The New York Yankees’ search for a middle infielder to replace Gleyber Torres, who departed in free agency, remains one of the most prolonged stories of the MLB offseason. After allowing Torres to sign a one-year, $15 million deal with the Detroit Tigers without making an offer to keep him, the Yankees have yet to announce a clear plan to fill his spot.
Throughout the offseason, the Yankees have been connected to high-profile free agents like Alex Bregman and lesser-known players such as Ha-Seong Kim. However, a new potential solution has emerged: waiting for a “fractured relationship” between the St. Louis Cardinals and second baseman Brendan Donovan to develop further. If the Yankees can capitalize on this situation, they could secure a player with comparable statistics to Torres—at a fraction of the cost.
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The situation with Donovan, a 28-year-old second baseman, stems from a contract dispute with the Cardinals. Donovan, who made his MLB debut in 2022 and earned a Gold Glove award in his rookie year, has become an even better defensive player since then. In 2024, he posted five outs above average at second base, compared to Torres’ 1.7 WAR in 154 games that same year. Despite this, Donovan is currently embroiled in a dispute over a $450,000 difference in arbitration, as he requested a $3.3 million salary while the Cardinals offered $2.85 million.
Wilson suggests that this disagreement could signal a strained future for Donovan in St. Louis, making him a potential long-term solution for the Yankees. Donovan, who won’t become a free agent until 2028, would offer the Yankees a cost-controlled option for several years. However, the Yankees may need to be patient and wait for the situation to unfold before acting on this opportunity.
In the meantime, waiting for the right moment to strike could lead the Yankees to a major addition, potentially transforming their offseason into a standout one.
