Why Gleyber Torres May Not Fit the Mets’ Offseason Plans
As free agency opens, the Mets face questions about second base and whether to pursue Gleyber Torres. Roster space, Marcus Semien’s contract and the team’s young prospects could make an addition difficult.
Gleyber Torres has been suggested as a possible short-term upgrade for the Mets at second base, but fitting him into the team’s plans could be a challenge. Torres spent time with the Yankees, and the Mets have added former Yankees since David Stearns became president of baseball operations in late 2023.
Torres’ 2026 season was limited by injury: he hit .260 with eight home runs and 38 RBIs in 96 games. The case for signing him is that he could improve on Marcus Semien and might accept a one-year contract to rebuild his value.
But Stearns has pointed to young players nearing the majors and praised Brett Baty’s strong finish to the season. The Mets do not appear poised to move on from Semien, who has two years remaining on his contract. Trading him in a swap involving another unfavorable contract could simply defer the salary problem, while better health could help Semien in 2027.
The roster also has limited room for new position players, with a first baseman and an outfielder who bats right-handed identified as needs. Adding Torres while keeping Semien could crowd out those priorities. Prospects Mitch Voit, Jefferson Rojas and Emilien Pitre are also approaching major-league opportunities, which a costly veteran signing could make harder to secure.
A Semien departure would make Torres a more plausible fit. Otherwise, the Mets could use Baty and Semien in a second-base rotation and direct their free-agent resources toward other needs.