FAMILIAR ISSUES FOR GLEYER TORRES IN MOTOR CITY SPELLS TROUBLE!

There was one thing I liked about Gleyber Torres when he was a Yankee....he was consistently a better hitter than most of the roster. That's it, sadly. So when the Yankees moved on and didn't make him an offer I wasn't disappointed. He forced the Yankees hand with some of his own choices....and I think that could happen again in Detroit.

When the Yankees traded for Jazz Chisholm Jr. last season, it was anticipated that he would play second base and Torres would move to third. Of course that didn't happen, Torres threw a diva temper tantrum and told the media "I'm a second baseman. I play second." That was the beginning of the end for Torres.

Fast forward to the offseason, where he signed a one-year "prove it" deal with the Detroit Tigers hoping to reset his value and cash in on a bigger long-term deal this coming winter. He's already on the Injured List with a strained oblique (deja vu) and the Tigers should really be thinking about this long and hard. Torres not clogging up their second base position makes room for more of their young talent and eliminates the log jam that he willingly creates.

Supposedly, when Torres signed he was open with the Tigers about wanting a short term deal to reset his value that included a permanent position at second base. At the time, the Tigers were anticipating some of their younger talent to spend a majority of the year in the minors if not all of it. Now, it's looking like some of their talent is ready sooner than expected which means the Tigers have a log jam when everyone is healthy.

With Torres out, Tigers can play Colt Keith at second (where he is used to playing) instead of first base. With Keith at first, that bumps Spencer Torkelson from his spot at first base and leaving the Tigers with a puzzle of how to get his bat in the lineup besides a DH spot. All of that could be avoided if stubborn Torres would just slide over to third base.

So it's crazy to me. It puts manager A.J. Hinch in a seriously pickle as he talks to the media about his options and ideas. He insists the idea of Torres to third is "not even a topic" read more HERE. It should be but the details should be different. Players need to realize it's not about them, and the roster should be constructed every day however it gives the team the best chance to win. Also, Torres made himself a RENTAL in Detroit. It's what he wanted. Why does he get to call the shots on where he plays?

Torres is a below average second baseman. The data doesn't lie. The Tigers have some young talent that will be around much longer than Torres. So the Tigers should do what they want, period. I think they will eventually....not yet though. I think Torres is going to find himself traded around the deadline. It will give the Tigers more flexibility with their roster and allow them to get rid of dead weight that is all about himself and not what is best for the team.

This is ultimately what will hurt Torres in the end. He's a diva. Teams don't want divas. The Tigers would be stupid to keep him if their young talent continues to produce. In the end, the loyalty will be to their young talent and not Torres and his ego. He needs an ego check and fast.

Where will Torres end the season? And will he learn his lesson before he hits free agency? 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

GLEYBER TORRES & THE FOREVER THIRD BASE DEBATE

Here we go again. New team, same dilemma. 

Gleyber Torres has traded Yankee pinstripes for Tiger stripes, but the question that followed him out of the Bronx is already back: Could he—would he—fill Detroit’s glaring hole at third base?

The Tigers’ infield is looking a little patchy after multiple injuries, prompting podcaster Chris Brown to throw out a potential fix: Trey Sweeney at short, Colt Keith at second, and—wait for it—Torres at third. Sounds reasonable, right? Well, not so fast.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that Torres plays second base and second base only. His reluctance to shift positions reportedly played a role in his exit from New York, and there’s no reason to believe that stance has changed now that he’s in Detroit. Would manager A.J. Hinch even bring it up? Probably not. The relationship between Hinch and Torres seems solid, built on mutual respect—something Torres might not have always felt with Aaron Boone.

But here’s the real question: If Torres wants to turn his one-year stint in Detroit into something more, would he consider a little flexibility? A few starts at third might not just help the team—it could help him secure a long-term deal. For now, though, it’s a moot point. Torres is the Tigers’ second baseman, and the third base debate remains just that—a debate.

GLEYBER TORRES: THE BEARDED ERA

Ladies and gentlemen, Gleyber Torres has entered his bearded era, and honestly, it’s a vibe. Now that he’s out of the Yankees’ clean-shaven clutches, Torres is rocking an impressive beard that screams, “I’m free, and I’m fabulous.” Say goodbye to the baby-faced Bronx Bomber and hello to the rugged, reinvented Tiger.

Here he is now:

With the facial rule gone, Greyber Torres can now rock an impressive beard. pic.twitter.com/OnTXyLZnqB

— Rogelio Castillo (@rogcastbaseball) December 28, 2024

Well, well, well.

Let’s rewind to when Gleyber first burst onto the Yankees’ scene. He was the golden boy, the prodigy, the guy you just knew would deliver in the clutch. And boy, did he deliver—especially in the postseason, where he had an uncanny ability to get on base like it was his job (because, well, it was).

But fast forward to this offseason, and it felt like the Gleyber love was fading. Was I the only one pounding the table and yelling, “KEEP THIS MAN”? Apparently so. The Yankees had other plans, and Gleyber’s grand farewell included a Game 4 home run in the World Series—a mic drop moment for the only MLB team he’d ever known.

Now, he’s off to Detroit, where the beard is thriving, and so is the vibe. Speaking to Detroit media, Torres said, “I feel like I have to play where somebody wants to give the best for me, and I just want to be available to do the best for the team.” Translation: “If you’re cool with the beard, I’m cool with you.”

Apparently, Gio Urshela hyped Detroit to him like a real estate agent trying to sell a fixer-upper: “Great history, lovely parks, you’ll love it here!” Torres is slotted to stick at second base, with Colt Keith sliding to first and Alex Bregman potentially joining the Tigers’ infield party.

But let’s get to the real star of this story—the beard. For decades, the Yankees have been facial-hair police, enforcing a strict “no beards allowed” policy like it was their primary mission in life. Credit George Steinbrenner for starting this nonsense back in 1976, and somehow, the rule stuck for nearly half a century. Players literally had to shave their identities at the door.

Now in Detroit, Gleyber is letting it grow, and honestly, he’s glowing. Will this newfound follicular freedom help him play better? Maybe! Will it make him look cooler while doing it? Absolutely.

Whatever the case, I’m rooting for Torres to thrive, beard and all. May he hit bombs, turn double plays, and prove that a little facial hair can go a long way in redefining a career. 

Go get ’em, Gleyber—you’ve earned it!