DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers have officially signed former New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres to a one-year contract worth $15 million, finalized on Friday. The deal represents a slight increase from Torres’ previous salary of $14.2 million with the Yankees, and includes a one-time assignment bonus of $500,000.
Tigers president of baseball operations, Scott Harris, expressed enthusiasm regarding the acquisition, emphasizing the aggressive efforts made to secure Torres during the offseason. “I was on the phone for most of Christmas Eve, which my family didn’t really appreciate,” he admitted. He believes that acquiring Torres improves the team, stating, “We feel like adding Gleyber made us better, and we feel like he’s going to make the players around him a lot better.”
During his seven seasons with the Yankees, Torres has established himself as a reliable player, boasting a career batting average of .265 alongside 138 home runs and 441 RBIs. The 28-year-old infielder played a pivotal role in the Yankees’ success last season, where he posted a .257 batting average with 15 home runs, 63 RBIs, and 26 doubles while helping the team clinch the AL East title and reach the World Series.
Harris highlighted the need for improvement in the Tigers’ offense, noting that Torres could slot into any position within the lineup. The infielder experienced a notable turnaround last season; after struggling early with a .221 average through July 4, he finished strong, hitting .298 with seven homers and 30 RBIs in the final stretch of the year.
In discussions with Torres, Harris expressed confidence in his potential for growth on both offense and defense. “From the very first conversation, we talked about how we think there’s more in there. We think he can get better on both sides of the ball. Gleyber believes that, too,” he explained. Torres had opportunities for longer contracts elsewhere but chose to prioritize his performance, which Harris found appealing.
Defensive concerns are also notable; Torres committed 18 errors last season, which was the highest among major league second basemen. He faced scrutiny and was benched during the season due to performance issues but responded positively, avoiding similar difficulties thereafter. “We’re really excited to add Gleyber to our mix,” Harris stated.
In the Tigers’ new lineup strategy, Torres is set to play second base, while Colt Keith will transition to first base. Harris reassured Spencer Torkelson that there remains a place for him at first base or designated hitter if he improves his performance. Torkelson, the first overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft, struggled last season with a .219 average but hit 31 home runs in 2023.
Torres previously held the primary shortstop position for the Yankees between 2020 and 2021 but was shifted back to second base after struggling defensively. Harris remarked that while Keith is still seen as capable at second base, the current best lineup features Torres at second and Keith at first.
Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Torres was signed by the Cubs in 2013 and was part of a significant trade in 2016 that sent Aroldis Chapman to Chicago. The Cubs went on to win the World Series that year, ending a 108-year championship drought. Torres made his major league debut in 2018 with the Yankees, quickly making a name for himself by homering in four consecutive games, a feat that made him the youngest player in American League history to accomplish this.
His postseason performance has also been impressive, recording a .795 OPS with seven home runs and 25 RBIs across six playoff appearances. Harris noted the importance of adding Torres to enhance lineup balance, particularly against left-handed pitching, and believes he will aid in the development of the Tigers’ young left-handed hitters moving forward.
As the Tigers finalize this roster change, they have designated left-handed pitcher Bailey Horn for assignment.
