AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS YANKEES

October 15, 2024

Gleyber Torres

Yankee Stadium

New York Yankees

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. Is there anything you can point to with regards to a change in mechanics or approach that's helped you over the last portion of the season, particularly when moving up to the first spot?

GLEYBER TORRES: I don't know. I think it's a lot of work I do. During the break, I went to Tampa. I have a small facility there in Tampa I own with Gio Urshela, and also we own with people we've known for a long time, and basically he know my swing and everything like that.

When I struggle, I just go there, try to fix everything in three days. Basically, I don't rest much and just hit every day and try to fix a couple of my swings and try to feel confidence.

I hit a lot in the second half and try to do the adjustment. I feel like when Booney gave me the opportunity to lead off, especially when it was a struggle, I was a little surprise to be leadoff, and I think everything worked out and it's aligned.

The swing feels good. I do a lot of adjustment, a lot of work to do before the game, and when I go to the home plate, I didn't think too much, just trust in myself and try to do the job.

Q. When you were working out with Gio, what exactly did he say to you about your swing?

GLEYBER TORRES: Yeah, he know me really well for many years, and he say a couple things like I rollover much, I hit many ground balls to short and third.

Basically, when I'm good I hit it to the opposite field. And a lot of drills with him and also with the hitting coach.

They know me really well, my swing, and we have a couple of different drills to get the swing right. Also, when I came here, I'm still working with J-Row, and all the hitting coaches and try to do the right thing.

I think I'm still learning the game. Every day there's a different thing to learn, and I feel like the game is just adjustment. Every at-bat, every pitch is just adjustment, and I feel like the first half of the season I don't do the right adjustment and just go there and just try to figure out how to get better. I don't think too much.

So on the second half, I just do the right thing, do the adjustment every pitch, and try to be consistent.

Q. You're obviously working with the Yankees hitting coaches a lot throughout the season, but how helpful is it just to get a fresh set of eyes, a new perspective from somebody like Gio?

GLEYBER TORRES: Always good. This season is too much longer and sometimes really stressful. Get back from the feel, just go to my city, Tampa, see my friend, and just do different workouts a little bit better as a player. You just forget a couple things about baseball, just enjoy and try to feel the same feeling when you feel before. Then when you get back to play, you try to do the right thing.

Q. Gleyber, Juan Soto talked last week in Kansas City about how he was able to stay focused every day with free agency upcoming. Aaron Boone talked about what he saw from Judge in his great year and Soto.

Now that you're in October looking back, do you think that maybe that was on your mind at times and it got to you? Was there a time maybe where you said just play the games and forget about what happens at the end of the season?

GLEYBER TORRES: Yeah. I don't want to lie, I don't want to talk too much about free agency. I just want to play the season. During the season, it was a struggle. I don't want to say a struggle because I think too much about free agency. It's just like I try to do the right thing and nothing happened at the moment.

For sure sometimes I think, if I don't do right, maybe I'm not going to sign here, I go to some other place. But I don't feel any pressure at the moment. I just feel pressure on myself to do the right thing because the last two years I've been playing good, decent, and this year is one of the most important years for my career, and I don't do the right thing, for sure I feel really frustration on myself.

I don't think too much about free agency, but at some point I know I'm going to turn around my season. Thank God I do in the second half close to the playoffs, and I do a little bit better. The right thing is just like in this week and now and just do my best for everybody.

I know I have really good players behind me. And to get the responsibility to be leadoff is huge for me, so I just try to do the right thing and worry about free agency after the season and hopefully after the World Series.

Q. You talked about how much you love being a Yankee. Now you know this could be it for you. Are you really enjoying this time, this playoff run, saying, hey, however long I'm here, I'm going to have fun and appreciate being a Yankee wearing this uniform, being a teammate to Judge, Soto? Are you in your mind saying, for however long I'm here, I'm going to really soak this in?

GLEYBER TORRES: Yes, since 2018, my rookie season and we make the playoffs, I really enjoy everything after that. As a player, you always play the full season, but I always make the playoffs and hopefully the World Series. Maybe it's going to be my last year. I really enjoy everything and just learn everyday and be around my teammates every day, I'm just really grateful.

I don't see those guys as teammates. I see those guys as family, the entire organization. They give me so much, they help me so much, from 16 when they trade me here in the Minor Leagues, and could be going to be my last year, so I'm really sure to enjoy everything. Go to the ballpark every day and see the Yankee Stadium, see the fans support me, see my teammates, see the coaches, just really peaceful and grateful. So I just try to do the best I can do to bring a World Series here and hopefully win it together.

Q. Juan Soto or Aaron Judge at-bat is always going to be incredibly stressful for a pitcher. Four of the five games so far this postseason, you've started off the Yankees first inning by getting on base, whether walking or hitting.

Even if you don't score in those situations, how much do you think that is impacting the pitcher to get off a lot of stressful pitches to benefit you guys moving forward?

GLEYBER TORRES: I don't really know about pitchers, but I feel like as I'm more deep, I go in the at-bat, it's better for the team right now because the pitchers, with all the new technology, you can see on the scoreboard how the pitches move, the velocity.

I think it's better for the entire -- like sometimes I'm really going aggressive, try to set the pattern earlier. But if I don't feel really confident on a couple pitches and just wait to see more pitches, try to fight every at-bat.

That way Soto, Judge, all the guys can see better the pitches. If I go rollover and strike out and strike everybody, and yo, that pitch moving more south or west or things like that. That's the mentality we have right now. Everybody's on the same page. We have a lot of conversation every evening to get better. I think everybody is doing a great job.

It's not just the homers, not just the singles. It's a lot of work we have in this series. We really are together.

Q. You mentioned the walks. I believe you walked six times so far this postseason. The team as a whole, 34 times. What is it about the guys in this lineup that allows them to be patient and kind of take what the pitcher gives them instead of trying to do too much?

GLEYBER TORRES: I think like egos and personal numbers stay in the regular season. We had many conversations before the first game against Kansas, and we tried to be more patient than ever. We know we're going to face a really good pitcher, really good bullpen, but sometimes they make many mistakes.

I think the key for us is be aggressive, but if you don't get the pitch that you can do much with it, just be patient. I think we believe in each other, and I think we do a really good job.

I feel like postseason is a different animal because the pitchers are really good, and I think not always we're going to hit a homer. I think the little things are really important for us, a walk, maybe bunt is huge for winning games. I think we try to do right now that situation.

Q. You mentioned how the first half was difficult, second half was better. How convinced are you that right now is the true Gleyber Torres?

GLEYBER TORRES: I feel like how I feel. I never give up, but at some point in the first half, I really was frustration, I guess. Like I always believe in myself, but at some point, like I don't do the right thing. I don't know what happened.

Also, I feel grateful because the entire lineup is doing the right thing. I still feel part of the team, but at some point, no because I don't help much. Like in big situation, I get a strikeout and all the players think like that.

But something happened the second half, I like find myself, and just I really enjoy it. The thing is the season is a process. It's just back and forth, and I think as a player, you have to keep focusing on yourself. I always believe in myself. I know what kind of player I am. I just pass a struggle moment like every player has in his career and just be focused.

On another part, I really appreciate Booney because in the most struggle I have, they always keep me in the lineup and help me believe in myself. That's the right thing to do. If your entire organization believes in you, don't trade you at this moment, they keep you, and they show you the love. So you have to figure out a way to get better and help the team.

Q. You mentioned how at the All-Star break Gio and your personal hitting coach told you that you're better when you're going the opposite way. In the first half, were you not trying to do that, or is it --

GLEYBER TORRES: Yeah, for sure, I try. I just want to hit -- sometimes I hit and somebody go in the right place. I just learned, when you're struggle and anything doesn't go your way, some days I get really good at-bats and just hit right to the defense. It's just part of the game. I just trying hard, but nothing happens and just try to forget those moments. I know when my swing and everything is going on my side, everything is going better.