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Grading Gleyber Torres’ Career with the Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) hits a two-run home run at Comerica Park. Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Grading Gleyber Torres’ Career with the Detroit Tigers

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Sep 28, 2026 1:00 PM ET

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The Detroit Tigers' 2026 season has come to an end with the franchise missing the playoffs after back-to-back playoff appearances in 2024 and 2025. And with the 2026 season coming to a close, so does veteran second baseman Gleyber Torres' contract with the Tigers.

Detroit offered Torres a one-year, $22,025,000 qualifying offer this past offseason for him to return to the Tigers after a strong first season away from the New York Yankees. While Torres fit the bill for the 2025 team, with all the young players making a statement in 2026, it's unlikely Torres returns to Detroit on a long-term deal this offseason.

“My time here was great. I like this group. I like the organization. I’ve enjoyed all of my teammates. It’s a special group, and I’m glad I got to play here," Torres said via Chris McCosky of The Detroit News on X (formerly Twitter).

With those words, it's only fair to take a look at both seasons Torres spent with the Tigers, hand him an individual grade for each, and then a cumulative grade after reviewing 2025 and 2026.

Gleyber Torres 2025 Breakdown/Grade

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

When Torres joined the Tigers on a one-year deal for the 2025 season, it was a step forward for both him and the franchise. Having spent all his career with the Yankees to that point, Torres got a taste of the other side, including growing out his beard for the baseball season for the first time.

It didn't take long for Torres to steal the hearts of Tigers fans, providing a much-needed veteran bat in the middle of a young Detroit lineup. His strong defense matched a strong May, in which he hit .276 at the plate with a .842 OPS in 87 at-bats, helping Detroit to a 19-9 record that month.

Torres earned his first All-Star nod since the 2019 season with a .281 AVG, nine home runs and 45 RBIs in the first half of 2025. He didn't take his foot off the pedal, ending the season with 16 home runs, 74 RBIs, 85 walks, and an OPS of .745.

The clutch hitting, above-average defense and consistency from start to finish helped Detroit to the postseason for the first time in 10 years, making Torres one of the faces of the Tigers that season.

Gleyber Torres 2026 Breakdown/Grade

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The second season of Torres in Detroit wasn't as smooth as the first, playing in 96 games largely due to his early-season injury. His oblique injury first bothered him in May, sending Torres to the IL and causing Detroit to start to fall apart that month.

Torres also missed time in June with the same issue, but when he returned, he helped the Tigers' lineup as he did in 2025. Ending the season with eight home runs and a .260 batting average, Torres still posted a 2.0 WAR when he was on the field and was most definitely the team's best option at second base.

However, for a player who was the third-highest-paid player on the roster this season, the numbers weren't as good as they could have been. Luckily, his defense was better than in 2025, saving three runs above average at second base.