CLEVELAND – Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres is ready to play after a basepath collision with Brayan Rocchio during the Tigers’ 1-0 win over Cleveland Saturday, July 5, at Progressive Field.
But A.J. Hinch said that he planned on giving his All-Star infielder the day off Sunday, July 6. Hinch told Torres he might have to use him in later innings to pinch-hit or defense, but that he’d hoped he could give him the full game off.
Torres was running from first to second when second baseman Angel Martinez scooped a grounder and was offline on his throw to Rocchio, forcing the shortstop into the path of Torres.
As Rocchio tried to tag Torres, his momentum from the awkward throw carried him into Torres like a running back into a linebacker, and Torres took an elbow shot to the neck.
Torres laid on the dirt for a few minutes while the Tigers trainer tended to him. He eventually got up and left the game.
“(Saturday) night was literally sore, but they did a lot of treatment on myself and it feels good right now,” Torres said Sunday morning.
Hinch has wanted to give Torres a rest recently, but Torres doesn’t like to sit. Asked if he would welcome a potential day off, Torres smiled and said, “not really.”
“I really like playing,” he said. “I feel like when I feel something in my body, I play a little bit better. But, yeah, A.J. called me last night and, you know, he explained really well what it was going to be (Sunday).”
Torres said he knew the basepath hit wasn’t on purpose.
“It’s just the way the play happened,” he said. “It happened. Part of the game. Thank God I’m good and for sure (Rocchio) is good, too.”
Torres signed a one-year deal with the Tigers in the offseason. He spent the previous seven seasons with the New York Yankees.
The second baseman has been one of the Tigers’ best players this season and is among the best offensive players at his position in the American League. He leads second basemen in on-base percentage, is second in OPS and batting average and RBIs, and has a career high in walks.
“He bet on himself,” Hinch said recently. “(He) came in on a one-year deal to a young team as a veteran presence. We had to move some people around to accommodate that. So, I think both parties worked hard to establish this relationship, where he trusted us and felt like we were going to get something by giving him the opportunity.”
They did. He did. Now he’s an All-Star.
Tigers move Dietrich Enns to bullpen, Sean Gunther placed on 60-day IL
Dietrich Enns, who started twice recently – against Oakland on June 26 and against Washington on July 3 – will move to the bullpen, Hinch said. The left-hander threw five scoreless innings against the A’s but struggled against the Nationals, allowing seven runs in four innings.
Hinch said the team would announce Monday’s starter – against Tampa at Comerica on July 7 – after the series finale in Cleveland.
Left-handed reliever PJ Poulin was placed on the 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A Toledo. Sean Guenther was placed on the 60-day IL and will have hip surgery. The left-handed reliever had been on the 7-day IL.
Contact Shawn Windsor: swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him @shawnwindsor.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gleyber Torres to rest against Guardians, but is fine to play after basepath collision
Reporting by Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
