BALTIMORE — Perhaps shortstop isn’t the problem for Gleyber Torres.
Torres’ struggles in the field continued Tuesday night at second base, when he fumbled a potential double-play ball in the bottom of the sixth inning of a 7-2 win over the Orioles.
He mishandled a routine grounder by Ramon Urias and still had a chance to get Austin Hays at second for the force, but his throw to Gio Urshela was inaccurate and Baltimore had runners on first and second and no one out.
Nevertheless, Michael King got Pedro Severino to hit a hard grounder to Torres, who got the force at second and turned the double play.
He was removed for defensive-replacement Tyler Wade in the bottom of the eighth, with Wade at short, Urshela at third and DJ LeMahieu at second.
“There were just a number of things that I decided to get him out of there tonight,’’ Aaron Boone said of the late switch. “It was good to see him bounce back from the tailor-made double play and on the next play make a good play on a bullet.”
Prior to the game, Torres said he was open to the move Boone announced on Monday, Torres shifting from short to second — with DJ LeMahieu from second to third and Urshela getting time at short.
Torres said he’s “ready to do whatever the team needs” for the rest of 2021 and going forward.
“The way I played the first two years of my career, playing second, I made two All-Star Games,’’ Torres said. “If I need to go back to short next season, I’ll be available. If not, I’ll stay at second and do my thing like the last couple years.”
That’s what the Yankees are trying to get him back to — and less like the subpar defender and below average hitter he’s been in each of the past two seasons.
Torres said he wasn’t upset about the move.
“Everything is for the team,’’ Torres said. “I make too many errors [at short]. With where we are right now [in the standings], we can’t make any errors. I feel good about the move to second. I want to be part of the team and will try to play better.”
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