DETROIT — Over the past month, as the Detroit Tigers called up prospects and handed the roster to a new generation, manager A.J. Hinch held difficult conversations with several veterans whose playing time was about to diminish. Among them were Gleyber Torres, Javier Báez, Zach McKinstry, and notably Spencer Torkelson.
The 2020 No. 1 overall pick has experienced his share of highs and lows during five MLB seasons. Now with 2,668 plate appearances and a 101 career wRC+, Torkelson remains resilient through slumps and successes alike.
“Control the controllables,” Torkelson said. “How you show up every day. Be a great teammate. Keep working my ass off. Still believe. Just because I had a couple tough months doesn’t mean I’m done for. … I want to be in a different position, but right now I kind of know where we’re at, and I understand it.”
Yet Torkelson finds himself in an awkward spot once again, having started only one of Detroit’s past four games. Rookie Hao-Yu Lee has been productive at second and third base, while John Peck — called up after just six Triple-A games — has claimed shortstop duties. Kevin McGonigle moved to third, pushing Colt Keith to first base in what now feels like a timeshare with Torkelson.
“We got a lot of mouths to feed in that regard,” Hinch said.
The new Keith-Torkelson platoon reflects a strange dynamic that may prove important to resolve. Both are among a longer list of players — including McKinstry, Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Pérez and others — likely entering the offseason under uncertainty. There are players out at sea and only so many life vests to go around.
Keith enjoys more security than most, signed to a pre-debut contract guaranteeing six years and over $28 million. Originally asked to play second base, he later shifted to first when the Tigers acquired Torres, then bounced around the infield during spring training when Torkelson’s bat heated up. Third base emerged late last year, and by late summer Hinch was praising Keith’s improvements at the hot corner. Now in September, Keith is back at first base, working on one-handed footwork and leaning on Torkelson for advice.
“The balancing act of being prepared to play all three of those positions at the big-league level is definitely tough,” Keith said. “But I’m up for the challenge. I’m here for the team. I want to win, so whatever helps them put the best lineup on the field, I’ll do. They know that, so that’s why they throw that at me. They know I’m comfortable with taking it.”
Colt Keith is hitting .125 in 24 at-bats against left-handers this year. (Brian Bradshaw Sevald / Imagn Images)
Part of Keith’s multi-position quandary stems from his bat. His wRC+ was 95 in 2024, 108 in 2025 and 100 this year — solid but not yet translating to dominant power. Once touted as an everyday player, Keith has fallen into a platoon role, hitting .305 against lefties as a rookie but only .163 last season and .125 this year in 24 at-bats.
“My goal this year … so far it’s been kind of a failure,” Keith said Wednesday. “I wanted to be an everyday guy at a certain position and get consistent at-bats, against left-handed, against right-handed. That was my goal this offseason. I so far haven’t proved to them that I’m worthy of doing that. I’m going to go into this offseason with that same idea. I want to come back as an everyday player for them and find a position.”
Rather than giving Keith same-sided at-bats, the Tigers have favored major-league exposure for Peck. That leaves Keith and Torkelson splitting first-base duties and pinch-hitting for each other during pitching changes.
“I think there’s always a chance to do whatever you want in order to give at-bats to whomever,” Hinch said. “Even if you project forward. … What if Tork ends up on the bench next year? Do you want him to have the reps as a pinch hitter, or do you want a handful of at-bats to a left-handed hitter to get into September? That’s the tug and pull. You can’t have both.”
In truth, both could be playing if the Tigers hadn’t given Peck this opportunity. Even Torkelson acknowledges his younger teammates benefit from the experience. “We got a lot of studs, guys that can definitely help us win,” he said. “To get them experience and at-bats and just opportunity is going to help them out a lot. That’s a win in a losing season.”
Torkelson is hitting only .207 against right-handers this year, while Keith’s lefty struggles make him vulnerable when a same-handed pitcher enters. On paper the platoon makes sense, but it raises a deeper question for the mix-and-match Tigers: How can you improve against lefties if you rarely face lefties?
“I got a start against (Kansas City Royals left-hander) Noah Cameron,” Keith said. “I got three ABs against him. I went 0-for-3. But every at-bat, I got more and more comfortable. That’s just what it’s going to take. It’s going to take consistent at-bats. I’m going to have to earn my way into that position by mashing righties to the point where they can’t take me out when a lefty comes in. And also being better at defense, better at base running, being able to help the team in different ways.”
“It’s trying to make A.J. hesitate when that situation comes up. I want him to hesitate and be like, ‘Well, he’s such a good defender, he’s such a good base runner, he mashes the closer that comes in for the ninth, so let’s just leave him in there.'”
These situations complicate any effort to reshape an offense ranking 21st in OPS. Trades are easier said than done, with an unspoken fear of Torkelson leaving and hitting 40 homers elsewhere. Keith, at 25, still holds plenty of ceiling.
Somehow, McGonigle remains Detroit’s only sure thing in the infield — though his short-term and long-term role remains unclear.
On a rainy Wednesday morning at Comerica Park, Keith discussed his situation matter-of-factly, then grabbed a tan first baseman’s mitt, popped his fist in the glove twice and headed out the door.
There’s so much left to sort out.
“I’m trying to keep everything alive a little bit,” Hinch said, “as we evaluate what we have and where we have it.”
