Back in spring training, in our season preview series, the key for Spencer Torkelson to break out after a lackluster rookie campaign was pretty clear. The second year first baseman showed good plate discipline, didn’t strike out very much for a projected power hitter, and consistently hit the ball very hard in his rookie year. Yet the production just wasn’t there. He needed to start mashing balls in the air to the pull field.
Some of the mediocre production could be chalked up to some ongoing bad luck on hard hit balls in play. That’s still an issue here in September 2023.