WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Luis Torrens notched an impressive double-double of sorts on Sunday.
Not only was he on the receiving end of a shutout by Kodai Senga and the bullpen, but the Mets catcher was an important contributor to the team’s hitting attack in an 8-0 victory over the A’s at Sutter Health Park.
Torrens finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs, albeit with a gift interspersed — center fielder Seth Brown lost a ball in the sun in the eighth inning that gave Torrens a run-scoring double.
But it was Torrens’ at-bat in the sixth inning against Luis Severino that loomed larger. With the game still scoreless, Torrens delivered an RBI single to end Severino’s afternoon.
Torrens, who also singled in his first at-bat facing Severino, was asked if catching the veteran right-hander with the Mets last year helped in any regard when facing him today.
“Probably, a little bit — but not much,” Torrens said. “I know what type of competitor he is, and when I am in the box, I just wanted to be ready for his fastball because that is what he uses the most.”
Torrens, who is serving as the primary catcher with Francisco Alvarez on the injured list, owns a .333/.375/.567 slash line with one homer and five RBIs in 11 games this season.
The Mets received a similar jolt offensively from Torrens last year following his arrival in a deal with the Yankees; Alvarez was on the injured list at the time.
Manager Carlos Mendoza cited Torrens’ ability hitting the ball to all fields as an important factor in his success.
“Especially with runners in scoring position, he’s not afraid to go the other way,” Mendoza said. “He can impact the baseball and pull it when he wants to. But I think he’s just going to give you a good at-bat overall, knowing the situation, having the ability to slow the game down.”
Senga, who fired seven scoreless innings, was throwing to Torrens for just the second time. The right-hander missed almost all of last season rehabbing from various ailments.
“I feel great throwing to him — the second game throwing to him and definitely [it’s already] better,” Senga said through an interpreter. “I think it’s going to continue to get better. The conversations we’re having in the dugout between innings are great, and … I think the more I throw to him, the more he’s going to understand how I throw, the more I am going to understand him. I think it’s good chemistry.”
