The Detroit Tigers received a brief injury scare involving first baseman Spencer Torkelson earlier this week.

According to a report from Evan Petzold, Torkelson suffered a right forearm contusion after being hit by a fastball during a simulated game Tuesday in Lakeland, Florida. The pitch came from Tigers reliever Burch Smith.

After being struck, Torkelson left the field alongside a trainer, raising initial concern about the severity of the injury.

Fortunately for Detroit, early indications suggest the situation is not serious.

Tigers manager A. J. Hinch addressed the situation Wednesday while speaking with reporters in Fort Myers.

“It was scary,” Hinch said. “It’s going to happen, whether it’s a game or a practice game. From what I know, from afar, we’ve avoided anything major.”

Why This Matters for Detroit

Torkelson is coming off a productive 2025 season, where he played 155 games and posted:

• 31 home runs
• 78 RBI
• .240 batting average
• .789 OPS
• 117 OPS+

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft remains one of Detroit’s key middle-of-the-order bats as the club looks to continue building around its young core.

At 26 years old and entering his first year of arbitration eligibility in 2026, Torkelson is expected to be a major piece of the Tigers’ lineup again this season.

For now, the early signs are encouraging that Detroit avoided a significant injury, though the club will likely continue monitoring the slugger closely in the coming days.