Another year has gone by without a 28th trophy finding a new home in the Bronx. But if there’s one big consolation, it’s that the Yankees made it to the Fall Classic for the first time since 2009. Now, it’s up to Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman to ensure his team finishes the job in 2025 and every year from then on (within realistic expectation, of course).

There are plenty of players Cashman and the Yankees are rumored to have their sights set on this offseason, but one name who isn’t on that list is one of the team’s longest-tenured players. Gleyber Torres was not extended a qualifying offer, and it’s safe to say his Yankee days are now past him.

Torres started the year in miserable fashion, but came back around in the second half and in the playoffs. However, there is one part of his game that could no longer be tolerated: Torres, along with Anthony Volpe, committed 18 errors in 2024. But unlike Volpe, who has showcased plus defense at shortstop, Torres has been rather lackadaisical with his glove at second base.

In Game 1 of the World Series, Torres booted a throw from Juan Soto, allowing Shohei Ohtani to take third base on a double — a play that would ultimately help cost the Yankees the game. Though Soto was charged with the error on the throw, Torres’ casual backhanded stab resulted in him losing the ball in the infield, allowing Ohtani to take third. If it was the first time, it wouldn’t have been a problem. But it wasn’t. By the looks of it, that was the last straw for Cashman when it came to Torres’ lack of effort on plays that should have been made.

And after the Yankees’ now-infamous inning of defensive follies, change is needed entering next season. Though Torres was not a part of the string of gaffes that saw the Yankees needlessly blow a five-run Game 5 lead in humiliating fashion, a better defender with a decent bat would likely be a sizable improvement. With a new priority on their mind at the position, who could the Yankees pursue?

3. Ha-Seong Kim

In his four MLB seasons, Ha-Seong Kim has gained a reputation as a solid hitter and middle-infield defender. Unfortunately, 2024 was not Kim’s best year since coming over from South Korea: In an injury-shortened season, Kim slashed .239/.330/.370/.700 with 11 home runs. This comes after a year where Kim won a Gold Glove and garnered some down-ballot MVP votes. Despite Kim’s rather underwhelming power numbers and batting averages, his on-base percentage has been consistently satisfactory, making him a decent leadoff candidate in addition to his defensive versatility.

Kim also has ample speed, making him a threat on the basepaths. He stole 22 bases in 27 attempts this past year and 38 in 47 attempts in 2023. In addition, Kim happens to be one of, if not, the best defensive middle infielders in the Majors, which is something the Yankees could certainly make use of. Over his MLB career, Kim has played second base, shortstop and third, and done them all well.

Now a free agent, Kim’s market is reportedly already busy, with most of the buzz centering around the San Francisco Giants. If the Yankees are interested, they may need to act fast. But it may turn out beneficial to be hesitant given his 2024 production. There are still some other intriguing targets available.

2. Hye-Seong Kim

This brings us to a former teammate of Ha-Seong Kim’s that shares a similar name. Currently with the Kiwoom Heroes of South Korea, Hye-Seong Kim is expected to be posted very soon. If he can replicate his KBO success in the States, Kim presents a very compelling case as both a top-of-the-line bat and glove. Kim has consistently hit over .300 in the KBO since 2021, topping out at .335 in 2023. In 2024, he slashed .326/.383/.458/.841 with a career-high 11 home runs. His 11 long balls likely mean he won’t be a power threat, however, if signed by the Yankees, his left-handed presence at the plate might work well with the short porch in right.

Like his former teammate, Kim is also a lauded middle-infield defender (arguably the best defender in the KBO) and a fast runner. Kim stole 30 bases in 36 attempts in 2024, but this success rate is far overshadowed by his performance in 2021 when he stole 46 bases in 50 attempts. On the other side of the ball, Kim won three straight KBO Golden Gloves from 2021 to 2023 as both a second baseman and a shortstop.

There’s no way to tell how Kim’s hitting will translate from Korea. To compare, Ha-Seong Kim came to the US after two years hitting in the low .300s (.306 and .307). The top hitter in the KBO in 2024 was Guillermo Heredia, who posted a .360 batting average; Heredia owns a career .231 average over seven years in the MLB. In any case, Hye-Seong Kim appears to be a hard free agent to pass on and the Yankees should definitely give him a look.

1. Nolan Arenado

The Yankees have some flexibility in finding a Torres replacement thanks to Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm, who had never played third base before coming to New York, could move back to his primary position at second. If that is the case, the Yankees might opt for help at third. And because Alex Bregman is likely a hard pass, there is the possibility Cashman looks away from the free agent market and instead trades for Nolan Arenado.

Arenado needs no introduction. He has continually wowed baseball fans with big power, high batting averages and Gold Glove defense, first with the Rockies and then with the St. Louis Cardinals. Unfortunately, in the past two years, his numbers have fallen off. In 2024, Arenado posted a slash line of .272/.325/.394 with just 16 home runs. There is a good chance Arenado does better than he did in 2024, but even if he doesn’t hit like an MVP anymore, he is still a quality hitter, and that’s more than good enough considering his work with the glove.

If acquired, Arenado would also bring amazing defense to the Bronx. Arenado has accumulated a staggering 10 Gold Gloves at the hot corner. If Cashman has elite defense at the top of his mind, Arenado won’t disappoint.

Having dealt with a recent decline and now entering his age-34 season, he wouldn’t likely hurt the Yankees’ prospect pipeline very much, making him a great buy-the-dip type of candidate. Arenado would also come with three years of club control, locking down an infield spot for the foreseeable future.