Spencer

Torkelson

After struggling so much in 2024 that he was sent to the minors, Torkelson rebounded in a big way in 2025, slashing .240/.333/.456 with 31 home runs and 78 RBI in 155 games for the Tigers. He may still never hit for a high batting average, and the strikeouts will remain a part of his game, but the power is very much for real, and he should continue to hit in the middle of the Tigers’ lineup.

The Tigers entered the eighth inning trailing 2-0, but got something going as Gleyber Torres worked a leadoff walk and Riley Greene reached on an error by Josh Naylor. Torkelson then shot a double down the right field line off of Matt Brash that plated both runs to tie the game. Unfortunately, that would be the extent of the Tigers’ offense in the game. As a team, the Tigers were only able to muster three hits in the ballgame. They’ll attempt to bounce back in Game 3 on Tuesday against Mariners’ right-hander Logan Gilbert.

After stunning the Mariners in Game 1 in Seattle on Saturday night, Tigers’ skipper A.J. Hinch didn’t feel the need to make any changes to his lineup behind Tarik Skubal in Game 2. Keith has been utilized as the designated hitter in each of the first two games instead of playing in the infield as they’re trying to be cautious with him while returning from the rib injury. Once again, here’s how they’ll lineup against Mariners’ right-hander Luis Castillo on Sunday: Gleyber Torres (2B), Kerry Carpenter (RF), Riley Greene (LF), Spencer Torkelson (1B), Colt Keith (DH), Dillon Dingler (C), Zach McKinstry (3B), Javier Baez (SS) and Parker Meadows (CF).

Torkelson was sent for precautionary X-rays, which came back negative for any fractures, after fouling a ball off his right foot. He was also hit by a pitch on the hand during the late stages of Wednesday’s Game 2 loss at Progressive Field. The 26-year-old first baseman went 0-for-3 with a walk as Detroit scored just one run on seven hits and left 15 men on-base in this one with a chance to close out Cleveland. It sounds like he’ll be ready for Thursday’s decisive series finale.

Detroit will give their regulars some extended rest heading into the playoffs after wrapping up a postseason berth earlier this weekend. The Tigers would need to defeat the Red Sox and have Cleveland lose to the Rangers in order to win the AL Central division title. Assuming Greene gets the full day off, he finishes an impressive regular season with a .258/.313/.493 slash line with a career-high 36 home runs and 111 RBI across 157 contests.

Torkelson’s seventh-inning blast — his 31st round-tripper of the season — put Detroit ahead in the late stages of the contest. He also added a run-scoring single in this one, but it still wasn’t enough in this one as the Tigers’ bullpen imploded in the final frame to hand them their eighth loss in their last 10 games. With their fourth straight defeat, Detroit is just one and a half games ahead of the surging Guardians for the AL Central division crown with one week left in the regular season. Unreal.

Torkelson finally got the Tigers on the board with a 392-foot (105.0 mph EV) solo shot off of Bryce Elder in the fourth inning, pulling the Tigers to within five runs at 6-1. That would be as close as they would get. It’s the second time in three seasons that Torkelson has eclipsed the 30-homer plateau. For the year, he’s hitting .243/.335/.465 with the 30 long balls and 75 RBI.

Torkelson had the Tigers’ three hardest-hit balls at 105.7, 102.4 and 100.2 mph today. They had just two other hard-hit balls in the loss. The Tigers would up with only 17 hits in the three-game sweep by the Guardians, with Tork producing six of those.

Torkelson took Michael Wacha deep for a solo homer in the fourth inning to give the Tigers the lead. He added a base hit in the sixth for his second hit of the contest. The 25-year-old slugger is having a tremendous bounce-back season, slashing .244/.337/.479 with 27 homers, 70 runs scored, and 69 RBI across 522 plate appearances.

Torkelson worked an epic 12-pitch walk off of Pierson Ohl in the opening inning that helped to fuel a five-run uprising. He also led off the third inning with a single and scored on an RBI double by Dillon Dingler. Torkelson is now slashing .241/.333/.480 with 26 homers, 66 RBI and a pair of stolen bases on the season.