Sticky stuff: Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson calls out Royals pitcher Jordan Lyles

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson, like the rest of the baseball world, saw the photo of Kansas City Royals right-hander Jordan Lyles with what appeared to be a substance on his left wrist.

It looked like Spider Tack.

Lyles held the Tigers to three hits and no runs over six innings on Monday night. It was his first start without allowing a run since Aug. 31, 2022.

After Monday's fifth inning, Bally Sports Kanas City cut to live video of Lyles adjusting his hat in the Royals' dugout before taking the mound for the sixth inning. A Twitter user noticed a tan-colored substance on his left wrist and posted a screenshot.

The umpiring crew — Doug Eddings (home plate), Ramon De Jesus (first base), Brian Walsh (second base) and Alfonso Marquez (third base) — did not detect a foreign substance during in-game checks. Perhaps aiding Lyles: The 13-year MLB veteran wore a long-sleeve compression shirt despite the 84-degree temperature at first pitch.

"Yeah, there's definitely something there," Torkelson said before Tuesday's game. "But that hasn't gone away. Guys are still doing that. He just happened to not get caught. There's nothing we can do about it now. It's like, if you can do it and not get caught, I guess more power to him."

There isn't an active investigation from MLB because evidence wasn't presented during the game. The league has been regularly checking pitchers for the use of foreign substances since June 2021.

"They do check," Torkelson said. "I don't know how they missed it."

Torkelson, the 2020 No. 1 overall pick, owns a .167 batting average (2-for-12) with zero walks and three strikeouts in his career against Lyles. The 23-year-old, who has played 210 games across parts of two MLB seasons, is hitting .227 with 12 home runs and a .700 OPS in 91 games this season.

Lyles has pitched in 339 games for eight teams in his 13-year career, from 2011-23. He has a 1-11 record with a 6.05 ERA, 31 walks and 73 strikeouts across 102⅔ innings in 18 starts this season.

Those 11 losses are the most in MLB this season.

"He's 1-11," Torkelson said. "You can have it. Take it."

The Tigers earned a 3-2 win in Monday's game, but Lyles mostly baffled the Tigers , picking up four strikeouts. He threw 21 curveballs (25%), 18 four-seam fastballs (22%), 14 sinkers (17%), 13 sweepers (16%), 13 changeups (16%) and four cutters (5%).

His curveball, compared to season averages, increased 2.2 mph in velocity and 141 rpm in spin rate.

"Look at his breaking ball, his curveball especially," Torkelson said. "He didn't use that pitch as much before. We noticed he was using it more. I think he had like 150 more rpms of spin and a couple more inches of depth. But honestly, whatever.

Torkelson faced Lyles, who has a 0.82 ERA in his past two starts, three times in Monday's game: a groundout in the first inning, swinging strikeout in the fourth inning and flyout in the sixth inning.

"For me, it was more about his location," Torkelson said. "He didn't miss. He didn't miss one spot to me."

Lyles has not yet been asked to comment on the photo.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said he received text messages about the photo, but he did not comment.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson calls out Royals' Jordan Lyles