The New York Yankees have had utility man Ronald Torreyes on their roster for almost two seasons now and he proves he deserves this chance.
Ronald Torreyes is everything that a baseball superstar isn’t. He’s of short stature and doesn’t have the strongest arm on the field.Yet the New York Yankees have kept him on their roster for almost two full seasons, using him in positions ranging from third to outfield to being the backup-backup catcher.
The farm system is teeming with prospects chomping at the bit. And with Chase Headley struggling this season, fans have been making noise about the Yankees calling up Tyler Wade, Miguel Andujar and much more.
But according to Joe Girardi, they’re sticking with the program they’ve counted on all season long. And that includes subbing Torreyes in as a utility man in every position possible.
But why? With so much young talent, the Yankees should be calling up these young guys and giving them at least a taste of the big leagues. However, Torreyes has hung around and they are planning to keep him there.
I can tell you exactly why. Torreyes doesn’t look like a typical ballplayer and that’s exactly the type of player Joe Girardi likes to keep on the roster. Sure, you can have the Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge types flooding the roster. But Torreyes is the baseball player who doesn’t look like a baseball player…and he’s ultimately the underdog.
We’ve known Girardi to take chances on players who don’t have the big names. He keeps players in to help them build on their potential. He wants to see those players who are underrated come through and shine.
Just like Girardi.
Girardi wasn’t a giant catcher. He was small but let his play do the talking whenever he took the field. Just like Torreyes, he had people looking at him solely for his physical makeup. Girardi had the last laugh, putting together a stellar career and winning a World Series Championship.
So maybe Girardi sees a bit of him in Torreyes. Although we know that Girardi is also a huge fan of second, third and even fourth chances, Torreyes has performed every time he is summoned to take the field.
Most guys struggle when asked to enter the game on a moment’s notice. With Torreyes, his high-energy play allows him to come out and perform like he’s been out there for the entire game.
He has made appearances in 43 games this season. His playing time helped by injuries early on in the season, he has slashed .296/.319/.374 with one monster home run and 14 RBIs.
He’s definitely no Aaron Judge, and not just because of his height. But Torreyes is holding his own on both offense and defense on what is arguably the best hitting team in baseball.
Just keep in mind, also, that he has a higher batting average than Matt Holliday and Gary Sanchez. He rarely strikes out, averaging only one strikeout per every 12 plate appearances. Torreyes may be small, but he is mighty for the New York Yankees.
So for those not understanding why Joe Girardi keeps giving Torreyes opportunities over young prospects, I have your answer; Ronald Torreyes has done everything he can to fight and claw his way to the Yankees, no matter how much the odds are stacked against him.
Basically, Torreyes is the perfect example of a true team player and a role model for all. He’s not the best player on the team but he goes out there and practices and plays like he believes he is.
That, my friends, is why Ronald Torreyes is still shining at third base for the Yankees. You better get used to it because he deserves this shot.
