Velazquez could cover the position. Velazquez, signed to a minor-league deal over the offseason, has a .156/.257/.219 line in 113 big league plate appearances between 2018-20. He’s had a very strong season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, however, slashing .283/.367/.471 while logging significant action at each of shortstop, second and third base.
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