Yankees Urged to Trade for ‘Perfect’ Gleyber Torres Replacement
It’s an understatement to say the New York Yankees are thriving as we move into the heart of the MLB season in June. Their starting rotation is deep, boasting a 2.76 ERA, second-best in MLB, with ace Gerrit Cole returning from an arm injury that sidelined him since March. The bullpen, while potentially needing reinforcement, has a combined ERA of 2.86 (second in MLB) and a WHIP of 1.14 (third).
Offensively, they’re strong, leading MLB with a collective OPS of .768 and second in home runs with 93. Despite this, there is a weakness in their lineup, specifically on the right side of the infield where Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres have underperformed. While first basemen are relatively easy to find, replacing a second baseman like Torres is more challenging.
However, a potential solution lies with Luis Rengifo of the Angels, a team likely to be sellers at the trade deadline in eight weeks. As Bleacher Report MLB podcaster Borna Nazari suggested, “What about Luis Rengifo? He is playing like an All-Star. He comes with club control through the end of 2025.”
Rengifo, 27, is having his best season yet, with a slash line of .327/.374/.469. While there is a risk of regression, he has been a solid hitter for the past two seasons, batting .264 with 17 homers in 2022 and 16 in 2023, making him a viable alternative to Torres.
Nazari stated, “That would be a really good fit for the Yankees. Are you sick and tired of Gleyber Torres? Because Torres is hitting .238 with an OPS of .650. Rengifo is a near-perfect replacement.” Adding Rengifo could further strengthen an already powerful Yankees lineup.
However, this move poses a risk. Replacing Torres might disrupt a productive lineup, especially since Torres, despite a slow start, has improved, hitting .289 over his last 13 games. Fox Sports MLB writer Deesha Thosar noted, “Gleyber Torres had a better May than April and has been serviceable since emerging from his early-season slump, but he still sports an 81 OPS+ and has been the subject of trade rumors throughout his Yankees tenure.”
Thosar added, “There is an argument to be made that the Yankees lineup, one of the best in the majors, doesn’t need retooling in case it messes up their good flow.”
