Spencer Torkelson throws Jake Rogers under the bus for Tigers’ missing HR celebration

No one, not even (and maybe especially not) Tigers fans, thought power was going to be a huge factor in the team's success in 2025. They had a great pitching staff, a smart manager who would encourage his team to capitalize on their opponents' mistakes, and a roster filled with promising, young position players, but the Tigers missed out on getting that big bat with a proven history of doing real damage when they lost Alex Bregman to the Red Sox in free agency.

So it was up to those young guys to fill in the gaps. Two of the usual suspects — Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter — have stepped up in big ways with three homers each already, but even Spencer Torkelson, Dillon Dingler, and Trey Sweeney have gotten in on the action to give the lineup some of the pop it desperately needs.

On Opening Weekend, the Tigers enjoyed five home runs against the White Sox (three from Carpenter, one from Greene, one from Torkelson) en route to a series sweep, but there was a conspicuous absence in the dugout after each of them.

Gone are the Tigers' pizza spear from 2024 and the hockey routine from 2023. Torkelson blamed Jake Rogers for the lack; he came up with both of those celebrations, but "passed the baton" to Rogers this season, only for Rogers to drop the ball.

Spencer Torkelson, who came up with the Tigers' last two home run celebrations, blamed Jake Rogers for its absence in 2025

Granted, the Tigers were facing the White Sox, but if they continue at this pace then they'll have to come up with something new. Maybe Rogers should hand the baton back to Torkelson; the pizza spear especially became instantly iconic, with some dedicated fans even making their own at home to bring to the ballpark.

Greene has the hardest-hit homer so far and Torkelson has the longest, at 114.3 MPH and 423 feet, respectively. The legend of Kerry Bonds grew this past weekend when he clubbed all three of his homers on the season in two games, one of which came against White Sox left Brandon Eisert, even though Carpenter has a notable history of struggling against fellow lefties.

Rogers said, "It's kind of been put on my head to do that. I'm pretty traditional as it is. There's been some really good ideas."

The Tigers should definitely be brainstorming. If Torkelson can keep improving and Greene and Carpenter truly break out this season, they'll get a lot of use out of a new celebration.