Tigers Sluggers Emerges as Quality Signing After Strong Start at Plate

It has been an excellent start to the season for the Detroit Tigers and a contributing factor of that has been their offseason decisions.

After a great run in 2024, the Tigers were able to set the bar much higher for themselves heading into this year.

Beating the Houston Astros in the American League Wild Card Round was quite the statement for Detroit, and looking back might have been the signaling of a new force to be reckoned with in the league.

With the best record in baseball, it has been a well-balanced attack for the Tigers. Fortunately, despite not having a perfect offseason, some players have stepped up to help elevate the team and fill in for injuries.

However, one offseason move in particular has been a great one for Detroit so far.

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Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the strong performance of Gleyber Torres so far this year for the Tigers.

“Torres was a great signing by the Tigers, who inked him to a one-year, $15 million deal in December. He has hit close to .300 all season with five homers four steals and a 131 OPS+. He has also brought World Series experience to the Detroit clubhouse," he wrote.

The decision to sign Torres helped fill a need for Detroit at the time. Coming into the campaign, the Tigers were seeking a right-handed bat in the lineup that could help provide a spark.

Even though this was a team that accomplished quite a lot, their lineup was very lackluster at times.

The signing of Torres filled a need but did come with a little risk despite it being a one-year contract. In 2024 with the New York Yankees, the slugger didn’t exactly light it up, and the Yankees seemingly never had any intention of bringing him back.

However, even though his previous campaign might have been a bit lackluster, he has been excellent this year. The two-time All-Star has slashed .271/.355/.417 with five home runs and 24 RBI in 39 games so far.

While he missed some time due to injury, the numbers have been strong for Torres in his first year with Detroit.

Now, as the team looks to continue to perform well during the regular season, the slugger will also be able to provide them with some additional experience in the playoffs.

Despite being just 28 years old, he has a plethora of postseason experience, which will be needed for the Tigers to take the next step in October.