CLEVELAND >> Spencer Torkelson saw 10 pitches in his first at-bat Thursday. He fouled off four two-strike pitches and took a nasty 2-2 splitter that just missed the outer edge.

With two runners on and two out, Torkelson destroyed a 92-mph fastball and hit it 428 feet into the batter’s eye in center field at Nationals Field.

There was a lot to unpack there. First, this insane statistic: That was Torkelson’s 12th two-strike home run this year, most in baseball. It also gave him 22 two-out RBI (third in baseball) and his eighth two-out extra base hit with runners in scoring position.

“I think it shows I’m not panicking when I get two strikes,” Torkelson said. “It’s just, it’s the same at-bat. I’m not worried about the results, ever. And I think it shows. When I get to two strikes, the approach doesn’t change. I’m still not trying to do too much.”

Which is the same when the count is even or he’s ahead. He’s not swinging out of his shoes. So there is no adjustment to make with two strikes.

“I feel in the past when I got to two strikes, it was like, I don’t want to strike out and that’s all I thought about,” Torkelson said. “And then you are beat. Just stay in the fight and know the pitcher is just as likely to make a mistake with two strikes as he is with the count 2-0.”

He’s got a .359 on-base percentage with a .500 slug, .854 OPS and 35 RBI with runners in scoring position. With two outs and runners in scoring position, he’s got a .365 on-base percentage and a .909 OPS.

The numbers go down with two strikes (.273 on-base, .412 slug, .684 OPS). But the 12 homers and 21 RBI is significant two-strike damage.

“I’m trying to get a good pitch and get my A-swing off regardless,” Torkelson said. “I think there’s a different perspective, too. Like, if no one is on base, am I better off just trying to touch the ball and topping it to shortstop? That doesn’t do our team any good.”

This is where old-school baseball people will shake their heads. Once upon a time, getting two strikes meant shortening up the swing and fighting just to put the ball in play.

“Tork is an example of today’s hitters believing they’re going to get their A-swing off three times,” manager AJ Hinch said. “Like it or don’t like it. However the game has evolved and offensive profiles have changed over the years, he’s going to get a good swing off at any point.”

Hinch said what he liked about his 10-pitch homer Thursday, was the take on 2-2 and the ability to fend off tough pitches to keep the at-bat alive. It was almost a hybrid of the old and new in terms of two-strike approaches.

“Guys like Tork were raised in the era where they don’t see a two-strike swing much different than an 0-0 swing,” Hinch said. “There’s an argument that certain times you need to cut the swing down and take what the pitcher gives you.

“But he’s going to try to do damage every time he takes a swing and he’s doing it. It’s hard to argue with it.”

Especially when Tork has lowered his strikeout rate (23%), raised his walk rate (11.6%), lowered his chase rate (20.7%) and whiff rate (25.7%). All that plus 19 homers, 55 RBI and a career-best 131 OPS-plus.

“These results I’m seeing, I never doubted it,” Torkelson said. “But the results aren’t the end-all, be-all, it’s about what created those results. It’s about the process and trusting the approach.”

Around the horn

… Right-handed reliever Beau Brieske, after a rough start at Triple-A Toledo, has turned in three straight scoreless outings, covering four innings with five strikeouts and one walk. Brieske was optioned back in July.

… Right-handed starter Alex Cobb (hip inflammation) got another injection in his left hip. It was his second one in the left hip, which was surgically repaired in 2023. He’s been on the injured list all season with inflammation in his right hip, for which he’s also gotten multiple injections. Still, he is expected to resume throwing over the weekend.