“After the season we went through, I’d say there would be very few untouchables. I think we have to be very open-minded.” – Brian Cashman. Finishing 4th in AL East with a wallet fatter than anyone else? Yeah, that’s not the 2023 anyone in pinstripes wanted. Let’s be real. The New York Yankees were like a walking infirmary last year, but the letdowns didn’t stop at injuries. But hearing Brian Cashman come out swinging with that “all-in” talk at the winter meetings?

That was a breath of fresh air. But here I am, a month later, scratching my head, thinking – don’t we actually have more untouchable players than we realize? In my book, there’s one big name that’s got to be off-limits – Gleyber Torres. Fingers crossed, the front office is on the same page.

Amid chaos and Big Gun absence, Gleyber Torres emerged as the Unlikely Hero

Aaron Judge, first at-bat of 2023, his debut as New York Yankees captain, and what does he do? Boom! He blasts one right out of the park, just like he’s still riding that epic 62-home run wave from last season. It was like everything just clicked into this perfect picture. But then, fast forward to June 4th, at Dodger Stadium–that cursed gate! Total heartbreak city.

In the midst of that chaos, when Judge was out, and it seemed like all the other big guns were snoozing, who stepped up? Gleyber Torres. He smashed 25 homers, and he wasn’t just hitting dingers—he led the team with a slick .273 average, racking up 163 hits, and driving in 68 runs.

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It’s not always about racking up numbers; it’s about showing up, which says a lot more than what the stats sheet can ever tell you. This should be a no-brainer for Cashman—keep Torres around for at least another year until he’s knocking on the door of free agency.

Is it possible that the Yankees will trade for Gleyber?

I don’t generally agree with Cashman, but when he said the Bronx Bombers were way better than what they put out last year, I agree 100%. This just loops back to what I’ve been saying–it makes more sense to amp up what we’ve got rather than trading pieces away. Why dismantle something that’s got so much untapped potential?

At the winter meetings, Cashman laid it out pretty raw. He’s always been cagey about letting go of guys like Michael King, Gleyber, and Volpe, among others. Next thing we know, King’s off to San Diego in that Soto blockbuster. That says he might play it tough about trading Gleyber, but when push comes to shove, he’d probably pull the trigger.

At the meetings, Brian Cashman said, “Do I want to trade Gleyber Torres? Do I want to trade Michael King? Do I want to trade any of these guys? The answer would be no. I like the players we have. I think our team is better than it showed last year. My job is to add to it. But yeah, you’ve to give to get. So unless you have a full no-trade clause, I’m going to have to give something to get stuff that by our perception would improve our team and maybe improve our chances. So because of that, I’m going to tell you anybody is untradeable, or unavailable.”

How will the New York Yankees fill their urgent pitching needs?

So we’ve got some interesting names floating in the free-agent pool – think Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. Here’s my two cents: splash the cash, don’t trade our guys. I’m curious to see what Chase Hampton can whip up. And Spencer Jones? The buzz around him is real. I’m all for watching them rise through the farm system.

But when it comes to Peraza and Everson Pereira, the jury’s still out. And Jasson Dominguez? Let’s not even go there. He’s not just off-limits; he’s in a league of his own. Bottom line: Hal’s got the money, and we need the arm. So, why not just buy the talent we need? Plus, I’m low key secretly rooting for Snell in Pinstripes.

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Honestly, we’re staring down a massive black hole in our rotation, and it needs to be plugged, like yesterday. But let’s talk real – last season was a hot mess because our offense just couldn’t step up to the plate without Captain Judge. There was one guy who tried to shoulder the load, albeit far from perfect, but still, you don’t kick him to the curb for that. Not now. Not when we’re all in.