MLB contract grades: Tigers bolster offense, but at cost of defense with latest gamble

The Detroit Tigers shocked the MLB world by making the postseason for the first time since 2014 after being as many as eight games under .500 in mid-August. Not only did they get into the playoffs, but they swept the Houston Astros in the Wild Card Series and nearly defeated the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS.

As encouraging as this past season was for Detroit, this was a team with several holes, most notably in the lineup. The Tigers were tied for 19th in the majors in runs scored, 24th in home runs, and tied for 23rd in OPS. They were a below-average offensive team just about any way you slice it. For them to be seen as legitimate World Series contenders, offensive upgrades would be needed.

For nearly the first two months of the offseason, the Tigers were silent when it came to upgrading their team. Sure, they signed Alex Cobb, but that was really it, and the Cobb move was a pretty big gamble. The Tigers finally made another move on Friday, signing former New York Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres according to Jon Heyman of the NY Post.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN notes that the deal is for one year and $15 million.

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Tigers add much-needed offensive firepower with Gleyber Torres signing

When Torres first burst onto the scene, he looked like a budding star. He was an All-Star in each of his first two seasons, and even received MVP votes back in 2019 after hitting a career-high 38 home runs and posting a .871 OPS in 144 games. While Torres hasn't come close to replicating those numbers since, he's still an above-average second baseman offensively.

The 28-year-old is coming off a down year which saw him slash .257/.330/.378 with 15 home runs and 63 RBI in 154 games, but he hit .293 with a .780 OPS in the second half of the regular season, and he performed well in the postseason as well. Torres finished the year as New York's regular leadoff hitter, hitting in front of the horrifying duo of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. He was able to set the table nicely for New York's two big boppers.

Torres might not be the star he was expected to be, but he makes a lot of sense for the Tigers for a couple of reasons. First, he's a right-handed bat they can stick between the likes of Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, and Colt Keith to give their lineup more balance. Second, Torres sees the ball incredibly well at Comerica Park despite it being more of a pitcher's park. He has a 1.000 OPS in 15 games played in Detroit in his career, and the five home runs he's launched at Comerica Park are tied for the second-most he's hit at any visiting stadium.

He leaves a lot to be desired in the field and on the base paths, as Yankees fans can attest, but for a team as starved for offense as Detroit, a bat-first infielder fits nicely. Assuming Torres isn't the only bat that the Tigers add, this signing is a good one. As annoying as it is to see the team make another gamble on a veteran on a one-year deal, this one is worth taking, especially with the contract being for one year.

This is a good start, but Scott Harris must continue to make moves for this Tigers team to take another step.

Grade: B