Gleyber Torres named to AL All-Star team

ST. PETERSBURG -- Gleyber Torres was disappointed on Wednesday, but said he was sure things would work out. On Thursday, that’s exactly what happened.

• All-Star Game presented by Mastercard: Tonight, 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX

“I’m super excited,” said Torres, who was added to the American League All-Star team prior to the Yankees’ game against the Rays at Tropicana Field. “It’s a dream come true, for sure, to play in the All-Star Game. I’m super excited. I can’t wait to go to Cleveland and play for the first time.”

Torres will join teammates Gary Sanchez, DJ LeMahieu and Aroldis Chapman on the AL roster at the Midsummer Classic. Manager Aaron Boone beamed as he talked about the phone call he received from general manager Brian Cashman on Thursday morning, and then being able to call Torres with the good news.

“I was very excited. It was a good way to wake up this morning,” said Boone, who voiced his displeasure Wednesday about Torres not being an All-Star. “Always fun news to deliver, [he’s] very deserving, and 22 [years old], he’s got two under his belt now.”

As it should be. pic.twitter.com/ZcDOMogEWF

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 4, 2019

Torres earned an All-Star nod during his rookie campaign last season as well, making him just the third Yankee in history alongside -- get this -- Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio to make multiple All-Star teams before turning 23. This year, he’ll take the place of the Rays’ Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list Thursday with a bruised right shin.

This year marks the first year Torres will be able to participate in the game, as an ailing hip kept him out of the action in 2018.

However Torres earned the nomination this time around, there’s little dispute that the Yankees middle infielder is deserving. Entering Thursday’s contest, Torres was slashing .298/.365/.543 with a .908 OPS, 19 homers and 50 RBIs. More impressive, Boone said, was the way Torres has used an outstanding rookie campaign as motivation for an even stronger sophomore season.

“I feel like we have a handful of those guys that you get a sense of being around them that they want to be great, that that’s their expectation,” Boone said. “And Gleyber, he comes across that way, too. Not in an arrogant way, just in what he expects of himself, what he’s capable of and how he goes about his business.

“I think he’s really tried to focus on the little details of the game that he knows will continue to allow him to grow in his game and continue to allow him to go to different levels of his game.”

Torres had plans to lay low in Tampa, Fla., with his wife and parents during the break, but he was more than ready to embrace the change of plans.

“Like I said [Wednesday] night, I think everything is happening for a reason, and I’m feeling good, for sure,” he said.

The 2019 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard will be played on Tuesday at Progressive Field in Cleveland. It will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 180 countries. FOX Deportes will provide Spanish-language coverage in the United States, while ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage. MLB Network, MLB.com and SiriusXM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. During the game, fans may visit MLB.com and the 30 club sites to submit their choices for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. For more information about MLB All-Star Week and to purchase tickets, please visit AllStarGame.com and follow @MLB and @AllStarGame on social media.

Urshela OK after scare

Gio Urshela stayed in New York to undergo an MRI on his left glute. Once it revealed no damage, the Yanks third baseman boarded a plane to rejoin the team in St. Petersburg, where he’ll be an active player, Boone said.

Urshela homered to give the Yankees a three-run lead in the sixth inning against the Mets on Wednesday but limped noticeably when rounding the bases. The injury loosened up enough for him to stay in, and he made a spectacular diving play in the eighth inning.

“It felt pretty good after the game, but we wanted to make sure there were no muscle strains of anything like that possible in there,” Boone said. “With it being the Fourth of July, we just thought we had a better chance of keeping him back and … if everything was well, still get him here by game time. It looks like it’s worked out, and the fact that we got good news is great.”

On this date in Yankees history

• 1930: Late owner George M. Steinbrenner is born in Rocky River, Ohio.

• 1939: Lou Gehrig delivers his “Luckiest Man” speech at the original Yankee Stadium.