If the Yankees are going to acquire a front-line starting pitcher this summer, it’s not going to come at the expense of rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres. General manager Brian Cashman suggested to Brendan Kuty of NJ.com and other reporters Friday that the 21-year-old Torres is untouchable. Asked if he’d consider dealing Torres, Cashman quipped, “C’mon now. I have to walk around this city.” Cashman estimates that he has talked trades with around 20 teams since June 6, though it’s no surprise that he’s uninterested in sending Torres anywhere. Torres has made good on the considerable hype he had as a minor league prospect by opening his MLB career with a .290/.345/.568 line and 13 home runs in 178 plate appearances. As a result, Torres may be the American League Rookie of the Year front-runner.
- Torres is part of the new guard with the Yankees, whose longest-tenured player, outfielder Brett Gardner, remains a quality major leaguer at the age of 34. Gardner, who debuted with the Yankees in 2008 and is controllable through 2019 on a $12.5MM club option (or a $2MM buyout), discussed his future with Kuty earlier this week. While Gardner revealed that he’s aiming to play “two or three more years,” preferably with the Yankees, he admitted he’d consider finishing his career elsewhere if they “don’t want me here anymore and I still wanted to play a couple more years.” Whether Gardner will remain a Yankee in 2019 is far from certain – they may still boast outfielders Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier without him next year, after all – but he has made a strong case to stick with the franchise. Through 269 PAs this season, Gardner has batted .258/.350/.384 with five homers and seven steals. His above-average offensive output and outstanding work in the field (14 Defensive Runs Saved, 5.9 Utimate Zone Rating) have already led to 2.0 fWAR thus far.
- Like Gardner, Rays catcher Wilson Ramos could find himself in another uniform next season. However, the free agent-to-be informed Bill Ladson of MLB.com that he’d be content to continue in Tampa Bay, in part because it gave him a chance after he tore his left ACL and meniscus while with the Nationals in late 2016. “I’m very happy with this organization because they gave me the opportunity to have my career, especially after the knee surgery,” Ramos said. “A lot of teams were behind me before the knee surgery. After the surgery, everybody turned around and didn’t pay attention to me. But [the Rays] helped me to get better, helped me with my rehab. So I’m very excited with all the little things they have done for me. If I stay here, I’ll be happy.” The Rays guaranteed Ramos $12.5MM over two years on the heels of his injury, and while his production went backward in 2017, he has rebounded this season. The 30-year-old has slashed .282/.326/.437 with eight HRs in 227 PAs, also earning plus marks as a pitch framer. Ramos’ bounce-back efforts not only bode well for another potential trip to the open market, but they could make him an attractive trade chip in the next couple months.
- A report Friday indicated the Orioles have interviewed former Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti for a front office position, but O’s executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette shot that down Saturday. “My understanding is it’s not true,” Duquette told Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com. “That’s all I can tell you.” If hired, Colletti would perhaps help replace Duquette, who’s in the last year of his contract and has reportedly lost power in the team’s front office. However, Duquette informed Connolly that he’d like to continue with the Orioles, who hired him back in 2011.
The writer failed to add Ellsbury to the group of Yankees outfielders.
Can you blame him?
I, for one, completely forgot about him lol
That’s what the NYY get for stealing players from the Redsox, haha.
In an ideal world, Ellsbury would sit out the remainder of the season, then the Yankees would get reimbursed $15,857,142.86.
Yanks have Insurance, dawg.^
Who??
The other 29 teams should just blacklist the Yankees in trade talks unless they are willing to part with Torres.
Why? Because you hate the Yankees, so everyone else should too?
Because of their obnoxious entitled attitude and tendency to make crap offers for a team’s best players with several years of control and act like they are doing them a huge favor with those offers.
Not trading a great asset isn’t obnoxious. It’s smart.
Not if you would be trading him for a better asset.
And making a crap offer and then acting like you were doing the other team a huge favor with that offer and they are idiots for not taking it IS obnoxious.
Blathering on and on about hypothetical things thinking “hey look at me I’m gonna set those guys straight”..which is rather textbook mental..
You make it sound like the Yankees’ trading partners have no say in the matter.
Torres is worth more than anyone that’s available on the trade bloc anyways.
I think you are very confused as to the definition of “hypothetical.” The Yankees have done what I described several times in the past 3 years.
Of course they have a say in the matter and that’s why making crap offers for controllable impact talent won’t get the Yankees what they want.
Apparently they wouldn’t trade Torres for deGrom. Idk if we can call deGrom “available” but he is easily worth more than Torres.
You’re confusing the Yankees FO with their fans.
Don’t be dumb.
And their talking heads like Joel Sherman.
Controllable cheap assets are pretty valuable, especially for a team like the Yankees who are going to have Stanton forever and Judge will be getting paid soon enough. I mean, in this hypothetical, who is the “better player” the Yankees are dealing for? Machado? The Yankees would never do that, nor should they. I don’t really see any other player with as much value who would be available. The Yankees aren’t going to get Mike Trout and obviously nobody’s dealing a young potential superstar.
The Yankees and Red Sox and Giants got in trouble precisely by dealing young players and replacing them with old and expensive guys. That’s not generally how teams are winning these days.
If two months of Chapman can get Torres, a season and a half of Bumgarner, 2 and a half of deGrom or 3 and a half of Hand should have no problem getting him. Although I’m not sure how “available” Bumgarner and deGrom are.
And Bumgarner has looked terrible this year and has missed most of the last year-and-a-half with injuries. And the Cubs were in World Series-or-bust mode when they traded Torres for Chapman, which is a trade they’d love to have back now but Chapman felt, to them, like the necessary part of the rebuild and the Cubs ruly thought Baez was going to turn into an elite second baseman/shortstop.
Also, looking at Torres’ stats now, and as amazing as they are for a 21-year-old in his first MLB action and in NYC, that K rate has to be a bit concerning, right? He’s striking out in like 30% of his ABs. Still can’t imagine they’ll listen on him.
“If two months of Chapman can get Torres, a season and a half of Bumgarner, 2 and a half of deGrom or 3 and a half of Hand should have no problem getting him. Although I’m not sure how “available” Bumgarner and deGrom are.”
Wow. This is ultimate case of recently bias. Cubs were unique case. Lol
We’ve had this discussion here before?? Not every team is willing to sell their left and right *** to end 108 year curse. Further exasperating the uniqueness of the Cubs’ case, that piece (Gleyber) did not bat higher than Single A, and blocked by Cubs positional players for next 10+ years.
And.. Right now he’s killing MLB!
Hand, god it was only a matter of time before you showed yourself. Hand for Torres NFW would that or should that ever happen. OMFG
What would you rather have a half a season of Chapman or 3 and a half seasons of Hand?
If you’re referring to the Cubs, I’ll take the ship everyday and twice on Sunday.
LOL did they beat your team to a pulp recently?
He’s evidently a Padres fan so that’s pretty much every team.
So you are saying some prospect is worth more to the Yanks than a championship?
Got it.
Not some prospect – a 21-year-old holding his own in his first major-league experience and part of the team’s future. The Yankees as constructed could very easily win a championship; outside the starting rotation they don’t really have any glaring holes, and I don’t see a starting pitcher on the market that would move the needle much. I mean, seriously, which starting pitcher is currently on the market that you would give up 6 years of a possibly-great starting second-baseman for?
This argument would hold more weight if Torres wasn’t a key MLB contributor now. If this was Gleyber Torres in AAA it’s an argument you can make but he’s a valuable starting 2B RIGHT NOW. He’s as close to untouchable as you should be. You trade Torres you also have to figure out 2B because that’s your 2B. Drury is a downgrade for this season and you’d miss out on Torres for the next 6. I wouldn’t move that either. They should have enough chips to make a splash without touching Torres. Frazier, Sheffield and Florial In a package will land you a frontline pitcher.
Look who’s calling who obnoxious!!!!
As you mentioned below, deGrom or Syndergaard.
Other teams don’t have to trade their star players when they near free agency. They’re more than welcome to extend them instead.
In fact, it would be better for everyone, including the Yankees, if other owners invested into payroll the way Yankee ownership does….especially when those other owners are in the same exact market the Yankees are in…and yet, are too cheap to pay guys like deGrom, so that they don’t have to trade them.
It would also be helpful if the Yankees didn’t have to ship off part of their revenue to other teams, so that some billionaire owner in Pittsburgh can take a few extra millions to the grave with him.
I don’t think deGrom is available currently unless the Mets were blown away and Syndegaard is hurt.
If you’re ignorant of the facts, the Yankees can afford the high payroll due to the high revenues from being in the largest market. The Mets have their own problems, being an expansion team within the Yankees established market. Put a hard salary cap on the Yankees and they would become the Knicks.
Good luck with that. There is plenty of talent on the Yankees to go after. MLB much ?
Imagine if every team blacklisted, lets say, the Red Sox for not wanting to trade Benitendi. What if every team blacklisted the Blue Jays for not wanting to trade Vlad Jr? Its a very silly proposition and you should be ashamed for advocating that a team should make terrible trades and get burnt at the deadline just because they made some good trades.
Rooster that is silly. You come across as bitter and jealous of the Yankees. No GM has a gun to his head to make a trade they do not want to make with the Yankees.
Every team has untouchable players. Cash just has the lower fortitude to say the names of his untouchable players. U think the Red Sox would trade Devers? Etc. cash just says it out loud unlike other gms
Gardner has a cheap team option for 2019. So he’s staying another year.
Staying or getting traded. No way Yankees decline that option unless Gardner gets injured.
There’s nothing in trading Gardner, for the Yankees, They wouldn’t get any top flight talent they could actually use in the majors, for him, Meanwhile, even as a fourth outfielder and clubhouse leader, he helps the team.
“There’s nothing in trading Gardner” he is more then likely gone after this season, so what exactly do you mean?
Gardner is Popeye to me!!!
wish the Ray’s could talk the Nationals into taking Ramos back and giving us Trey Turner, fat chance right
Gardy is a great asset to this squad. Leader in the clubhouse and a producer at the plate and on the field. Can easily play another 2 or 3 years. As a yankee fan it’s just hard to envision him with anyone besides us. I hope he sticks around.
Even though the report came from outside the Baltimore media I bet this story was cooked up by someone within the Oriole province because in the war between Showalter and Duquette, the media always has sided with Showalter
At least that is my opinion
As for me I blame Showalter and he should have been fired last season!!!!
He is awful! and so is most of his handpicked coaching staff.
Buddy your hate is being misdirected. You’re shooting off at Showalter who, admittedly isn’t without blame, but he isn’t the root of the problem here. I
Absolutely. Rule 5 players, bad deals, and his attempt to jump to Toronto by Danny has driven this team into a shell of its short playoff run. His lack of moves during those years to strengthen the team kept them from going further. Buck has done as well as he could with this incompetence.
That stems from the restraints from ownership
Probably would never happen but come on if the Mets dangled degrom or Syndegard straight up for Torres which in my opinion is not enough yet considering Torres is still young but Cashman won’t take that? Yankees and the Astros are probably by far the heavy favorites for the World Series this year, they get one of them it’s pretty much a lock.
And by young I mean inexperienced.
I would not do that. I would dangle Andujar/Frazier– mostly because there is depth at those positions– but not Torres.
It’s gotta be a huge trade though to do a Yankees Mets trade
That’s kind of a circular argument for Torres and Andujar considering they can cover the same spots in the infield.
Torres and Andujar can cover the same spots in the infield?????
Really, While Torres is a natural shortstop playing second, and can probably more than adequately play 3rd also, Andujar has not played anything other than 3rd.
Doesn’t sound like a circular argument to me!
There is no way that Cashman trades either Torres or Andujar at the deadline, he will try and upgrade the pitching with prospects like Frazier or Drury.. I like a trade for with the Cards or Braves for either Hudson, Allard, or Soroka. They are major league ready controllable pitchers. This would be a better move rather than going after Hamels,Ross, or the like.
I agree with this. People saying that the Yankees should trade Torres and Andujar are out of their minds. Might as well trade Judge, Sanchez, and Didi while youre at it.
But I can see him trading Frazier and Drury, although I would advise against trading Frazier.
Do you think the Braves would be willing to part with SP? I have a feeling that they would want to stick it out so that they can capitalize on a weaker NL East. That said, Drury and Frazier are MLB talents…
In that case it’s gonna be hard for them to get anyone who isn’t about to be a free agent.
And you know this how?
Because those players’ GM’s have all the leverage and aren’t going to trade them unless they are overwhelmed.
lofl!!
Yeah because they had to trade Torres or someone Torres-esque to get Gray, right?
A’s played that one horribly. Basically put a for-sale sign on Gray and threw out all their leverage. I honestly would have kept him rather than take the trash return they ended up getting for him.
Anyway, most of the controllable starters’ teams aren’t going to do anything like that this year.
Why would the Yankees need to drastically pay way much more than other teams have had to give up to obtain a SP? Gleyber and Andujar is better than anyone in the trade for Sale (although Kopech is looking like he can be really good). Just because you want the Yankees to make an awful trade doesnt mean they have to. Surprised youre not asking them to put Judge on the market.
“this year”
Already happened with Gerrit Cole and the Astros. Already happened with Odorizzi and the Twins. Im sure im leaving a bunch out. Oh and btw, the package wasnt bad just because you dont recognize the names from MLB the Show. Mateo is still a top 100 prospect and Dustin Fowler is good too.
And just because you want their respective teams to take the Yankees’ crap offers for deGrom, Syndergaard, Bumgarner or Hand doesn’t mean they will. Cashman seems to prefer trades where the other GM has no leverage so at this point he’s getting a rental starter from a non-contender. Like Hamels or Ross.
Fowler is coming off major knee surgery and has an OPS south of .700 this year. And if Mateo were any good the Yankees wouldn’t have been trying to pawn him off on other teams in every trade they tried to make for a solid 2 years. As I type this comment, he is OPSing .624 in AAA.
I do not expect other teams to take crap offers. Unlike you, I do not expect other teams to offer things in convenience of the team I like.
Me and you seem to have different ideas about what offers are good and what offers are bad. You seem to think that trading rising stars and ROY candidates are the only real trade chips the Yankees have. The package for Gray was pretty even, for example, but you think it was awful on the A’s part. If you asked the A’s, they would say they made the right move. (Oh, and someone already has, and they already said that they did)
Btw, Colin Moran was played twice as many games as Dustin Fowler and yet they have a similar WAR (which is cumulative). Moran having a 0.6 WAR and Fowler having a 0.5 WAR. Colin Moran was the center piece of the Gerrit Cole trade while Dustin Fowler was secondary to Mateo in the trade for Gray. Are you trying to tell me that the standard rate for a good SP costs a young, cheap, all-star caliber player with many years of control starts with Torres? This isnt about what offers I want other teams to take, this is about what offers teams have taken in the past and what is reasonable to offer based on history. Like I said before, the the package the White Sox got for Sale would be nothing compared to any package with Andujar or Torres in it. (Not because the people in that package couldnt become great MLB players but because they were still minor leaguers and werent proven commodities while Andujar and Torres are no longer prospects and are looking more like all-star caliber players that are already in starting positions in the MLB). You can look at any trade in the last ten years for any SP and you will not see a single one that has someone like Gleyber Torres being part of the package. I dont know if you’ve been paying attention, but Gleyber has already been called up and is shredding it in the majors at 21 years old. So have fun finding a trade for a SP that includes a young, cheap, controllable asset that is playing like an all-star and looking like a mainstay every as the starting piece in a package.
Btw, I have always thought that Mateo was overrated, but he is still a top 100 prospect regardless. His stock stems from his athleticness and his speed even though his hitting is not very good.
*replace “starts with” with “like”
just saw that typo it but cant edit comments on the app
A’s played that horrible?!? Lol
A’s definitely won that trade Sonny is garbage number 4 starter at best!!
Can we please look at your Padres trade history so we can all get a huge effin laugh.
Dan Du’s Orioles have been in the gutter since he’s been there. Remember he threw The Rocket in the gutter, n the rest is the Rockets history. Omg he used to pickup players off the scrap heap in Boston. N it had good results initially, till the league saw them then it was not a good mood.
Cole Hamels is an excellent post season pitcher. The Yankees lineup doesn’t need anymore than Hamels offers.
You like Hamels, don’t you Casey? Fond memories of the Phills’ 2008 WS Champs & ‘08 WS MVP, I’ll bet.
I would love for Hamels to go out a champ w/ NYY, and one of the few whom thinks, Hamels is the most realistic trade target as well. What complicates things is the NTC, 20 million team option, and what prospects do you realistically think it would take? (well as how much $$ TEX would have to cover)
Justus Sheffield for Hamels
I don’t see the money as an issue. If the Yankees need that taken by Texas because of their payroll tax problem then they will have to throw in someone else of value like Estevan Florial (or whatever his real Haitian name is).
Florial isn’t doing very well and who knows how old he is? Maybe Texas wants another pitcher from the Yanks system? I’m not a mind reader.
Sheffield and Florial for Hamels? Seriously? Have you seen Hamels’ pitching line this year? His FIP is over 5 and his Whip is 1.25.. This is not 2008-2012 Hamels. No way he brings a top 50 prospect (let alone 2) in return unless Texas eats his entire contract. To think the Yankees would trade their top 2 prospects for anyone short of DeGrom or Thor is ridiculous.
He has already said he is willing to waive his NTC to be traded to a contender. Well, according to Buster Olney he has. I know that is worth a grain of salt.
“No way he brings a top 50 prospect”
You’re looking at old lists. Sheffield is maybe a 70 while Florial is off the Top 100 lists.
If Sheffield for Hamels makes you pause you aren’t ready to face the price for DeGrom. Sheffield is just throw in material in a DeGrom deal.
You’re crazy. Sheffield is 25th, 26 in baseball America.
Florial had a meh half year and got hurt. He’s still top 50 with REAL 5 tool talent. Hamels gets no one of significance with his contract. He might get Florial as a headliner if Texas is lucky.
Yeah, no way Hamels waives the no-trade unless his option is picked up for 2019. And Hamels isn’t worth Torres anyway., let alone worth 20 million dollars more next year. Maybe you sacrifice Frazier, although I don’t think The Yankees would do that either.
This isn’t exactly a strong market for starting pitchers: Of the teams out of it – O’s Padres, Jays, Rays, Rangers, White Sox, Royals, Mets, Marlins, Reds, the only starters I see who could command elite-level prospects are the Mets guys., and DeGrom is cheap and won’t be a FA for three years, so no real reason for the Mets to deal him unless they were overwhelmed. SyndeGarrd is basically in the same position – the Mets don’t really need to deal him unless they were getting a massive return. I honestly don’t think just Torres would get DeGrom or SyndeGaard.
No way Hamels waives his NTC even though waiving it means he gets to finish out the last year of his contract pitching for a contender as opposed to a pretender like the Rangers?
He’d do it but only, I think for the 20 million dollars next year. I mean, he’s at the end and he already has a ring. He obviously has the complete NTC for a reason; maybe he really likes Texas? He’s from California, maybe he’d waive the option to be traded to a team there but no real need seems to exist.
What would be the point in blocking a trade? No one wants to pick up that option but wouldn’t he rather have a shot at ring #2 this year?
I mean, Hamels has all the leverage in this scenario so of course he’s going to ask for the 20 million. If the Yankees or Dodgers or whomever really want him he gets to dictate the terms of that deal. I doubt a second ring with some team he played for for three months isn’t nearly as important as the one he got with the Phillies, the team that drafted and developed him. People, like money, especially people who are already phenomenally rich. I don’t get it, not having been one of those people, but that’s the way the world works.
Hamels can ask all day but is he really going to hard bargain for it and stay in Texas? I doubt that seriously. He didn’t sign on the dotted line to play in Texas he waived his NTC to go to what he believed was a contender then. Don’t see why he wouldn’t do that again. I think he still has the competitive fire; waving it to go to Texas in the first place would suggest that. He can stick them up if the yankees and dodgers are interested and choose to only go to LA. but the Yankees aren’t going to agree to pick up a 20 million dollar option before he throws a pitch for them. They’d move on to the next one.
He has no leverage in the scenario. They don’t have to pick up his option. And even if they don’t do you seriously think finishing out the season with the Rangers would be preferable to finishing it out with someone else and having a shot at a ring?
I know people like money, but if he can’t get it isn’t a ring the next best thing? The option isn’t going to be picked up if he blocks the trade either.
He didn’t waive his NTC to go to Texas. They weren’t on his no-trade list. He blocked a trade to the Astros who were on the no-trade list. And IIRC they were willing to exercise the option.
Well, MadBum is a better post season pitcher, so if he’s available…
As for Hamels, sure. But expecting significant prospects, on top of the money he’s owed, is crazy talk. Cashman will refuse to over-pay, the Rangers will end up hung up on a named prospect they would like to have, and the negotiations will break down. Same as they did with Pittsburgh, over Gerrit Cole.
And it’s fine. If no one’s willing to be reasonable at the trade deadline, we’ll go to the playoffs with what we have, and win anyway. They we’ll sign a veteran pitcher in the winter, for only money. .
Cubs fan/light Yankees fan chiming in…..
He’d have to be absolutely insane to trade Torres. That kid is a star-in-the-making.
How about a Cubs-Yankees World Series this year, does that sound like something you’d be interested in?
I don’t think it’s so crazy asking for Torres in return for Degrom. Anyone else, yea, probably too much. But for it to be dismissed so easily shows how enamored every one has become with top prospects. Severino and Degrom atop the rotation for the next few years should sound pretty good for Yankees fans.
Torres is not a prospect he is an All-Star second baseman this year. He is a far better player than anybody the Mets have on their entire team and if he continues on the path he is on a likely future hall of famer. Cashman is not going to trade him for a pitcher about to turn 30.
Will you please stop it with the crazy hoopla, the guy could go into a headfirst slump and be sent back to AAA. Although they shouldn’t trade him statements like “He is a far better player then the Mets have on their entire team” is just not true. degrom is way more valuable and would make the Yankees unstoppable with a one-two of Severino-deGrom.
You’re obviously trolling.
Guys while Torres has done amazing things this year I think we will really see how great he is in the next couple of months when teams have a strong scouting report on him. Also we have seen many players go on amazing runs there first year and then struggle. Also the Cubs trade for Chapman wasn’t that terrible. Baez is a top 10 RBI hitter rn and there middle infield is performing. The trade won them a World Series! The Cubs would have never won without Chapman!
Gardner is not worth it. Hicks is not worth it. Both should be replaced by Frazier starting yesterday
You’re an idiot
Me?
Na, mr nitemare
How Much Will It Help If Either Right Now Or Sometime Before My New York Yankees Host The Boston Red Sox On June 29 For A 3 Game Series At Yankee Stadium,Brian Cashman Trades Albert Abreu,Domingo Acevedo,Freicer Perez,Clint Frazier,Billy McKinney & Estevan Florial for either Madison Bumgarner,Cole Hamels,Patrick Corbin,James Paxton,Danny Duffy,J.A. Happ,Jacob DeGrom,Chris Archer,Felix Hernandez,Tyson Ross,Lance Lynn or Michael Fulmer.
Stop Commenting Like This You Duashcanoe
It’s going to piss off Yankee haters but Cashman is going to trade spare parts for an inning eating starter to cement the rotation, and march right through the playoffs. Torres and Anduhar will stay Yankees.