A Detroit Tigers first baseman was caught swearing at the home plate umpire during a game Monday night.
With the Detroit Tigers trailing 4-3 in an intense home game against the Kansas City Royals in the bottom of the seventh inning, 23-year-old Spencer Torkelson expressed his frustration towards the umpire after a controversial call on a third strike by Royals’ pitcher Taylor Clarke, the U.S. Sun reported. The incident, which was picked up by microphones, involved Torkelson using explicit language.
“Oh my fucking God,” Torkelson yells. “The fuck are you looking at?”
Despite the apparent violation of conduct, Torkelson managed to avoid ejection from the game, the U.S. Sun reported.
Spencer Torkelson was not happy 😳 pic.twitter.com/oNyH2pLwSN
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 20, 2023
Throughout the game, Torkelson struggled at the plate, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. However, in the same inning, Torkelson’s teammate Kerry Carpenter redeemed the team by hitting a remarkable three-run home run, the U.S. Sun reported. (RELATED: ‘An Unbelievable Achievement’: Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks World Record After European Championship Qualifying Win)
Carpenter’s contribution pushed the Tigers to a 6-4 lead, which they maintained until the end of the game.
Torkelson, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, has faced challenges in his transition to the big leagues, struggling to meet the high expectations set for him. He has recorded only 16 home runs in his first 706 at-bats, the U.S. Sun noted. The Tigers currently maintain a 31-40 record, placing them third in the AL Central standings, which puts them only four games out of first place from the Minnesota Twins.