New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres is officially on the market.
Monday evening marked the deadline for MLB teams to extend qualifying offers – a one-year contract valued at $21.05 million – to their pending free agents. QOs can be offered to any upcoming free agent who has never received a QO and has played on the team’s roster all season.
Just 13 major leaguers were offered QOs ahead of yesterday’s deadline and only one of which was a Yankee. New York extended a QO to superstar outfielder Juan Soto, one that he will emphatically decline as he’s on the brink of securing one of the most lucrative contracts in baseball history.
The Yankees elected not to extend a qualifying offer to Gleyber Torres
The Yankees notably balked on extending a QO to second baseman Gleyber Torres, who will now enter free agency. The 27-year-old has become a polarizing figure amongst the Yankee faithful, with his inconsistent play dividing the fanbase on whether or not it’s wise to keep him on the roster.
“We definitely had discussions whether we should or shouldn’t,” noted Yankees GM Brian Cashman, speaking with reporters at the General Managers Meetings in San Antonio. “We’re charged with evaluating everything and ultimately we chose not to, and now he’s a free agent. We’ll see obviously what the future brings.”
While he may have been unworthy of a qualifying offer, Torres has proven his immense upside and it would be a mistake for the Yankees to let him leave the Bronx.
Why Torres didn’t receive a qualifying offer
The primary concern with Torres is his defensive inadequacy. Leading major league second basemen with 18 errors, “Torres graded out as the single worst second-base defender in all of baseball in 2024.”
Additionally, Torres displayed countless examples of mindlessness on the base paths throughout the season. The most glaring case came in early August when Torres was emphatically benched mid-game for a lack of hustle.
Torres stood and watched what he thought to be a home run bounce off the left field wall and back into play, turning what could’ve been a double into a single. Anthony Volpe followed up with a double, but Torres was thrown out at home trying to score from first.
The second-baseman played the 2024 season on a one-year, $14 million contract. Considering his costly defensive miscues and baserunning blunders, the Yankees were justified in opting not to offer him a $7 million raise.
Torres can still be a key contributor for the Yankees
Although he may not have earned the qualifying offer, Torres has proved his value at his position and his ability to contribute to a championship roster. According to Phillip Martinez at SNY, “Despite some maddening moments, Torres is one of the most productive second basemen in baseball.”
After notably struggling in the batter’s box the first half of the season, Torres ignited after the All-Star break to finish the season slashing .257/.330/.378 with 15 home runs and 63 RBIs. The second-baseman was especially effective after returning to the leadoff spot, batting .313 with an .840 OPS in his last 39 games.
Torres was named a 2024 Silver Slugger finalist for his second-half surge.
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“He was great for us in the second half, more representative of the type of player that we know he is,” Cashman said. “Him swinging the bat as well as he was, especially down the stretch, was [one of the reasons] why we got as far as we did.”
Not only did Torres finish the regular season strong, but he was an impactful bat for the Yankees throughout the Postseason. The second baseman hit .241 with a .745 OPS. Amongst his teammates, he ranked third in OBP (.348), commanding the plate with 14 hits and an impressive ten walks.
In addition to getting on base, he also cleared the bases on multiple occasions. He hit two emphatic homers in the Postseason, including an eighth-inning three-run shot that served as the dagger in Game 4 of the World Series.
Torres may not have warranted a raise for his 2024 performance, but he showcased his capability to perform in pinstripes. While the Yankees’ top priority is re-signing Soto, their second course of action should be retaining their slugging second baseman.
