DETROIT — Gleyber Torres is officially on the Tigers’ clock.
After a career-reviving All-Star season, the Detroit Tigers have extended a qualifying offer to their standout second baseman, according to multiple reports. The move sets up one of the most intriguing offseason decisions in the American League — whether Torres will return to Detroit on a one-year deal or test the open market for a long-term payday.
The qualifying offer, valued this year at $20.5 million, reflects how dramatically Torres’ stock has risen since arriving in Detroit. Once seen as a talented but inconsistent player with the Yankees, Torres rediscovered his confidence — and his power — in 2025.
He hit .287 with 27 home runs, 89 RBIs, and a career-high .845 OPS, anchoring the Tigers’ lineup and emerging as a clubhouse leader for a team that showed flashes of promise despite a frustrating season.
“It feels like he finally became the player everyone thought he would be,” one Tigers executive said. “He gave this clubhouse swagger again.”
Detroit’s decision to issue the offer was expected, but it’s still significant. It ensures the club will receive draft compensation if Torres signs elsewhere, but it also underscores the internal debate over long-term commitment.
Sources indicate that the Tigers front office, led by President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris, has had preliminary discussions about a multi-year extension. Still, there’s recognition that Torres — at age 29 and coming off his best season since 2019 — could command major attention on the free-agent market.
For Torres, this offseason represents a rare opportunity to rewrite his narrative. After a rocky end to his Yankees tenure, marked by trade rumors and inconsistency, Detroit became a reset — a city that embraced him, a lineup that needed him, and a stage where he could lead without the pressure of New York’s spotlight.
“It wasn’t about proving people wrong,” Torres said after the season finale. “It was about proving to myself that I could still be great.”
That greatness has made Detroit’s winter far more complicated.
If Torres accepts the qualifying offer, he’d return on a one-year, $20.5 million deal — stabilizing the middle infield while keeping his long-term flexibility intact. If he declines, he joins a crowded second-base market alongside names like Ketel Marte and Luis Arraez, where demand could drive his price even higher.
“He’s earned the right to test it,” said one AL scout. “But Detroit has the inside track. They gave him the platform — and he thrived.”
The Tigers’ clubhouse, meanwhile, has made no secret of its desire to see him back. Young stars Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson have both called Torres “the energy guy” and “the heartbeat” of the team.
For a franchise still balancing rebuild and contention, keeping Torres represents more than roster math — it’s a statement of intent.
“He changed the tone here,” a team source said. “That’s not easy to replace.”
Whether Detroit’s faith turns into a reunion or a farewell remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: for the first time in years, Gleyber Torres holds all the cards.
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