BOSTON – Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 Draft, hit 31 home runs last season.
Less than a year later, Torkelson could be on the brink of a demotion to Triple-A Toledo as his struggles continue into June. Before Sunday’s game, manager AJ Hinch was asked directly if Torkelson needed to be optioned to Triple-A Toledo for the second time in three seasons.
This time, Hinch didn’t say no.
“I don’t know,” Hinch said Sunday, the second day of June. “I knew they were going to ask me the question when he sat down two out of three days. We haven’t talked much about things like that this morning. We’re trying to find a way to win the game today. That’s the most important thing.”
Hinch was asked a similar question on May 7.
Back then, he gave a very different answer.
“We haven’t talked about it because we really want Tork to resolve it here,” Hinch said on May 7. “He’ll show flashes of it. He’s got a little bit of a longer track record. He’ll get a chance to work.” himself through that… So no, we haven’t.”
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The Tigers did not put Torkelson in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, leaving him sitting two of the four games in the series. On both occasions, Torkelson has been replaced at first base by veteran third baseman Gio Urshela.
Torkelson, also worth five defensive runs saved, is 3 for 37 (.081) with three walks and 13 strikeouts in his last 10 games, part of an even worse 3 for 40 (.075) streak than It dates back to May 19. He is 0 for 16 (.000) with zero walks and nine strikeouts in his last four games.
The 24-year-old seems completely lost at the plate.
“It’s a little bit of everything, but I would jump right into it,” Torkelson said Sunday. “When you’re not seeing the ball well, it feels like you’re getting one pitch a game to do damage, and that’s what it feels like. And then when you’re hot, it feels like every pitch you get that’s on the strike zone is a meatball. It’s back to that.”
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In 2024, Torkelson is hitting .201 with four home runs, 16 walks and 56 strikeouts in 54 games.
It took him until May 12 to hit his first home run.
In recent weeks, his resolve has been tested even more.
“He tests me every day,” Torkelson said. “I mean, that’s why you love this game so much, just because it tests you. It makes it so much sweeter when you come crawling out of it.”
From 2023 to 2024, Torkelson’s batting average fell from .233 to .201, his OPS fell from .758 to .597, and his walk rate fell from 9.8% to 7%.
Hinch discussed Torkelson’s struggles at length.
“I think the approach part is certainly the mental preparation and taking what you’re trying to do from the on-deck circle to the batter’s box and staying with that,” Hinch said, “and reacting to how the pitcher attacks you and staying with it.” very disciplined in the game plan of what you’re trying to do. I think it’s good in that. I think all hitters tend to falter a little bit when they’re pitched a little bit differently than expected, or when you get into it. this batter’s box, and that Monster (Green) seems to be pretty close, and suddenly, in the middle, the other side doesn’t seem as fruitful as the home run. I think there are some mechanical things with him, where his weight is. distributed, your lower half, trusting that a lot of the work you’re doing in the cage will be consistent, but it’s a lot harder than just an analysis or a suggestion. Everyone in your ear is trying to get you to do something positive.”
Biggest problem: Torkelson’s swing doesn’t arrive in time for high-velocity fastballs, which wasn’t the case in 2023. His timing issues in 2024 resemble his timing issues in 2022, which led to a demotion as a rookie to the Mud Hens at the All-Star break.
This season, Torkelson is hitting .148 with zero home runs, a .185 slugging percentage and a 23.5% hit rate against right-handed fastballs. Worse yet, Torkelson is hitting .106 on right-handed fastballs that register at least 93 mph on the radar, compared to the league average of .243.
Arizona Diamondbacks in the second inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Friday, May 17, 2024.”>
However, last season, Torkelson hit .283 against fastballs over 93 mph from right-handers.
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Rookie Colt Keith, who plays second base but could outgrow the position someday if he continues to grow physically, solved his fastball timing problem by eliminating a leg kick and implementing a toe tap. As a result, the 22-year-old is hitting .343 with an .873 OPS since the May 8 mechanical adjustment.
Torkelson has adopted the same mechanics and plate swing throughout his three-year MLB career, spanning 323 games and 1,318 plate appearances.
You haven’t made any different adjustments.
“We’ve talked about a lot of different things,” Hinch said. “Our hitters continue to try to get it in a good position at the decision point. When you have to make the decision to swing, your body has to be in a really good, consistent position. Every player is a little different. The swing toe is not the answer for everyone.
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At Triple-A Toledo, first baseman Keston Hiura is hitting .231 with six home runs, 21 walks and 55 strikeouts in 48 games. He would be the best candidate to replace Torkelson, but he was terrible at the plate in May, hitting .164 with two home runs despite a respectable .315 on-base percentage.
Hiura, who has four years of MLB experience, signed a minor league contract with the Tigers in spring training, which includes an upward mobility clause (also known as an assignment clause) with dates of March 26, 1 June and August 1.
Utility players Bligh Madris and Ryan Vilade have also received playing time at first base at Triple-A Toledo this season. Both players have MLB experience in the past, including Vilade’s four games with the Tigers in the second week of May.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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