Brian Cashman spoke on YES Hot Stove regarding the Yankees, and one of the things he discussed was their intention with Jazz Chisholm defensively when they originally acquired him. The long-time GM mentioned that he had envisioned playing the dynamic infielder at second base, moving over Gleyber Torres to third base in the process. The strong arm and poor range of Torres may have played a lot better at the hot corner, but he outright refused to make the change, which could be a hint as to why the team eventually chose to let him go in free agency.
Not wanting to force the issue on Gleyber Torres, the Yankees eventually moved Jazz Chisholm to third base, and are still open to playing him there if the right opportunity opens up on the market.
Brian Cashman Reveals Yankees’ Original Infield Plan With Gleyber Torres And Jazz Chisholm
The Yankees were able to get strong defense at the hot corner from Jazz Chisholm despite him never playing there at any professional level. There seems to be a clear preference internally for having him at second base, one that stems from their initial plan for utilizing Gleyber Torres and Jazz Chisholm.
Aaron Boone believed Gleyber would be best at second, but Brian Cashman wanted to move him over to third base, which is something teams approached the veteran infielder about in free agency this winter. The Tigers ultimately signed Torres, keeping him at second base and moving Colt Keith to first base, but it does bring up whether this was the nail in the coffin for a return to the Yankees.
It never felt like the Yankees were all-in on keeping Gleyber Torres beyond his seven years in the Bronx, with the team avoiding any extension conversations after the 2023 season. The team has made it clear that defense is a priority for them, and playing Torres at second base flies against that new identity in the absence of Juan Soto.
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In the second half, Gleyber Torres played a massive role in helping the Yankees win the division thanks to his hot finish to the season when he was moved to the top of the lineup. Perhaps his bat is something the team is missing at the top of their lineup right now, but the Yankees have not been in love with the total package Torres brings to the table.
One of the worst defensive infielders in baseball last season, Gleyber Torres finished bottom five in both DRS (-11) and OAA (-7) among second baseman. He was also the sixth-worst baserunner in the sport according to FanGraphs’ BsR metric (-4.5), and those two critical flaws have seemingly caused the Yankees to go in a different direction.
The Yankees did not make a formal offer to Torres despite their clear need for an infielder, and Brian Cashman being openly honest about the team’s desire to have him at third base shows a rift in how the team and player view the defensive skillset.
As things stand right now, the team will have a battle between Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza, and DJ LeMahieu for the final starting infield spot.