Spencer Torkelson Makes Corner-Turning Statement in Tigers Sunday Night Loss
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The Detroit Tigers might have fallen short to the St. Louis Cardinals in the final game of their three-game set, but there was one positive individual takeaway that could spark the Tigers' offense for their upcoming series against the Minnesota Twins, which kicks off Monday night.
Detroit's first baseman, Spencer Torkelson, has had a very rough start to the 2026 campaign. Last season proved to be a crucial season for Torkelson to begin the year, because if he didn't perform, his spot on this roster was up for grabs. That motivated the former number one overall pick.
But in 2026 thus far, Torkelson went into Sunday Night Baseball hitting well below .200 at the plate with an OPS of .379. However, after a handful of appearances at the plate, the Tigers might've just gotten a sign that Torkelson is just around the corner from helping contribute to this offense.
Tork's Sunday Night Baseball Performance: A Breakdown
No secret at all, Torkelson has got to start making better contact at the plate. His plate discipline isn't the issue — seeing a handful of close calls go his way, it's choosing which pitches that happen to be in the zone to swing at. Luckily for him, he put each piece of the puzzle together on Sunday.
In four plate appearances, Torkelson walked three times, in his first, third and fourth at-bats of the game. In between those appearances, he worked a 3-2 count and ripped a double after sitting on a fastball, which he has struggled to hit. It was Torkelson's second double of the campaign.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Torkelson worked a walk that filled the bases. While some fans would have liked to see him swing the bat and drive in the two runners in scoring position, this showed that Torkelson knows the strike zone, even if it hadn't shown through the first eight games of the year.
"He's dealt with all the pressure in the majors and everything that comes with being an organizational savior," manager A.J. Hinch said on the live broadcast.
Going into the series with Minnesota, Torkelson now has five walks to his campaign and five hits, two of which have been doubles.
So long as he keeps the strikeouts down, continues to rip the ball in gaps, and potentially hits that first home run of the season, the Tigers won't have to worry about their first baseman for much longer.
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.