Pair of Yankees Sluggers Have Hurt Stock Ahead of Free Agency

Two New York Yankees hitters chose a bad season to produce sub-par offensive campaigns.

May 25, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera (95), right, cheers after second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) hit a sacrifice fly to score left fielder Alex Verdugo (24) during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Chadd Cady-Imagn Images / Chadd Cady-Imagn Images

Despite the New York Yankees having amassed one of baseball's best records to this point, there are a few players who have not performed up to expectations this season.

Perhaps the two most notable are infielder Gleyber Torres and outfielder Alex Verdugo. While no player wants to underperform in any season, it's especially perilous to do so right before hitting free agency. And both Torres and Verdugo are set to become unrestricted free agents this offseason.

Due to their sub-par results this year, a September 10 article by CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson noted Torres and Verdugo as the top two impending MLB free agents who have hurt their stock leading into the winter.

"Torres, to his credit, has performed better during the second half," Anderson wrote. "Still, he had a chance to solidify himself as a top-10 free agent heading into the winter: a 28-year-old second baseman with three consecutive 20-homer, three-WAR seasons. Instead, he'll be doing well to finish with a league-average OPS. Perhaps this proves to be overly pessimistic, but at this point he seems like a prime candidate to take a pillow contract."

The phrase "pillow contract" was coined by iconic agent Scott Boras, and essentially means a one-year contract for a player who is coming off of a poor season.

Torres is hitting .252 with a .693 OPS, 12 home runs, and 55 RBIs in 138 games played this season. While these numbers aren't ideal for a player with Torres' talent, they're not as bad as his teammate's.

"From one scuffling Yankees hitter to another. Verdugo remains a skilled defender, but that's not what gets corner outfielders paid. Unfortunately for him, he chose a poor time to snap his streak of five consecutive league-average offensive seasons. Verdugo, who won't celebrate his 29th birthday until next May, also seems like a candidate to settle for a one-year pact as he attempts to rebuild value heading into next winter," Anderson noted.

Verdugo is hitting .237 with a .659 OPS, 12 home runs, and 58 RBIs in 138 games this season. While his willingness to play less due to Jasson Dominguez's arrival will curry Verdugo some favor, that won't tempt the Yankees to keep him in New York next season.

Regardless of where Verdugo and Torres end up in 2025 — and how much they get paid — there's still time for both to become heroes for the Yankees this postseason.