Examining Spencer Torkelson’s 2025 Stats Reveals Exciting 2026 Outlook for Tigers
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Going into 2025, the Detroit Tigers didn't know what their plan was for former first overall draft pick Spencer Torkelson. His 2024 struggles suggested that they needed a backup plan for first base, which featured Colt Keith getting reps at the position during spring training.
However, with just a slight adjustment to his batting stance, Torkelson came out of the gates firing on all cylinders and looked to be reclaiming the 2023 form where he broke out after a disastrous rookie season.
With 2025 signed, sealed, and delivered to the history books, Torkelson finished with 31 home runs, 78 RBIs, a .240 AVG, with an OPS of .789 and a WAR of 2.3.
But it's the metrics that lie within the season that tend to get forgotten about that could indicate Torkelson put together a better season than what's on the surface level.
Torkelson 2025 In-Depth Metrics to Look At for 2026 Success
For starters, Torkelson began his 2025 campaign in phenomenal form against the Los Angeles Dodgers, collecting four walks and smashing his first home run of the season on Opening Day for Detroit.
But with the start of the season aside, Torkelson displayed consistency from start to finish in helping the Tigers back to the playoffs. When playing at Comerica Park in front of the home crowd, Torkelson hit 21 home runs last season and held a .252 AVG and an OPS of .824.
For Comerica Park, being known as a pitcher-friendly ballpark, those are important numbers to be reminded of for the upcoming season.
On top of his home success, take a look at what he was able to do from March-April all the way through Sept. of the regular season per OPS.
March-April: .896 OPS
May: .828 OPS
June: .664 OPS
July: .846 OPS
Aug: .732 OPS
Sept: .738 OPS.
Take away his month of June, Torkelson would have finished with an OPS of .811, which is well above league average. Even in the months leading to the playoffs, his .732 in August and .738 in September were both above league average for the entire season of 2025.
If you take a deeper look, when Torkelson got to a full count last season, he walked more than he struck out, but if he didn't strike out, he only hit .216. Regardless, that's something to build on moving forward as well; his OPS in those situations was .991 in 74 at-bats.
When games were tied last season, at any point in the game, Torkelson was the one Tigers fans should have wanted to see at the plate. In those situations, whether it be at home or on the road, Torkelson held a .275 AVG, .378 OBP, .549 SLG, and a .927 OPS with 10 home runs, 27 RBIs and 84 total bases.
Should Torkelson truly have fixed his stance and returned to the power hitter the Tigers were hoping for on draft day in 2020, that they saw again in 2025, optimistic signs are to come for the slugger at first base.
Just 20 home runs shy of reaching 100 career home runs, Torkelson could be one of the more all-around professional hitters that the Tigers can rely on in 2026, in the clutch, and just to rake.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.