The New York Yankees are still reeling from the loss of mega-star slugger Juan Soto to the New York Mets and the all-time record contract the Mets offered. But the 2024 American League World Series representative will lose another valuable player to free agency, as well. As a result, the Bronx Bombers are also scrambling to find a high-level middle infielder. If one New York City sports media personality’s prediction bears fruit, they may have found one.
The Yankees’ two-time All Star second baseman and sometime shortstop Gleyber Torres, a native of Venezuela who debuted with New York in 2018, did not receive a qualifying offer from the Yankees. The qualifying offer is a contract predetermined by the Major League Baseball Collective Bargaining Agreement and set for 2025 at $21.05 million for one year.
Because he did not receive the pre-set offer, Torres is free to sign with any other team without any compensation coming back to the Yankees is the form of additional draft picks â picks that would be lost by the team signing the player.
Torres Replacement Predicted to be Found in Chicago
As of mid-December, Torres had yet to find a home with another team, though he has most recently been linked to the Seattle Mariners. Meanwhile, the Yankees reportedly have expressed no interest in bringing Torres back and continue to scour the trade and free agent markets for replacement.
Over the weekend, a Yankees play-by-play broadcaster for New York City’s WFAN radio, predicted that the Yankees could find that replacement on the North Side of Chicago.
Appearing on Baseball Night in New York, a program aired by the SNY cable network in conjunction with the New York Post, Emmanuel Berbari â who last season succeeded longtime Yankee announcer John Sterling when Sterling abruptly retired early in the 2024 season â predicted that the Yankees could make a blockbuster trade that would bring 2023 Golden Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner, 27, to New York along with veteran outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger, who could serve as replacement for Anthony Rizzo, another departed Yankees free agent.
UPDATE: The Bellinger portion of Barberi’s prediction was taken off the table on Tuesday afternoon when the Yankees acquired the 29-year-old in exchange for right-handed reliever Cody Poteet and cash, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Hoerner in 2025 will play the second year of a three-year contract that is slated to pay him a guaranteed total of $35 million. Bellinger is more expensive. After declining an opt-out clause in his current contract with the Cubs, Bellinger is owed $52.5 million over his 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Yankees Would Include Marcus Stroman in Deal
“Hoerner, I love the fit,” Berbari said on the Baseball Night broadcast. “The Yankees need more bat-to-ball guys, top of the order type, still young, middle infielder. This is the perfect blockbuster trade. And the money sort of works out too.”
Because the Yankees would be taking on salary with Bellinger and Hoerner, Berbari predicted that the Yankees might include 33-year-old righty hurler Marcus Stroman in the deal, shedding a probable $36.6 million over two years.
Stroman will pitch in 2025 on the second year of his contract at a salary of $18.3 million. If he throws at least 140 innings, his contract contains an option that automatically vests for 2026 at the same dollar figure.
The catch in Berbari’s trade prediction for the Yankees is that the Cubs, at least so far in the current offseason, have not indicated that they are interested in trading Hoerner. In addition, Hoerner’s season ended in October when he underwent surgery to repair a tendon in his right forearm. The timetable for his return to action in 2025 remains unknown.
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