There were a few key at-bats in the Mets’ 5-1 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night, but one almost didn’t happen.
With the Mets up 3-1 in the seventh inning, and runners on second and first with two outs, the Phillies brought in right-hander Orion Kerkering. Jesse Winker was intentionally walked after getting Kerkering fell behind 2-0. Despite walking the bases loaded, the Phillies needed just one more out to keep the Mets to three runs, and the matchup was better for the Phillies reliever to pitch to right-hander Luis Torrens than the slugging lefty Winker.
At least, that was one scenario. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza had Brandon Nimmo on the bench and could have forced Kerkering to pitch to another left-handed bat. It almost makes too much sense for Mendoza to make the move since Kerkering — thanks to the three-batter rule — would have to stay in.
Yet, the second-year skipper stood with Torrens. The backstop would reward his manager’s faith with a two-run single that gave the Mets more than enough run support to take the series against the rival Phillies.
“I don’t know,” Mendoza said with a chuckle when asked why he stuck with Torrens in that spot. “That was a tough one there. Having a guy like Nimmo off the bench. I don’t know. Looking at the matchup, Nimmo is going to say that’s the best matchup there, nothing against Louie. I just like my chances with him and hopefully he puts a ball in play and finds a hole. He gets an 0-2 hole, and I’m like, man. Then he gets the single, and I’m like ‘alright.'”
“I had already failed in the first three at-bats. I didn’t get any hits,” Torrens said after the game through an interpreter. “At that point, it’s ‘let me focus on this at-bat and try to get a good result out of it.’”
Torrens later added, “Feels good when the manager gives you the opportunity to be in that situation. It feels good.”
Tuesday was Torrens’ third game this season where he’s driven in more than one run, and that’s helped the Mets overcome Francisco Alvarez’s offseason injury.
In 20 games, Torrens is batting .228 with an OPS of .653. And while those numbers don’t jump off the page, he’s come up big a number of times at the plate and with his defense.
“He’s been huge, man,” Mendoza said of Torrens’ contributions. “Last season, the impact we felt it right away. It carried over. This is a guy that’s prepared and knows his role. If he’s not playing every day, you know he’s ready. And when he gets the opportunity to play every day, like right now, he shows he’s capable of catching every day and handling a pitching staff.
“His ability to control the running game. He’s going to give you good at-bats, puts the ball in play, goes the other way. There’s a lot to like about this guy.”
With Alvarez rehabbing in Triple-A, his return to the lineup is imminent, which will move Torrens back to the backup role. But as the Mets saw last season as their primary backup, Torrens can contribute in that role as well.
Torrens was asked about what has led to his success at the plate early this season, and the 28-year-old said it comes down to one thing.
“Right now, I’m not thinking too much about [the success],” Torrens said. “But the biggest thing is the confidence you have going in each and every day.”
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