There is an increasing belief that the New York Yankees will make a serious run at Oakland Athletics star first baseman Matt Olson. Oakland is keen on shedding some salary space, indicating that Olson could be on the trade market this off-season. The Yankees have the assets to make a blockbuster deal, but it will likely start with one of their homegrown infielders.
Gleyber Torres, who is 24-years-old and preparing to turn 25, failed to make a name for himself at shortstop last season. With two All-Star appearances under his belt in just four years, Torres has the making of a star but simply hasn’t been able to match his offensive production with his defensive efficiency.
In 2021, Torres played 108 games before swapping back to second base. He recorded a below-average .952 fielding percentage with 18 errors and -10 defensive runs saved above average. Defensively, he was a liability for the Bombers, who are now in the market for a big name like Corey Seager or Carlos Correa.
However, general manager Brian Cashman has a bit of an issue. The team extended DJ LeMahieu last off-season, indicating he would likely play second base moving forward and move around as a result of injury. With that being the case, Torres is left in limbo, meaning he could be included in a big deal for a player like Olson.
In this prospective deal, the Yankees unload a few infielders to sway the A’s:
Yankees get:
-Matt Olson
Athletics get:
-Gleyber Torres
-Oswald Peraza
-Luke Voit
If the Yankees really want Olson, they’re going to have to be willing to give up several valuable players, and considering their minor-league system is stock full of shortstops, this deal makes the most sense. The Bombers currently have Anthony Volpe waiting in the wings, so Peraza is expendable at this point in time.
Ideally, they don’t give up Jasson Dominguez or Luis Medina, so they are able to keep their best prospects while sending away Torres, Voit, and Peraza.
In return, the Bombers get one of the best first basemen in baseball, who recorded his first All-Star appearance this past season and has won two Gold Gloves in six years. Olson recorded a .271 average with 39 homers and 111 RBIs last year. As a lefty, he would absolutely demolish teams at Yankee Stadium, giving him that much more value to the Bombers.
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