The Yankees were one win away from capturing the American League East division but one base-running mistake from Gleyber Torres may have cost them the chance to do so.
Down 4-2 in the seventh inning, with runners on second and third and two outs, Juan Soto laced a single into right field driving in one run but Torres held up at third base. The throw from the outfield came in to home but Adley Rutschman threw to second after Soto successfully advanced.
However, Torres then was halfway down to home when shortstop Gunnar Henderson threw back to Rutschman who got the Yankees second baseman caught up in a rundown.
Torres was eventually tagged out and ended the Yankees’ threat.
“I just tried to protect Soto,” Torres said after the game. “In that situation, just protect him. I was a little in between to go to home plate, I feel like I went a little late, and after that, they made me out.”
“His initial thought was that Juan might be out at second so he’s trying to protect him,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It has to be a bluff or sell-out and go. It’s the tying run there.”
The out on the basepaths also left Aaron Judge, who hit his 56th home run of the season earlier in the game, on deck. The Yankees would get just one more baserunner in the final two innings before their eventual 5-3 defeat.
The play was also Torres’ sixth out of the season at home, tied for the most in the majors with Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz.
“It might have been just a little miscommunication, but he was hustling the whole way,” Judge said of the play. “I think he wanted the score and got the stop sign and was just kind of in no man’s land right there. When it comes down to it, stuff like that can’t happen. We can’t keep shooting ourselves in the foot with mistakes like that on the base paths. But it happened and we’ve got to move on and get ready for tomorrow.”
“I have to be a little more aggressive,” Torres said. “If I make that decision. Go straight to steal that run. That’s my mistake and just be ready for tomorrow.”
The blunder overshadows how great Torres has been for the Yankees at the plate. In Tuesday’s loss, he finished 3-for-4 with a double and RBI.
Over his last seven games, Torres is 12-for-33 (.364) with a home run and four RBI. He’s also reached base safely in 22 of his last 23 games. He’s doing all of this while becoming the leadoff hitter the Yankees have been missing for most of the season.
Since Torres moved to the leadoff spot on Aug. 16, the second baseman is hitting .320/.392/.463 with five home runs, six doubles and 18 RBI. To erase Tuesday’s crucial mistake, Torres will need to continue to hit and help the Yankees win one more game and clinch the division.
The Yankees will have another shot against these same Orioles on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.