Detroit Tigers explain decision to demote Spencer Torkelson, hope for adjustments in Toledo
ARLINGTON, Texas — The roster moves became official before Monday's game.
The Detroit Tigers optioned first baseman Spencer Torkelson to Triple-A Toledo, selected the contract of outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy from the Mud Hens and designated infielder Buddy Kennedy for assignment to create room for Malloy to join the 40-man roster.
The 2020 No. 1 overall pick, previously compared to feared sluggers like Pete Alonso and Paul Goldschmidt, has been demoted to the Triple-A level for the second time in three seasons. Manager A.J. Hinch didn't describe Torkelson's demotion as a reset, but rather as an opportunity for him to make adjustments to his swing and earn his way back to the big leagues.
BEFORE THE DECISION: Does Spencer Torkelson need demotion to Triple-A? This time, A.J. Hinch didn't say no
Torkelson hasn't been asked to overhaul his swing in the middle of his third MLB season, but the Tigers want him to make tangible adjustments.
"We hope that we find some consistency with his swing, his setup, his approach, his quality of contact, just his overall offensive contribution," Hinch said. "He's got some things to work on defensively as well, at first base, so he'll pay a lot of attention to his overall game. It became more and more apparent that the best place for that is Toledo. We'll get him the work there to get him back on track."
While Torkelson works in Toledo, Malloy is scheduled to start as the designated hitter in all three games against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field, including from the sixth spot in Monday's lineup. The 24-year-old plays the corner outfield positions, but the Tigers plan to use him primarily as their designated hitter because of his below-average defense.
Malloy needs to slug to keep his spot on the team.
He already has 839 plate appearances at the Triple-A level in three seasons, hitting .272 with 30 home runs, 156 walks and 209 strikeouts across 189 games.
"He's going to get a lot of at-bats," Hinch said of Malloy. "He's a good offensive player. He deserves the at-bats to get a foundation at this level, and let's see how he does. He's a big leaguer. He can settle in and expect to factor in with this team moving forward."
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As for Torkelson, the Tigers want him to tweak the lower-half mechanics in his swing to be more athletic and adjustable at the plate. If Torkelson changes, he should be able to get on time for fastballs again.
Before the demotion, Torkelson hit .201 with four home runs, 16 walks and 56 strikeouts in 54 games, also worth minus-5 defensive runs saved at first base. He hit just .106 on fastballs from right-handed pitchers that registered at least 93 mph, compared to the league average of .243.
Last season, Torkelson hit 31 home runs in 159 games.
"It's been there when he's gotten himself on time, when he's gotten himself using his legs, getting his setup properly," Hinch said, when asked if Torkelson needs to "overhaul" his swing. "In season, for us, we're going to need subtle adjustments that are going to lead to better performance more than we're looking for these monster drastic changes that come with that word."
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But Torkelson has been reluctant to change his swing since the Tigers drafted him No. 1 overall in 2020. The mechanics of his swing don't look any different than when he arrived for his MLB debut more than two years ago.
Torkelson has never admitted he needs to change his swing. Many times, even in the darkest days of his rookie season, Torkelson has talked about how much he believes in his swing. It's the swing that got him here.
It's his swing.
This latest demotion will test Torkelson's willingness to make an adjustment.
"To be a well-rounded offensive player at this level, you got to cover a lot of things, and you got to be able to make some adjustments," Hinch said. "And that has been hit or miss with Tork. I think some time in Toledo, and some work with (Mud Hens hitting coach Mike Hessman) and our minor-league development staff, will do him well to come back at some point and impact this roster."
Keston Hiura released
On the day the Tigers optioned Torkelson, the Tigers also released Triple-A Toledo first baseman Keston Hiura from his minor-league contract.
MORE ABOUT HIM: Tigers' Keston Hiura made major change with swing in hopes of returning to MLB
It's unclear why the Tigers released Hiura, but decreased opportunity for playing time — as a result of Torkelson's demotion — might have factored into the decision.
The 27-year-old served as the everyday first baseman for the Mud Hens throughout the first two months of the season. He hit .232 with six home runs, 21 walks and 56 strikeouts in 49 games, spanning 199 plate appearances.
Hiura struggled in May, hitting .164 with two homers in 22 games.
Ryan Kreidler returns to Toledo
Shortstop Ryan Kreidler, a member of the 40-man roster, was activated Monday from the injured list by Triple-A Toledo after playing seven games for Low-A Lakeland, hitting .100 (2-for-20) with one walk and 11 strikeouts. The 26-year-old has fully returned from a right finger fracture.
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Infielder Eddys Leonard, also a member of the 40-man roster, is expected to be activated from the injured list by Triple-A Toledo in the near future. He has already completed eight games for Low-A Lakeland in his return from a left oblique strain, hitting .227 (5-for-22) with two walks and six strikeouts.
Both players suffered injuries in early April.
Finally, infield depth has been restored in Triple-A Toledo.
Shelby Miller ready to go
Right-hander reliever Shelby Miller, who hasn't pitched for the Tigers in three weeks due to ulnar nerve inflammation, will be activated from the injured list in the three-game series against the Rangers.
He is with the team at Globe Life Field.
"I'll be back," Miller said.
The 33-year-old has cleared all of his medical tests, completed two outings as part of his rehab assignment and could return as soon as Tuesday's game.
Miller tossed 2⅓ scoreless innings with one walk and three strikeouts in his two rehab outings with Triple-A Toledo. His fastball averaged 93.1 mph in his final appearance, maxing at 94.3 mph.
"Velocity has been good," Miller said. "The slider is good. The slider has been good. The splitter is better than it's been all year. I should be coming back with the right mix."
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 explain why Spencer Torkelson has been sent to minors
