Gleyber Torres Officially Returns to Tigers Lineup After Injury Absence

It's official: the Detroit Tigers' mainstay at second base over the last two seasons, All-Star Gleyber Torres, is back in the lineup. After hitting the injured list back in May, Detroit hit a brick wall offensively, just proving how much Torres means to this lineup's legitimacy.

Manager A.J. Hinch told MLB Network Radio that Torres would be activated off the 10-day IL after suffering a mild left oblique strain back on May 6. Now, the Tigers are looking to erase a horrible May by going on a run this June, hopefully getting back into the AL Central or AL Wild Card standings.

Tigers' Game 2 Starting Lineup Vs Tampa Bay

Here's how the Tigers will roll into the second day of June with Torres back in the lineup:

1. 2B Gleyber Torres
2. CF Matt Vierling
3. C Dillon Dingler
4. LF Riley Greene
5. DH Jahmai Jones
6. 1B Spencer Torkelson
7. RF Wenceel Perez
8. 3B Zach McKinstry
9. SS Zack Short

To create space for Torres on the 26-man roster, the Tigers' front office optioned Hao-Yu Lee to Triple-A, as announced by Tigers PR on X. Zack Short was a popular option among the fanbase, but it looks like Detroit is prioritizing defense over offense in this transaction.

Entering game two against the Tampa Bay Rays on the road, the Tigers have played below .500 baseball. While Torres wasn't lighting the world on fire before he hit the injured list, having hit two home runs and holding a .259 AVG and a .716 OPS, he remains the most professional hitter in the lineup.

That being said, there is still a world where Detroit continues to struggle this summer and has to bite more than one bullet this trade deadline. Torres was brought back on a Qualifying Offer for $22.025 million this season and doesn't fit into the long-term plans for the franchise, at the moment.

If the Tigers decide to move Torres at the deadline, it would be the smart decision to get something for him rather than letting him walk in free agency. Detroit has too many infield prospects for Torres to remain on the roster another year. Again, this is all if the Tigers can't make a comeback in the standings.

Torres knows what this team is capable of achieving; he was a major part of the 2025 success in Detroit. Getting Torres back doesn't mean that the offense is fixed, but it does add a puzzle piece back to the equation for an offense that has looked lost without him.

It's already been seen with Kerry Carpenter's return, pitchers attack the lineup differently with playmakers like Torres in the lineup, having to change approaches on the mound for who's to follow in the lineup.

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