The Tigers may be shopping for a new second baseman again, and one familiar Yankees name has already surfaced as a possible fit.
Gleyber Torres is now a free agent after two seasons in Detroit, where he hit .260/.364/.363 with eight home runs and a 105 OPS+ in 96 games in 2026. He gave the Tigers a strong on-base presence, but his impact on the bases was limited, and that leaves Detroit weighing its options at second.
One path would be to let Zach McKinstry and Hao-Yu Lee handle the position in some kind of split. Another would be to chase another former Yankees middle infielder: Jazz Chisholm Jr.
“The lineup is less of a concern, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. to Detroit wouldn’t be a colossal surprise.
“At any rate, the last time the Yankees let a multiple-time All-Star second baseman walk in free agency without even extending him a qualifying offer, Gleyber Torres ended up with the Tigers. Perhaps they bring in Chisholm to replace him,” Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wrote.
Chisholm would not bring Torres’ ability to reach base, but he does bring a different kind of juice. He hit 19 home runs and swiped a career-high 41 bases this past season. For perspective, the Tigers stole 58 bases over 162 games, only 17 more than Chisholm had on his own.
That kind of athleticism could give Detroit a different look as it tries to climb back to the top of the AL Central. Chisholm has also drawn attention for some negative reasons, including playing the field with a lollipop in his mouth.
Still, the Tigers would likely want to make it clear that behavior like that would not fly, especially with A.J. Hinch managing the club.
Detroit could use help in the starting rotation as well, but adding Chisholm would be a strong place to begin the offseason.
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