A minor kitchen mishap will sideline Detroit Tigers prospect Spencer Torkelson for at least the start of the Grapefruit League season.
Torkelson, the top overall pick in the 2020 draft, needed stitches after cutting his right index finger Wednesday at his rental home near the Tigers’ Lakeland, Fla., spring training facility.
Related: MLB power rankings 2022 – Houston Astros, New York Yankees battle for No.1 spot
Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said Thursday, “He can do some fielding work, but he’s not going to hit or throw for a couple of days. … You’re going to see him limited.”
Torkelson did participate in the Tigers’ fielding drills on Thursday, according to MLB.com.
The 21-year-old third baseman is sharing a spring training home with fellow Tigers minor-leaguers Riley Greene and Jake Rogers.
MLB predictions: World Series, division winner picks for 2021 MLB season
Hinch said of Torkelson, “I’m glad he wasn’t at a restaurant. If he did it in a restaurant, we’d have a problem with the (COVID-19) protocols. He was following the rules. Maybe part of his development is going to be opening a can, I don’t know.”
Torkelson starred at Arizona State before the Tigers selected him last year and gave him the richest draft signing bonus in baseball history, $8,416,300.
He maintained a sense of humor about the incident.
“When life cuts your finger, buy a can opener and then laugh it off,” Torkelson posted on Twitter.
Related: Hungry for more MLB news? Tap here for the hottest headlines breaking right now.
When life cuts your finger, buy a can opener and then laugh it off?? https://t.co/5vAIkt7MIv
— Spencer Torkelson (@spennyt) February 25, 2021
–Field Level Media