This Friday, Venezuelan baseball player Gleyber Torres announced his departure from the Detroit Tigers with a one-year, $15 million contract, marking the end of his time with the New York Yankees, where he had some brilliant moments
However, his performance has declined in recent years and this could mean that beyond this season, there may be no more room for him in MLB, if there is not a substantial improvement in his performance
In fact, several analysts doubt that Detroit made a good decision in signing him. While Torres is an interesting offensive slugger, with averages of .273/.347/.453 in 2024 and 27 years old, his departure from the Yankees was due to his defensive deficiencies, as well as his problem to run the bases
That’s why the Tigers are a completely different challenge in his career, as he will move away from the big spotlight to become one of the mainstays for a team in the midst of a rebuild
From less to more for Gleyber Torres
Torres’ best time with the Yankees is long gone and dates back to the 2019 season, when he hit 38 home runs and drove in 90 runs. Since then, his numbers have stagnated, while his defensive inconsistencies remained
He finished the season with 12 errors, the most in the league. This forced Torres to go to the bench in August because of his fielding errors and mediocre base running. According to analysts, this situation was aggravated by the pressure of having to play in a contract year
Therefore, although Gleyber continuously expressed his desire to stay in the Bronx, he only found silence from the management, when his statements were not accompanied by positive results and could not be adjusted to a new salary demand.
According to Cody Stavenhagen’s Tiger Territory podcast, in Detroit they recognize Torres’ offensive skills as an outstanding hitter, who makes good swing decisions, avoids chasing pitches and rarely strikes out. His on-base numbers have consistently been above 330 throughout his career.
However, he has doubts about how the Tigers fans will react when they suffer with his defensive difficulties:
“He’s a negative defender almost year in and year out, he’s one of the worst base runners in Major League Baseball,” he said. “The Tigers now care about running the bases and winning by the margins. He can be prone to some mental lapses.”
Detroit is a team that tries to base its future success on defense, so the Venezuelan is obliged to improve with the glove, to avoid being singled out by a team that lacks talent. If he fails to adapt to his new team, he could soon return to the bench, complicating his stay in the majors
Although perhaps without the spotlight on him, as was the case in the Big Apple and its insistent press, it could be the change he needs to revive the spark of his career and become a coveted starter.
If he can adapt to the style of his new manager, AJ Hinch, he could improve defensively and perform at his best offensively. Hinch is known for his ability to work with players to unlock their potential and can guide Torres in this transition.
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