Yankees: Jeff Passan drops bomb about NYY’s potential trade deadline plans

If the New York Yankees win and Gleyber Torres makes an error, the discussion about his future at the shortstop position is fleeting and we move on.

If the New York Yankees get swept by the Detroit Tigers and Gleyber Torres makes two insane errors in the series finale and then follows that up with an 0-for-4 performance with an error against the Tampa Bay Rays the very next day, the discussion about his future at the shortstop position then shifts to potential candidates the team can acquire at the trade deadline to fix the problem.

Is that fair? Eh, somewhat. Torres hasn’t entirely been great. But that’s also life in New York. The Yankees are b-a-d right now, and it honestly feels as if any MLB team can have its way with them on any given night when their play is looking like it does at the moment.

When your own broadcast is calling you out for unacceptable and embarrassing play, perhaps then everyone should realize whatever’s going on is a legitimate problem.

That was further exacerbated by ESPN insider Jeff Passan’s appearance on Baseball Tonight after New York’s fourth straight loss on Monday.

His talking points? Torres’ “sub-standard play” at shortstop and whether or not general manager Brian Cashman should be considering a trade for Trevor Story.

The Yankees-Trevor Story trade rumors are back on after Jeff Passan’s bombshell.

Rumors are rumors and they usually come to life when fans begin connecting the dots in regards to what teams might be selling and what other teams might need in addition to speculative commentary from analysts and such. But when Passan hops on live television and delivers this haymaker? Oh man, it’s on. Now it’s a legitimate talking point we can run with.

Let’s clarify this, however, before it gets blown out of proportion. Torres, though certainly not doing himself many favors outside of his mini hot streak a week ago, is far from the Yankees’ most glaring issue. DJ LeMahieu is batting .262. Jameson Taillon has a 5.10 ERA. Aaron Boone is not a motivator. Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka can’t hit. Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge cannot lift this team from the grave when everything seems to be going wrong. They could’ve on Friday night but decided against it.

But the difference here is that the Yankees aren’t stuck with Torres. And the aforementioned names don’t necessarily need to prove that they’re future building blocks. The Yankees are either saddled down with their contracts or can rid themselves of them in a year or two.

Torres, on the other hand, has value on the trade market despite his poor play, and there will be an immediate option available that would allow the Yankees to upgrade in a significant way within the next two months. He’s only 24, but the Yankees can’t keep waiting around. They need answers now. The window is now. That’s why this discussion is getting louder and louder.

And Passan just sounded the alarm.

Yankees: Changes NYY must make after Memorial Day loss to Rays

The New York Yankees need to make some changes immediately after losing to the Tampa Bay Rays on Memorial Day. Stop waiting.