Tigers' Spencer Torkelson May Have Turned Corner After Walk-Off Home Run

The Detroit Tigers picked up another series win on Thursday with a 5-4 walk-off victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. After falling behind 4-3, Jahmai Jones hit a pinch-hit home run to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth.

Then, with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Spencer Torkelson stood in the box. He got in an advantageous 3-1 count against Abner Uribe and crushed a 99 mph sinker into the left field bleachers to walk-off the Brewers.

Torkelson was greeted by his teammates at home plate for his first career walk-off homer. It was a big series-clinching win for Detroit, but more importantly, a step in the right direction for the Tigers' first baseman.

Torkelson May Start Heating Up at the Plate

Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson celebrates as he rounds the bases. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Coming into this series with Milwaukee, Torkelson had a .179 batting average and a .329 on-base percentage. He was 0-for-12 with five strikeouts against the Boston Red Sox and was clearly struggling at the plate. Torkelson ended that drought with a single to center field on Tuesday.

In Wednesday's game, he hit a two-run blast to left-center field to secure his first long ball of the 2026 season. It appears after Thursday's contest that Torkelson may have something clicking at the plate. Per DetroitSportsNet, Torkelson said, "It's staying locked in, being ready for your moment and attacking it. That's what [Jahmai] did and that's what I did."

Now, Torkelson's batting average increased by 13 points, and the power could finally be coming around. He hit 31 home runs and drove in 78 runs a season ago, so the Tigers need their star first baseman to continue to produce.

What Can Torkelson Do Moving Forward to Stay Consistent?

Torkelson is currently second on the team in strikeouts with 28. According to Baseball Savant, he's in the 98th percentile with a 16.5% chase rate. That indicates that while his average is low, he's not chasing pitches out of the zone. Plus, he's third on the team in walks (15). If he can stay true to the zone, the walks will increase.

His hard-hit percentage and exit velocity are similar to last year, so hopefully, Torkelson will start to see more hits land. But the priority is plate discipline, and the power will follow. However, the lack of power isn't just a Torkelson issue. Detroit's 22 home runs rank in the bottom 10 of baseball. Kerry Carpenter and Dillon Dingler each lead the team with five. Maybe Torkelson's walk-off hit will be the jolt he needs to get on the right track.

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