The Tigers introduced Friday that they’ve signed free agent infielder Gleyber Torres to a one-year, $15MM contract. Torres, an Octagon shopper, is predicted to be Detroit’s common second baseman within the upcoming season. The Tigers, one of many uncommon groups to publicly disclose contract phrases themselves, added that Torres’ contract has a one-time, $500K project bonus (within the occasion that he’s traded to a different membership).
Torres, who turned 28 earlier this month, has spent his whole massive league profession to this point 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 stable common at second base reasonably than the famous person shortstop he gave the impression to be on the cusp of turning 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 displaying for Torres on the midway level. By means 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 nicely 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.
It’s maybe doable that Torres might’ve landed a multi-year deal at a decrease fee, however given his age and monitor document, it’s not a shock to see him take a pure one-year pillow deal. MLBTR predicted again in November that he’d ink a two-year take care of an opt-out, because the precedence for him all the time appeared prone to be getting again to the market subsequent winter. The demand seemingly wasn’t there to push to that vary, nonetheless, and Torres will head to Comerica Park as an eminently affordable one-year roll of the proverbial cube. With a robust sufficient displaying, he’ll have the additional benefit of being a possible qualifying provide candidate for the Tigers subsequent offseason.
Torres steps right into a Detroit infield that’s missing in any actual certainty. Colt Keith, who hit .285/.330/.429 in 445 plate appearances after a horrible begin to his rookie season, seems to be the one different infield lock. He performed second base in 2024 however has expertise on the sizzling nook as nicely. Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press writes, nonetheless, that the group prefers to not play Keith at third on account of some damage concern relating to his proper shoulder. Keith has taken reps at first base, and whereas he’s but to play there in an expert recreation, he might get additional work there this spring within the occasion of a possible place shift.
In the meantime, Javier Baez is signed for 3 extra seasons at $24MM per yr, however he’s performed himself out of a beginning function and can ultimately be a launch candidate if he can’t rebound to not less than some extent (although the Tigers have steered this winter that they nonetheless see a task for Baez in ’25). Former high decide Spencer Torkelson belted 32 homers in 2023 however flailed by means of an unpleasant 2024 marketing campaign and has but to ascertain himself as a viable massive league common. Trey Sweeney confirmed a giant league-ready glove at shortstop however didn’t hit in 36 massive league video games throughout final yr’s second-half debut. High 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 discipline. Matt Vierling might consider on the sizzling nook as nicely, although he can play within the outfield, too.
The glut of infield choices, even with lots of them unproven, offers the Tigers some flexibility with regard to how they deal with the remainder of the offseason. Younger gamers like Sweeney and significantly Jung would command appreciable commerce curiosity. Torkelson stands as a viable change-of-scenery candidate, particularly if the Tigers certainly plan to offer Keith a outstanding function at first base. Torkelson might nonetheless issue into the primary base/DH combine, however he’s hardly a lock to take action after hitting .221/.300/.392 by means of his first 361 massive league video games.
The Tigers have been linked to free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, although that’d be a significantly bigger signing than they’ve made at any level below present president of baseball operations Scott Harris. Among the hyperlink there may be certainly because of the presence of former Astros skipper A.J. Hinch within the Detroit dugout. Petzold reported earlier within the week that Bregman has turn out to be extra of a precedence for the Tigers because the offseason has worn on, however the addition of Torres clouds the infield combine a bit extra. A match might nonetheless come collectively, significantly if the Tigers are eager on transferring somebody like Jung in a deal for rotation assist.
By way of payroll, there’s no cause to assume the Tigers can’t make one other outstanding addition after including Torres. They entered the offseason with solely Baez, Keith and Kenta Maeda on assured offers for the upcoming season. Torres and fellow free agent pickup Alex Cobb have pushed the staff to a projected a $109MM payroll, per RosterResource’s projections. That’s nowhere close to the staff’s franchise-record $200MM payroll from 2017. And whereas that stage of spending got here below the possession of the late Mike Ilitch, even Ilitch’s son, Chris, has approved payrolls as excessive as $135MM in current seasons (2022).
Jon Heyman of the New York Put up first reported that Torres had agreed to a take care of the Tigers. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers first reported the phrases and that Torres was anticipated to be the Tigers’ beginning second baseman.
