Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees All-Star's Free Agency Value Could be Reassessed Amid World Series Run

New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres' free agency value has been a rollercoaster this season.

Grant Young

Oct 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees second base Gleyber Torres (25) turns a double play over Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor (23) during the seventh inning during game five of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees second base Gleyber Torres (25) turns a double play over Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor (23) during the seventh inning during game five of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images
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New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres will become an unrestricted free agent once the 2024 season ends.

Just a few months ago, many Yankees fans would have been content to see the two-time MLB All-Star leave the Bronx. But his excellent performance since being placed in the starting lineup's leadoff spot in August has shifted that sentiment.

It will also likely affect Torres' perceived value heading into free agency, and could ultimately dictate whether he'll return to New York next season.

An October 21 article from Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller broached this topic by writing, "First things first, we need to address this laughable supposed market value for Gleyber Torres.

"He just made $14.2M in this his final season of arbitration eligibility," Miller continued. "It was the sixth-highest salary for an arbitration player in 2024, behind only Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Corbin Burnes and Max Fried; more than what Shane Bieber ($13.125M), Framber Valdez ($12.1M) or Kyle Tucker ($12M) got."

Miller added, "Before this season began, Spotrac had Torres' projected market value at seven years, $128.5M, or $18.4M per year. While he didn't have a banner year in what may have been his final season with the Yankees, did I miss the part where one of his limbs fell off?"

Spotrac currently projects Torres will sign a three-year contract at just under $22 million this offseason, making for a $7,318,254 average annual salary.

"We seriously think this soon-to-be 28-year-old middle infielder with a career .774 OPS—the seventh-most valuable second baseman in baseball dating back to 2018, per FanGraphs—is about to take a more than 50 percent pay cut on a multiyear deal?" Miller continued.

"Maybe he takes a one-year deal in the $15M range in hopes of re-establishing himself as someone worthy of a nine-figure deal. But between his age, past production and position scarcity, he just might get that $100M contract now."

Torres performing so well down the stretch this season has helped the Yankees reach the World Series. However, it might have raised his market value so much that New York can't afford to keep him if they're to also re-sign Juan Soto and address their other roster deficiencies.

Would Torres be willing to take a pay cut to remain in pinstripes? Perhaps winning a World Series could convince him.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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