After a slow start to the 2026 season, Detroit Tigers’ first baseman Spencer Torkelson is suddenly scorching hot. His approach has remained strong throughout some early struggles, with a consistently low chase rate and plenty of walks. He just wasn’t swinging at enough strikes. Problem solved. On Sunday, Torkelson homered for the fifth straight game, tying Marcus Thames most recently, along with four other Tigers including the legendary Hank Greenberg, Willie Horton, Rudy York, and Vic Wertz for the franchise
record last accomplished in 2008.
Torkelson didn’t get his first home run of the season until Wednesday, when he took Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Chad Patrick deep in the fourth inning of a Tigers victory. On Thursday he upped his game, walking off the Brewers with a blast to left field off of Abner Uribe. On Friday in Great American Ballpark, Torkelson took Tony Santilan deep though the Tigers crumbled late with a loss. On Saturday, Torkelson’s victim was Brady Singer, with another fourth inning shot.
On Sunday, the Tigers were down 3-2 after a solid start from Keider Montero, but one that featured a pair of Great American Park specials from the Reds. In the seventh inning, Gleyber Torres reached on a Ke’Bryan Hayes error, and rookie Hao-Yu Lee mashed the first home run of his major league career to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead. Riley Greene struck out, and Reds manager Terry Francona pulled his lefty in favor of right-hander Pierce Johnson to face Torkelson. It went…poorly for them.
Really good to see the big bat heating up.
