Tigers Impending Free Agent Projected to Receive Massive Contract This Winter

The Detroit Tigers are going to have a tough time keeping one of their most important stars.

Aug 27, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) walks towards against the Athletics before the start of the third inning at Sutter Health Park. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers have had an incredible season, sitting firmly on top of the division and primed to lock up their first AL Central title in more than a decade. They will be hoping for even more than that, and a run this October will require their stars to be just that when the lights become a little brighter.

Fans in the Motor City were generally satisfied this past winter with the offseason president of baseball operations Scott Harris put together, though some had of course hoped for a couple more major splash signings. One of the significant acquisitions they did make however was former New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres on a lucrative one-year contract.

Such is the nature of one-year deals though, and while they offer the team flexibility and avoiding a huge commitment, it makes it tough to keep an important player in the fold when they prove their value on a short-term agreement.

That is exactly what Torres has done in 2025, and when he hits the open market again here in a couple of months, he is going to have teams lined up around the block vying for his signature. It's not a guarantee that he departs the Tigers, but it does feel likely.

Insider Mentions Torres as Someone Who Will Cash In as Free Agent

Aug 25, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) motions to the Athletics bench at the end of the first inning at Sutter Health Park. | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

One of baseball's biggest insiders in Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote an article this week giving some early insight into the upcoming offseason of free agents. On a list of players who are set to command big bucks in this year's edition of baseball's crazy hot stove carousel, Torres was the first player he mentioned.

"Torres is getting on base at a .364 clip -- and his expected numbers (which reflect the sort of data teams value) rank sixth in the AL, behind only [Aaron] Judge, Corey Seager, Ben Rice, George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr," Passan wrote.

Though he did not explicitly say this big deal wouldn't come from Detroit, it certainly seems like things are trending in that direction. The Tigers have a number of young infield prospects who they hope can occupy the keystone position eventually, not to mention the resurgent year two for the already locked up Colt Keith.

Torres has slashed .258/.360/.390 with 14 home runs and 63 RBI through 126 games, not to mention providing some veteran leadership to a young team which has begun to take the next step as an organization in 2025.

Even though he has been critical to the team's operations this year, giving Torres a huge contract would go against every fundamental principle Harris has built this core with, both committing what would likely be nine figures and blocking an entire position from young future stars already in the organization.

If an agreement that works for both sides can be reached, it would not be this massive shock to see Torres back with the Tigers next year, but if Passan is correct and the 28-year-old gets paid a whopping contract this winter, it likely won't come from Detroit.