Phillies: Five Yankees they’ll hate facing if the divisions merge
Gleyber Torres
If DJ LeMahieu is considered the best overall Yankee, then shortstop Gleyber Torres very well might be number two.
Despite being just 22 years old, Torres absolutely took the league by storm in 2019. In only his second official MLB season, he slashed .278/.337/.535, knocked in 90 RBIs and crushed a team-leading 38 home runs. He was selected to his second consecutive All-Star game and even received some MVP consideration (placed 17th in the American League).
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Not only is Torres just a force in general, but he also seems to have a knack for taking advantage of below average pitching. In 18 games against the Baltimore Orioles in 2019, Torres hit an absurd total of 13 home runs. His average against the O’s sat close to .400 and he recorded just over a fifth of his total season RBI against them.
The Phillies rotation will likely include some sort of combination of Jake Arrieta, Vince Velasquez, and/or Nick Pivetta, and all three look to be prime targets for Torres to take advantage of.
Torres turned 23 years old in December, and it’s widely believed that he will continue to get better as time goes on. At such a young age there’s even a solid chance that Torres isn’t fully developed physically, meaning he could add even more power to his already impressive swing.
Even with a shortened season in place (potentially), it’s fairly safe to expect Torres to come back in elite physical condition.