LAKELAND, Fla. — When Spencer Torkelson returned home to Arizona at the start of the offseason, the load of 159 games hit him all at once.
“The body was tired, my mind was tired,” Torkelson said. “I didn’t even realize it until I got home and I was like, ‘Whoa, why am I so tired?’”
Torkelson played in more games than any Detroit Tiger last season. And it was also a transformational year, one that started off with more difficulties before Torkelson finally found his footing in the major leagues. In early May, he was hitting .198 with only two home runs. By season’s end, he had 31 home runs and 94 RBIs. The Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America voted him Tiger of the Year.
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But beyond the most basic counting stats, there remain clear ways in which Torkelson can improve. At the offense-heavy position of first base, he was worth only 1.4 fWAR. His on-base percentage was only .313. Worse, his minus-11 defensive runs saved was the worst total from any MLB first baseman since Miguel Cabrera and Chris Davis also finished at minus-11 in 2017.
But when A.J. Hinch and Scott Harris met with players for exit interviews, there was no harping on the negatives. The theme of Torkelson’s meeting centered more on positive reinforcement. The kid who was drafted No. 1 in 2020 and who reached the majors with large fanfare and then a large stretch of struggles proved he can hit at this level. That should not be taken for granted.
“I think when you’re uber talented, high profile, sort of notable before you even take your first at-bat, that comes with a ton of spotlight and a ton of responsibility,” Hinch said. “It wasn’t a smooth ride for him once he got to the big leagues. He made some adjustments and he continued to make adjustments in his process throughout the year, and all of a sudden you look up and the scoreboard looked pretty good. … Sometimes you have to open your players’ eyes to what’s happening and let them know that it’s a job well done.”
Spencer Torkelson's power surge continues!#RepDetroit@spennyt pic.twitter.com/7aFhpwNml9
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) August 22, 2023
Thursday at Tigers camp, Torkelson stood in front of his locker and acknowledged much has changed over the past year. The tastes of success have made a difference in his mindset. No longer was he having to answer questions about what he learned from his rookie struggles. He stood there clean-cut as usual and freer than ever.
“I feel just a little more comfortable, a little more confident,” Torkelson said. “And then I feel like I got a little more drive to take this thing to the next step, especially as a team.”
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Take note of that last part. For the young Tigers to achieve their goals as a team, they need Torkelson not only to replicate his 2023 performance but also to take further steps forward — becoming a more well-rounded hitter, reaching base more consistently and playing better defense.
None of that is lost on Torkelson, who took a period to rest but then got right to work this offseason.
“For me, it’s hard to be super happy with the year and be like, ‘I made it,’ you know?” Torkelson said. “I feel like it was a good year, but it’s nowhere near what I believe I’m capable of.”
In Arizona, Torkelson was part of a collection of Tigers who worked regularly with team hitting coach Michael Brdar. Torkelson said he was hitting with Brdar five days a week starting Dec. 1.
“I thought that was normal,” he said when a reporter gawked. “I felt guilty taking weekends off.”
There was work to refine the smallest details of a swing that last year finally started producing the easy power that got Torkelson drafted No. 1. Brdar also became Torkelson’s de facto infield coach. Torkelson turned to Brdar to research and then understand the defensive metrics. The numbers show this: Torkelson was terrific at scooping throws in the dirt, finishing with a league-high 29 scoops above average, a measure of how well a player fields errant throws. He was also abysmal at fielding balls to his backhand side. He was worth minus-8 outs above average moving laterally to his right.
Replay confirms Spencer Torkelson has a lazer-like arm 🤯#RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/kvyooPiySK
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) September 14, 2023
Torkelson realized midseason MLB’s new restrictions on the shift were having an impact on his defense.
“I think I learned that the shift made first base really easy to where any ball to my right, just head to first base,” Torkelson said. “My first instinct (on a) ball to my right was just to get to the bag. Now it’s, ‘All right, we’re gonna get to that ball.’”
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To correct the issues, Torkelson said he did “shortstop drills” fielding balls to his right. Even two days ago, not long after his arrival in Lakeland, Torkelson was on the field taking balls to that backhand side. How many grounders has he been taking, exactly?
“I don’t count,” he said. “Until my legs feel like they’re about to fall off.”
All that is telling of where Torkelson is in his career. There has been great progress. There is also much left to accomplish.
With Miguel Cabrera retired and a new era of Tigers baseball beginning, Torkelson is among the young hitters who should define what the next few years hold. With success comes the return of high expectations.
Torkelson’s offseason exhale was brief. More work is ahead.
“He has a ton of talent,” Hinch said. “He’s getting comfortable with what he has to do to be good. Our job is now to raise the bar another inch and see how he responds.”
(Photo: Junfu Han / USA Today)
Cody Stavenhagen is a staff writer covering the Detroit Tigers and Major League Baseball for The Athletic. Previously, he covered Michigan football at The Athletic and Oklahoma football and basketball for the Tulsa World, where he was named APSE Beat Writer of the Year for his circulation group in 2016. He is a native of Amarillo, Texas. Follow Cody on Twitter @CodyStavenhagen
