The Tigers are set to recall first baseman Spencer Torkelson from Triple-A Toledo right now, in accordance with Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Torkelson will take the place of Bligh Madris, as Petzold studies that Madris was optioned to Triple-A after the Tigers’ 3-0 loss to the Yankees yesterday.
It has been over two and a half months since Torkelson’s final Main League sport, because the Tigers determined the primary baseman was in want of a refresh after a brutal begin to the season. Torkelson hit solely .201/.266/.330 with 4 house runs in his first 230 plate appearances in 2024, translating to solely a 68 wRC+. Together with his Statcast numbers not hinting at any underlying causes for optimism, Torkelson went again to Toledo trying to get himself again on the monitor.
The leads to Triple-A have been blended. Torkelson has hit .239/.356/.443 with 11 homers in his 275 PA with the Mud Hens, so his numbers have been stable but removed from dominant. He additionally posted a 30.9% strikeout price within the minors this season, nicely above his previous strikeout charges at both the Main League or minor league ranges. As Petzold notes, loads of these strikeouts are coming towards sliders and changeups, although Torkelson has a minimum of been performing higher towards higher-velocity choices.
A successful report continues to be inside attain for the 59-64 Tigers, however with a playoff run trying fairly unlikely, Detroit is utilizing the remainder of the season to judge its younger expertise. Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney have been simply known as up yesterday for his or her respective MLB debuts, so between these rookies, Torkelson, and Colt Keith changing into a fixture in his first Main League season, the Tigers could possibly be getting an early have a look at what is perhaps their infield of the long run.
Torkelson nonetheless have to be thought of a part of that future, as he hit .233/.313/.446 with 31 homers over 684 PA in the course of the 2023 season. The primary general choose of the 2020 draft doesn’t flip 25 years previous till subsequent week, and whereas the Tigers naturally would’ve preferred to have seen the teenager alter to the large leagues in a lot smoother vogue, it’s nonetheless far too early to surprise if Detroit needs to be trying to transfer on from Torkelson. In fact, Torkelson might want to maintain up his finish of the deal towards MLB pitching, and even average-ish manufacturing gained’t lower it from a bat-first participant anticipated to ship massive numbers from the primary base place.
