Several media outlets have linked free agent second baseman Gleyber Torres to the Seattle Mariners this offseason.

It’s a logical link: after declining the option on Jorge Polanco, the M need a second baseman. They have Cole Young waiting in the wings but don’t appear ready to hand him the job in early 2025. As a result, they (still) need a short-term stopgap until he’s ready.

Enter Torres, who could be brought in on a one- or two-year deal as he looks to completely rebuild his value.

Torres hit .257 this year with 15 homers for the Yankees, who advanced to the World Series. Torres was also significantly better in the second half of the season, posting a 130 wRC+ from July 12. He’s still only 27 years old and is a former prospect who was the centerpiece of the Yankees’ trade with the Cubs in 2016. Arodis Chapman returned to Chicago as part of the deal and helped the Cubs win the World Series.

Because Torres can be had on a short-term deal (we think), he will likely be cheap. That’s something else that appeals to the M’s, who don’t seem to want to spend a lot of money in free agency.

Recently, Jon Heyman of the New York Post predicted that Torres would get a two-year, $32 million contract. The MLBTradeRumors Team predicted that he would be two years old and $36 million.

The Mariners could afford those numbers, but they might prefer a one-year option so they can give Young the job in 2026. If they have to spend $16-18 million on a player this offseason, they would prefer maybe do it at first base for someone like Christian Walker.

THE Sailors went 85-77 this year and missed the playoffs.

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