AL DIVISION SERIES: ROYALS VS YANKEES

October 8, 2024

Gleyber Torres

Kauffman Stadium

New York Yankees

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Gleyber, when you look at this season as a whole for you, how proud are you of the way you've been able to finish it here and really make an impact in the last month or so?

GLEYBER TORRES: I think it's kind of like different feelings. First half was personal, was frustration half. I mean, the team do great, but I feel like I didn't do much in those months. Just tried to find a way to get better every day and help the team at that moment.

Also the second half was a little bit better. I feel like more consistency at the plate, a little more focus in each at-bat, and I feel like I get better in the right moment.

Last month, right at the time of the postseason, kind of you as a player you have to learn in the good moments and the bad moments, too, and those experiences take you on personal good and just trying to do the right thing for the next year. As a player, it doesn't matter if you have a really good year one year. You have to do the adjustment on the next year because the league every day do the adjustments. I think that happened in the first half.

But since then I did a little bit better in the second half and I still try to do good things for the team, especially now in the postseason.

Q. What do you like about hitting lead-off?

GLEYBER TORRES: You know, I feel like I start the inning and I got an opportunity to set the baton. If I do great, especially if I do a walk, single, double, whatever I do, great for the team. That's a hype moment for the team, and after me is coming the guys doing their job.

You know, the good thing to being lead-off is it doesn't matter how I do in the first half, Booney gives me the confidence to be back on lead-off, and as a player if they keep giving you that opportunity, they believe in yourself, and you have to do something better.

Q. You've gotten on base a lot so far in this series, but you haven't been able to have that big inning yet where you've been able to break it open. How frustrating has that been to have a lot of traffic but not be able to push it across and break things open?

GLEYBER TORRES: Yeah, I feel like overall as a group we take really good at-bats, but I think we don't click yet. I feel like we're really close right now.

The bullpen from Kansas and the pitchers throw really well. They have really good command. They do the right pitch at the moment we need to score a run, and we miss opportunities. Those two games here we were back and forth and we learned the little things.

I think the plan right now for tomorrow is try to take advantage of an opportunity we have and try to score early. That's the thing.

I feel like we don't score a bunch of runs last night, but we got a couple more opportunities on the first night. I think we're on a good pace right now, so tomorrow we have to do the adjustment really quick.

Q. Lugo was tough on you guys last month when you saw him. You had two of the three hits against him. What makes him a tough pitcher to face?

GLEYBER TORRES: Yeah, he's pitching really well all year long. The command is really good. He has many years in the league and he got that experience.

I remember we got him really well in Kansas earlier in the year, and I think the plan is just try to hit whatever pitch we can hit and be on the attack mode. If we don't have as a hitter an opportunity to do damage, just pass the baton and take opportunity.

I think position is -- baseball is just the little things. Small opportunities you have to take, and Lugo is really good. But we can take advantage of small things they give us and just try to score earlier.

Q. You guys had the most road wins in major league baseball this year and you were significantly better record-wise on the road than at home. Why do you think that is? Why is this team comfortable on the road? Do you think that'll help you in this series?

GLEYBER TORRES: I don't know. I don't have the right answer to say how we play better on the road. But I feel like we always got the same mentality playing at home and playing away. You know, we got the first opportunity to hit, and I think we take advantage of those little things.

Playing on the road, we have a lot of fans to support us, too, and sometimes we feel like we're playing at home. Wearing the pinstripes is amazing too, but wear the silver jersey is really special, too. So we always try to do the best in any field we play.

Q. You've had in your career to switch positions a couple times. Can you imagine Jon Berti playing his first game at first base in the pressure of the playoffs, how challenging that would be knowing how challenging it was for you to do it in the playoffs, and how do you think he did?

GLEYBER TORRES: Yeah, Jon doing amazing. He got a huge double play in the sixth or so inning. He even practiced on first base during those days before the first game, and he looked really comfortable. Jon is an awesome athlete. I believe in him and everybody believes in what he's capable to do for the team, and he showed last night. Really comfortable on first base and as an infield it's not that easy to switch positions especially in postseason, but he did a really good job. I feel proud of him, and we know he always can do the job.