When Gleyber Torres was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees in 2016 as part of the Aroldis Chapman deal, he arrived with sky-high expectations. His first two years lived up to the hype, as the young second baseman became a two-time All-Star, posting a .271 average, 62 home runs and a .845 OPS between 2018 and 2019.
However, Torres’ trajectory hit a wall when he was moved to shortstop in 2020. His struggles were amplified as his defensive metrics plummeted and his power disappeared. After posting nine home runs in 127 games in 2021, the Yankees moved Torres back to second base, where he worked as a serviceable — if not standout — player.
Fast forward to 2024 and Torres was at a crossroads. After two solid-but-unspectacular years (24 and 25 home runs in 2022 and 2023, respectively), his future in New York seemed uncertain. He was an average second baseman at best and a below-average baserunner. Heading into a contract year, Torres was hitting just .231 with a dismal .654 OPS in the first half of the season.
Then came the leadoff role.
Torres was shifted to the leadoff spot on July 24, a decision born out of desperation. With DJ LeMahieu injured and Anthony Volpe struggling, the Yankees turned to Torres. He responded by raising his OPS to .755 while hitting .283 with six homers in the role. His bat came alive and while Aaron Judge and Juan Soto remained the team’s key threats, Torres’ consistency at the top of the order kept the offense afloat.
This resurgence carried into the postseason. Torres led off both ALCS games against the Cleveland Guardians with hits — helping ignite early scoring in Game 2 — and his posted a .933 OPS through 24 postseason at-bats.Â