Gleyber Torres

Gleyber Torres' public perception in Detroit has cratered to one of the more uncomfortable narratives in the American League this spring, and the C- sentiment grade reflects exactly how far the goodwill has eroded. The primary driver is a widely-reported "major performance problem" the Tigers flagged early — specifically tied to his swing quality at low velocities — which handed the media a concrete, data-backed criticism to run with rather than just vague disappointment. That harsh coverage sits in awkward tension with his B- performance grade, which suggests he's been a below-average but functional contributor rather than the total disaster the narrative implies; perception has clearly outrun reality here, and Torres is paying a reputational price that exceeds his actual on-field struggles. The injury picture has made things considerably worse — his placement on the injured list this week, following an earlier spring scratch that raised immediate red flags, has shifted the storyline from "struggling hitter" to "unreliable and hurt," which is a far more damaging label for an established veteran on a significant contract. The Tigers' roster activity around him — acquiring infield depth at third base and second base in recent days — only amplifies the perception that the organization is quietly preparing contingencies, whether or not that's the actual intent. The one silver lining is that sentiment has been trending upward over the last 30 days, moving from an outright failure narrative toward something more measured, but Torres needs to get healthy, return to the lineup, and produce to prevent this C- from hardening into something worse before the season finds its footing.