Why Detroit Tigers are trying Spencer Torkelson in right field
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Spencer Torkelson will do anything to make the Detroit Tigers roster and help the team win, even if that means trying a new position.
Torkelson, who has only played first base in the Major Leagues, is about to see some action in the outfield.
“One-thousand percent welcome it,” Torkelson said Saturday morning.
This isn’t a full-time move. He’s not changing positions. Torkelson is still fighting to make this roster primarily at first base and as a designated hitter.
But this could give the Tigers more versatility if Torkelson makes the roster.
“We will sprinkle in the outfield,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch stressed on Saturday. “It is just a sprinkle, and you're not going to see him out there routinely.”
Then, Hinch added the kicker: “We would like it to be routine at the plate.”
Torkelson is expected to get his first action in right field on Monday when the Tigers play against Pittsburgh in Lakeland.
“We'll see what it looks like,” Hinch said. “It doesn't have to be perfect, but we'd like it to be part of the availability in game work.”
Torkelson has been taking fly balls on the backfields and in simulated games.
“We had really key players kind of go down this spring, and I don't know when they're going to return, but in the time being, we got to find ways to compete and win, and I'll do whatever it takes,” Torkelson said.
Why didn’t the Tigers ask him to try outfield sooner?
Because they wanted him to concentrate on his bat.
“One thing with Tork coming in and having to fight for his position, it's a slippery slope asking him to do both,” Hinch said. “I'm not saying that he's made it, but he's obviously had a very good spring. We were entirely focused this winter on some adjustments on the hitting side, and it probably wasn't the right time. Now, the way he's hit – swing the bat – and has connected at bats this spring, we will sprinkle in the outfield.”
Torkelson has had a fine spring at the plate, hitting .273 with four homers and nine RBI with an .930 OPS.
“I do feel good,” Torkelson said.
While Torkelson played third base in the minor leagues, he has only played first and has been used at DH in the big leagues.
“I played a couple games in left field in college in my freshman year,” he said, “and then summer ball that year, I played the whole summer in right. It's definitely new. A collegiate summer league outfield is a little different (laughing) than a big-league outfield, but I've just, I'm excited for an opportunity.”
Torkelson said he’s learning outfield from George Lombard, the bench coach. “George is an unbelievable outfield coach, so I'm just gonna take it,” Torkelson said.
He has borrowed an outfield glove from Jahmai Jones, who is also fighting to make the team.
The Tigers want Torkelson to concentrate on right field because it's the same side of the field that he's used to at first base.
Torkelson is just one of several Tigers who have learned a new position this spring, in part, because of injuries. But also because it’s an organizational philosophy. Colt Keith has moved from second to first, Jace Jung is learning third base on the fly and Javier Báez is dabbling at third base. In addition, Hinch is considering trying Báez in center.
“We've asked almost everybody on our roster to do something else, and this is time for Tork to move around just enough," Hinch said. "It's late in camp for it to be considered like a major move."
Just a sprinkle.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why Detroit Tigers are trying Spencer Torkelson in right field
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