Gleyber Torres celebrated an anniversary of sorts this week, acknowledging the four years that have passed since his trade to the Yankees. Having called that 2016 swap “one of the best things that has happened to me,” the standout infielder threw his own party on Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park.
Torres blasted a seventh-inning homer and delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth as part of a three-hit performance, leading the Yankees to a 3-2 victory over the Nationals. New York took two of three games in the season-opening series against the defending World Series champions.
Patrick Corbin had stymied the Bombers through six frames, economically retiring 18 of the first 19 batters he faced. Torres was the outlier in that list, having notched a fourth-inning single, and the 23-year-old shattered Corbin’s shutout bid in the seventh by mashing a 403-foot homer to left field.
Gleyber's got his 1st homer of 2020: pic.twitter.com/qMYZBjga7V
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 26, 2020
That chased Corbin from the game, despite the left-hander having thrown only 75 pitches. Facing reliever Will Harris, Luke Voit tied the game at 2 two batters later, cracking a solo homer into the left-field seats. Corbin, who drew interest from the Yankees as a free agent before signing a six-year deal in Washington, settled for a no-decision despite a sterling eight-strikeout, no-walk effort.
LUUUUUUUUKE pic.twitter.com/5aHmpCpagv
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 26, 2020
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].