Gleyber Torres is 27 years old and has finally come into his own offensively for the New York Yankees, or so it would seem from the results of his 2023 campaign, particularly in the absence of Captain Aaron Judge for a third of the season. Torres led the team in OPS (.800), batting average (.273), runs (90), hits (163), doubles (28), OBP (.347), and slugging (.453). He was second only to Judge in home runs (25) and RBI (68). He recently signed a $14.2 million contract for the 2024 season to avoid arbitration and will become a free agent at season’s end.
For many fans, the question is, will the Yankees extend Torres? While there is no indication that the Yankees and Torres have engaged in contract talks ahead of the season, fans believe that Torres should be considered a cornerstone player for this team and that Torres should be signed before he becomes a free agent after the season.
In September, MLB.com published “Who are MLB’s best second basemen in 2023?” and named Torres one of the dark horse candidates for the position. Marcus Semien, Luis Arraez, Ozzie Albies, and Ha-Seong-Kim were noted leaders at second base, with Ketel Marte and Torres named dark horses. While not a defensive specialist, Torres has found balance at the plate, flashing power and making more contact than in previous years. In August alone, he hit .327 with eight doubles, seven home runs, and 13 RBI, along with five stolen bases.
Torres has established himself as one of the premier second basemen in the league. In the second half of 2023, he sported a 144 wRC+, second behind Altuve (154) for all second basemen. As Esteban Rivera from pinstripealley.com points out, he was undeniably the Yankees best hitter on the season, with an overall increase in walks and a drastic decrease in strikeouts. (“Yankees 2023 Roster Report Cards: Gleyber Torres”)
Behind Torres, the options at second base are Oswald Peraza, Jose Rojas, and Diego Castillo. These three will likely vie for a spot on the bench during Spring Training. Torres was second in games played for the Yankees this season (158), so his durability and consistency can be counted on to be significant factors in the Yankees’ success in 2024.
Given his current value and contract status, fans have debated whether the Yankees should consider trade options for Torres this offseason. Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr. of Forbes, has said that despite his defensive shortcomings, Torres has offensive value to offset them. The Yankees have not taken the trade route with Torres, probably because there is no depth behind him at the position to compare with him offensively.
Gleyber Torres adds significant value to the Yankees with his durability and his new-found leadership offensively. As one of the best second basemen in the league, he profiles to continue to improve his mechanics at the plate and, along with Judge and Juan Soto, to lead this team with a veteran bat. Fangraphs projects 149 games with a .267/.334/.454 slash line with 25 home runs and 88 RBI in 2024 for Torres. It’s a projection that Yankee fans can get behind as Torres works towards his free agency year.
