CLEARWATER, Fla. >> There were rumblings last week that Spencer Torkelson was playing right field in a simulated game. Those rumblings were real.

Torkelson, for the first time since he played in the Cape Cod Summer League in 2018, will be getting some work in right field. It’s not a position change. He will still be primarily a first baseman.

“We’re just sprinkling it in,” manager AJ Hinch said. “It is just a sprinkling. You’re not going to see him out there routinely.”

With outfielders Parker Meadows (nerve issue in his right arm) and Matt Vierling (shoulder) starting the season on the injured list and with left-handed hitting Colt Keith expected to get most of the playing time at first base, the time is right for Torkelson to expand his positional versatility.

“I one thousand percent welcome it,” Torkelson said. “We’ve had some really key players go down this spring. I don’t know when they’re going to return but for the time being, we still have to find ways to compete and win. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Hinch said he expects to play Torkelson in right field in a spring game Monday.

“There are a lot of scenarios where we want to make the best decision in a game and the defensive portion of that is a big deal,” Hinch said, explaining the rationale for the move. “We’ve asked almost everybody on our roster to do something else. This is the time for Tork to move around just enough.

“It’s late in camp for it to be considered a major move, but adding some comfort to that is important. … We will see what it looks like. It doesn’t have to be perfect but we’d like it to be part of our in-game availability.”

The seeds of this were sown during Game 5 of the ALDS last October when, because of some of the mixing and matching, Hinch was forced to use Vierling at first base. It was the first time all season that Vierling played that position, and he was there in a playoff elimination game.

“This is something that’s been evolving in our organization over the last couple of years,” Hinch said. “Putting Vierling at first base, that’s just one example of things that happen with how we’re trying to maximize at the margins. It reminds you that when you have a roster that is versatile and interchangeable, you can make a lot of decisions based off that.”

In the same sim game that Torkelson played right field, shortstop Javier Baez played center. Baez, who already started one game at third base, is expected to get work in center before the end of camp.

“Why wouldn’t we at least try,” Hinch said.

This was discussed briefly in the offseason but Hinch didn’t feel it was the right time to spring it on Torkelson.

“The thing with Tork coming in and having to fight for his position, it’s a slippery slope asking him to do both,” Hinch said. “I’m not saying he’s made (the roster) but he’s obviously had a very good spring. We were entirely focused this winter on some adjustments on the hitting side so it probably wasn’t the right time to spring the outfield on him.

“Now, the way he’s swinging the bat, we can sprinkle in the outfield.”

Torkelson is up for the challenge, even if he had to borrow an outfielder’s glove from Jahmai Jones.

“It’s definitely new,” he said. “Playing college league outfield is a little different than playing big-league level outfield. But I’m excited for the opportunity. George (Lombard) is an unbelievable outfield coach and I have roommates (Riley Greene and Meadows) that know exactly what they’re talking about.

“Just, no ego. Learn from the best and compete. … Just go out there, be an athlete and attack balls — that’s my mindset. We’ll learn the mechanics as we go.”