The New York Yankees thought they had moved on, but little did they know that the Tigers had other plans. With a $15 million investment, Detroit has armed itself with a secret weapon: someone who knows the Bronx inside out.
AJ Hinch is not just adding talent; he is planning a calculated blow against the team that let this star go. And when the time comes, New York may regret letting him go.
Why does AJ Hinch praise Gleyber Torres so much?
Gleyber Torres’ 2024 season was a tale of two halves. In his first 93 games, he struggled with a .231 average and a .305 OBP, but he bounced back in the last 61 games, hitting .276 with a .350 OBP. Even in the postseason, he delivered solid numbers. However, despite his resurgence, the Yankees decided not to renew his contract, a decision that could backfire because Hinch now has his trump card in place.
The Detroit Tigers had the opportunity and signed Gleyber Torres in the offseason to a $15 million contract. And with the start of spring training, he was expected to open against the Yankees on February 23, but he did not. However, AJ Hinch had nothing but praise for him.
During an interview, Hinch said: “It’s been really cool to talk to him and digest a lot of what he’s experienced, both in the regular season and in the postseason.” This shows that Torres is going to play an important role in helping the Tigers with his experiences and knowledge from his days with the Yankees.
After the change of teams, Torres is like an open book. Hinch says Torres is willing to accept some criticism and make improvements to reach his full potential.
AJ Hinch also spoke about the mentality that Torres brings to the Tigers’ camp. He said: “He wants to be good, he likes to win. He wants to keep getting better”. It seems that Torres is very determined to make an impact in the league, because Hinch also revealed that Torres is asking to be ruthlessly managed and that is exactly what he is getting.
Torres wanted to be an important part of the Tigers’ lineup and contribute to helping the team win. And he’s going to do just that after the Yankees let him go.
If Torres wanted to be a key piece in the Tigers’ lineup, he will certainly have his chance. With a chip on his shoulder and a fire to prove the Yankees wrong, he is entering a season where failure is not an option. New York may have cast him aside, but Detroit is more than happy to allow him to turn that rejection into a reckoning.
Detroit’s $15 million bet: Will Gleyber Torres make Yankees regret it?
The New York Yankees let Gleyber Torres go, and the Detroit Tigers wasted no time in betting $15 million on his redemption arc. But was it a calculated steal or an overpaid risk? With a fresh start and something to prove, Torres now has the script in his hands, and the Yankees might not like how it ends.
The end of this chapter between the New York Yankees and Gleyber Torres was not a disaster. Gleyber Torres said things that show how things ended. Torres said: “I think they have other priorities and I’m not on the list. I’m fine.” This shows that he was fine with it and that both parties wanted to write a new chapter in the books.
And the new chapter for Torres came in the form of the Detroit Tigers. And they were very happy to jump at the chance to sign a star second baseman. Tigers president Scott Harris had this to say about the signing. He said: “It took me a lot of time and effort, including most of my Christmas Eve, to get Gleyber here.”
It seems that the Tigers had a difficult job ahead of them. And it took one of the Tigers’ most important family parties to sign Gleyber Torres. But the player and management are happy with the deal they have struck.
Even Torres expressed his enthusiasm by saying: “I’m happy to be here. Tigres believe in me and I want to prove them right.”
And proving them right is exactly what Torres intends to do. With a fresh start and a passion ignited by rejection, he is entering a season where every swing is a statement. The Yankees may have moved on, but if Torres thrives in Detroit, they will not only remember him, but regret him.
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