Spencer Torkelson on adjusting to the major leagues
For Torkelson’s part, he said that the biggest adjustment that he has had is realizing that, despite being at the highest level now, it’s still the same game he has played for years.
“I think the biggest adjustment (has been) realizing that it’s the same game and that no one’s perfect, everybody’s human,” Torkelson said in an exclusive conversation with Call To The Pen. “You’re going to make mistakes.”
At the plate, with the walks and three homers thus far, Torkelson has had some strikeouts (18 in 49 at-bats). But he’s not concerned about it.
“I’m learning from every single at-bat,” Torkelson said. “(I’m) not too worried about the strikeouts. I know they’re going to happen and, especially, facing these guys for the first time in my career, it’s not easy. I feel myself getting better with each and every at-bat and getting more mature and (I’m just trying to) learn just from every single pitch that’s thrown at me.”
As for realizing that he should be in the major leagues, Torkelson said that he felt it on Opening Day … and pretty early.
“It only took, maybe the first inning (on Opening Day), where (third baseman Jeimer Candelario) had a ground ball and threw it over (to me at first base) and I had to pick it. I picked it and I was like ‘alright, I’m good to go.’ That was a cool moment.”
Here is that play. It was on the second out of the season and just the eighth pitch of the season.