The Toronto Blue Jays, looking to solidify their infield and provide some pop to the lineup, are predicted to seize a starter away from the American League East frontrunner.
Toronto fell well off the pace in the division last season, as the team’s 74-88 record was good for dead last — 20 games behind the Yankees.
However, in hopes of drawing closer to New York before next season, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report predicts the Blue Jays will sign Yankees free-agent second baseman Gleyber Torres this winter.
Torres, a highly regarded prospect who the Chicago Cubs traded to New York for closer Aroldis Chapman during the Cubs’ 2016 drive to win a World Series title for the first time since 1908, quickly endeared himself to Yankee fans upon his MLB debut in 2018.
However, after earning All-Star Game nods in his first two big-league seasons, Torres’ production trailed off during an attempted move to shortstop in 2020 and 2021. While his offensive statistics have again improved since moving back to short, he has not developed into the superstar that Gotham initially thought it had.
Though Torres remains a solid second-sacker with a career batting average of .265 and 20-plus home run power, resigning him does not appear to be a priority for the Yankees as the team may opt to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to the middle infield.
An MLB.com panel noted that the near-28-year-old could benefit greatly from a fresh start away from the harsh glare of playing in Yankee Stadium. Such a fresh start could certainly be realized by playing for “Canada’s Team” in Toronto.
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