Detroit Tigers Slugger Pursuing Long-Standing Legendary Franchise Record
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A legitimate chance at history is quietly taking shape in Motown, and it surprisingly isn't related to the Detroit Tigers 10-6 start.
After a dominant 9-1 result against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, the Tigers held their place atop the AL Central. The pitching was superb, as Tarik Skubal carried the team on his back for seven consecutive innings to earn his second win of the season.
Detroit recorded nine hits to take much of the pressure off of Skubal and Kenta Maeda, and the collective effort on both sides was akin to how the Tigers have operated to begin the successful campaign.
Despite the rough outing with Spencer Torkelson going 0-for-4 with one RBI and one strikeout, the star first baseman has five home runs. This is on pace to hit 54 in the 2025 season, which floats him around the same company as Tigers great Hank Greenberg who hit 58 in 1938, per Ryan Ford of the Detroit Free Press.
Torkelson hit his fourth and fifth home runs between Saturday and Sunday's matchups against the Minnesota Twins. His patience at the plate has contributed to his hot start.
“He’s just staying very grounded in what he’s doing and what he’s trying to do,” manager A.J. Hinch said, per Jason Beck of MLB.com. “There’s a mix of good approach, good execution, long at-bats. He stayed within himself. There’s not much not to like, given how in control of his at-bats he is. Obviously really proud of what he’s doing, and we need him.
“He’s in the middle of the lineup for a reason. He’s earned his way back into that. Just continuing to get good pitches to hit helps the good results, and he’s certainly doing that now.”
That said, Torkelson isn't alone in this home run chase. Teammate Kerry Carpenter matched his dinger total in the fifth inning of Monday's win over Milwaukee. He's also slashing .269/.304/.596, and has been the Tigers' most consistent threat over 16 games.
Greenberg's record has been one of the most long-standing records in Detroit sports history. Cecil Fielder became the closest in 1990 with 51 homers, while Miguel Cabrera belted 44 in back-to-back seasons in 2012 and 2013.
Torkelson, and now Carpenter have quite a road ahead. But the fact remains, the stage is set for a memorable campaign for both Tigers players.
The Tigers will be back in action against the Brewers on Tuesday.
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Derek Hryn is a writer for On SI, part of the Sports Illustrated network, with extensive experience covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball, as well as providing expert fantasy football analysis. Over the years, Derek’s work has been featured in prominent publications and networks such as ClutchPoints, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, DK and SB Nation. A former athlete in basketball, baseball and football, Derek draws on his deep understanding of the game to enrich his writing. He is a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan, and one of the devoted believers in The Process.