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3 Tigers Leaving Detroit in the New Year

With the calendar officially flipping to 2025, these three Tigers are playing for a new contract in the Motor City or elsewhere.

By Jovan Alford

Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda (18) reacts after Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) hits a 2-run home run during the seventh inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, September 14, 2024.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda (18) reacts after Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) hits a 2-run home run during the seventh inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, September 14, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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3. Gleyber Torres

The Tigers made a sizable splash in free agency, signing former New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres to a one-year, $15 million contract. The decision to sign Torres was shocking, given that Detroit already has their starting second baseman in Colt Keith.

However, the Tigers are reshuffling their infielder, putting Torres at second base and moving Keith to first base. With Keith going to first base that puts Spencer Torkelson in an interesting spot heading into spring training.

The Tigers are excited about adding a right-handed bat in Torres, who has jolts of power and doesn’t strike out a lot. The former Yankees infielder’s career strikeout rate is 20.3%, which is lower than the MLB average (22.7%).

Last season with the Yankees, the veteran infielder slashed .257/.330/.378 with 26 doubles, 15 home runs and 63 RBI. Torres started his major league career in New York with back-to-back All-Star appearances and also a third-place finish in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

Across his first two years with the Yankees, Torres hit .275 with 62 home runs and 167 RBI. The veteran infielder had a couple of off years in 2020 and 2021, but he’s started to pick it up over the last few years.

The Tigers need Torres’ bat in the lineup as he hit .265 with seven doubles, seven home runs, and 16 RBI against left-handed pitching last season. Meanwhile, Detroit struggled offensively against left-handed pitching .229 (fifth-worst in the majors).

Torres by himself won’t change the Tigers’ woes against southpaws overnight, but it's a start for what Detroit hopes is another good season. If things work out with Torres, Detroit should try to re-sign him to a multi-year deal. But in case the Tigers’ season goes south, Detroit has a good trade chip to utilize.

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