The New York Yankees seemed content with allowing Gleyber Torres to walk. That decision won’t be the right or wrong one until the Yankees step on the diamond, but as currently constructed, New York needs someone to play the infield.
Losing Torres isn’t the end all be all. He led second basemen in errors last season with 18 and posted a 101 OPS+, the second worst of his career. Despite his quiet year, the Yankees don’t have many options to replace him with. If there’s one reason to be worried about the Yankees finding a better player, it’s because of the limited options available.
Speaking with Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, Torres revealed that he wasn’t even offered a contract, showing the Yankees’ unwillingness to work out a deal.
“After the World Series, I got a lot of phone calls from other teams and just focused to get an opportunity in another place. I feel like I have to play where somebody wants to give the best for me, and I just want to be available to do the best for the team. I’ve got great friends there, great communication with the entire organization.
“I feel proud of myself for being with the Yankees for seven years, but now I’m with Detroit and just really happy they gave me the opportunity to play next year. “I think they have other priorities and I’m not on the list. I’m good,” Torres said on December 28.
Where the Yankees Could Turn
The Yankees might have to get creative, and Adam Weinrib of FanSided proposed a trade idea that would do just that.
Weinrib floated the idea of the Yankees trading for Michael Massey, a second baseman who could be an intriguing candidate to replace Torres.
“While India could technically float around in Kansas City, he’s played nothing but second base and DH to date in his four-year MLB career so far. Instead of making the 2021 Rookie of the Year uncomfortable in his new home, the Royals likely plan to displace Michael Massey and float him around the diamond. That’s where the Yankees should stick their nose in the proceedings, coercing KC to deal them a player who’d fit better in their home stadium anyway…
“Bottom line? If the Yankees upgrade their infield before spring training, it’ll likely come through the trade market rather than free agency. And if they want to avoid said “upgrade” being Nolan Arenado, they’ll probably have to get creative. Massey, disrupted from his normal role in Kansas City but free to return to it in the Bronx, might prefer the Yankees get creative in his general direction — especially after he sees that porch,” Weinrib wrote on January 2.
How Would Massey Fit the Yankees?
Massey is an out-of-the-blue candidate for the New York Yankees, but as Weinrib alluded to, he could be an excellent and cheap option.
He posted a 105 OPS+ in 2024, which is more than respectable for a second baseman. He also ranked in the 86th percentile in range, 87th percentile in squared-up %, 86th percentile in whiff%, and 84th percentile in K%, according to Baseball Savant.
He might not be a perfect player, but there aren’t many out there, and if the Yankees aren’t willing to spend heavily, Massey could be one of the best candidates available if the Kansas City Royals are willing to move him.
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Yankees Land Gleyber Torres Replacement in Trade Pitch