Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Predicted to Replace Gleyber Torres With Gold Glove Award Winner

The New York Yankees would be wise to add an elite defender this offseason after their struggles in the field during the World Series.

Grant Young

Aug 24, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers (7) throws past New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) attempting to complete a double play in the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Aug 24, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers (7) throws past New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) attempting to complete a double play in the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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Game 5 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday might have been the last time many Yankees players don the pinstripes.

One of those players is Gleyber Torres. After spending the first seven seasons of his MLB career in the Bronx, the 27-year-old second baseman is becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

While there's a chance Torres could re-sign with New York, the Yankees front office might also want to either move on from him or elect against matching whatever other teams will offer.

If Torres does leave, this will open up a position in the infield. Jazz Chisholm Jr. could either move to second base or remain at third, which he played quite well down the stretch this season.

The Yankees would need a new infielder regardless. And an October 30 article from Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter suggested they fill this void by trading for Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers.

"Rodgers has never quite lived up to being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 draft, but he has been a productive player when healthy," Reuter wrote. "He won the NL Gold Glove at second base during a 4.3-WAR season in 2022, and he hit .267/.314/.407 with 29 doubles, 13 home runs and 54 RBI in 135 games this past season. He would team with Anthony Volpe to form one of the best defensive middle infields in baseball."

Reuter later included Rodgers as the Yankees' starting second baseman in their 2025 Opening Day lineup prediction.

Considering the atrocious defense the Yankees displayed during Game 5 of the World Series, the thought of adding an elite defensive infielder this offseason certainly sounds appealing for New York fans.

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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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