Yankees must go beyond just benching Gleyber Torres to get point across

It's been almost 15 years since the New York Yankees won the World Series. That's an unfathomably long time for the most successful franchise in North American professional sports. In that time, the Yanks have fielded some quality teams, but this isn't a franchise that takes moral victories from playoff appearances. Twenty-seven World Series banners means that anything less is a failure.

This year's edition of the Bronx Bombers has a real chance to make that number 28. Juan Soto has played at an MVP level since coming over in an offseason trade with the Padres, or at least he would be if not for the towering presence of Aaron Judge, who as of this morning is only a hit away from leading every Triple Crown category.

Luis Gil has come out of nowhere to be a contender for the American League Cy Young, while the rest of the rotation, which includes Nestor Cortes, Marcus Stroman, and Carlos Rodon, have been (other than a few recent stumbles by Rodon) quite good as well. Now Gerrit Cole, who's been the staff ace for the past four seasons, is back after missing the first two-plus months with an elbow injury. All should be well in the Bronx, right?

Not exactly. New York has been sliding since winning 12 of 14 from late May to early June, with only five wins in its past 16 games. The record is still good at 54-32, but as we get into trade season, it's clear that there's more work to be done if the Yankees are to hold off the Orioles in the AL East and make a run at banner number 28.

One of the most glaring problems with the team has been Gleyber Torres, who was recently benched after a 2-for-29 stretch at the plate. Torres has mostly hit sixth or seventh in this powerful lineup, but he's having his worst year at the plate by far. The second baseman's average is a mere .226, a career low, and his eight home runs are well off his typical 25-homer pace. He's striking out once every 4.2 plate appearances, easily the worst rate since his rookie season.

To make matters worse, he's been a liability in the field. His 11 errors lead all second basemen, and his .965 fielding percentage is the lowest number in the league at his position. Even by his own admission, he's had a rough year.

If Gleyber Torres doesn't turn it around soon, the Yankees need to trade for an upgrade

The Yankees have the highest payroll in the American League. They traded for Soto this offseason, giving up real prospects even though there was no guarantee they could sign him beyond this year. They did the same for Alex Verdugo, trading with the hated Red Sox despite Verdugo being in his walk year. The time to win is now.

Torres has recorded two hits in each of the three games since his two-game benching. Though that's encouraging, he'll have to show that he can continue producing in the four weeks leading up to the trade deadline, otherwise it will be time for GM Brian Cashman to pull the plug.

There are only a handful of teams that look to be serious World Series contenders. The Yankees are one of them, which is why it's imperative that they maximize the opportunity before them. Fourteen years without a title is par for the course for most teams, but for the Yankees, it's an eternity. Torres is either part of the problem or part of the solution. Time is running out for him to prove he deserves to stay.