Yankees' Gleyber Torres Apologizes for Lack of Hustle, Benching: 'Have to Get Better'

New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres apologized for his performance after he was benched in the third inning of Friday night's 8-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

"I have to get better," Torres said, via the YES Network (0:50 mark.) "And I feel really sorry for whatever I do tonight, especially for the fans and also for my teammates. I'm a human being. I make an error, and I feel like from what I did tonight, I'm going to learn a lot. Just want to compete with my teammates, want to play great and do 100 percent for my team."

Torres was benched after a slow start out of the batter's box turned a potential double into a single during the bottom of the second inning Friday night. He was eventually thrown out at home.

The mid-game benching continued a frustrating season for Torres, who is batting a career-low .233 through 105 games.

The second-inning out marked the fifth time this season Torres has been thrown out at home, marking the most in the MLB so far this season, per Stathead's Katie Sharp.

"As a professional, you have to do the right thing, always run," Torres said. "Not any excuses, not any conversations... I have to be more mature in that situation, and just play hard."

Torres came out to play defense during the top of the third inning, but was taken out of the game after manager Aaron Boone spoke with him in the dugout.

"He didn't like the way I didn't run, in that moment, to second base," Torres said about his conversation with Boone. "I think he did the right thing, especially in the moment... As a professional, you have to take the consequence."

Torres said his hesitation out of the box on the hit had occurred because he had briefly thought the ball might make it over the wall.

"I don't have to think too much, I have to run, and after getting to second see what's happened," Torres said. "For one second, I thought it was a homer, but unfortunately it's just a single."

Torres, in his seventh season with the Yankees, is five years removed from his last All-Star nod. He is slashing .233/.308/.359 with 18 doubles, 10 home runs and 32 RBI while playing on a one-year, $14.2 million contract that raises the question of whether the Yankees will let him hit free agency this winter.