Gleyber Torres’ Yankees tenure ended with a fresh controversy. Yeah, that’s right! Brian Cashman openly criticized his commitment in a YES Network interview mentioning his refusal to move to third base. Well, Torres is focusing on his personal free-agent value instead of the New York Yankees’ need after they acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. Naturally, debates around Gleyber Torres’ right to look out for himself are under the spotlight.

Now a Tiger, the ex-Yankee’s reaction has added more fuel to the fire while Cashman’s remarks are still making waves.

The New York Yankees’ trade for Jazz Chisholm Jr. as a 2B came with the assumption that Torres would shift to third. But, as per Cashman, Torres feared it would hurt his free-agent stock, and hence, refused. The team’s GM linked this incident to Josh Hader declining a four-out save not to damage his market value. Apparently, Cashman’s remarks framed Torres as a “me-first” player. And it did not sit well with Yankees fans.

But the defensive metrics support issues related to his reluctance, because Torres ranked near the bottom among second basemen in outs above average, with -9 OAA in 2023. And with the New York Yankees’ win-now mode, the team needed positional flexibility. Now, Torres’ unwillingness forced Chisholm to learn third base instead. Cashman shared, “He is basically hammering in the fact that Gleyber Torres is a me guy.”

However, beyond Torres’ choice, Cashman’s management raised more eyebrows. Publicly calling out a former team player is not a basic front-office practice and some even questioned its necessity. “Glaber did, in fact, catch wind of such reviews,” speculating whether Cashman’s words were to send a message.

The New York Yankees’ current history contains multiple publicized internal issues, questioning the clubhouse management. So, was this really just another instance of New York mishandling a vital player?

Torres replies to the Yankees: The bigger picture

The shortstop seemingly reacted through a cryptic social media post (well, that’s deleted now!). His X post read, “Move on” with no further explanation, leading fans to believe it was directed at the Yankees. While it was not a point-blank address to Cashman, the timing indicated frustration with how New York managed his exit. Now, there’s a new debate: Was Torres being unfairly criticized for safeguarding his long-term career?

To be honest, it extends beyond Torres. The New York Yankees have a history of internal issues making headlines, from Cashman’s past criticisms of players to tension in the clubhouse. Evidently, such public disputes can affect future free agents’ willingness to sign with the team.

But now, Torres’ performance with the Tigers will most likely shape this saga. If he thrives in Detroit, the New York Yankees’ mismanagement would be the highlight. If goes otherwise, it could validate Cashman’s assessment. There’s no denying that Torres’ Yanks’ tenure ended on a bitter note – personal or not, his decision totally pushed the team to move on. Right or wrong? The mound will decide that!

Despite everything, the controversy might not fade soon. So, if YOU have a take on this, do share them with us!