The Yankees Should Rightfully Move On...

The Yankees Should Rightfully Move On from This Current Free Agent

By Derek McAdam

November 20, 2024

***

After a heartbreaking World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games, the Yankees’ universe immediately turned its attention to the off-season. The big concern is the future of Juan Soto, who has already had several meetings with teams and is not finished yet. Of course, the Yankees would love to retain his services, but the cost may be too much for their desires.

As a potential result, the Yankees have been looking elsewhere to fill more gaps with the same amount of money that it would take to keep Soto. And one of the names that has continued to show up is Gleyber Torres, specifically the Yankees re-signing him after his solid second-half of the 2024 season. And yes, Torres in the leadoff role was very good for the team down that stretch and into the playoffs, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they should keep him.

One crucial aspect of Torres’ game that has not shown much improvement is his defense. Since he came into the league in 2018, Torres has committed 106 errors combined between shortstop and second base. In three of those seasons, he has either tied or led the league lead in errors committed at that respective position. And many of these errors he commits are simply inexplicable. Sometimes, it comes across as him trying to showboat and paying the price for not completing the play.

His poor defense has cost the Yankees in some big moments since he came into the league. However, Torres has also been a fairly reliable hitter for the Yankees. His career .265 batting average is good for today’s game, and he’s also shown some power with his 138 career home runs. But Torres does not bring much speed to the base-paths and has made some errors while on base. To be fair, there aren’t many Yankees that have not done that lately.

What has confused me, more than anything, is why some Yankee fans are so adamant that Brian Cashman keep Torres. I’ve seen social media posts that say Torres has removed everything Yankee-related from his social media bios and has unfollowed the Yankees’ page, with some fans criticizing the Yankee organization for not sticking by him. But why are the Yankees obligated to do such a thing?

I must make it clear that I like Torres. He’s one of the few Yankees who has managed to stay healthy over the span of his career and has provided several highlights throughout his young career. But what would it take for the Yankees to keep him? From the initial rumors I am seeing, Torres is slated to get somewhere around a two-year, $32-36 million contract, depending on who you ask. Is that a fair contract for Torres? I think so, but it doesn’t mean the Yankees must make him an offer.

The Yankees are in a situation to where they have some holes to fill. They will likely need another outfielder and an infielder, at minimum, but they do have the luxury of being flexible. Jazz Chisholm can go back to center field, if the Yankees need him to, or play second or third base. If Chisholm can work on charging ground balls this off-season, I would have no issue with him remaining at third. He has shown his athleticism can do wonders for him, so this could be a good fit.

But, Chisholm also has played 156 career MLB games at second base. So his experience is much better at that position. However, he does have 18 errors in those 156 games, which is slightly better than Torres. Because of this, I don’t think Chisholm will be starting at second base next season, but will either play third base or center field. I likely see him starting at third, since the Yankees have more options for outfield free agents than third basemen.

This still leaves open second base, which would seem like the perfect fit for Torres. But I don’t think the Yankees want to necessarily go that route. For starters, I think the Yankees want Anthony Volpe to become their everyday lead-off hitter. It would be ideal to put speed on the bases, and Volpe has had brief success in that role. The question is whether he can sustain long-term success as the lead-off batter.

Second, the Yankees should want to improve their defense. This is Torres’ kryptonite, and there is no other quality that comes even remotely close. As I’ve mentioned before, Torres can make the flashy plays at second, but it’s the simple plays that he seems to have trouble with. I think the Yankees would rather have consistent defense, which Torres does not bring to the table.

I won’t get too into depth about who the Yankees could put that the position to replace him. Of course, the name that comes to mind is Oswaldo Cabrera, but I don’t think he is an everyday player. It seems as if Cabrera is more of a utility player that will hop around different positions. And no, that is not a criticism, but a necessity. Jon Berti is also an option that can play second base, which I think is more favorable than Cabrera.

Berti is not only a better defender, but he has more speed than Cabrera. If I’m the GM, I want the Yankees to get faster next season, especially after watching other teams run all over them throughout the season. Berti gives them an edge in this area, so that would be my preferred move.

And as always, the Yankees could look to the free agent market for a solution, but I don’t think they will make a move for this position in the market, unless it’s for Torres. Of course, I could be wrong, which I tend to be fairly often when it comes to free agency predictions.

Sometimes, it’s hard to say goodbye. Torres has given the Yankees fond memories over the years, but has also given fans some heartbreaking moments, particularly in the 2022 ALCS against Houston in Game 4 in which he made an error that cost the team the series (sounds like a 2024 moment, but not involving Torres). I think Torres will do even better with another team, which is fairly easy to do when leaving the New York media atmosphere.

However, the Yankee organization should make the ultimate decision to let Torres sign elsewhere. It is time to move on.