The Yankees have officially closed the book on Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo, as reported by the always-reliable Jack Curry of YES Network. According to Curry, the Yankees have “no plans” to pursue either player in free agency, and while I’ve always liked both of them, this is baseball. And in baseball, tough decisions are as routine as a seventh-inning stretch.
Anthony Rizzo’s departure probably stings the most. When he arrived at the trade deadline in 2021, he felt like the perfect piece: a slick-fielding, left-handed power hitter with veteran leadership to boot. But injuries turned his Yankee tenure into a revolving door to the IL. His back gave him grief in 2022, a head injury sidelined him in 2023, and 2024 ended with a broken arm. The Yankees paid him a $6 million buyout to move on, which is logical but still tough to swallow.
First base is now a question mark. Oswaldo Cabrera is versatile but not a long-term solution, and Ben Rice—well, let’s just say his rookie slash line of .171/.264/.349 suggests he needs more seasoning. Safe to say, the Yankees will likely shop around for a new first baseman.
Then there’s Gleyber Torres, the ultimate “what could have been” story. When Torres debuted in 2018, he looked like a star in the making, and his 38-homer season in 2019 only cemented that feeling. But after that, his bat cooled off, his slugging percentage took a nosedive, and consistency became a foreign concept.
To his credit, Torres showed resilience in 2024. After a sluggish start, he adjusted during the All-Star break and hit .293 with a .361 OBP over the second half of the season. He even reclaimed the leadoff spot and performed decently in the postseason. But the Yankees decided not to extend him a qualifying offer, and now he’s gone it appears, officially according to Curry. It’s like breaking up with someone you know is talented but just isn’t right for your long-term plans.
Jack Curry’s report makes it clear that the Yankees are focusing on the future, even if it means letting go of two well-known faces. Baseball is a business, after all, and sometimes that business means saying goodbye to players you’ve rooted for.
Rizzo and Torres both leave behind memories—some great, some frustrating—but here’s hoping they find success elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Yankees have plenty of work to do this offseason, and Jack Curry will probably be the first to let us know what’s next. Stay tuned.
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