Gleyber Torres, the New York Yankees trusted second baseman, registered his career-best offensive numbers in a season wherein his team crumbled under pressure. Despite the Bronx Bombers finishing out of the postseason, Torres emerged as the top offensive contributor, only second to captain Aaron Judge.
However, Gleyber Torres’ salient efforts might just not prove to be enough to encourage the Yankees to extend his stay in the Bronx. The arbitration-eligible baseman is reportedly yet to engage in contract extension talks with the franchise’s front office. Under these circumstances, the infielder was recently linked to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a surprising trade deal.
Dodgers Linked To Yankees In Surprising Gleyber Torres Trade!
Despite recording a strong season, Gleyber Torres’ name has been doing rounds in trade rumors. It’s largely because the New York Yankees haven’t displayed any interest in extending the infielder’s contract. Amid this, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com linked Torres to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers missed the services of a dedicated second baseman in 2023 as they fielded Mookie Betts, whose traditional position is in the right field, wherein he won six golden gloves. Thus, by acquiring Torres, the Dodgers can attain the luxury of shifting Betrs back to his original spot. Additionally, moving Torres would allow the Yanks to clear off the infield logjam to make way for prospect Oswald Peraza at second base.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers could offer infielder Michael Busch, the franchise’s no. 2 prospect, in exchange. Busch, a left-handed batter, could replace Anthony Rizzo at first base in the longer run once the latter’s contract expires at the end of the 2024 season. The prospect has looked impressive and promising in his minor league so far. Having said that, the Yankees seem unlikely to settle for a single prospect in exchange for hot Gleyber Torres. The second baseman remains in good form and is still very much young with extensive experience. All attributes collectively make him a prime target for any team, let alone the Los Angeles Dodgers. Thus, if the Dodgers were to go aggressive for Torres, they must come up with a better offer to lure the Yanks front office.
Yanks Likely To Tender Contracts To Arbitration Catchers, But With A Hidden Agenda!
The non-tender deadline will conclude on Friday, and before that, the New York Yankees have to decide on the future of as many as five catchers. Kyle Higashioka, Ben Rortvedt, Austin Wells, Jose Trevino, and Carlos Narvaez are currently present on the team’s 40-man roster. However, it appears that Yanks might choose to tender contracts to each and every backstop with the intention of trading them later in the off-season.
Undoubtedly, heading into 2024, there isn’t room for everybody. Austin Wells has fixated his spot for the near future. Kyle Higashioka and Ben Rortvedt are most likely to be axed. Jose Trevino’s future lies in his health status. If he manages to return by spring training, well and good. Otherwise, the Yankees might lay off Trevino as well. Undeniably, the Yankee roster could witness massive changes in this coming week.