Yankees should consider buying out Gleyber Torres’ arbitration years

Improvement already

At 22-years-old, I had my first job in media and was mainly concerned with what shows were on Netflix. At the same age, look at the improvement Torres has already experienced in 2019 compared to 2018:

• Batting Average
  • .280 vs. .271
• Hits
  • 152 vs. 117
• Runs
  • 96 vs. 54
• Doubles
  • 26 vs. 16
• Home Runs
  • 38 vs. 24
• RBI
  • 90 vs. 77
• K percentage
  • 21.1 percent vs. 25.2 percent
• Slugging percentage
  • .538 vs. .480
• OPS
  • .876 vs. .820
• WRC
  • 97 vs. 70

Granted, he’s played in 20 more games this year. But again, at 22 — what will these numbers look like when he’s 25?

Accolades and Future Expectations

Torres will turn 23 in December 2019. As mentioned, he’s already a two-time All-Star. The only other Yankees to make multiple All-Star teams before the age of 23 are nobodies by the names of Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle.

Torres finished third in the 2018 Rookie of the Year voting. That award should have been won by teammate Miguel Andújar in a Bonnie & Clyde, John Dillinger and Jesse James-worthy example of highway robbery.

Torres is also the second Yankee to hit 30+ home runs in a season before turning 23. Joe D hit 46 in 1937.

Sometimes when a player takes a swing, you just know. The numbers tell me that Torres is already knocking on the door of the stardom stratosphere, and the eye test tells me that he’s going to be one of the elites. The trade that I rolled my eyes at in 2016 will go down as one of the great heists of all time.