AJ Hinch helped Spencer Torkelson save face with Tigers fans after recent comments

Spencer Torkelson is entering a critical spring training with the Detroit Tigers. The former No. 1 overall pick has already been penciled out of the starting lineup with Colt Keith taking over at first base; if he doesn't start hitting again, he may very well be squeezed off the Major League roster altogether.

And yet, Torkelson made a comment ahead of spring training that made it seem like he isn't even remotely concerned about the outcome. Not only is he not worried about the mechanics of his swing potentially hindering his power at the plate, he's not even interested in watching video of it to make adjustments.

"That’s not me," Torkelson said via the Detroit News (subscription required). "That’s not the way I roll. I’m pretty old-school in the fact that, you know, 'That felt good. The ball flight looked good. That must’ve worked.'"

It's easy to see how that comment would rub some the wrong way; after all, it sounded pretty cavalier for a guy who has been demoted to Triple-A twice during his first three seasons in the Majors because of his inconsistency at the plate and doesn't even have a guaranteed roster spot heading into 2025.

However, manager AJ Hinch did some damage control during a Thursday radio appearance on 97.1 The Ticket, providing some context to Torkelson's comments – and perhaps sending a message to Torkelson himself.

Tigers' situation with Spencer Torkelson just got a bit awkward after AJ Hinch's comments

According to Hinch's interpretation, Torkelson wasn't saying that he would never watch video, but rather, that he didn't want to rely solely on video.

"I wasn’t there when he said it and I haven’t talked to him about it," Hinch said. "I think what he’s saying is that he’s trying to simplify and get as much stuff out of his head as he can."

In other words, Hinch believes that the key to unlocking Torkelson's full potential at the plate is to keep him from overthinking and overanalyzing every little detail.

"If you get too deep in the weeds with that, it can be counter-productive, and that’s what he’s saying," Hinch said. "He’s not saying, 'I’m never going to pick up the iPad,' because you’re going to see footage of him, probably even this spring, with his head in an iPad. That’s not him going against his word. He’s just keeping it in perspective."

The Tigers will have to hope that the "keep it simple" approach will help Torkelson tap back into the power he showed at the plate during his 31-homer season in 2023. He will need to do just that if he wants to have a prayer at breaking camp and contributing with the Tigers.

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