Stay or Go: Should Yankees bring Gleyber Torres back for 2024?

Torres could eventually be the odd man out as the Yanks pave the way for Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza

10/9/2023, 2:00 PM
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The Yankees have a unique problem in their infield, and it involves Gleyber Torres.

The 26-year-old second baseman had one of his best seasons in pinstripes in 2023, but with the youth movement that includes Anthony Volpe and possibly Oswald Peraza, Torres may be the odd man out when the Yanks put together their Opening Day roster.

Making his debut in 2018, Torres burst onto the scene with a .271 batting average and 24 home runs. He then exceeded all expectations in 2019 by hitting 38 long balls and driving in 90 runs.

Since then, the Venezuela native has seen his production dip, but he was one of the Bombers’ best hitters this past season.

And ever since he was moved from shortstop to be the team’s everyday second baseman, his defense has improved. 

So as he enters the final year of arbitration, the Yankees have a tough decision to make: should they bring Torres back for the 2024 season?

Why it could make sense to let Torres Go

Torres feels like the perfect second baseman for any team. In his six-year career, he's hit around .270 and averages 20-plus homers. Those numbers are great from a position that isn’t known for its power. However, the way the Yankees are looking toward the future, Torres might not be in their plans.

The aforementioned Volpe won the starting shortstop job and excelled, although his numbers could use improvement. He was also better at the position than many scouts projected. But the Yankees have Peraza, who is a Gold Glove winner in waiting, and he played primarily third base in his brief stint in the majors in 2023. 

While Peraza has performed admirably at the hot corner, his bat doesn’t profile at that position. The Yankees would want a bit more pop from third base.

Ideally, Peraza can move to shortstop where his arm plays better, while Volpe moves over to second base. That would leave Torres without a position.

Torres plays good defense, but there are mental lapses here and there that often pop up in the worst times, just like in the ALCS last season. Having more sure-handed infielders up the middle would help this team.

But what about his bat? Torres has been very solid for many years, but will we see a repeat of 2023? His .273 average was his second-best, behind his career year in 2019. His OBP and slugging were also at their highest since that season.

Remember, we saw two seasons where he produced inconsistent power numbers -- just nine homers in 2021 before bouncing back for 24 in 2022. It’s hard to predict what the Yanks will get from Gleyber in any given year.

And then we have the contract. Gleyber is entering his final arbitration-eligible year and he’s projected to make $15.3 million, per MLB Trade Rumors. That’s about a $5 million increase from 2023, and he’ll be in the same bracket as DJ LeMahieu and close to Anthony Rizzo. While that number isn't crazy, the front office could lean on the kids while using that money to address other needs, which are many.

Aug 30, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports / © Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 30, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports / © Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Why it could make sense to keep Torres

Let's face it: the Yankees need to get back to the postseason in 2024 and they'll need the bats to do it. Barring some major acquisitions on the free agent market, Torres is their best offensive option at second base -- especially after the year he had.

Here's how Torres ranked among all MLB second basemen this season:

- .273 AVG (7th)
- .347 OBP (5th)
- .453 SLG (6th)
- .800 OPS (6th)
- 163 hits (6th)
- 25 home runs (tied for 5th)
- 68 RBI (tied for 7th)

Say what you will, but Torres is a top-10 second baseman offensively, it's just a matter of if he can find it consistently. He's also very durable. He played in 158 games in 2023, with 140 and 127 games played in 2022 and 2021, respectively. 

With Volpe continuing to learn at the major league level, and the uncertainly of Anthony Rizzo after his bout with post-concussion syndrome, the Yanks could use some stability at the top of the lineup, with Torres even potentially hitting behind Aaron Judge like he did a lot in the second half of the season.

Verdict

Volpe and Peraza have bright futures, but the fact that they haven't shown the consistent offensive output Torres has should help Brian Cashman and the front office realize that they may need to not lean so heavily on their kids just yet.

I've been a proponent of trading Torres for quite some time, and teams called the Yankees for his services at the trade deadline, so organizations are taking notice. That gives the front office some maneuverability if a great deal falls into their laps next season, or if the team underperforms again and they have to pivot to recoup some assets. 

But whether he's used all season or as a trade chip, Torres should return to the Yankees.

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