​Detroit — It may have slipped under the radar Wednesday amid the buzz of Justin Verlander announcing that this season would be his last, but the Tigers certainly noticed that second baseman Gleyber Torres appears to be turning a corner in his recovery from a second oblique strain as he works his way back to the lineup. Tigers manager AJ Hinch praised the energy in Torres’s voice and the excitement he shows about not feeling any lingering pain, noting, “I love the spark in his voice and his excitement that he’s not feeling anything.”
Torres, sidelined since June 16, has been taking as many as 45 swings in the cage off coach pitching and engaging in full workouts, all while reporting no symptoms. “It feels good so far,” he said. “We’re doing the right things out there, just little by little. The swing feels good. No pain so far. It feels good compared to the first injury. It’s feeling way better right now. After full workouts, the next day I don’t feel any soreness. I just have to keep doing what I have to do to come back after the break.”
The All-Star break, however, poses a bit of a challenge for Torres. With the minor-league season pausing as well, he is expected to spend next week at Lakeland continuing his return-to-play program. Other Tigers veterans and household names—Justin Verlander, Jackson Jobe, Brant Hurter and Burch Smith—also are anticipated to spend the break at TigerTown, which should give Torres a chance to get in some live batting practice in a controlled environment. “Hopefully, everything goes well down there and then when we start playing, do a rehab assignment and then at some point join the team,” he said.
Torres’s impact on Detroit’s lineup has been well chronicled. He played 11 games in June before re-injuring the oblique and posted a slash line of .341/.413/.585 with a 0.998 OPS, helping the Tigers to a 7-4 run and more than six runs per game on that stretch. The team’s offense benefited from his presence, especially during that brief but productive period.
Beyond the field, Torres also has to navigate the off-field realities of being a pending free agent, including the looming August 3 trade deadline. “Every year I’ve been in that conversation,” he said. “It’s not new for me. I don’t hear anything. I just know it’s part of the business. I just want to be healthy. That’s the only way I can help this team. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. We’re playing really good right now and we’re not far from where we want to be.” He added, “So, just recover well, get back healthy and help the team and we’ll see how it’s going to be.”
As the Tigers head toward the second half of the season, the return of Torres is viewed as a potential catalyst for continued improvement. If he can maintain his current pace and ramp up without setbacks, Detroit could bolster its lineup during a critical stretch, especially as Verlander’s era in Detroit becomes a point of reflection for fans and the organization alike. The hope is that Torres’s path back to health and performance will align with the club’s ambitions, offering a timely boost as they chase a playoff push and solidify the core that has shown promise in his absence. Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com @cmccosky This article originally appeared on The Detroit News.