As Corey Kluber said after throwing the Yankees’ first no-hitter of the 21st century in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over the Rangers: “It’ll go down as a no-hitter in my name, but obviously it takes the entire team to accomplish something like that.”

Sometimes, it takes a spectacular catch. And sometimes, it’s just a routine play. But the nerves are there all the same. They were in play for shortstop Gleyber Torres with two outs in the bottom of the 9th as a grounder off the bat of Willie Calhoun was hit in his direction.

Down on one knee in the infield grass at Globe Life Field, Torres corralled the ball and fired it to first baseman Luke Voit. Then came the celebration.

“Klub threw really good all eight innings, so we didn’t want to make one mistake in the last inning,” Torres said before the Yankees’ series finale against Texas on Thursday afternoon. “I was just focused on doing whatever I can do for him. … It was a special night for me, first time in my career being part of a no-hitter. I’m really happy -- for him, for us -- and I just enjoyed it a lot last night.”

The moment was extra special for Torres, considering he had just been reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list before Wednesday’s game. He travelled to Dallas on Tuesday from Tampa, Fla., where he had spent the past week quarantining after becoming one of the Yankees’ nine individuals who tested positive for the virus in “breakthrough” cases.

The only player affected by New York's outbreak -- the others were coaches and support staff members -- Torres had received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine in April and was just as surprised as anyone when he found out he contracted the virus. Torres also had COVID-19 in December.

“When one of the trainer guys called me and told me, ‘You have COVID,’ I said, ‘Like, are you sure?’” Torres said, then took a deep sigh. “I don’t have a really good word for that situation. But little things in life, everything happens like that -- you just take it as experience.

“I didn’t feel anything at all. It was a surprise I had two times COVID. But thank God, I didn’t feel anything, because I heard too many things.”

During his time away from the team, Torres had to find a way to stay involved, which proved difficult. He couldn’t do anything on the field, so he was limited to moving around the house and trying to be active.

The 24-year-old, already a two-time All-Star in his first three-plus seasons with the Yankees, watched every game the team played in his absence, acting as if he were fielding his position in anticipation of his eventual return.

“Mentality -- I feel like it’s the most important part of that situation,” Torres said. “I just tried to be ready every night -- waiting for the time. … Those days helped me a lot to be a little bit focused, to see all the videos, watch myself and just try to be the same guy I was a few years ago.”

Torres finally rejoined his teammates in practice Wednesday morning. In his first game action since May 11, he went 2-for-2 with a walk and completed the final out in perhaps the biggest moment of his young career.

“I saw too many no-hitters in video games, [other] games, but I never imagined I would be a part of it,” Torres said. “Coming to the field last night, [I was] real excited. It was amazing to do my job, and [I was] happy to be back with all my friends and play a game.

“We feel like we won a playoff game. It was really amazing inside the clubhouse. Everybody’s so proud. It’s a special night.”

Not-so-merry-go-round in outfield
Ryan LaMarre was placed on the 10-day injured list before Thursday’s game with a right hamstring strain that forced him to exit Wednesday’s game in the third inning. It’s yet another blow to a Yankees outfield that is waiting for clarity on the status of Aaron Hicks (torn tendon sheath in left wrist), though manager Aaron Boone added that Giancarlo Stanton (left quad strain) is expected to come off the IL early in the team’s homestand that begins Friday against the White Sox.

Clint Frazier was also out of the Yankees’ lineup for the third straight game with what Boone described as “neck stiffness.” He said Frazier will go through testing with team doctors in New York when the Yankees return Friday to “see what we’re dealing with and hopefully get some better news on that.”

“It’s not ideal, but we’re also very equipped to handle this,” Boone said. “Opportunity knocks for somebody else. It’s a chance for somebody else to step up, and we expect them to. And we expect to keep going out there and winning games. We know attrition and adversity is coming for us, and you’ve gotta be able to handle it and deal with it if you’re gonna be a successful club.”

This date in Yankees history
May 20, 1948: Joe DiMaggio hits for his second of two career cycles in a 13-2 Yankees win at the White Sox, going 5-for-6 with two homers and six RBIs.