Detroit Tigers Star Shares Defiant Message in Return Following Demotion
Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson has a lot to live up to. When he was drafted with the number one overall pick in the in 2020 MLB draft, Torkelson was expected to be a core piece of the Tigers' team for years to come.
That's a lot of pressure.
But he made his MLB debut in 2022, played 110 games and slashed .203/.285/.319 his rookie year. Growing pains and development occurred at the Major League level.
He then played 159 games in 2023 and posted a .750 OPS with 31 home runs. He was beginning to look like the player he was drafted to be.
Then on June 1 of this year he was demoted to Triple-A Toledo after a struggle to the beginning of the season. The second demotion of his career.
But on Saturday, he returned to the Detroit Tigers clubhouse ahead of their matchup with the New York Yankees. While speaking with USA Today, he shared a defiant, yet upbeat message for the fans, his teammates and ultimately, himself.
""There's definitely some good nerves in there," said Torkelson. "But gosh, I miss this place, and I miss these guys. I belong here, so it's good to be back.
"I was definitely trying to do too much," said Torkelson. "And as much as I don't want to admit it, I definitely was, and in this game, if you're at the plate trying to produce and trying to slug, that's not the key to success. The key to success is a solid, consistent approach, being a hitter first and trusting my natural swing and my natural power to come through off of that."
Torkelson is still a very young player, and at 25, he is trying to live up to those giant expectations, likely leading him to push and make things happen when they just aren't there.
Now, he has the chance to show he belongs at the MLB level and for good. If Detroit hopes to truly contend in the coming seasons, Torkelson is going to have to play a large part in that success.
KADE KISTNER