Gleyber Goes Yard

Not only did Gleyber Torres deliver the Yankees best offensive performance of this young season, but his 4-for-4, two-home run day helped silence the budding malaise in Yankee Universe. Thursday at Camden Yards, the 22 year old second year infielder smacked a solo shot in the 3rd. But that was only the appetizer. Torres came to bat in the 6th inning with two men on add the Yanks trailing by two. One swing later, they were on top en route to a victory. Add in a 5th inning double and 8th inning single, it adds up to a four-hit day.

OK, absorb that data. It was a near-historic performance. As mlb.com's Bryan Hoch noted, Torres became the youngest Yankee with three extra-base hits in a four-hit game since Joe DiMaggio did as a rookie in 1936 (21 years, 216 days).

In just under a year in the majors, Torres -- who finished third in the runner for last season's AL Rookie of the Year -- is emerging as a terrific all around hitter. I had to share the bottom image (from an exhibition game last month)

You often hear about how Ken Phelps for Jay Buhner, and Larry Anderson for Jeff Bagwell rank with the most short-sighted trades in baseball history. How close are we to adding to that list the Cubs 2016 "rental" of three months of Aroldis Chapman -- which, of course, helped lead to that once in a century World Series championship -- for Gleyber Torres?

Today's images are from the March 20th Yankees/Astros game at West Palm Beach.