Gleyber Torres Has Had a Wild Ride to Get to His 3rd All-Star Appearance

Gleyber Torres Has Had a Wild Ride to Get to His 3rd All-Star Appearance originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Gleyber Torres was one of three Detroit Tigers to earn a starting spot in this year’s All-Star Game. It is his third appearance in what has been one of the more interesting MLB careers of the past decade.

He signed with the Chicago Cubs at just 16 years old out of Venezuela and rocketed to the top of their prospect rankings. He was the main prospect Chicago cashed in to get Aroldis Chapman from the Yankees, a huge contributor to breaking their 108-year-long World Series drought.

Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber TorresTroy Taormina-Imagn Images

Torres was successful right out of the gate with the Yankees. His first two all-star nods came in his first two seasons, averaging 32 HRs and 84 RBIs over that time. Even if the balls were juiced, that is as good a start to a career as you can ask for.

But over the course of the next few years, the Yankees wanted more out of him than they were getting.

When things were going well, the optics of him not hustling or going all out struck a nerve throughout the fan base and front office. When things went poorly, people wanted him to run out of town. Then you look up and he’s still hitting around .270, giving you 25 homers and making slick plays at second.

After last season, the Yankees, a team that paid a premium to make him a foundational piece of their future, let him walk out the door for nothing.

And now he finds himself in Detroit on a one-year deal and it could not have worked out better.

He’s an All-Star on a team dominating the league and is feeling the love from the fans like he never has in his career. He plays the game with a lot of fun, and it is easy to see why he has resonated with people in Detroit (Detroitans? Detroitese?).

It’s easy to feel sorry for that younger Torres.

He was probably down on himself and frustrated as he was under the unyielding New York City spotlight. An All-Star his first two seasons, Torres never got the love and respect he is getting now.

Last offseason, getting a one-year deal in the Midwest might not have been what he was envisioning. But it’s been a great fit. He loves the fans and being a leader in the clubhouse. A long-term deal to stay in Detroit should not be out of the conversation.

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.

Gleyber Torres Has Had a Wild Ride to Get to His 3rd All-Star Appearance

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