Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris met with reporters this afternoon, shortly after the group finalized its one-year deal with Gleyber Torres. The group offered video of the 16-minute media session.
Harris confirmed the Tigers will play Torres at second base. Colt Keith will transfer to first base. Harris indicated that Keith may return to the keystone in future years however famous that “for 2025, our greatest group has Gleyber at second base and Colt at first base.” Keith spent the whole ’24 marketing campaign at second base, the place he logged almost 1100 innings as a rookie.
Keith’s defensive grades had been combined. Statcast rated him as a barely above-average second baseman. Defensive Runs Saved was quite a bit much less enthusiastic, estimating he was eight runs under par. Scouting reviews on the 6’2″, 211-pound infielder have pegged him as a bat-first participant. Keith could also be a succesful defender on the keystone however wasn’t prone to develop right into a Gold Glove winner.
That was the teenager’s first full season as a second baseman. Keith was drafted as a 3rd baseman and continued enjoying the new nook till halfway by way of the ’23 marketing campaign. Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free-Press wrote this morning that the Tigers weren’t keen to maneuver Keith again to 3rd base due to issues a few prior labrum damage in his throwing shoulder.
Keith’s bat ensures him a spot within the beginning lineup. The lefty hitter had a .260/.309/.380 slash with 13 homers. These numbers are weighed down by a horrible first few weeks. Keith had a .154/.222/.165 exhibiting by way of the tip of April. He hit .282/.328/.426 in 457 plate appearances from the beginning of Could onward. Keith managed stable manufacturing towards pitchers of both handedness. He needs to be within the lineup towards virtually all right-handed pitchers. Skipper A.J. Hinch may protect him from a number of lefties, however the Tigers are unlikely to relegate Keith to a strict platoon function.
If the Tigers aren’t keen to play Keith on the left aspect of the infield, the Torres deal primarily compelled him to first base. Torres has been a full-time second baseman because the Yankees moved him off shortstop in 2022. The Nationals confirmed curiosity in transferring him to 3rd base. Jon Heyman of the New York Put up reported final night time — earlier than Torres signed with Detroit — that the infielder rebuffed Washington as a result of he didn’t wish to change positions.
Between the infield shakeup and a few early offseason chatter concerning the Tigers doubtlessly pursuing a veteran first baseman, it’s truthful to marvel if former first total choose Spencer Torkelson nonetheless has a job on the roster. Unsurprisingly, Harris advised publicly that is still the case. Detroit’s entrance workplace chief mentioned he spoke with Torkelson earlier than the Tigers introduced the Torres signing. “My message to Tork was: ’when you’ve got an enormous offseason and an enormous spring coaching, there’s a job for you on this group.’ This group wants extra right-handed energy and we’ve seen Tork do that previously,” Harris mentioned.
The Tigers have sought right-handed hitting because the begin of the offseason. Torres addresses that to some extent, although he’s extra a stable hitter than an excellent one. His 38-homer exhibiting from 2019 appears like a transparent outlier. Torres respectively hit 24 and 25 homers in 2022 and ’23. That dropped to fifteen round-trippers this yr, partially due to an ice chilly April wherein he didn’t hit a single residence run.
Torkelson linked on 31 homers with a .233/.313/.446 slash line in 2023. A powerful second half offered optimism coming into this yr. As a substitute, he stumbled to a .219/.295/.374 mark with 10 homers by way of 92 video games — struggles that led the Tigers to possibility Torkelson to Triple-A Toledo for a stretch. A change-of-scenery commerce nonetheless appears a definite chance.
Kerry Carpenter ought to get the majority of enjoying time at designated hitter. The lefty-swinging Carpenter can be within the lineup at both DH or within the nook outfield towards all righty pitching. He’ll most likely be shielded from left-handers, however carrying Torkelson as a short-side platoon bat with restricted defensive worth isn’t an excellent use of a roster spot. Harris mentioned as we speak that the Tigers don’t view Torkelson as a candidate for any reps at third base or within the nook outfield, although he opined that “with the DH plate appearances and alternative at first base, there are nonetheless loads of plate appearances for him.”
Justyn-Henry Malloy, a righty hitter, can also be within the DH/first base combine. Malloy has been a high-OBP bat within the minors. He hit simply .203/.291/.366 with eight homers in 71 MLB video games as a rookie. He nonetheless has a full slate of minor league choices, however he’s one other hitter with no clear defensive match and a restricted main league observe document.
The Tigers are one in all a handful of groups that has been just lately linked to the highest unsigned place participant, Alex Bregman. Whereas the Torres signing doesn’t immediately affect third base, it deepens the infield extra usually. Harris declined touch upon Bregman, because the CBA prohibits group personnel from saying whether or not they’re in or out on particular free brokers.
He indicated there’ll be extra strikes on the horizon whereas suggesting he’s inspired by how the roster is shaping up. “The roster isn’t executed but. It’s not even 2025 but. There’s nonetheless a while within the offseason to completely flesh out our roster. However once I stare at our group proper now, that is the deepest we’ve ever been — on each side of the ball,” Harris mentioned.
Since signing Alex Cobb, the Tigers have downplayed their want for one more beginning pitcher. The exception is their pursuit of NPB star Roki Sasaki, who’ll be restricted to a signing bonus under $10MM due to his standing as a world novice. Harris mentioned that the Tigers have introduced an preliminary presentation to Sasaki’s representatives at Wasserman. He indicated that the Tigers are awaiting a response from Sasaki’s camp as to whether or not they’ll get an in-person assembly after the vacations.
Agent Joel Wolfe advised on the Winter Conferences that Sasaki, who took preliminary conferences with a handful of groups final week, would start narrowing the sphere after returning to Japan for the vacation. The Tigers don’t appear a possible touchdown spot for Sasaki, however they’d definitely welcome a chance to make a pitch to the 23-year-old righty.
