MAYBE AARON BOONE JUST COACHED GLEYBER TORRES WRONG?

I’ve said it a thousand times, but I’ll say it again: I never wanted to see Gleyber Torres leave the Yankees. Watching him walk out of the Bronx felt like a gut punch for me—not because he failed, but because the Yankees failed him in my opinion. From the moment he slipped on those pinstripes, I always felt like he was set up to be the fall guy, the perpetual scapegoat for an organization that couldn’t get out of its own way.

It’s not hard to see it. There was always this nagging sense that the Yankees were waiting for Torres to stumble, like they had the “we told you so” speech locked and loaded. Meanwhile, other players—the ones with clubhouse seniority or the ones who had Boone’s number saved under “BFF”—got endless patience and kid-glove treatment. Boone went to bat for them, but for Gleyber? Crickets.

But you know what? New team, new energy. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a young player with talent and heart is to give him a change of scenery. And Detroit? That’s a blank canvas. The Tigers aren’t bogged down by sky-high expectations or the ghosts of dynasties past. Gleyber can finally breathe.

Since joining the Tigers, Torres has been all business. He’s got that fresh-start energy, and from what I’m seeing, he’s ready to become a top-of-the-lineup force and maybe even a leader in Detroit. A.J. Hinch, unlike Boone, seems to get it. He sees Torres for what he is—a guy with potential, fire, and the drive to prove everyone wrong.

“He’s been really great to talk to and digest a lot of what he’s experienced, both in the regular season and the postseason,” Hinch said before the Tigers' 4-0 win over the Yankees. “He’s been an open book when it’s come to hearing from us on what adjustments he needs to make to be the best version of himself the longest. We’re really happy with his potential and what he can add to our team.”

You can see it in Hinch’s quote—he’s not just paying lip service. He’s invested in Torres. “I’m looking forward to challenging him to be a really big part of this team and being a fixture in the lineup,” Hinch added. “He wants to be good, he likes winning. He wants to continue to get better. He’s asked to be coached and coached hard, and we’re going to do it.”

That’s what Gleyber needed all along—someone who would push him, believe in him, and not just pencil him in as the easiest guy to bench when things got tough. Boone could’ve been that guy, but he wasn’t because he's not a leader. Too bad.

And let’s not kid ourselves—Torres isn’t just looking to “get better.” He wants revenge. He wants to show the Yankees exactly what they let slip away. This isn’t just a fresh start; it’s a redemption tour. And I am here for it.

I’ll go ahead and say it: 2025 will be Gleyber Torres’ year. He’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of Yankee Stadium, and nothing fuels an athlete like the sting of betrayal. When he thrives in Detroit—and I believe he will—the Yankees will only have themselves to blame.

And if he happens to crush a go-ahead homer when the Tigers play the Yankees? Well, karma’s a fastball down the middle, and I hope Torres doesn’t miss.