Tenured Yankees All-Star Linked to American League East Rival

Getty Gleyber Torres looking ahead

The New York Yankees‘ most significant free agency decision will come down to what Juan Soto does. However, there will be other decisions they have to consider, including the free agency case for Gleyber Torres.

Torres has been with the Yankees at the big league level since 2018, when he made his debut. A fan favorite, Torres was named to the All-Star Game in his first two seasons after hitting a combined 62 home runs.

As he looks towards his free agency, the slugging second baseman should have multiple suitors. In a recent column from David Schoenfield of ESPN, Torres was linked to the Toronto Blue Jays, who Schoenfield named the “best fit” for his services.

“Torres isn’t one of the top 10 free agents available this winter, but he’s on this list because he’s the top second baseman available and we’ve already addressed other positions,” Schoenfield wrote on November 1. “His power numbers fell off in 2024 as did his range at second base, so there’s a chance the Yankees move on from him.

“He draws some walks and is still young enough that he projects as an average-type player for the next few seasons if you’re willing to live with his limited range. The Jays were playing a first baseman at second base down the stretch in Spencer Horwitz so Torres might fit there — although a middle infield of Bichette and Torres could be problematic.”

Torres Wants to Stay With the Yankees

Torres turned his season around in the playoffs, putting up impressive numbers after a somewhat quiet regular season from his perspective. The 27-year-old slashed .257/.330/.378 with 15 home runs and a 101 OPS+ in the regular season.

Many of those numbers were around career lows for the Venezuelan native.

While he didn’t have the best showing in his contract campaign,  Jim Bowden of The Athletic reported that Torres “has wanted” to sign a long-term deal with the New York Yankees, but the two sides have never had serious negotiations.

“Gleyber Torres has wanted to sign a long-term contract with the Yankees but there have never been serious negotiations to keep him in the Bronx for years to come,” Bowden wrote on October 31. “He is a below-average defender at second base with limited range.

“He hit .257 with 15 home runs and a 101 OPS+ on the season but batted over .300 when he was moved to the leadoff spot in September and has performed in October, slashing .297/.400/.432 in the playoffs.”

Bowden also predicted his contract, which came out to $44 million over four years.

How Torres Would Help the Blue Jays

Torres signing with the Toronto Blue Jays would be one of the worst outcomes for the New York Yankees.

Not only would they need to find a replacement for a second baseman who’s put up better numbers than most other players at the position in his career, but they could be impacted in the American League East by him landing with their rivals.

The Blue Jays had a year to forget, going 74-88 and missing the postseason.

While they had a tough campaign, the Blue Jays roster has a lot of top-end talent, and adding Torres, among others, could make them an immediate threat in Major League Baseball.