What Moving Gleyber Torres From Shortstop Tells Us About Yankees’ Future Plans

The New York Yankees moved shortstop Gleyber Torres to second base for the rest of the year. Could the Yankees sign a free agent shortstop this offseason?

Some say this decision was long overdue, but Gleyber Torres’ underwhelming reign as the shortstop of the New York Yankees looks to be over.

Prior to the Yankees’ extra innings victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday, manager Aaron Boone announced that Torres will be moved to second base for the remainder of the season. With Torres getting bounced to second, Gio Ursehla will move over to shortstop and DJ LeMahieu will be shifted to third base.

READ: Why the Yankees Are Moving Gleyber Torres From Shortstop to Second Base

The hope is that this will help take some pressure off of Torres, who has committed 18 errors this season, including four over the course of the past week.

The 24-year-old was the Yankees’ starting second baseman as a rookie in 2018, before splitting time between both middle infield positions during the 2019 season. Monday's game marked the first time Torres has played second in a regular season game since September of 2019.

So, with the Yankees moving on from the failed Gleyber Torres shortstop experiment, what does this tell us about their future plans?

Well, a lot actually. There are a slew of big name shortstops that are set to hit the free agent market this winter. This class includes the likes of Carlos Correa, Javier Báez, Trevor Story and Corey Seager.

With Yankees moving Gleyber Torres off SS today, more evidence they may play for a big free agent SS this winter, whether that be Correa, Seager, Semien, Story or Baez.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) September 13, 2021

If the Yankees do decide to ink one of the top free agent shortstops in the 2022 offseason, it could mean they plan on trading Torres, or will at least kick the tires on going this route.

Torres is young and still under cheap control through 2024, which makes him an attractive trade chip, given the fact that he slugged 38 home runs two years ago.

When the Yankees locked up DJ LeMahieu to a six-year, $90 million deal in the offseason, whose main position is second base, they already took a big risk because it meant that they had no choice but to keep Torres as their shortstop, or potentially find a new home for him in the future.

Now, Torres could possibly be auditioning to stick around next season, after enduring a disappointing campaign both offensively and defensively this year. The last three weeks of the 2021 season could determine his future with the Yankees moving forward.

While only time will tell of which direction they choose to go, Torres’ future with the Yankees is in jeopardy, and they might have already tipped their hand as to what they plan on doing, as they are now in need of a long-term shortstop.

If they do decide to splurge, Torres could stay at second, with LeMahieu at third. This would leave Gio Urshela as the odd man out, as his season with the Yankees has been disappointing and filled with injuries as well. But the Yankees have several holes to fill, and Torres will bring them back the most value in a trade.

Regardless, the Yankees are in need of a shakeup, and that will only occur if they sign a superstar and send Torres out of town. Moving Torres to second base for the rest of the season may have already told us what’s in the cards in the near future.

MORE:

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• Clint Frazier Won’t Return to Yankees in 2021

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