Could Gleyber Torres be an infield option for the Mariners?
Could Gleyber Torres be an infield option for the Mariners?
Gleyber Torres burst onto the scene in 2019 for the Yankees and has had an up and down career since then. With the Yankees seemingly willing to move on from Torres, could Seattle get in the mix?
The Mariners desperately need infielders, especially above-average bats who are able to play up the middle of the field. There are many options around the league that Jerry Dipoto could be creative with, including New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres.
Following the trade deadline it was reported the Yankees were very close to dealing Torres to the Miami Marlins for starter Pablo Lopez. Now we are totally uncertain what the entire package would have looked like, but it is clear the Marlins saw real value in Torres as a headliner coming back for Lopez.
Seattle has a massive need at second base, and Torres has a profile that could fit. The infielder is coming off a .257/.310/.451 season where he hit 24 home runs and put up 2.7 WAR. He also produced a 115 WRC+, 15 points above the league average according to Fangraphs.
He has regressed since his first two seasons in the big leagues, putting up a 120-plus mark in both seasons. The good news is Torres finally found his power stroke again in 2022, failing to crack double-digit homers in either one of the previous seasons.
Torres is a good hitter and an above-average producer, making him a nice fit in theory for this Seattle lineup. His power would add length and strength to this lineup. However, there are many reasons to be dubious about him being dealt to Seattle.
The first reason is his price tag, and these two competing teams matching up in a trade. If Torres was nearly dealt for Pablo Lopez there isn’t a very equivalent player on Seattle’s roster that they would be willing to part with.
The Yankees are a contender now and based on the Lopez rumors we would have to expect Logan Gilbert may be a name that is asked for. The asking price is likely steep, and Seattle likely wouldn’t be willing to part with the required pieces to get a deal done.
It would make much more sense for New York to pull the trigger on a deal like this with a rising team like the Marlins who wants to trade some assets for a weak point in their system.
Torres also hardly walks, posting just a 6.8 percent BB% last season. Seattle values controlling the zone and on-base percentage, which is not a strength for Gleyber.
All of this combined with concerns over his effort over the last few seasons make it hard to see a fit here. The offense and position make sense so I wouldn’t completely rule it out for the Mariners, but expect them to look elsewhere to add impact this offseason.