The loss of outfielder Juan Soto has led the New York Yankees to make a number of acquisitions. Second base is one position that general manager Brian Cashman still needs to fill, though. Could Gleyber Torres be replaced in New York by Gold Glove Award winner Ha-Seong Kim? It appears that Torres will not be playing in the Bronx next season, despite his public declaration that he would prefer to play for the rest of his career in pinstripes.
The Yankees now have two options for filling this roster gap: either use an internal option or sign a player through free agency or the trade market. Kim might be able to help with that.
The 29-year-old is better in the field and is serviceable at the plate, while having less offensive potential than Torres. Kim finished 14th in the National League MVP Award voting, with a career OPS of.706, and was awarded a Gold Glove Award in 2023.
Despite mostly playing shortstop, Kim’s defence was valued at four Outs Above Average (OAA) in 2024, according Statcast. As the starting second baseman for the Yankees, Torres had a -4 OAA defence. During a free agency discussion on Instagram, MLB analyst Steven Russell stated that Kim ought to end up in the Bronx.
“Ha Seong Kim … perfect Yankees fit after Gleyber Torres,” Russell stated. “A person who prioritizes defence and is at least a mediocre batter. In terms of defence, he is also rather adaptable.
The team could use it, in my opinion. The Yankees would have alternatives if they included Kim. Since making his big-league debut in 2021, he has amassed a substantial amount of innings at shortstop, second base, and third base. He may play third base and let Jazz Chisholm Jr. return to the keystone, or he could replace Torres at second base. According to Spotrac, Kim will sign a four-year, $49 million contract.
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