Gleyber Torres' slight dig at Yankees turns into pleasant moment in return to NY

For most players, a return to the team where they broke in and saw their career blossom would bring about some emotion. For Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres, his return to Yankee Stadium for the first time since donning a Tigers uniform didn't feel like it would be an emotional one, per the man himself.

Torres was signed out of Venezuela at 16 years old by the Chicago Cubs, but it was with the New York Yankees that he rose to prominence. Traded to New York for Aroldis Chapman in 2016 when he was just 19, Torres grew up in the Yankees' system and became an All-Star-caliber player over his first seven big league seasons, ending his tenure in the Bronx with some dramatic moments in the 2024 World Series.

Despite two All-Star selections in his first two years in the big leagues, Torres and the Yankees did not have a clean divorce. The now-Tigers second baseman refused to move off the position in favor of trade deadline acquisition Jazz Chisholm Jr. last year, bringing tensions to a boiling point and later engaging in a war of words with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman this past offseason.

Torres, had his ups and downs, but clearly that moment was what fractured the relationship beyond repair, and perhaps led Torres to feel less fond than one would expect in his return to his baseball home.

Whatever the case may be, Torres's thoughts are clearly with the Tigers and their goal for the season. When asked about the return to New York, Torres had this to say to MLB.com on Sunday:

“To be honest, I don’t know. Maybe. Who knows? For sure I’m going to see my teammates, it’s going to be fun to play against them. It’s going to be a really good competitive series. But just try to compete, be with the boys, try to win the series and we’ll see about the feelings when I get there.”

Well, it might've been a tad emotional, as he got a standing ovation from the home crowd on Tuesday night.

Emotional return or not, Gleyber Torres helped the Tigers dominate the Yankees in his return to New York

To say Torres was motivated to prove his doubters wrong — chief among them the New York Yankees brass — this season would be an understatement. Having to settle for a one-year deal when he hoped for a big payday, Torres entered 2025 ready to bet on himself and rebound for the big payday he'd been hoping for.

A few wildly simple adjustments had Torres cooking in the first half as he was making better swing decisions and drawing more walks, leading to his All-Star selection. The walks have still been there, but he has scuffled in the second half to the tune of a .220/.316/.345 line. The Tigers will need him to get back on track if they are to make the noise they envision come October.

If his return to Yankee Stadium is any indication, that may be the case. Emotion or not, Torres worked a full count in the first inning against Yankees starter Will Warren before ripping a ground-rule double to left. A Riley Greene strikeout would strand him on third.

However, Torres found himself in the middle of the action again as the Tigers broke the game open with a nine-run seventh inning. In the middle of that onslaught, his patience once again was key as he drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run and keep the rally going.

Clearly, emotions played no role, and Torres and the Tigers will look to put up similar performances over the rest of the series in what could be a preview of an upcoming postseason battle.