Gleyber Torres Finds New Home in the Motor City
On Friday morning, MLB insider Jon Heyman announced that the Detroit Tigers have signed former Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres to a one-year, $15 million deal, which includes a $500,000 signing bonus. This gives Torres a slight raise from his time in pinstripes.
The former two-time All-Star slashed .265 with 138 homers and 441 RBIs over his seven-year campaign with the Bronx Bombers after being traded from the Chicago Cubs in 2016.
In 2024, Torres took a step back from his career averages, batting .257 with 15 homers and 63 RBIs over 154 games. However, his contributions helped the Yankees secure a division title and a World Series berth, where they eventually lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.
Torres’ postseason prowess was also on display this fall, as he reached base safely in each of the Yankees’ first 13 postseason games. He also padded his career postseason stats, slashing .267 with a .795 OPS under the bright lights of October in 172 postseason at-bats.
The middle infielder’s Achilles heel has always been his defence. In 2024, he led all second basemen in errors by six. During this past season, Yankees manager Aaron Boone benched Torres twice for poor performance and lack of hustle. However, Torres responded well to these decisions, eliminating such issues for the rest of the season while hitting nearly .300 from the beginning of July onward.
Following Friday morning’s breaking news, Tigers President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris noted that Gleyber Torres would be the team’s everyday second baseman. This move will shift 23-year-old Colt Keith, who ranked second in errors among second basemen, to first base for a fresh start at the beginning of the 2025 season. This change leaves former first-overall pick and first-base power bat Spencer Torkelson competing for the position or a designated hitter spot next year after a lacklustre 2024 campaign.
Although Torres began his career with the Yankees primarily as a shortstop, this move is not expected to affect the left side of the Tigers’ infield. Shortstop Javier Báez is coming off hip surgery, while rookie Trey Sweeney remains the fill-in at the position. The third base position also appears unaffected, as the Tigers have been active in the free-agent market and remain connected with former Houston Astros star Alex Bregman.
This move by the Tigers is reminiscent of other recent front-office acquisitions on the pitching side, which sought bounce-back years from players like Michael Lorenzen, Alex Cobb, and, most notably, Jack Flaherty. Flaherty was eventually traded to the Dodgers for a package of prospects at this year’s deadline. If Torres can regain his All-Star form in 2025, he could set himself up for a significant payday in the 2025-2026 free-agent market, where he would be a headlining middle infielder alongside names like Bo Bichette and Luis Arraez.
Before the start of the 2024 season, ESPN projected the Tigers to finish with a 78-84 record and only a 19% chance of making the playoffs. However, thanks to some major second-half breakouts, the team went 31-13 from August 11 onward and made a magical postseason run. The Tigers forced the Cleveland Guardians to a decisive Game 5 in the ALDS before falling short.
Now, the Tigers look to build on their success and become a postseason force in 2025 out of the AL Central. The signing of Gleyber Torres is a step in the right direction for the young team, but additional reinforcements will be necessary if they hope to replicate their 2024 success and secure a postseason ticket for 2025.
