Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson Suffers Injury at Spring Training

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Charlie O'Keefe | Last updated Mar 10, 2026 5:10 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers are looking to build on a successful 2025, which saw them fall one win short of making their first American League Championship appearance since 2013. But one essential piece of their lineup, Spencer Torkelson, exited a simulated team game after being hit by a pitch on Tuesday by teammate Burch Smith.

At 26 years of age, the slugging first baseman enjoyed the best season of his young career in 2025, depositing 31 home runs into the stands along with a respectable .789 OPS and acceptable defense in 155 games played. And although he was unable to sustain his scorching hot start to the season, Torkelson remained a reliable source of power in the middle of the Tigers' lineup all year long.

Now, the Tigers must wait with bated breath as Torkelson left Tuesday's intrasquad simulated game with a trainer after being hit by a fastball on his right forearm (h/t Chris McCosky, The Detroit News).

Spencer Torkelson was hit on his right forearm by a fastball from Burch Smith. He left the sim game with a trainer for treatment
— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) March 10, 2026

There have been no further updates on Torkelson's health since McCosky's report, but the Tigers are no doubt hoping for a false alarm as Torkelson is a key contributor of power for the lineup. The Tigers ranked 10th among all MLB teams in home runs last season (198) with Torkelson accounting for 31 of those; subtract his bat and they would've ranked just 22nd.

It has been an interesting journey for Torkelson, who was one of the select few first basemen in MLB history to be drafted with the first overall pick in the draft (2020 in Torkelson's case). The Arizona State University alumni was selected first overall for the otherworldly power he displayed in college and was promoted aggressively through the minor leagues, cracking the Tigers opening day roster in 2022 as the #4 prospect in baseball (h/t MLB Pipeline).

Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20).© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Torkelson struggled immensely in his rookie season, however, barely keeping his batting average above the Mendoza Line as he hit .203 and slugged just 8 home runs in 110 games, accumulating a dreadful -1.4 bWAR as a first baseman who couldn't hit.

Then in 2023, Torkelson slugged 31 home runs but produced very little outside of those while also earning poor defensive ratings at first base, and in 2024 the young first baseman spent 58 games in the minor leagues because he continued to look overmatched at the big-league level.

2025 was a statement of arrival for the former top prospect, who posted career highs in batting average and OPS as well as showing considerable improvements at first. If Tuesday's hit by pitch results in Torkelson having to miss time, Javier Baez and Matt Vierling should see more playing time as the Tigers would likely move Colt Keith to first base and reshuffle their defensive alignment from there.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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