9:03am: It’s a one-year, $15MM deal, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers studies. Torres is predicted to be Detroit’s major second baseman.
8:44am: The Tigers and free agent infielder Gleyber Torres are in settlement on a contract, studies Jon Heyman of the New York Submit. Torres is represented by Octagon.
Torres, who turned 28 earlier this month, has spent his whole massive league profession thus far in Yankee pinstripes. The once-vaunted high prospect regarded like a breakout star in 2019 when he socked 38 residence runs in simply 144 video games, however Torres wound up settling in as a strong common at second base fairly than the celebrity shortstop he seemed to be on the cusp of changing into in ’19. Since that stellar 2019 marketing campaign — which got here in MLB’s juiced-ball season — Torres has slashed .261/.332/.411. That’s about 9% higher than common, by measure of wRC+ (which weights for residence park and league run-scoring setting in a given season).
The 2024 season was shaping as much as be a career-worst exhibiting for Torres on the midway level. By way of his first 80 video games, he turned in an anemic .215/.294/.333 slash (81 wRC+) with a 23.9% strikeout fee that was effectively north of the 19.3% mark he’d posted over the prior 5 seasons. Torres righted the ship in late June, nonetheless, and rebounding to the tune of a .298/.365/.421 slash with a much-improved 17.3% strikeout fee down the stretch.
Torres steps right into a Detroit infield that’s missing in any actual certainty. Colt Keith will presumably slide to 3rd base, given the reported expectation of Torres enjoying second base. Keith, who hit .285/.330/.429 in 445 plate appearances after a horrible begin to his rookie season, seems to be considered one of two infield locks alongside Torres. There’s been some hypothesis about Keith enjoying first base, however he’s but to seem in an expert recreation on the place.
Javier Baez is signed for 3 extra seasons at $24MM per yr, however he’s performed himself out of a beginning position and can finally be a launch candidate if he can’t rebound to at the least some extent (although the Tigers have recommended this winter that they nonetheless see a task for Baez in ’25). Former high choose Spencer Torkelson belted 32 homers in 2023 however flailed via an unsightly 2024 marketing campaign and has but to determine himself as a viable massive league common. Trey Sweeney confirmed an enormous league-ready glove at shortstop however didn’t hit in 36 massive league video games throughout final yr’s second-half debut. Prime prospect Jace Jung drew heaps of walks (16%) in 94 plate appearances late final season however might be ticketed for Triple-A piece or (speculatively talking) some publicity to left subject. Matt Vierling may consider on the sizzling nook as effectively, although he can play within the outfield, too.
Extra to come back.
