1 month ago
- Tigers
- Published: Apr. 04, 2026, 12:37 p.m.
DETROIT -- Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson is batting eighth successful Saturday‘s crippled against nan St. Louis Cardinals, his lowest spot successful nan lineup since his rookie play successful 2022.
Why did head A.J. Hinch move him down?
Torkelson is conscionable 3-for-24 to commencement nan season, pinch a double, 2 singles and 2 walks. He has struck retired 10 times. But Hinch said capacity unsocial didn’t thrust nan decision.
“It’s not to ray a fire,” Hinch said. “I nonstop messages pinch meetings, not lineups. So I would opportunity it’s conscionable a postulation of putting nan group of hitters together nan measurement I want it configured, based connected (the Cardinals’) bullpen and their pitching.
“Somebody successful a bully lineup is going to deed eighth aliases ninth, truthful it’s not an indictment, not a message. He whitethorn deed 3 homers coming and bat eighth again tomorrow. I don’t rotation pinch nan lineup emotionally — it’s strategic, trying to springiness nan different broadside thing to woody with."
Hinch shuffles his batting bid much than astir managers, and players quickly study that today’s spot tin alteration tomorrow. No positions are bestowed aliases inherited.
“I’ve been fortunate to person buy-in from this group,” Hinch said. “They don’t care; they’re fresh to play.”
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Evan Woodbery has covered nan Detroit Tigers and Major League Baseball for MLive.com since 2016. He has antecedently covered nan Saints/NFL for The Times-Picayune/NOLA.com; University of Tennessee athletics for...
