Why Tigers Shouldn't Be Concerned About Spencer Torkelson's Slow Start
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The Detroit Tigers have returned to a .500 record thanks to consecutive victories over the St. Louis Cardinals during their homestand. As they prepare for their first Sunday Night Baseball game of the season on Easter Sunday, one player is eager to regain his form.
Former number one overall pick Spencer Torkelson has had such an up-and-down career in the big leagues since debuting in 2022. He has proven to be a strong power hitter at the plate when he's on, but to begin 2026, Torkelson has shown early signs of 2024, which resulted in him getting sent down.
But just because he has started the season off poorly for Detroit doesn't mean that fans or the organization should worry. Torkelson got last season off to a hot start, and he just feels one or two base hits away from finding his stride again.
Stay Optimistic with Tork
Torkelson has only gotten four hits to begin the year, three singles and one double, yet his eye at the plate isn't as bad as the results in his swings show. According to Baseball Savant, Torkelson is in the 88th percentile in chasing pitches; his problem is not being able to hit pitches in the zone.
Regardless of his strong chase rate, Torkelson has struck out 11 times in eight games, only walking twice. There have been several pitches that he should have gotten around to, but not every player can come out of the gates swinging.
Against the Cardinals on Saturday, April 4, Torkelson was a few feet shy of hitting his first home run of the season. Dying at the warning track, Torkelson went back to the dugout knowing he could do better.
The Tigers hold Torkelson to a high standard, wanting him to work through his struggles at the major league level rather than getting sent back down. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has started penciling Torkelson lower in the lineup, which should allow him a different approach at the plate.
Torkelson has a strong eye at the plate, and through the first eight games of the campaign, that's been apparent. It might just take that first 'Tork Bomb' of the season for him to get his confidence back.
Detroit will need to keep a close eye on how he performs at the dish from here until the end of the month. Torkelson has nothing more to learn at the minor league level and is an asset for the Tigers, but if he needs a tiny reset, that might not be out of the question for the slugger.
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.