Franchy Cordero's power streak continues for Yankees, while Gleyber Torres is day-to-day

CLEVELAND – By keeping the power on during this two-city road trip, Franchy Cordero has pretty much established himself as a Yankees regular against right-handed starters.

And if he keeps slugging, they’ll have to add his bobblehead night to the Yankee Stadium calendar.

Tuesday night at Progressive Field, the lefty-hitting Cordero belted his third homer in his last four games – a three-run shot that capped a five-run third inning against Cleveland Guardians rookie Hunter Gaddis.

After yielding two runs in the first, Gerrit Cole yielded nothing more through seven innings during an 11-2 Yankees victory.

An hour later, though, Gleyber Torres (1-for-4, walk) was still getting treatment, after exiting in Tuesday's ninth inning due to hip/groin tightness.

Torres has charged out of the gate, batting .371 (13-for-35) with a 1.179 OPS, 11 walks, and five stolen bases.

"He kind of felt (tightness) earlier in the game,'' said Aaron Boone, adding that no tests were scheduled. "I don't think it's anything that big (of a problem),'' but the manager is likely to keep Torres sidelined for Wednesday's game.

The Yankees (7-4) are in position to win their fourth straight series to start 2023, with Clarke Schmidt (0-2, 9.45 ERA) going against Cleveland (7-5) in the afternoon finale.

Franchy Cordero's power show

With Aaron Civale on the injured list, rookie right-hander Peyton Battenfield was named as Cleveland's starter for Wednesday.

And with a pair of three-run shots and a two-run homer on a trip that began in Baltimore, Cordero will likely be in the lineup.

“He’s been big for us. Every home run’s been meaningful (and) he hits them like the big boys,’’ said Boone. “He’s been impactful (and he’s) taking advantage of some opportunities.’’

As a prospect some years ago, “he’d been on a lot of people’s radars,’’ said Yankees batting coach Dillon Lawson said before the game. “We’ve seen what he’s capable of.’’

It’s a small sample size, but what Cordero has done lately is provide the Yankees with a powerful lefty-hitting presence – something they’ve historically had in abundance but had been lacking lately.

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Late in spring training, Cordero was in the process of finding out he wasn’t in the Baltimore Orioles plans, despite batting .413 in camp with two homers and a 1.099 OPS.

The next level for Franchy Cordero

Cole has been impressed with Cordero’s first impressions as a Yankee.

“Big thump. Just good dude, great vibes, positive. Plays hard and lays the wood,’’ said Cole. “It’s been fun to watch.’’

Having faced Cordero a few times, Cole (3-0) was “definitely aware of the power’’ element. Now, he’s “looking forward to seeing what he can do’’ as he becomes settled in the Bronx.

"It’s amazing to contribute,'' Cordero said through an interpreter, adding that his confidence has soared with each of his six starts as a Yankee. "Very happy with the results I’m getting.''

Cordero, 28, broke in with the San Diego Padres in 2017, moved to the Kansas City Royals in a trade, and landed with the Boston Red Sox in a three-team deal that sent Andrew Benintendi to KC.

Over that period, “he was too much chase, and even when he did swing at strikes, he was missing too much,’’ Lawson said of the 6-foot-3, 175-pound Cordero.

By the time the Yankees signed Cordero on the eve of Opening Day, “he wasn’t (swinging and) missing like he had been previously,’’ Lawson said. “And that’s a huge deal for someone with his type of power.’’

Cordero’s 275 plate appearances last year with Boston marked his MLB career high in six seasons. His eight homers in 2022 came with 92 strikeouts in 242 at-bats.

Lawson knows the hitting coaches with Baltimore and Boston, and the Yankees felt he’d made “some positive strides with making more contact’’ in recent months.

Once he became available, “we thought he’d fit in well with some of the things we’re trying to do, that he might continue moving in that same direction (and) maybe advance things further.’’

Anthony Volpe gets a break

Rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe had most of Tuesday off, subbing defensively in the ninth inning.

It was the first time Volpe has sat during the Yanks’ first 11 games, and Boone said he’d planned to give him a one-game break during this series.

At the plate, Volpe is 4-for-31 (.129), but “I think a lot of that is how he’s been pitched,’’ said Lawson. “He saw a ton of strikes in spring training, which allowed him to be aggressive in the zone.

“Right now, he’s seeing far fewer pitches inside the strike zone. And teams are trying to exploit that youth.’’

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Franchy Cordero stays hot in Yankees win over Guardians