The Los Angeles Angels are in search of infield reinforcements and have been casting a wide net to fill that need. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi had previously connected the Angels to Gleyber Torres, but the former Yankees second baseman is now heading to the Detroit Tigers on a one-year, $15 million contract. Torres will take over as Detroit’s everyday second baseman, likely alongside either Javier Báez or Trey Sweeney in the middle of the infield.
Morosi reported that both the Angels and Toronto Blue Jays showed interest in Torres. However, the Blue Jays moved quickly to trade for Andrés Gimenez, leaving the Angels as the apparent frontrunners. This shift sparked frustration among some Angels fans, who were hoping for a different outcome.
Torres, however, is a divisive figure in baseball. His defensive struggles last season, especially in the first half, were glaring. Coupled with his lack of speed, poor baserunning, and weak arm, Torres didn’t have a strong year on either side of the ball. Despite a solid power-hitting history, he regressed into more of a singles hitter.
His performance in a contract year left much to be desired, including a lackluster showing in the World Series after a strong ALCS performance. Additionally, Torres’ personality has been a point of contention.
Angels general manager Perry Minasian prioritizes a player’s makeup, and Torres’ reputation for being high-maintenance and difficult to manage may have been a turn-off. His refusal to switch to third base despite poor defensive metrics at second base further raised concerns.
While the Angels easily could have outbid the Tigers for Torres, Minasian clearly didn’t view him as a valuable addition, even for a one-year deal.
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Angels fans, for their part, expressed little interest in Torres, preferring several other second-base options. Even on a one-year contract, the consensus was that they were not keen on bringing him in. Many fans remain loyal to Luis Rengifo, despite some troubling underlying stats, and are eager to see Hye-Seong Kim or Ha-Seong Kim in the lineup.
There’s also significant excitement around Christian Moore, the eighth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Had Moore not been injured last season, he might have made his MLB debut already. With Zach Neto, who was drafted 13th overall in 2022, also returning from injury, the pairing of him and Moore in the double play combination would be an exciting prospect for the Angels moving forward.
