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Gleyber Torres was the subject of trade talks for weeks ahead of the trade deadline. Cashman was in contact with multiple teams, one of them the Miami Marlins. The Marlins were willing to surrender their number two starter- Pablo Lopez, in exchange for the second baseman. Evidently, both parties kept their stars in check and the prospective deal was a dead end.
The New York Yankees spoke highly of their second baseman up until he forgot the basic fundamentals of hitting. The first half of the season was quite promising for Torres (.268/.325/.484) however, the second half diminished his upward season. He’s mustered a .112 ISO while notching up his K% rate by 10 points (29.5%).
This is not the first case where Torres completely squandered his chance to make amends. His struggles defensively persist, aside from the fact that Boone extracted Torres from his original prime position. The Venezuelan proved that he can’t handle the responsibilities at shortstop, which left second as the alternative. Yes, Torres is familiar with playing the field, which provides him the tools to flash some glove. Although, seven errors is not the performance the Yankees expected.
The 25-year-old is submerging in the constant pressure of New York and moving Torres is inevitable. Here are a few avenues for the Yankees to pursue.
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After word got out that Oswald Peraza was selected to make his major league debut, the shortstop will now join his teammate Oswaldo Cabrera. The pair of prospects shared the diamond in Triple-A and will pursue a permanent spot in the Yankees lineup. Cabrera is versatile in the field and the Yankees have platooned him almost everywhere. In regards to his counterpart, Peraza, the 22-year-old is familiar with playing second but has a perennial value at short.
If you haven’t solved the puzzle yet, both of them can play second base. It’s only a matter of time before the pair of prospects develop at the major league level. If they pan out the way the Yankees had hoped for, Torres could be undermined from his spot.
It’s not that Torres is invaluable in the field, rather there is simply no space for him in the years to come. Evidently, Torres has not exceeded the potential that the Yankees originally invested in when he came to the Bronx, courtesy of an Aroldis Chapman blockbuster. He can’t seem to shake a recent slump, which puts the situation in the capable hands of Brian Cashman.
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The 25-year-old isn’t eligible for free agency until 2025. He’s due for an arbitration hearing in the offseason, although Cashman might not pursue his contract. The Yankees GM proved the lengths he would go to move Torres at the deadline, which could transpire once the Winter comes around.
If Pablo Lopez remains a trading block for the Marlins, there is leeway for Cashman to work his magic. Torres would obviously be the centerpiece of a prospective deal, supplemented by some sort of valuable piece.
If the potential deal surrounding Lopez fell through, there are certainly other teams interested in the second baseman. Don’t forget that Venezuelan is relatively young and while the Yankees want out, there are several teams willing to go out on a limb to staple Torres to a long-term deal.
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