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.