New York Yankees
The Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees becoming rivals would be perfect.
Gleyber Torres could be a name the Yankees seriously considered trading once the lockout ends, especially if it nets them a good bullpen arm. The Yankee’s weakness last season was their bullpen.
Once Aroldis Chapman went down with an injury, they were forced to use Zack Britton as their closer and the results were disastrous. Landing Kimbrel could provide the Yankees with the bullpen insurance they need.
Meanwhile, Gleyber Torres would provide the White Sox with an excellent option at second base. Torres is a two-time All-Star whose future with the club is uncertain. Torres’s career got off to a blazing start. He hit .271 with 24 home runs and a .820 OPS in his first MLB season. He finished third in the 2018 Rookie of the Year voting and earned his first appearance in the All-Star game.
He followed that up with an even better 2019 season. Torres returned to the All-Star game the following season and raised his average to .278. He also hit 38 home runs, drove in 90 RBIs, and increased his OPS to .871.
However, his numbers have taken a slight downtick the past couple of seasons. His batting average dipped to .243 in 2020. Because it was a shortened 60 game season, not too much stock was put into it. However, when he hit .259 with only nine home runs in 2021, questions began to emerge in the organization.
Torres ceiling is worth the investment for a team like the White Sox. Any guy that has the potential to hit 30 home runs in the middle of the infield is worth taking a gamble on. Especially for the team like the White Sox who are so close to getting over the top.
For the Yankees, Torres is moveable because DJ LeMahieu has second base locked down. Meanwhile, the Yankees have two young studs that can play shortstop in Oswald Peraza and Oswaldo Cabera.
Oswald Peraza blew through the Yankees farm system starting the 2021 season in high A then finishing the season in Triple-A. Peraza managed to hit .286 while he was in Triple-A so a call-up could be around the corner for the 21-year old.
Cabera is a switch hitter that batted .500 in his nine games in Triple-A. He is only 22 and like Peraza, seems poised to make the jump to the next level at some point next season. Once the lockout ends the White Sox should make a serious run at Torres.