Tigers sign former Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres to a 1-year, $15 million deal

DETROIT (AP) – The Detroit Tigers signed former New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres on Friday to a one-year, $15 million contract.

The two-time All-Star deal includes a one-time bonus of $500,000.

Torres hit .265 with 138 home runs and 441 RBIs in seven seasons with the Yankees, who acquired him from the Chicago Cubs in 2016.

The 28-year-old infielder hit .257 with 15 homers, 63 RBIs and 26 doubles last season while helping the Yankees win the AL East and reach the World Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris told reporters that Torres — who played shortstop and then second base during his stint with the Yankees — is expected to play second in Detroit, while Colt Keith, who played the position for most of last season, will switch to the first place basis.

A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Torres was originally signed in 2013 by the Cubs and included in a 2016 deal with Adam Warren, Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford that sent Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman to Chicago. The Cubs ended up beating Cleveland in the World Series that year, ending a 107-year drought.

Torres moved quickly through the minors and made his major league debut in 2018 with the Yankees. He homered in four straight games as a rookie and, at 21 years and 163 days, became the youngest player in American League history to accomplish the feat. Torres was also selected to the first of two consecutive All-Star games. He finished third that year in AL Rookie of the Year, behind winner Shohei Ohtani and then-teammate Miguel Andújar.

He also had success in the playoffs for the Yankees, posting a .795 OPS with seven home runs and 25 RBIs in six postseasons for New York. His 16.2% strikeout rate ranks fifth among players with at least 150 postseason appearances since the start of the 2018 season.

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