Yankees Gear Up for 2024 Season After Horrendous Year, But Could Letting This Star Go Spell Another Big Mistake?

Published 10/10/2023, 6:30 PM EDT

The baseball season for the New York teams didn’t turn out to be their most successful one. Both the New York Mets and the New York Yankees failed to make it to the playoffs and came under scrutiny as the highest spenders in the league. But the level of accounting has come higher for the 27-time winners because of the highest expectations. The management has comprehended the situation and is actively seeking to make changes for the 2024 season. Be it trimming the squad and releasing a few players, including superstar Gleyber Torres, they look to bring about changes. But given that they are already short on options, it brings up the question: Is the move justified?

Although it was a decent season for the second baseman, the lack of consistency brought Torres under scrutiny for changes for the upcoming season. Also, given he is currently in arbitration with the Yankees, it adds to his trade chances. The reason is that the team won’t want to lose the opportunity to cash in some money from his trade. The decision appears promising as the team seeks a shift, but the data tells a different story.

Gleyber Torres’s Exit Becomes the Talk of the Town as the Yankees Look for a Rebuild

The New York Yankees have been in the news since the league stage ended. First, because of the possibility of a third-party audit, which was later shunted out. Later, the comments from Aaron Judge brought a lot of attention to the workings of the team, conflicts, and divisions between the core four. Now it’s the assumptions of changes with the idea of cutting down the $300 million budget for the next season. One name that is making the rounds for an exit is Gleyber Torres. Notably, the 26-year-old avoided arbitration ahead of the 2023 season and signed a $9.95 million contract.

The Yankees and Gleyber Torres settled on a $9.95 million deal for 2023, per source. That was the midpoint between the filing numbers for the two sides.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 29, 2023

It was a brilliant move, given the requirements of the Bronx Bombers. Torres fulfilled it for most of the season to finish it on a high, scoring 90 runs, 25 home runs, and 68 RBIs at an average of 0.273 and an OPS of 0.800.

Torres also finished at the top of the batting charts for the team, alongside captain Aaron Judge, clinching the most hits and recording an OBP of 0.347. The infielder also finished second in the fielding department behind the team’s Gold Glove prospect, Anthony Volpe. The seasoned player made 80 double plays, with 563 chances created at a fielding percentage of 0.975.

The performance from Gleyber has been crucial in a season filled with injuries on both fronts. But the Yankees are not favoring his services for the upcoming season. There are two reasons behind the interest of the Miami Marlins and the push for lower spending.

As mlbtraderumors.com suggests, Torres is expected to earn $15.3 million next year; his trade could save the Yankees some money. The Marlins have been interested in him for a long time, and the Pinstripes can have a good deal for the outfielder. Considering the advantages, this appears promising. However, is it a worthwhile endeavor?

Should the New York Yankees Trade Gleyber Torres Ahead of the New Season?

Nothing has worked well for the New York Yankees this season. They had their worst finish in seven years, even after having all the resources. The Yankees are seeking a shift in their strategy, which has exceeded their initial expectations. This shift encompasses alterations in both offensive and defensive personnel, and surprisingly, it involves Gleyber Torres.

Although it is a reboot button from Brian Cashman for a better 2024, should the Yankees refraining from including Torres? The answer is simple: they should indeed because of his worth as a player. It may sound huge as they expect Torres to earn $15 million, but it is not a big ask for the multibillion-dollar Yankees. The 2009 champions can easily fulfill this request without constraining their spending.

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Plus, Torres is the sole option for the Yankees at second base. With limited options available in the market, the team is in the circumstances to spend more. And if the Yankees are for other infielders, they may have to reshuffle to make their place in the squad. It will include the shift of Oswaldo Peraza from third baseman to second. However, Peraza could not do well this season, even after all the positives. His involvement in unique positions could be a risk for the team.

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Moreover, free agents Whit Merrifield and Adam Frazier have not done well. Given that the Yankees finished second last in total hits and had over 1400 strikeouts, losing a player with the best record in both parameters will not be ideal. Notably, Torres has a 14.6% strikeout rate, with only a handful of players recording a lower rate. He also covered a lot of bases this season to finish second to Judge. All these factors make him a player that the Yankees should keep as they look for a change in 2024.

Yankees Captain Aaron Judge Shares Sage Advice for Struggling $325M Star Amidst Widespread 2023 Disappointment: ”If We Give Him…”

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His trading is not worth it for the Yankees, which will further reduce the options in the outfield. With rookies and the farm not compensating for the demand, it would be a big ask for them to fulfill. With Jasson Dominguez, Anthony Rizzo, and DJ LeMahieu not in the best shape, losing Torres could haunt the Yankees further. It will be interesting to see how the most successful team approaches this. Will they be able to find genuine replacements on the market? Only time will tell.

Watch the Story: Ranking the New York Yankees Biggest World Series Failures

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Written by:

Even after having an engineering background, nothing stopped Saurabh Saini from following his passion and writing about sports. With a sound knowledge of American sports, Saurabh specializes in baseball. Before joining EssentiallySports, Saurabh has written around 800 articles spanning MLB, NFL, and NHL.

Edited by:

Deepanshi Bajaj