Free Agent Profile: Gleyber Torres, 2B
Gleyber Torres, 2B
Position: 2B B/T: R/R
Age: 27 (12/13/1996)
2024 Traditional Stats: 665 PA, .257/.330/.378/.709, 151 H, 15 HR, 63 RBI
2024 Advanced Stats: 104 wRC+, 20.5 SO%, 9.8 BB%, .306 BABIP, .310 xWOBA, 1.7 fWAR, -7 OAA
Rundown
The Mets are in a tough spot at second base. Jeff McNeil, a veteran, is a potential trade candidate because of his inconsistency at the plate. Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio only have a combined 148 plate appearances in the major leagues. That leaves the Mets with two options: rolling the dice and sticking with their guys, or exploring the free-agent market, which is headlined by Gleyber Torres.
Torres, 27, is limited to second base, but seven years of his career have shown that he is far from a Gold Glove-caliber fielder. He’s undoubtedly a defensive liability, though whether he’s completely unplayable at the position remains to be seen. He has never posted above zero Outs Above Average (OAA) in any season and is coming off a year with a dismal -7 OAA. His defensive struggles are evident, with frequent mishaps that have cost the New York Yankees numerous runs. The question for Torres has always been the same: Can his powerful bat make up for his glaring deficiencies in the field?
One encouraging mark in favor of Torres is his durability. The second baseman has only missed time due to injury three times in his career (excluding his COVID-19 absence in 2021), and he’s never been out for an extended period. Additionally, he has never played fewer than 123 games in a season, a mark set during his 2018 rookie campaign.
Additionally, Torres has consistently been one of the better second basemen in the league, even during his down years. Since 2018, among second basemen with at least 1,000 plate appearances at the position, he ranks fifth in home runs (76), sixth in RBIs (235) and eighth in OPS (.776).
After a rough stretch in 2020-2021, which included a mediocre .255/.337/.366 slash line and just nine home runs in 2021, Torres rebounded with a 114 wRC+ in 2022 and a 120 wRC+ in 2023. However, 2024 turned out to be a mixed bag for the second baseman.
Torres began the year on a rough note, posting a dreadful .550 OPS through March and April. However, he gradually found his footing, improving to a .714 OPS from May through the end of July, and he finished strong with a .306 batting average and a .793 OPS from August to October. He capped off the year with a solid postseason, hitting two home runs and driving in eight runs. Altogether, 2024 saw Torres post right around a league-average 104 wRC+, ultimately returning back into a middle-of-the-road player.
Additionally, Torres has shown much stronger numbers against left-handed pitchers, with an .811 OPS against them in 2024 and an .855 OPS over his career, compared to a .674 OPS against righties in 2024 and .747 in his career. He also excels at avoiding chasing and making solid contact, ranking in the 92nd percentile in the former and the 84th percentile in the latter category in 2024.
Torres continues to provide what he has for years, offering decent offense at a traditionally weak position. While he’ll remain a defensive vulnerability, there’s a chance he can repeat his strong offensive showings from earlier in his career and from 2023. His overall value will always, unfortunately, be tied to whether he can balance his powerful bat with his defensive shortcomings.
Contract
It was unclear entering the offseason whether Torres would receive the qualifying offer from the Yankees. He did not, which could indicate a slim market for him, or simply that the Yankees are looking to move on from their second baseman. The Athletic predicts Torres will land a four-year deal worth $44 million, while MLB Trade Rumors projects a two-year, $36 million deal. He is not at the level of Marcus Semien (seven years, $175 million) or even DJ LeMahieu (six years, $90 million) at the time of their respective free agencies, but he is definitely the best second baseman available, so that’ll play to his advantage. Perhaps a better comparison is to former Met Eduardo Escobar, who got two years and $20 million. The two came off similar seasons, but Escobar was 33-years-old when he signed with New York while Torres is currently 27. At the very least, he’ll get a raise on his $14.2 million that he made last season.
Torres will likely either sign a one- or two-year deal with a high AAV (average annual value) if the market is weak or if he wants to bet on himself, or he’ll take a longer deal with a slightly lower AAV, as The Athletic suggests. There doesn’t seem to be much room for a middle ground.
Recommendation
For one, it’s not guaranteed that Torres is an upgrade over the players the Mets already have. McNeil is a bounce-back candidate in his own right and has a solid ceiling while Acuña and Mauricio are both prospects the Mets don’t need to block by signing someone new. Torres wouldn’t be a terrible signing, but it wouldn’t be the best allocation of money in an offseason where New York needs starting pitchers and is heavily pursuing Juan Soto. Unless the Mets are really looking to move on from McNeil, a lifelong Met, second base is the least of their concerns, and signing Torres wouldn’t solve any pressing issues.
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