Yankees: Could Trevor Story be mid-season trade target if Gleyber Torres falters?

While we’re on the never-ending topic that is the Colorado Rockies, in the wake of their inexplicably terrible trade with the St. Louis Cardinals that saw Nolan Arenado leave town, we can’t help but continue to look at the other potentially impactful members of their roster and how they can benefit the New York Yankees.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres figuring to rule the NL West for at least the next five years, the Rockies might be best suited selling everyone, getting the best returns possible for their top assets, and expediting their rebuild so they can contend a few years down the road when the Dodgers/Padres reign ends, or at least begins to simmer.

You know what that means? More Yankees-Trevor Story rumors! The Rockies, during their press conference to address the Arenado trade, said Story would be on the Opening Day roster. But given that he’s a free agent at the end of the year and he’s clearly upset with the franchise, we can expect him to be dealt before the non-waiver trade deadline.

Of course, this is unlikely, but let’s look at a worst-case scenario situation for the Yankees, shall we?

We’ve heard general manager Brian Cashman, for months, fail to give Gleyber Torres a vote of confidence as the team’s franchise starting shortstop. The organization was clearly upset with his defensive efforts in 2020 and the fact that he showed up to summer camp out of shape, which, regardless of how you look at it, is unacceptable for a professional athlete. It just is.

So, while the Yankees aren’t going to be judging Torres too harshly based on a 60-game sample, they might do so if his struggles continue in the first half of 2021. At this point, Torres has to hit the ground running to make all the question marks and doubts disappear. If he doesn’t, well, that changes everything, especially with DJ LeMahieu in town for six years. Torres can’t move back to second.

In the event this does happen (we REALLY hope it doesn’t), we can’t rule out the Yankees calling up the Rockies at the deadline and talking about a Story deal. Then, perhaps, they can move Torres for pitching if they’re still looking to upgrade the rotation at that point, because they won’t be trading him for a half-season of Story.

You heard Cashman on Friday. He didn’t hold back whatsoever. And he’s holding this team accountable every which way he can, because he knows it’s capable of winning it all.

It seems his patience in running thin, and if that’s the case, Torres better hope he’s nearly flawless on the defensive end, because the organization isn’t going to let subpar play with this All-Star team hold them back for yet another season.

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