Spencer Torkelson makes Tigers history with this insane stat

Christopher Damond

Spencer Torkelson makes Tigers history with this insane stat image

It hasn’t been done since Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez from 2014-16—until now. 

Spencer Torkelson joined exclusive company by becoming the first Tiger in nearly 10 years to record a pair of 25-homer seasons over a three-year span, the team announced before last night’s game. 

How did Torkelson celebrate? By hitting a go-ahead homer in Detroit’s 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday. He now has 26 home runs and 66 RBI this season with a .244/.332/.488 slash line. He also hit a career-high 31 homers in 2023.

With lofty expectations as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Torkelson struggled his first few seasons in the Major Leagues. His batting average was just .203 his rookie year in 2022, when he played 110 games for a Tigers’ team that disappointed with a 66-96 record. 

He seemed to break out a year later with 31 homers and 94 RBI, but his struggles returned the following season. As Detroit made the postseason for the first time since 2014, Torkelson hit just .219/.295/.374 on the year, and he was even optioned to Triple-A Toledo, where he played 58 games. 

Cabrera hit 25 homers in 2014 before exploding with 38 two years later. He ended his career with 511 home runs, which is tied for the 25th-most in MLB history. Martinez matched Cabrera by achieving the feat in the same timeframe, hitting 32 homers in 2014 and 27 in 2016.

That’s good company for Torkelson, who now shares a stat with a pair of Tigers’ legends who made a combined 17 All-Star appearances. Detroit continues its series against the White Sox in Chicago tonight. 

Christopher Damond

Christopher Damond is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2023 graduate of the University of Miami, where he was sports editor of the student newspaper. He's covered national sporting events for the Miami Herald, including the NCAA Men's Final Four, and has served in media relations roles for the Kansas City Royals and Miami Dolphins.