The New York Yankees will have another hole to fill in a now alarmingly thin lineup as two-time All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres inked a one-year, $15 million contract with the Detroit Tigers.
The 28-year-old Venezuelan debuted with the team in 2018 and immediately looked like one of the best middle infielders in the American league. Torres hit 62 home runs and tallied a 6.6 bWAR in his first two years in New York.
Some of his production tailed off in recent years but he has remained a cog at the top of the Yankees batting order. Torres hit leadoff for the storied franchise in the 2024 playoffs ahead of mashers Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, tallying a .744 OPS in 58 at-bats.
Speaking of Soto: the Yankees outfield signed a massive 15-year, $765 million deal with the crosstown New York Mets. The 26-year-old Dominican superstar finished third in the 2024 American League MVP voting and will be replaced in the 2025 New York lineup by Cody Bellinger.
One option to replace Torres at second base would have been minor leaguer Caleb Durbin. However, he was flipped to the Milwaukee Brewers for closer Devin Williams. The Yankees may have to look outside the organization for middle-infield help.
Meanwhile, the Tigers may find themselves overloaded in their infield – there won’t be enough places for Torres, second baseman Colt Keith, third baseman Jace Jung, and first baseman Spencer Torkelson to all play.
