Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris met with reporters this afternoon, shortly after the staff finalized its one-year take care of Gleyber Torres. The staff supplied 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 might return to the keystone in future years however famous that “for 2025, our greatest staff has Gleyber at second base and Colt at first base.” Keith spent the complete ’24 marketing campaign at second base, the place he logged almost 1100 innings as a rookie.
Keith’s defensive grades have been blended. Statcast rated him as a barely above-average second baseman. Defensive Runs Saved was loads much less enthusiastic, estimating he was eight runs beneath par. Scouting studies 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 more likely to develop right into a Gold Glove winner.
That was the teen’s first full season as a second baseman. Keith was drafted as a 3rd baseman and continued enjoying the recent nook till halfway by the ’23 marketing campaign. Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free-Press wrote this morning that the Tigers weren’t prepared to maneuver Keith again to 3rd base due to considerations a couple of 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 displaying by the tip of April. He hit .282/.328/.426 in 457 plate appearances from the beginning of Might onward. Keith managed stable manufacturing in opposition to pitchers of both handedness. He must be within the lineup in opposition to virtually all right-handed pitchers. Skipper A.J. Hinch might protect him from a couple of lefties, however the Tigers are unlikely to relegate Keith to a strict platoon function.
If the Tigers aren’t prepared to play Keith on the left facet of the infield, the Torres deal primarily compelled him to first base. Torres has been a full-time second baseman for the reason that Yankees moved him off shortstop in 2022. The Nationals confirmed curiosity in transferring him to 3rd base. Jon Heyman of the New York Submit reported final night time — earlier than Torres signed with Detroit — that the infielder rebuffed Washington as a result of he didn’t need to change positions.
Between the infield shakeup and a few early offseason chatter in regards to 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 recommended publicly that continues to be 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 have a giant offseason and a giant spring coaching, there’s a job for you on this staff.’ This staff wants extra right-handed energy and we’ve seen Tork do that previously,” Harris mentioned.
The Tigers have sought right-handed hitting for the reason that begin of the offseason. Torres addresses that to some extent, although he’s extra a stable hitter than an amazing one. His 38-homer displaying from 2019 appears to be like 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 during which he didn’t hit a single dwelling run.
Torkelson related on 31 homers with a .233/.313/.446 slash line in 2023. A powerful second half supplied optimism coming into this yr. As a substitute, he stumbled to a .219/.295/.374 mark with 10 homers by 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 risk.
Kerry Carpenter ought to get the majority of enjoying time at designated hitter. The lefty-swinging Carpenter might be within the lineup at both DH or within the nook outfield in opposition to 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 amazing use of a roster spot. Harris mentioned at this time 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 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 file.
The Tigers are one in all a handful of groups that has been lately linked to the highest unsigned place participant, Alex Bregman. Whereas the Torres signing doesn’t straight influence third base, it deepens the infield extra usually. Harris declined touch upon Bregman, because the CBA prohibits staff 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 completed but. It’s not even 2025 but. There’s nonetheless a while within the offseason to totally flesh out our roster. However once I stare at our group proper now, that is the deepest we’ve ever been — on either side of the ball,” Harris mentioned.
Since signing Alex Cobb, the Tigers have downplayed their need for an additional beginning pitcher. The exception is their pursuit of NPB star Roki Sasaki, who’ll be restricted to a signing bonus beneath $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 recommended on the Winter Conferences that Sasaki, who took preliminary conferences with a handful of groups final week, would start narrowing the sector after returning to Japan for the vacation. The Tigers don’t appear a possible touchdown spot for Sasaki, however they’d actually welcome a possibility to make a pitch to the 23-year-old righty.
