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According to Jack Curry of YES Network on Dec. 23, the New York Yankees still don’t plan to bring Gleyber Torres back. There seemed to be a possible avenue for the Yankees to pursue if they wanted Torres back after the moves they’ve made, but according to Curry, that isn’t expected to happen.
Searching for options on the market, Ha-Seong Kim has been floated as a potential fit for the Yankees. Kim is coming off shoulder surgery, a worrying injury, but he’s expected to be back before May and should be good to go when it matters most late in the season.
Kim, however, will be expensive. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report predicted he’d ink a four-year, $60 million deal.
“In Ha-Seong Kim, we have another not-exactly-unknown quantity. Yet I’ll justify his placement on this list by calling attention to this comparison: Player A: 15.3 rWAR since 2021 Player B: 14.6 rWAR since 2021 Player A is Kim. Player B is Willy Adames, who just scored a seven-year, $182 million deal from the San Francisco Giants.
“This is, of course, deliberately provocative. At his best, Adames is a 30-homer slugger who plays Gold Glove-caliber defense at shortstop. At his best, Kim is only capable of the latter. And even this is assuming a strong recovery from right shoulder surgery. Good shortstop defense is nonetheless a valuable commodity, and it’s but one service that Kim provides in the field. He’s also a capable defender at third base and second base,” Rymer wrote on December 23.
Kim Doesn’t Want to Sign at a Discount
If the New York Yankees could sign Kim for a lower price than $60 million, he’d be an excellent addition. After their moves, it’s uncertain if they’d even be willing to give out another $60 million.
Nonetheless, the Yankees have money to spend, and it can’t be counted out. But if Kim wants more than $60 million, depending on the number of years, it could be tough for the Yankees to complete a deal.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Kim doesn’t want to take a discount, a potential issue for the Yankees if they want him.
“The two top middle infielders available each come with impediments. For Ha-Seong Kim, who has played shortstop, second base and third base, it’s his arm. He underwent labrum surgery in August, and for a player whose big league value mostly has come from his defense, it’s a fair concern. At the same time, Kim is targeting a late-April return, and accordingly, he does not want to sign at a severe discount,” Passan wrote on December 19.
Who Will Play Second Base for the Yankees?
The New York Yankees could go with a player like Kim if they don’t want Torres back. If they want a cheaper option, the Yankees will have to go with an internal option unless they find a potential trade candidate who isn’t on an expensive deal.
Chris Kirschner of The Athletic wrote that it’s possible they could explore a one-year deal with Torres, but he doubts it. Given that seems to be the consensus around the league, why not give Kim a chance?
“The Yankees currently have a hole at second base. They could easily re-sign Torres if there was interest, but it’s clear they would prefer to go a different direction. Maybe if Torres’ market doesn’t materialize and the Yankees are still searching later in the offseason, perhaps a one-year prove-it deal could work, but I doubt it,” Kirschner wrote on December 20.
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