The New York Yankees pulled starting second baseman Gleyber Torres out of the game this past Wednesday with a right groin injury. While he has been benched, awaiting an opportunity to return, it appears the team may have dodged a more serious injury.
Minor Setback for Torres
Groin issues can be complicated to deal with, but Torres seems to have only suffered a minor injury, allowing the Yankees to potentially return him to the lineup as early as Sunday when they face the Boston Red Sox at 7 PM.
Torres’ Struggling Season
The 27-year-old is currently in the middle of a career-worst season, hitting .223/.297/.344, with just eight home runs and 33 RBIs. After recording 25 homers last year, Torres isn’t even on pace to hit 15 this season, which certainly complicates his future contract negotiations and may lead him to a one-year prove-it deal next season.
Defensive Challenges
However, Gleyber has struggled offensively and has had volatile defensive production. Over 749 innings this year, he has a .966 fielding percentage, 11 errors, and -4 defensive runs saved.
Temporary Replacement and Team Needs
In the meantime, the Yankees have Oswaldo Cabrera featured at second base, which is one of the team’s weaker options offensively. While Cabrera is a solid defensive player and managed to provide two hits and an RBI against the Red Sox on Saturday, the Yankees really need Torres to step up and perform.
Yankees’ Potential Trade Moves
The veteran infielder has a few weeks before General Manager Brian Cashman needs to reinforce the team’s offensive output. He could target Luis Rengifo of the Los Angeles Angels, who is also 27 years old but has two years of control before becoming a free agent.
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The switch hitter is currently batting .315 with a .358 OBP, well above Torres’s production this season. If the Yankees find a way to land one of the most consistent hitters in baseball this year, Cashman may decide to be aggressive and trade Torres for spare parts in the bullpen.