One thing that was clear in 2024, at the end of Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres‘ run in the Bronx with the Yankees, was that Torres really needed to get out of New York. The spotlight was too bright, the attention too negative. One season in Detroit has shown that Torres can, indeed, be a star-caliber middle infielder, an All-Star who is hitting .268 with 13 homers and a .783 OPS.
That OPS ranks third, by the way, among all second basemen.
Torres has far outplayed the speculative contract the Tigers gave him last winter, a one-year deal worth $15 million. His stock had been pummeled by the scrutiny of playing in New York, and few credited him for his second-half surge (.292, .780 OPS) after his rough go in the first half of the 2024 season (.231, .654).
Gleyber Torres Has ‘The Power of Youth’
Give Torres credit, because he bet on himself in his contract with the Tigers, and it has paid off. A good second half and a surge for Detroit in the playoffs would further boost his stock, but even if that does not happen, he has warranted a good long-term deal this winter.
Folks at The Athletic have taken notice. In sizing up each team’s free agent to watch, Torres was the Tigers’ candidate.
The site wrote: “Signed to a one-year, $15 million deal, Torres has set himself up nicely for a long-term contract this winter. His 120 OPS+ is his highest since 2019, which is coincidentally the last year he was an All-Star before this season.
“Still just 28 years old, Torres will have the power of youth and a solid season on his side when he tests the market once again. Compared to past seasons, Torres has cut down on his K rate significantly while also bumping up his walk percentage. His 14.2 percent strikeout rate is a career-best, and his chase percentage sits behind Juan Soto and Kyle Tucker as among the best in the league.
Tigers Infield Prospects Not Ready?
That’s heady stuff for Torres. But the problem for the Tigers could be that Torres winds up being little more than a one-year rental, should his cost get too high.
The Tigers have a pair of infield prospects, Hao-Yu Lee and Max Anderson, who could be ready for a shot at the big leagues by next season, and breaking one or both of them in at second base makes sense.
But Anderson may not be ready, and Lee has struggled with injuries in the minor leagues, and played more third base than second.
As MLB Pipeline noted about Lee, There are “questions about whether his ultimate role is as an everyday player or a utility role. He’s still very young for his level, and while he hasn’t dominated at Triple-A Toledo, his numbers under the hood have been better than his overall performance.”
Tigers Could Keep Torres on Short Deal
Torres, for his part, has been welcomed in Detroit, and has appreciated his time there. If the team does not want Lee or Anderson to be regulars next season, and if Torres can stay put on a manageable contract of three or four years, a reunion would make some sense.
As Torres said when he made the All-Star team: “Before signing, I really got interested in the city, how [the Tigers have] been doing. I know how they played last year. I know a little bit about the NFL team and also the hockey team.
“The city’s [interest] with the team, the fans show really, really good support. It’s going to be the moment to represent Detroit, represent the fans at the All-Star Game and keep doing the right work for the second half, because as a team, we have to finish strong.”
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