Spencer Torkelson keeps struggling, but A.J. Hinch praises him for being 'a good teammate'
BOSTON — Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson has been a massive letdown in his third MLB season.
Torkelson, the 2020 No. 1 overall pick, is hitting .205 with four home runs, 16 walks and 54 strikeouts in 53 games, along with being worth minus-5 defense runs saved. The 24-year-old wasn't in the lineup for Friday's game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, replaced at first base by veteran third baseman Gio Urshela.
"I feel for him," manager A.J. Hinch said.
But Torkelson keeps working hard behind the scenes.
"What he's doing to work is great," Hinch continued. "I know not everybody wants to hear about the work is being done and the attention to the adjustments, but he's putting in the work. We all are wanting him to take it into the game. It's been a frustrating week for me. I feel for him because I know how much he cares and how much he's putting into it, and he wants to see results play out on the field."
The Tigers are impressed by the way Torkelson continues to act as a teammate. He is a team-first player despite his personal struggles at the plate and in the field.
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The struggles have reached a low point in the past nine-plus games, with Torkelson going 3-for-36 (.083) with three walks and 11 strikeouts across 39 plate appearances. He recorded all three hits May 26, sandwiched between hitless streaks.
Torkelson had an 0-for-19 slump, but since the 3-for-5 performance against the Toronto Blue Jays, which included one double and one home run off left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, he is stuck in an 0-for-12 slump with zero walks and seven strikeouts.
He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Thursday's 5-0 win over the Red Sox. He also made an incredible diving back-handed stop to keep right-hander Jack Flaherty's no-hit bid alive, possibly the best defensive play for his career.
"I told him, one thing I appreciate about him is how he's the same teammate regardless of whether he's part of the winning or not," Hinch said. "Last night, he was in a great mood and high-fiving everybody. He made the great play on defense, but he wasn't the offensive star, and he still remains a good teammate. When he does get a big home run, he's a good teammate. I appreciate his consistency in caring about the team win first and his performance second, even though I know it's eating him up to not be a more central part of our offense."
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Among MLB hitters, his .193 expected batting average ranks in the second percentile and his .329 expected slugging percentage ranks in the eighth percentile.
Torkelson will return to the Tigers' starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Red Sox.
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Kerry Carpenter update
Outfielder Kerry Carpenter is going to be out for a while.
He has a lumbar spine stress fracture.
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The Tigers initially described his injury as lumbar spine inflammation when Carpenter landed on the injured list Wednesday, but after further medical testing, his injury has been changed to lumbar spine stress fracture. He seems likely to miss at least one month of games, but the Tigers chose not to provide any timeline for his potential return.
Carpenter, though, is expected to seek multiple opinions.
The 26-year-old remains in a resting period, and although he is eligible to return from the injured list Thursday, that's not when he will return to the Tigers — not even close.
Carpenter, a left-handed hitter, is hitting .283 with eight home runs, 11 walks and 38 strikeouts in 50 games this season. His 1.004 OPS against right-handed pitchers ranks fourth in MLB among players with at least 140 plate appearances in those situations, trailing only Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker and Juan Soto.
Mark Canha scratched
The Tigers scratched designated hitter Mark Canha from Friday's lineup with left hip soreness.
It's unclear how the injury occurred.
The 35-year-old is hitting .247 with six home runs, 26 walks and 47 strikeouts in 52 games. He finished 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in Thursday's game.
To replace Canha, the Tigers moved Colt Keith from second base to designated hitter. Andy Ibáñez entered the lineup as the second baseman, taking Keith's spot.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson slumping, but still 'good teammate'
