Gleyber Torres left the New York Yankees for greener pastures in Detroit this winter, and has been all too willing to discuss what went wrong in the Bronx. Unfortunately for Torres, his comments haven't been one-sided, with Brian Cashman throwing shade right back.
Torres' Tigers sit atop the American League for now, so he has some bragging rights. The former Yankee noted what's gone right in Detroit in a recent interview, and he didn't hold back. Gleyber struggled on the basepaths and defensively last season, but has shown notable improvements in 2025. Much of that can be tied to coaching, and Torres has fawned over AJ Hinch ever since his arrival.
“From the beginning (of spring training), I was in the dugout and I saw everybody running first to third,” Torres said, per The Athletic. “I didn’t do that before. It’s a brand new game for me.”
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Gleyber Torres receives support with Tigers he couldn't get in New York
Torres learned by example, and as a result he's increased his baserunning IQ. He also has just one error this season at second base. He had 18 last year for the Yankees.
“I feel really good because I’m on the same page with the other boys,” Torres said. “We’re aggressive on the bases but in the same way, really smart.”
Torres' lack of consistency on the basepaths and fielding mistakes were a sore spot for many Yankees fans and even those within the organization. It's easy to see why. While Gleyber was decent enough at the dish, he was unpredictable when he got on base. Heck, he even extended innings unnecessarily at second base, a position which doesn't require the same kind of range or flexibility as shortstop. When the Yankees wanted to change Gleyber's position, he was reportedly unwilling to do so. The blame goes both ways.
“Everybody is really mature here,” Torres said. “You hear everybody is young, but it’s just like everybody knows what they have to do.”
Perhaps Torres wasn't trying to emphasize the differences between the Yankees and Tigers organizations, but it's tough not to see through these comments. What Torres is succeeding at in Detroit is what he struggled with in New York. There's a reason for it, and Torres appears to be blaming the Yankees.