Healthy Gleyber Torres delivers key hits in Tigers' 6-5 loss vs Rockies

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – The Detroit Tigers lost to the Colorado Rockies, 6-5, on Monday, March 23, at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in spring training.

This was the first of two exhibition games for the Tigers in Arizona before traveling to San Diego for Opening Day on Thursday against the Padres.

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What happened

The Tigers scratched second baseman Gleyber Torres from Saturday’s starting lineup in the Grapefruit League finale with lower back tightness, but he returned to the lineup for Monday’s exhibition.

He is healthy.

“Overall, I feel good,” Torres said. “A couple of days ago, I felt a little tightness in my lower back. No issues, no big deal, but they gave me the day. It feels good today, like normal. I don’t feel any pain.”

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Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) catches for a ground out against New York Yankees during the fourth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.

Torres also appears ready to get off to a fast start in the regular season. The 29-year-old drove in three of the first four runs for the Tigers, delivering a two-RBI single with two outs in the third inning and an RBI double with two outs in the fifth inning.

In the third, Torres swung at a two-strike slider from right-hander Ryan Feltner that hung at the top of the strike zone and sent it back up the middle and into center field for a single.

It put the Tigers ahead, 2-0.

In the fifth, Torres pushed a sinker from right-handed reliever Jaden Hill at the bottom of the zone down the right-field line for a ground-rule double.

It tied the game, 4-4.

In 2025, Torres hit .256 with 16 home runs, 85 walks and 101 strikeouts in 145 games, making the All-Star Game for the third time in his eight-year MLB career. As for 2026, the Tigers are counting on him to repeat his performance as a consistent on-base threat near the top of the everyday lineup.

“I always say the first 100 at-bats are the most important of the season,” Torres said. “After 100 at-bats, the numbers go slowly. I’ll try to be focused from the beginning of the season. I’m not going to say everything is going to be perfect. I’ll make some adjustments during the games. But I really believe in the work I put in during the offseason and spring training. I can’t wait for the season to start and to get rocking with the boys.”

Starting off

Right-hander Jack Flaherty allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts across 4⅔ innings, surrendering two runs in the third and two runs in the fourth.

He threw 81 pitches.

Flaherty walked Kyle Karros on six pitches to open the third inning, then a misplay from center fielder Parker Meadows put two runners on, as he let a catchable fly ball drop in front of him. Flaherty should’ve been out of the inning when Hunter Goodman grounded into a double play, but the Meadows mistake came back to haunt the Tigers.

That’s because Troy Johnston blasted a two-run home run on Flaherty’s two-strike curveball, located on the bottom rail of the zone, tying the game, 2-2.

In the fourth, the Rockies secured a 4-2 lead on TJ Rumfield’s solo home run and Karros’ RBI triple, with Flaherty letting both hitters take advantage of middle-middle fastballs.

Flaherty generated 10 whiffs on 41 swings for a 24.4% whiff rate, though he racked up just one whiff on 22 swings against his fastball. The highlight of his final spring start came in the second inning, when he allowed a leadoff double but stranded the runner by recording three outs in a row.

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