The Detroit Tigers and Gleyber Torres could’ve parted ways a season ago.
Instead, they stuck it out for 2026 together. This time, that might be it for real.
There are multiple factors different for Torres now than there were a year ago, and with the offseason loading, it’s worth considering that he has played his last game for the Tigers.
Gleyber Torres and the $22 Million Qualifying Offer
A year ago, the Tigers had a choice.
Torres was eligible to be extended a qualifying offer, which meant he could either be paid $22.05 million to play for the Tigers in 2026 if he accepted, or he’d bring back draft pick compensation if he declined.
Of course, that also depended on whether the Tigers wanted to pay Torres that much money for the 2026 season — a risk they decided to take with the idea that at least if Torres chose to leave, they’d get a draft pick in return.
Torres took the deal, though, knowing that after injuries hurt him in 2025, he might not have a great market.
It wasn’t necessarily a loss for the Tigers. They got a quality hitter and veteran presence.
It did mean they couldn’t have quite as much roster flexibility if Torres had chosen to leave — and they also never got the draft pick compensation they would’ve if Torres left.
The outcome may not have been worse, but there were two paths here, and the one that Torres took the Tigers on may have been less exciting.
What Now?
This offseason will be different.
Because Torres played this past season on the qualifying offer, he cannot be extended a QO again, even if the Tigers wanted to.
That means that Torres will be a free agent when the market officially opens.
Most likely, the Tigers will move on. He was a solid player in his time in Detroit, but Torres doesn’t really fit the competitive timeline of the Tigers’ roster at this point.
He also might still seek a pretty sizable payday even though he’s a bit of a limited player at this point in his career. Detroit has no reason to allocate heavy cash toward Torres.
This is really just the long, drawn out ending that Torres could’ve brought to a shorter close last offseason. If he had rejected the qualifying offer — or if the Tigers had never even offered it — Torres could’ve played somewhere totally different in 2026.
But they both went for it, and it kept their partnership alive for another year. Now, for real, it’s probably done.
Tigers’ Gleyber Torres $22 Million Path Ends Now