COMMERCE CITY — One question for the Rapids this offseason is whether forward Gabriel Torres, Colorado’s first designated player in club history, wants to be back with the team in 2015.

The Panamanian international signed a multi-year DP contract with the Rapids in August 2013, meaning his contract doesn’t count against the salary cap. Each MLS club can have up to three DPs.

Torres has had trouble finding the field this season, however. He has appeared in 22 games in 2014, only 10 of which have been starts.

At the moment, Torres is just focused on the club’s final game of the season, Saturday at 8 p.m. at B.C. Place in Vancouver.

“For now I haven’t spoken with my manager,” Torres said through a translator this week. “We are waiting to finish the season and meet with the coaching staff and see what decision to take.”

Torres has three goals and an assist this year, equaling his 2013 output, which was achieved over seven matches (five starts). At that time, Torres was playing for the coach who brought him in, Oscar Pareja, who left for Dallas over the offseason.

The Rapids have repeatedly said Torres factors into their plans for next season.

The 25-year-old DP said he has worked hard to earn the trust of his new coach Pablo Mastroeni.

“When a new coach comes in, a player has to earn that trust, especially myself who hadn’t been acquainted with Pablo,” Torres said. “There were already some players who had been his teammates, but one has to work hard to earn trust in one’s self and the group’s and the coaching staff’s.”

Torres got off to a slow start in 2014 and in May was placed into a specialized workout program, which included a strength-training regimen and a close monitoring of his lactate threshold. Mastroeni said Torres quickly dropped 10 pounds and improved his posture.

Since the World Cup break, Torres has looked like a different player, scoring his first goal on July 25 (the Rapids’ most recent win), and he scored a late goal against San Jose on Sept. 27, nearly snapping the Rapids’ winless streak.

“Gaby’s busted his tail since July, and has really shown a lot of great progress and has been a difference-maker,” Mastroeni said recently.

Over the last month, Torres has continued to make strides toward earning Mastroeni’s faith. The Rapids’ first-year coach cited Torres’ increased confidence as the biggest factor, and noted his commitment on both sides of the ball.

“The latter part of that game against San Jose, he’s chasing people back 80 yards to defend,” Mastroeni said. “It’s a guy that believes in what he’s doing, believes in himself, believes in the team. And to be fair to him, he’s been given an opportunity and taken full advantage of it. It’s harder for him to make an impact when he’s not on the field.”

Daniel Boniface: 303-954-1104, dboniface@denverpost.com or twitter.com/danielboniface