Yankees Trade Pitch Lands Gleyber Torres Replacement From AL Rival

If the New York Yankees want to find a second baseman this winter, it might require them to make a surprise move. Among the potential players available, Tampa Bay Rays‘ second baseman, Brandon Lowe, could be a sneaky option.

The Yankees have prospects that could interest the Rays, who could be heading deep into a rebuild and trying to cut payroll for more reasons than on-the-field issues.

Peter Brody of SB Nation named him a potential trade target for the Yankees, creating an idea to send the Rays All-Star to the Bronx.

“While a trade between division rivals may initially seem unlikely, the Rays have plenty of motivation to move their second baseman this winter. They have a tendency to trade their higher earners as they approach free agency and/or their age-30 seasons: Isaac Paredes, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Zach Eflin all stand out as notable recent examples.

“With a $10.5 million salary for 2024, Lowe projects as the Rays’ highest earner, clocking in at almost 15-percent of their guaranteed payroll, and additional factors mean the Rays might be even more motivated to shed payroll than in other years,” Brody wrote on December 30.

---

What Would the Yankees Trade Package Be?

If the New York Yankees were to trade for Lowe, he shouldn’t require them to move a massive haul. He’s set to hit the free agency market after the season, making it possible that he’ll be a one-year rental.

Lowe hit 21 home runs and posted a 121 OPS+ a campaign ago.

The Tampa Bay Rays shouldn’t want to take back any big league players in the deal if they’re looking to shed salary, so the Yankees will have to go the prospect route.

Jackson Roberts of Sporting News proposed a deal to send Lowe to the Yankees for Ben Hess and Jorbit Vivas, two top-20 prospects in New York’s organization.

“If the Yankees are inclined to go the trade route, more options might be open. The ideal trade candidate to fill second base would be Brandon Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays, who is under contract for $10.5 million in 2025 and has a club option for 2026…

“It’s not a huge package to give up for the Yankees on the surface, but the Rays get the kind of guys in their organization that always seem to have success in Tampa Bay. This deal could be a win-win,” Roberts wrote on December 27.

---

Where Else Could the Yankees Find a Torres Replacement?

Replacing Gleyber Torres seems to be getting tougher by the day for the New York Yankees. Lowe would be a logical player to replace him with, but if the Tampa Bay Rays aren’t willing to move him to the Yankees, New York will have to look elsewhere.

According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, the Yankees have shown interest in Gavin Lux. Ragazzo added that it’s “difficult to envision” a deal getting done, but it shows New York is still in the market for an infielder.

“As sources told Yankees On SI, the Yankees have shown some interest in a potential trade for Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux. However, sources say the Yankees expressed interest in Lux several weeks ago and the Seattle Mariners have been more aggressive in pursuit of the infielder.

“It’s also a bit difficult to envision the Yankees and Dodgers, who just faced off against each other in the World Series, which saw Los Angeles win the title in five games, as trade partners this offseason,” Ragazzo wrote on January 5.

1 Comment