Tooth-less Tigers lack team-wide power, swept by Diamondbacks

A.J. Hinch benched Spencer Torkelson on Wednesday. The Tigers manager sent a message to the two-time 30-home run hitter.  

Torkelson, along with his middle-of-the-order teammates, needs to produce. The 2020 No. 1 overall draft choice continues to struggle in clutch situations. In his past 62 at-bats with the bases loaded or runners on second and third, he produced just six hits.  

Torkelson, who carried a .150 average into Wednesday’s series finale at Chase Field, struck out eight times during his opening 20 at-bats.  

Torkelson has plenty of slow-starting company, evidenced by a .214 team batting average, entering Wednesday. The Tigers were the lone MLB club to connect on just one home run this season.  

Tigers powerless to open 2026  

After opening the season with consecutive victories, the Tigers dropped four straight following Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat to the Diamondbacks.  

Scoring has been an issue.  

During the series opener Monday, the Tigers fell behind by eight runs, scored six in the eighth, but failed to complete the comeback. On Tuesday, they allowed a five-run advantage to evaporate. During both games, they scored every run during a single inning – and failed to tack on additional runs.   

The Tigers continue to miss early-season power. Catcher Dillon Dingler clubbed their lone home run during the fifth inning of the season opener.  

After finishing 10th in homers last season, their leading sluggers, Torkelson, Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter remained homerless. In 2025, the trio combined for 93 homers.  

Greene opened the campaign 4-for-21 with an average exit velocity of 76.9 mph, according to Statcast. Carpenter collected just two hits and 11 strikeouts.  

Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen (1-1) pitched six shutout innings Wednesday, limiting the Tigers to four hits.  

Torkelson remained on the bench as the Tigers (2-4) were shut out on the second-straight getaway day.