AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: YANKEES VS ASTROS

October 20, 2022

Gleyber Torres

Minute Maid Park

New York Yankees

Pregame 2 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Gleyber.

Q. Aaron Boone opting to hit you fifth today. How does your approach change, if at all, when you're hitting there in the order as opposed to leadoff?

GLEYBER TORRES: I don't think anything changes. When you lead off and you got all the guys behind you and those type of situations for sure I put myself to don't try to be too much aggressive, just try to be on base and just pass the baton.

Q. How have you felt at the plate this postseason?

GLEYBER TORRES: So far good. I mean, I feel like I get great at-bat versus Cleveland and also last night. But I feel like I don't make many really good contacts yet. So I feel good.

Also, we faced those pitchers, really good pitchers. In postseason everybody throws better, so the plan is to just be more consistent and do the adjustment real quick.

Q. How has Peraza looked at shortstop to you?

GLEYBER TORRES: How is Peraza?

Q. How has he looked defensively at shortstop to you?

GLEYBER TORRES: Great. I mean, he's a great player, a really confident guy. I'm just happy to play with him and just try to make all the outs possible and help the pitchers.

Q. 17 strikeouts for your team last night. What makes this Houston pitching staff tough, in particular with their bullpen?

GLEYBER TORRES: Man, last night they pitched really well. Verlander have really good command of all his pitches. The bullpen come in really good, don't miss anything. I feel like we got a couple opportunities to make damage and we just didn't.

I mean, they're pitching really well all season long and they showed it last night. I think for us it's just be in control, hit the pitches we can hit, just try to put the ball in play a little bit more.

Q. From your own experience, what do you imagine Peraza is feeling before his first playoff start and what advice would you give him as far as how to manage his emotions?

GLEYBER TORRES: Man, I feel like it's a great opportunity, especially right now facing Houston, to make history. As a younger player, it's amazing. I already tell him a couple things, like just be in control. It's postseason, but end of the day, it's just the same game, and just try to do the little things and just be fun. I mean, don't try to do too much. Just enjoy this type of moment.

Q. Is it hard to do that, to treat this as almost just another game? From your experience, is that a difficult thing to do?

GLEYBER TORRES: I think it's not hard. It's just like, I think as a player, you play all season long to be here, and when you got an opportunity, it's just enjoy the moment. Try to do the little things, try to help the team in any situation, defensively or offensively, and just be yourself. I think that is a way like you can control yourself. Don't be nervous or don't be super excited, just be in the moment and do your thing.

Q. Obviously we spent the entire first half of the season watching you guys come back late in games. In that 8th inning, despite the result in the end, what was the level of confidence you guys were all feeling as you were really attacking Montero? And then even now being down 1-0 what do you think the mood is?

GLEYBER TORRES: Really good. Last night after Rizzo's homer and also Giancarlo and Donaldson walk, we feel like we got to come back. I mean, of course Carpenter got a really good at-bat and he struck out.

But as players and also during that inning, in the dugout, we were really confident. We lost, for sure, but I feel the energy and everything is there. Like I said before, we face a really good team, really good pitchers, and we need to adjust.

For tonight, I think the plan is just be a little bit more in control, try to put the ball in play, and just win the game.

Q. What do you make of what Harrison Bader has been able to do? He's hit four home runs in six games, which is more like Judge and Stanton territory. What's kind of the team's reaction been and how much has that done to kind of pump you guys up in those circumstances?

GLEYBER TORRES: Amazing. Amazing. When he come into the team I heard like he's a really good guy, impact guy. So he show everything he can do right now in those games. Also his personality is really great. I mean, he never let anybody go down. He always got really good advice. And he's really good. I just feel so happy when I saw him do those things. For sure we try to follow him.

Q. How different does this Astros team look with Jeremy Peña this year and obviously with him hitting as well as he did yesterday?

GLEYBER TORRES: Man, I face Houston in the 2019 and they have Correa, an awesome player. But this year during the regular season when we face Houston and he play, I mean he show really good abilities. I heard many things about him like as a good player. And also he showed what he can do last night. Younger guy, really good energy. He can play really well.

So different, I feel different player, Correa and him, but he looks like he can bring really good energy to Houston.