The Detroit Tigers signed second baseman Gleyber Torres in the 2025 offseason to a very reasonable one-year, $15 million deal. It worked out great, as the veteran made the All-Star team for the first time since 2019.
But, after a rough second-half, in which he was banged up, Torres' free agent market doesn't look nearly as robust as it once was.
Detroit offered him a $22.025 million qualifying offer, and as Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic explain, Torres might wind up accepting the qualifying offer.
Why Gleyber Torres might accept Tigers' $22.025 million qualifying offer
In the first half of 2025, Torres had an.812 OPS, while in the second half, he had a.659 OPS. His sports hernia was a big reason behind his dip in production, and as Sammon and Rosenthal highlight, some teams might have some pause when it comes to signing Torres.
"He turns 29 next month, and would still be a relatively young free agent next offseason if he agreed to another one-year deal." Rosenthal and Sammon write. "And while the lockout could disrupt the market, at least he would be freed of the qualifying offer, which a player can only receive once."
Torres isn't that old and could be 30 years old in 2027 if he were to sign a one-year deal. If he were to put together a strong year, one without injury, then Torres' chances of signing a multi-year deal would increase.
He made $15 million in 2025, and could receive a not-insignificant raise to $22.025 million in 2026 if he accepts the qualifying offer.
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If he were to hit free agency and sign a one-year deal, he likely wouldn't find a deal better than the qualifying offer. And as The Athletic writers mention, Torres would be freed from any further qualifying offer.
Having that extra flexibility in the future, while taking a chance on himself to land a longer-term extension while still seeing a significant raise, wouldn't be the worst choice for Torres.
Of course, if a team is willing to offer him a multi-year contract, then he might wind up departing. But, accepting the qualifying offer is a very realistic outcome for Torres this winter.
Torres has to decide by Tuesday's deadline whether to accept the qualifying offer or not. It's a difficult decision for Torres. He has reason to accept. Declining it and hitting free agency would be a huge risk, and one that Torres might not be willing to take.
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