Updated March 12, 2026, 1:46 p.m. ET
Lakeland, Fla. – It’s not very best, for certain.
Gleyber Torres is abruptly a bench participant for Team Venezuela as they put together to play Japan Saturday in the quarterfinals of the WBC.
The Tigers’ beginning second baseman had been in Miami the final 10 days and has performed in simply three video games, getting 9 plate appearances. Venezuela supervisor Omar Lopez has been utilizing Luis Arraez at second base.
“Everything is fine with Gleyber (health-wise),” Tigers supervisor AJ Hinch mentioned Thursday morning. “But the schedule for the WBC is not conducive for the position-player ramp up.”
It’s a double-edged sword. Not solely is Torres having to just accept a bench position, he’s lacking out on what would’ve been a a lot heavier construct as much as the season had he stayed in camp with the Tigers.
“They have a lot of guys (on Team Venezuela) and it’s hard to get the at-bats and playing time,” Hinch mentioned. “I talked to Omar about it. All the players are playing less than they normally would in spring with the way the schedule is. It’s frustrating for Gleyber, but it’s all part of the WBC experience.”
Thursday was an off-day for the WBC and regardless that Torres is in Miami, he’s not allowed to drive over and play for the Tigers in the spring sport towards the Yankees at Joker Marchant Stadium.
“He’s taking his batting practice, getting his ground balls and running, doing all the work that a player who doesn’t play a lot in the regular season does,” Hinch mentioned. “There’s not much we can do about it. It’s just the depth they have with their team.
“I wish he was playing more.”
The WBC has fractured spring camps in each Florida and Arizona. Besides Torres, lefty Enmanuel De Jesus is additionally with Team Venezuela. Right-hander Keider Montero is nonetheless with Team Dominican.
Outfielder Jahmai Jones has been gone for two-plus weeks with Team Korea.
Reliever Kenley Jansen returned from Team Netherlands on Wednesday. Tarik Skubal returned after one begin on Monday however now reliever Will Vest has left camp to affix Team USA in Houston.
“I don’t know what the roster configuration will be for the semis and finals,” Hinch mentioned. “But we are expecting him stay there until it’s done.”
Coaches Joey Cora (Team Puerto Rico) and George Lombard (Team USA) have been gone for 2 weeks and counting.
“Anyone who has players gone is having to piece it together the best they can,” Hinch mentioned. “You want the games to go as late as possible in order for the players to be built up and ready to play. But that leaves like two or three games here and two (exhibition) games in Arizona as the only time we’re going to have the roster together that we’re going to break with for Opening Day.
“Everybody has to concede something to have this event at the time we are having it. I’m not sure there is an ideal time to pull this off.”
Three pitchers re-assigned
The Tigers Thursday assigned three non-roster pitchers to minor league camp: Relievers Tyler Mattison and Cole Waites and lefty starter Bryan Sammons.
“The innings were starting to dry up for the relievers,” Hinch mentioned. “Starters are going deeper into games. Kenley is back and we’re going to get De Jesus back soon.”
Sammons, Hinch mentioned, must get on a five-day program to be able to pitch in the rotation at Triple-A Toledo.
Mattison an choice?
It’s probably not the final we see of Mattison this season.
“It was just nice to have him in camp and not rehabbing,” Hinch mentioned. “He has plenty of stuff to pitch at this level. He’s got to keep working on consistency and getting into count leverage.”
Mattison, together with his high-rpm, mid-90s four-seam fastball and slider, struck out six in 3.1 innings this spring. But he’s additionally walked three.
“It looked like he had one pitch or the other and he’d end up being a one-pitch guy in a lot of his outings,” Hinch mentioned. “But those pitches are dynamic.”
Mattison made himself an choice for Hinch sooner or later this season.
“He’s really intriguing,” Hinch mentioned. “It’s a different look, different stuff. He misses bats. I look forward to seeing him get his season underway and see how he factors in. I can easily see him being a candidate to help us at some point.”
Around the horn
Spencer Torkelson was sporting a multi-colored bruise on his proper forearm Thursday, courtesy of a fastball thrown by teammate Burch Smith in an intrasquad sport Tuesday. But he was again in the lineup, no worse for put on. Asked essentially the most painful hit by pitch he’s taken, he recalled taking a heater off the C-flap of his helmet in his rookie season (2022), courtesy of Royals Brad Keller. He needed to go away the sport for concussion protocol. “He got me a bottle of tequila, though,” Torkelson mentioned with a smile. “I told him, ‘Do it again.’ Get a free base and a bottle of tequila, heck yeah.”
… There’s the opportunity of a fairly particular spring pitching matchup Saturday in Dunedin. Tarik Skubal, the reigning two-time Cy Young winner will make the journey for the Tigers. The Blue Jays have tentatively aligned three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer to make his first begin of the spring.
… Framber Valdez will make his third begin of the season on Sunday in Tampa towards the Yankees.
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