The Gleyber Torres era with the New York Yankees has come to an end. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Torres agreed to a one-year, $15 million contract with the Detroit Tigers on Friday.
This raises the question of whether general manager Brian Cashman could replace him by trading for Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brandon Lowe. Torres had expressed a desire to spend his entire career in New York, but it never appeared that the Yankees were serious about re-signing him.
If the Yankees had been keen on bringing the 28-year-old back, it would have been easy to match the deal he signed with Detroit. Now, the Yankees have several external options to replace Torres both in the lineup and on the infield.
Aside from exploring free agents, Cashman could attempt to trade for Lowe from the Rays, even within the competitive AL East. A potential trade proposed by Sporting News’ Jackson Roberts involves the Yankees acquiring Lowe in exchange for right-handed pitcher Ben Hess and infielder Jorbit Vivas.
Hess and Vivas finished among the Yankees’ top 20 prospects in 2024, according to MLB.com. While Lowe has struggled with injuries, having not played more than 109 games since 2021, he has still managed to hit over 21 home runs in three seasons.
The 29-year-old boasts an .794 OPS over his past 1,742 plate appearances, which would make him a valuable addition to the Yankees’ lineup. Financially, Lowe’s acquisition would not be a heavy burden for the Yankees.
After completing a six-year, $24 million deal in 2024, the Rays exercised his $10.5 million option for 2025, and he also has an $11.5 million option for 2026 before hitting free agency, according to Spotrac.
