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The Detroit Tigers are 46-53 right after the start of the second half of the 2026 MLB season. After dropping to a 30-44 record on June 17, the team has won 16 of their last 25 games.
Detroit has been missing their primary second baseman for most of the year due to injuries, that being the 29-year-old Gleyber Torres. He has missed 56 games as a result of various oblique problems.
While healthy, Torres was having a productive season at the dish. In 43 games, he slashed .280/.395/.395 with four home runs and 18 RBIs. His 15.3% walk rate is the highest of his career, albeit he only played roughly a quarter of the season.
Torres accepted the $22 million qualifying offer from Detroit this offseason after his first season with the team went well. He played 145 games last year, and is usually a fairly healthy player, so his constant injuries this season is a novelty.
Now on July 20, more than a month after being placed on the injured list for the second time, Torres will return to begin the Tigers’ road series at the Chicago Cubs. He will bat second and play second base.
Torres is set to replace catcher Eduardo Valencia, who was called up a couple weeks ago following the Jahmai Jones DFA. The 26-year-old shined in what was his first MLB action after eight seasons in the minor leagues.
Valencia played in six games, tallying 13 plate appearances. He batted .417 with a 1.379 OPS, two home runs and three RBIs. One of the home runs came off Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez, and the other travelled 425 feet.
With two established catchers in Dillon Dingler and Jake Rogers on the active roster, the option makes sense even with Valencia’s monster numbers. If he continues to rake at Triple-A Toledo, perhaps he could be back up soon.
The Tigers will send the veteran righty Jack Flaherty (3-8, 4.48 ERA) to the mound against the Cubs’ Jameson Taillon (2-5, 5.19 ERA) Monday at 8:05 p.m. ET at Wrigley Field.
Related: MLB Trade Deadline News: Tigers Could Keep Tarik Skubal
