OAKLAND, Calif. — The Yankees have hardly missed Gleyber Torres while the shortstop has been out since Aug. 9 with a strained left thumb, as Andrew Velazquez and Tyler Wade have filled in well.
But Torres is expected back when the Yankees open their next homestand on Friday and he took another step Sunday, playing his first rehab game with Double-A Somerset.
Torres homered, walked twice and made a bare-handed play at short in his first game.
Since the minor leagues are off on Mondays this season, Torres is scheduled to play with Somerset again on Tuesday and Wednesday before rejoining the Yankees in The Bronx on Friday.
Asked what that would mean for Velazquez’s role, Boone said, “We’ll see. … I don’t want to jump ahead of myself. Five days [in baseball] can be a lifetime.”
Torres has had a miserable season, with his production at the plate plummeting and missing time on the COVID-19 IL.
He was having a solid August until suffering the injury diving into a base.
Gio Urshela had a rough day at third base, where he made a pair of fielding errors in a 3-1 loss to the A’s.
Boone believed Urshela was distracted on the first chopper by Matt Chapman in the fourth, as he tried to get the force at third before throwing to first. And he made another fielding error in the eighth on a grounder by Starling Marte that Boone likened to “a changeup,’’ which made the play tricky.
“I chalk it up to one of those days,’’ Boone said. “Gio is as good as it gets over there.”
Joey Gallo had only hit into nine double plays in his career before this weekend. Then the outfielder hit into one to end the top of the seventh in Saturday’s loss in Oakland and grounded into another to close out the top of the first on Sunday.
Aaron Judge entered Sunday with a career-high five straight multi-hit games before going hitless on Sunday.
Prior to the game, Boone called the stretch the best of the season for Judge.
“The one thing about Aaron this year is he’s been remarkably consistent,’’ the manager said. “He hasn’t had those peaks and valleys. Right now is the first giant peak. He’s been locked in here the last week or two.”
The difference, according to Boone, has been Judge’s ability to get into hitters’ counts and he’s “hitting different pitches. He had a good feel for how guys are attacking him. It’s partly an experience thing and physically he’s in a really good space. The talent is cashing checks right now.”
Judge’s 20-game on-base streak also ended Sunday. It was his best streak since he reached base in 21 consecutive games in April 2018.
The Yankees’ season-high streak of eight straight games with a homer ended. It was their longest stretch since they went deep in 10 consecutive games last August.
Miguel Andujar (left wrist) still isn’t ready for rehab games, according to Boone and Clint Frazier (undisclosed ailment) is in Tampa, “doing baseball activities.”
Asked if either might be options for the Yankees in the final month of the regular season, Boone said, “I don’t know. I don’t know.”
Shohei Ohtani won’t pitch against the Yankees until Tuesday, but they’ll likely see him at the plate on Monday, when they open their series against the Angels.
Corey Kluber, Monday’s starter, said the two-way Ohtani is “extremely talented hitting and pitching. The more experience he gains, both ways, he looks more and more comfortable doing it.”