Shortly after the position players reported for the Yankees' spring training in mid-February, second baseman Gleyber Torres did not provide specific individual goals for 2024.

However, he expressed a professional career.

“I want to be a Yankee for life,” said Torres, a two-time All-Star who is entering the final year of his contract.

Torres seemed to intuitively know that this was a long shot for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was that pretty much everyone knew back in the spring that the Yankees' first, second and third priorities would be reset for the following offseason. Signing of Juan Soto.

And although Torres made two All-Star teams with the Yankees, the last of those came in 2019.

But Torres wanted to at least give the Yankees something to think about.

In the middle of this season, it seemed like a no-brainer for the organization to let Torres pursue a free-agent contract elsewhere.

But Torres' strong second-half performance, which has continued into the postseason, puts things at least within the realm of possibility for the 27-year-old to come back, even if he doesn't guarantee a big-money offer from the Yankees for the club in the year 2025 and beyond.

“I think we're dealing with a good player who is at the peak of his career and has managed to get everything going over the last few months,” Aaron Boone said Tuesday before his team attempted to take a two-game lead over the Guardians in the American League Championship Series. “I feel like he’s doing really well.”

That wasn't the case in the first half of the season.

Torres hit .231 with eight homers, 35 RBIs and an OPS of .654 in 93 games in the first half, but hit .293 with seven homers, 28 RBIs and an OPS of .780 in the second half of the season in 61 games.

The latter totals include Torres' superbly consistent performance over the final 39 games of the regular season after he was moved into the leadership role permanently. In that role, Torres hit .313/.386/.454 with five home runs, eight doubles, 18 RBIs, 20 walks and 31 runs.

In the first five games of the postseason, Torres reached base in 10 of his 25 plate appearances (four hits, six walks) and scored five of the Yankees' 19 total runs in those games.

“The momentum feels good,” Torres said before Tuesday’s game. “(I made) a lot of adjustments, a lot of work before the game, and when I went to home plate I wasn't thinking too much. Just trust in myself and try to do the job.”

Torres attributed much of his second-half success to the work he did in Tampa — where he lives in the offseason — during the All-Star break at a facility he set up there with one of his closest friends, Gio Urshela , a former teammate, runs the Yankees.

“He has known me very well for many years and has said a few things, like I flip a lot, I hit (too) many ground balls short and threes,” Torres said of Urshela. “When I’m good, I basically hit the opponent’s field.”

Torres said in the spring that it had occurred to him that 2024 could be his last season in the pinstripes, but quickly added that he didn't think that was the reason for his difficult start. However, it was something he thought about in the spring, especially because he was constantly asked about it.

“I’m not going to lie, I (didn’t) want to talk too much about free agency. I just wanted to play the season,” Torres said. “During the season it was a struggle. I don't want to talk about a fight because I've been thinking too much about free agency. It’s just like I tried to do the right thing but nothing happened.”

He continued: “Of course sometimes I think if I'm not feeling (well), maybe I won't sign here, I'll go somewhere else.” But I didn't feel (any) pressure at the moment. I just felt pressured to do the right thing because I've played well and decently the last two years, and this year is one of the most important years for my career and I (didn't play well). Anyway, I was really (frustrated) with myself.”

Torres also praised Boone for cheering him on publicly and privately, feeling that a turnaround was inevitable, and the manager backed that up by continuing to play second baseman (Boone briefly benched Torres in early August , because there wasn't enough excitement in a game against him). the Blue Jays).

“I really appreciate Boonie because in the (worst) trouble I have, they always keep me in the lineup and help me believe in myself,” Torres said. “This is the right thing to do. When your entire organization believes in you, doesn’t trade you, keeps you and shows you love, you have to find a way to get better and help the team.”