However, general manager Brian Cashman’s comments that Torres is one of their finest hitters and has helped carry their offense at times during 2023 do not bode well for dealing him.
Cashman has previously contemplated moving Torres for pitching purposes, but various deals have fallen through and conversations have never resulted in anything concrete.
Despite overcoming difficulties and entering his final year of arbitration before becoming a free agent, Gleyber must be feeling a lack of commitment from the Yankees. At 27 years old, it appears unlikely that the Yankees will sign him a long-term agreement; rather, they will try to float his value in the hopes of bolstering the starting rotation this season.
According to MLB.com’s Brian Hoch, Hal Steinbrenner sees Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza as his middle infielders, but it would put Torres on the outside, which he shouldn’t be.
Let’s go over the numbers: Torres is coming off a season in which he hit.273/.347/.453, with 25 home runs, 68 RBIs, and a wRC+ of 123. This is a talented player that outperformed the average hitter by 23% last season. His strikeout percentage fell from 22.6% in 2022 to 14.6% in 2023, while his walk rate increased by 3.2%, reaching double digits.
Torres has been inconsistent defensively, putting together a fantastic 2022 season that includes nine defensive runs saved, but taking a step back over 1,255.2 innings this year. He earned -4 defensive runs saved and -3 extra-base hits. Many will recall the blunders and base running gaffes, which may encourage the thought of dealing him now for pitching value. He is, however, a strong hitter, and having him in the middle of the batting order is a significant plus.
Unless the Yankees received significant value in exchange for Torres, i.e. a young pitcher with control, this should not even be considered.
Given their infield needs, the Miami Marlins appear to be a good fit, and the Yankees have been linked to Jesus Luzardo. Luzardo, who is 26 years old and under contract until 2027, would be an excellent addition to the rotation. He pitched a career-high 178.2 innings with a 3.58 ERA last season. This is one of the few decisions that makes logic, but if the Yankees truly want to win a World Series next season, utilizing some of their prospects rather than experienced MLB talent that can help them win now appears to be the best option.
