Tigers' Gleyber Torres returns to Yankee Stadium for first time since World Series

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NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres returned to Yankee Stadium with a new look.

Sporting cornrows and full beard, Torres appeared in the Bronx on Tuesday for the first time since signing a $15 million, one-year contract with the Tigers in December.

Torres spent his off day getting the cornrows from Jose “Jordan” Lopez, the Washington Heights barber who cut his hair during his eight seasons with the Yankees.

“It was my house for my entire seven years, my first seven years,” Torres said in the dugout before Detroit scored nine runs in the seventh inning of a 12-2 rout. “I’m really happy to be here, different team but happy to see my ex-teammates.”

Now 28, Torres hit .264 with 138 homers and 441 RBIs in 1,016 regular-season games for the Yankees, who dropped restrictions on facial hair before this season.

After losing a five-game World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees did not make any effort to retain Torres. He signed a deal that was a slight raise from his $14.2 million salary last year.

“I don’t have any bad feelings for the organization,” Torres said. “I always want to be grateful for the opportunity.”

Torres was an All-Star for the third time this year, the first time since hitting a career-high 38 homers in 2019. He is batting .260 with 15 homers and 66 RBIs in 129 games. He has a career-high .364 on-base percentage and played his 120th game at second.

Torres received a warm reception from the crowd of 35,653 and tipped his helmet before doubling in his first at-bat.

“It’s nice to see everybody pay respect to Gleyber,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “For his time here, his relationships here, it’s hard to come into this building and get cheered by the fans here from the other side. So, it was a good moment for him.”

Torres also received a brief video tribute after the Yankees batted in the fifth, before getting a bases-loaded walk and scoring on a two-run triple by Kerry Carpenter in the seventh.

“It feels amazing,” Torres said. “I really, really appreciate the video, the fans' ovation. That’s going to be moment, I really never forget it. I feel so happy. As a player when you do the right thing and the fans show some love for you, it’s really special.”

Torres debuted as a second baseman and was third in AL Rookie of the Year balloting in 2018 behind winner Shohei Ohtani and then-teammate Miguel Andújar. after being acquired from the Cubs in 2016 for Aroldis Chapman. He split time between shortstop and second in 2019 and was the Yankees’ regular shortstop in the pandemic 2020 season and 2021, when he committed 18 errors before returning to second base.

Torres led the AL with 15 errors at second base in 2023 and 18 last season, six more than any other major league second baseman. This season he has committed only five errors.

Torres helped the Yankees win three AL East titles and batted .257 with 15 homers and 63 RBIs last season.

“I really loved playing in New York. That’s the city everybody wants to play in,” Torres said. “It’s just frustration at the moment because I don’t do my job. I didn’t play good defensively. At the moment I didn’t play good offensively.”

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