‘Somewhat Close': Why the NY Yankees Pulled the Plug on This Insane Trade

It was already a well-known fact that the New York Yankees were aggressive at the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline.

Brian Cashman and Co. were busy ahead of the deadline, bringing in Andrew Benintendi from the Kansas City Royals, Frankie Montas from the Oakland Athletics, and a slew of other players including Lou Trivino, Scott Effross and more.

The story could've ended there, but new details have emerged about a trade that nearly happened, which would've sent one of New York's most polarizing players out of town.

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Details Emerge of Near-Trade Sending Gleyber Torres to Miami

According to a report from Jon Heyman in The New York Post, the New York Yankees nearly shipped infielder Gleyber Torres out-of-town to the Miami Marlins, in a trade that would've netted the Bombers starting pitcher, Pablo Lopez.

Heyman explains that the deal would've been a one-for-one swap, until the Yankees chose to back out of the agreement ahead of the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline. Instead of adding another starting arm, New York chose to hang onto their promising young second baseman.

Now, the question becomes: should the Yankees have pulled the trigger on this deal?

Let's weigh the options for a moment. Torres, a 25-year old who becomes arbitration-eligible next season, is hitting .245 with 18 home runs, after hitting .259 in 127 games the year before. He was once the shortstop of the future in New York, but inconsistency in the field led to inconsistency at the plate, and he's since been relegated to second base for the foreseeable future.

Lopez, meanwhile, is a 26-year old right-handed starting pitcher, who is 8-8 with a 3.66 ERA. He had a 3.07 ERA in 20 games last season, and in total, has had an ERA in the "threes" each of his last three seasons. He's been a big-leaguer for five seasons, and was traded to Miami from Seattle in 2017.

Both players are arbitration-eligible this season, and can become free agents in 2025.

Now, let's be real about this: plenty of New York fans would've crucified Brian Cashman for pulling the trigger on this deal. Gleyber Torres, at times, has shown flashes of super-stardom, and parting with a young, promising asset will always be a risky move.

That said, here's my hot take for the day: I think they should've done it.

My rationale for this is simple: what is going to help you win a World Series in the next five years more: a second baseman that hits. 250 with plus power, or a front-line starter?

Yes, you have an abundance of starting pitching, and you acquired Frankie Montas to help bolster that part of your roster. That said, we haven't heard anything about Luis Severino recently. Jameson Taillon has been inconsistent, and I'm not sure you can completely trust him in the playoffs. Couple that with the fact that he's a free agent, and you know you're in danger of losing a prominent starting pitcher after this season.

You have DJ LeMahieu to play second base, and you have Matt Carpenter and Oswaldo Cabrera to play it when he's out of the line-up. Plus, you have two elite shortstop prospects in your organization, and only one of them can play the position at a time. The other, in all likelihood, will end up playing second.

Will choosing not to make this deal ruin your season? No, of course not. But, could it have made you even more formidable in the playoffs, and in future seasons?

In my opinion, yes, it certainly could've.