Over the winter, the Yankees’ situation saw some significant changes. It all started with their pursuit of outfielder Juan Soto, the star slugger who had been acquired the previous offseason for a hefty price and played a crucial role in their 2024 World Series run. However, Soto left for the Mets after receiving a massive $765 million offer, forcing the Yankees to adjust their plans.
Their new strategy involved adding outfielder Cody Bellinger, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, pitcher Max Fried, and ace reliever Devin Williams. Amid these moves, the Yankees also made the anticipated decision to part ways with second baseman Gleyber Torres, who had been with the team for the past seven years and was about to become a free agent.
This decision wasn’t surprising given Torres’ struggles in 2024, where he posted a .257 batting average and received criticism from manager Aaron Boone for a lack of hustle. However, in the broader context, it was a shock since Torres had shown so much promise early in his career.
In his first two seasons, he looked like he could be one of the Yankees’ next great power-hitting infielders, posting impressive numbers with a .271/.340/.480 slash line in his rookie year, followed by a .278/.337/.535 line in his second season, hitting 62 homers and driving in 167 runs.
Now playing for the Detroit Tigers, Torres shared his frustration about his departure from the Yankees in an exclusive interview with the New York Post. “I feel I deserve to be with an organization that wants me,” he said. Torres also mentioned his strained relationship with GM Brian Cashman, who had criticized him for not being willing to move to third base last season.
When asked if he felt unwanted by the Yankees, Torres responded, “I don’t know. Maybe you can ask (Cashman).” Despite his dissatisfaction with how things ended, Torres said he’s focused on moving forward and has already put his time with the Yankees behind him. “I don’t pay attention to what’s going on over there,” he stated. “I just want to do my job here. I have to prove many things to teams and myself. It’s a new journey for me, and I need to work on being more consistent both defensively and offensively.”
