Aaron Boone Surprises With Gleyber Torres All-Star Leadoff Nod

Aaron Boone, manager of the American League All-Star team, faced criticism for his unusual choices in the 2025 MLB All-Star Game tiebreaker, selecting players with fewer home runs instead of sluggers like Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Junior Caminero. Boone explained that these decisions were based on strategic considerations, including player availability and recent performance. Meanwhile, Gleyber Torres, in his first season with the Detroit Tigers after leaving the New York Yankees, was given the leadoff spot by Boone, a move that surprised Torres but highlighted his strong offensive resurgence. Torres signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Tigers and has performed well, batting .281 with nine home runs and significantly improving his defense compared to his final year with the Yankees. Boone praised Torres as a tone-setter and key contributor to the Tigers' strong record in the AL, underscoring the renewed success Torres has found in Detroit. The reunion between Torres and Boone in the All-Star Game added a positive narrative amid Boone's criticized managerial choices.