Inside The Mariners

MLB Network Reporter Advocates For Seattle Mariners to Sign Gleyber Torres

MLB Network's Greg Amsinger pointed towards former New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres as being a potential fit for the Seattle Mariners.

Teren Kowatsch

New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres hits a single during a World Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 15 at Dodger Stadium.
New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres hits a single during a World Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 15 at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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The Seattle Mariners are in need of three infield positions (first base, second base, third base) and have reportedly been kicking tires to try and get a deal figured out.

The Mariners have been in talks with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. With the team's limited payroll, there's very few free agent targets that Seattle can sign without clearing up funds or making an unexpected move.

But at least one reporter thinks a recent American League champion would be a good fit in the Pacific Northwest.

MLB Network's Greg Amsinger went on Seattle Sports' Wyman & Bob show on Thursday and had high praise for former New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres, and seemed to support the Mariners making a deal to acquire the two-time All-Star.

"There's a guy that was the Julio Rodriguez of the infield, if you think about it. And right now, I don't believe you'd have to give a gigantic contract to sign Gleyber Torres. Gleyber Torres, ever since the Yankees moved him up in the lineup, really, really bought in to taking the ball the other way and became a good hitter again. If you go back and look at Gleyber Torres' numbers early on in his career, you were thinking 'My goodness, he's the Julio of second base.' He was going to be a 40-homer second baseman. I really think you can buy low on Gleyber Torres. Because there's so many organizations that don't know what he is. But if you look at his second half and the way he played in the postseason on the biggest stage, the dude is oozing with talent. Is he going to win a Gold Glove? No. Is he a major upgrade to anything else the Mariners would have to put at second base? Absolutely, yes.

In 14 games played, Torres batted .241 with two home runs and eight RBIs in the playoffs. In 2024, he batted .257 with 15 homers and 63 RBIs. He posted batting averages of .250 in July, .276 in August and .333 in September.

Torres has finished with a season batting average below .257 just once in his seven-year career and has hit 15-or-more homers in five out of seven seasons.

Offensively, Torres would be an upgrade over the Mariners' options the last several seasons. He would also be cheap with a market value of roughly three years, $21 million, per Spotrac.

Like Amsinger said, it's a question of which Torres that Seattle would get. Is it the Torres that hit 62 homers in his first two seasons or the one that hit 40 across the last two years.

The Mariners reportedly are placing a bigger priority on improving the corner infielders and looking in-house for second base. But if Torres signs for cheap, then it can change the team's approach.

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Teren Kowatsch
TEREN KOWATSCH

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