Yankees facing tough offseason decision with infielder's resurgence

When Gleyber Torres was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees in 2016 as part of the Aroldis Chapman deal , he arrived with sky-high expectations. His first two years lived up to the hype, as the young second baseman became a two-time All-Star, posting a .271 average, 62 home runs and a .845 OPS between 2018 and 2019.

However, Torres’ trajectory hit a wall when he was moved to shortstop in 2020. His struggles were amplified as his defensive metrics plummeted and his power disappeared. After posting nine home runs in 127 games in 2021, the Yankees moved Torres back to second base, where he worked as a serviceable — if not standout — player.

Fast forward to 2024 and Torres was at a crossroads. After two solid-but-unspectacular years (24 and 25 home runs in 2022 and 2023, respectively), his future in New York seemed uncertain. He was an average second baseman at best and a below-average baserunner. Heading into a contract year, Torres was hitting just .231 with a dismal .654 OPS in the first half of the season .

Then came the leadoff role.

Torres was shifted to the leadoff spot on July 24, a decision born out of desperation. With DJ LeMahieu injured and Anthony Volpe struggling, the Yankees turned to Torres. He responded by raising his OPS to .755 while hitting .283 with six homers in the role . His bat came alive and while Aaron Judge and Juan Soto remained the team's key threats, Torres' consistency at the top of the order kept the offense afloat.

This resurgence carried into the postseason. Torres led off both ALCS games against the Cleveland Guardians with hits — helping ignite early scoring in Game 2 — and his posted a .933 OPS through 24 postseason at-bats .

The bigger question now: What does Torres’ performance mean for his future with the Yankees?

Torres is a free agent at the end of this season. The Yankees are expected to have over $100 million come off the books after this year and they could afford to keep him on a four- or five-year deal. But with a massive potential Juan Soto contract looming, things get complicated.

Soto is Torres’ close friend and his future in the Bronx may play a key role in the infielder's decision. With projections for Soto to land a contract north of $500 million, the Yankees’ payroll could easily push past the $241 million luxury-tax threshold before addressing other needs—including Torres.

With young infield prospects like George Lombard Jr. and Roderick Arias projected to reach the majors by 2027, the Yankees face added pressure in deciding Torres' future. Torres has insisted his focus is on the present, though.

“I know I have really good players behind me,’’ Torres told Dan Martin of the New York Post . “And to get the responsibility to be leadoff is huge for me, so I just try to do the right thing and worry about free agency after the season and hopefully after the World Series.”

For now, Torres is proving he can still be a key piece of the Yankees lineup. Whether that remains true in 2025 and beyond is a question the front office will soon have to answer.