Article: NYY 4, MIN 3: Rodney Spoils Great Gibby Start, Twins Swept

[Tom Froemming]

The Twins carried a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning thanks to an excellent start by Kyle Gibson, but Gary Sanchez blasted a Fernando Rodney pitch for a three-run homer to walk it off at Yankee Stadium. The victory gave New York a four-game sweep over the Twins, who have now lost their last seven games.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Download attachment: Snapshot426.png Download attachment: WinEx426.png

Good Gibby emerged again this afternoon. In fact, this may have been the best we’ve ever seen him. He carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and ended the day with a career-high 10 strikeouts over six shutout innings.

 

Gibson was really feeling the slider today. He entered this game having deployed that pitch just 9.8 percent of the time, per Brooks Baseball, but unleashed it for 26 of his 95 pitches this afternoon, per Baseball Savant. He got 11 swinging strikes on the slider and not a single ball was put into play on that pitch. In all, Gibby got an impressive 19 whiffs.

The Twins put Jordan Montgomery to work in the third inning. He retired the first two batters, but the Twins ended up tallying two runs on an Eduardo Escobar homer and forced the lefty to throw 37 pitches that frame. That pushed Montgomery up to 76 pitches on the afternoon, ensuring an early exit for him.

 

That Escobar homer was significant for a couple reasons. Montgomery has done an impressive job at limiting the long ball at Yankee Stadium, giving up just eight homers in 96 2/3 innings there over his career. Also, that blast put a nice bow on what was a tremendous series for Escobar.

Robbie Grossman had been slumping but broke through with an excellent game, going 3-for-4 with his first home run of the year.

Addison Reed, pitching in his 11th game of the season, gave up a run on a sac fly in the seventh. Zach Duke pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out Aaron Judge with a runner on second to end the inning.

 

The bottom of the ninth opened with Didi Gregorius reaching on a throwing error by Miguel Sano, who had just moved over from first base. Logan Morrison, who had just come off the bench failed to make the scoop. That was followed by an infield single from Giancarlo Stanton.

 

Gary Sanchez then decided to stop toying with the hearts of Twins fans and just make the end quick and, well, still pretty painful. Rodney now has a 6.75 ERA.

Postgame With Molitor

Bullpen Usage

Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:Download attachment: Bullpen426.png

Next Three Games

Fri vs. CIN, 7:10 pm CT

Sat vs. CIN, 1:10 pm CT

Sun vs. CIN, 1:10 pm CT

 

Last Three Games

NYY 7, MIN 4: Lance Lynn Is a Dumpster Fire Right Now

NYY 8, MIN 3: Resistance is Futile

NYY 14, MIN 1: What Did We Expect?

 

So, this seven-game losing streak means the Twins are doomed, right? Well, here's my take on the state of the team:

More From Twins Daily

Rodney Living His Own Experience

What's Going On With Logan Morrison?

Twins Catchers Quietly Struggling

 

Click here to view the article

[Andrew Thares]

Life, Death and getting my heart broken by the Damn New York Yankees

[HrbekRules]

Can we end the Rodney experience already!

[Andrew Thares]

 

Can we end the Rodney experience already!

This game was not on Rodney.

[jun]

 

This game was not on Rodney.

Can we at least end Rodney the closer experience? He could definitely take on Kinley's role now since he's gone. In fact he and Duffey can now take on Kinley and Moya's role.

[Danchat]

I think another reason for the pitching futility has been the regression of the defense. Dozier's arm and range are limited, Sano can be a disaster sometimes, and Escobar doesn't have the range at short. Awful throws from outfielders have factored in, too. I ain't excusing Rodney for his incompetence, though. They should get him to pitch some low leverage innings before they think about having him try to save a game.

[slash129]

 

This game was not on Rodney.

 

It's on Molly for using Rodney instead of Pressly.

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

I think this year Rodney has decided that instead of doing his ridiculous bow and arrow celebration after actually saving a game, he'll let the other team hit walk-offs that follow the path his arrow would have taken. 

[Han Joelo]

Rodney should mime throwing a stick of dynamite after blown saves.

 

Twins with RISP this series:

1-8

2-10

3-12

0-4

____

6-34

 

34 men LOB.

 

These guys stink right now.  Time to regress to the mean.

[Squirrel]

I think this season is going to be more like 2016 than 2017. Well, okay, more than likely somewhere in between, but I am dubious at this point of a playoff team.

[gunnarthor]

To be positive a moment, Gibson has been decent for our #4 starter. Good to see. I wish Molitor would've let him pitch a bit longer but I'm just looking at the box score. Maybe he done. Who knows. 

Edited April 26, 2018 by gunnarthor

[FormerMinnasotan]

If Gibby keeps up with using his slider and curve more and not relying on his sinker I think he’s actually fine.

 

As for Fernando Rodney, he’s got to go. I’d rather seen anyone else in the Twins bullpen close rather than Rodney.

[jtkoupal]

I didn't really care for the Fernando Rodney signing from day 1. The process hasn't been bad, and much of what's happened is not Rodney's fault. However, things such as Home Runs, HBP, and walks, are under his control. He can't control the play behind him, but he can control the other stuff. He has been victim to bad play, but he as also been responsible for walks, hit batters, and home runs, which he can control.

 

The Twins look less and less likely to be contenders by the day, so Rodney's tenure in Minnesota will come to an abrupt end in about 3 months.

[Dantes929]

 

This game was not on Rodney.

Huh?   3 blown saves and a 6.75 ERA with 2 saves to his credit.    Same time last year Kintzler had 5 saves and a 0.00 ERA.   If you want to say Sano cost them a run fine.   If you want to say Pressley should have been in there, fine, but what's that say about Rodney as our closer?    

On a plus note, Gibson really stepped up.    Lets win the next couple series and put this week behind us.

[mikelink45]

Fascinating reactions.  The comment on not Rodney's fault really threw me.  I looked at his line and I am still trying to find the real culprit.  By summer we might think Rodney is doing great and all the other players who are looking bad just had a collective bad streak, but it is hard to be happy with what is happening.  

​The free agents are not living up to their billing, but look around the league and the majority of free agents are not doing well.  I suspect many will pick it up, but it seems obvious that the human factor means that just plugging in a player does not mean that his previous stats come with him.  

 

I am concerned that our defense is down and besides my frustration over not bringing in the young arms instead of going for the Odorizzi, Lynn, Rodney, Reed, Duke handful.  And Darvish would have done no better.  With the defense I still think that Gordon should be at short, Escobar at third, and Sano at 1B or DH would make me happier and I bet the pitchers too.  

[adorduan]

 

This game was not on Rodney.

Who was it on then?

[The_Phantom]

Molitor, Lomo, and Rodney should all wake up to pink slips in the morning.

 

This is 2016 all over again in the sense that they are going to dig themselves into a big enough hole that they cant climb out. Toronto always kills us too.

[KirbyDome89]

Rodney doesn't record a single out, gives up two hits, including a 3 run homer, but this one isn't on him? 

 

How bad does he have to be before we can find fault? 

[Tom Froemming]

The article has been updated with the snapshot, win expectancy chart, bullpen usage info and all that other good stuff. I'll be doing a live stream on Twitter this evening around 7:45 CT and will also embed that in here so you can watch it on replay if you're interested.

[slash129]

 

I still think that Gordon should be at short

 

Gordon has about 3 times as many career errors in MiLB as Escobar in MLB with only about 50% more chances at SS playing against much lighter competition.   I don't think he's going to be fixing anything with the big club defense.

[Darius]

Rodney remaining in the closer role at this point is indefensible. In-freaking-defensible. There is absolutely no reason to keep running him out there with the game on line. He's turned 3 wins into losses and the team isn't even to 20 games yet. What is going on?

 

The season might be over already, barring a miracle. They certainly can't compete with NYY, Bos, Cle, Hou, and probably not LA with a healthy Trout and Ohtani. You don't lose 5-10% of your game consecutively and make the playoffs. The pace you have to keep to make up for that isn't sustainable for a team with a mediocre (at best) pitching staff.

 

Really disappointing.

 

I'm tired of this old school mentality

[Thrylos]

I think that this streak should be a good reminder for the next time the league asks the Twins to play two home games in Puerto Rico or another place.

 

With that trip plus the weather cancellations these guys have been playing like they are on a vacation, Spring Training or something.

 

Someone needs to send a message and Molitor is not the guy to do it, because he is not willing to sit his boys or change their roles...

Edited April 26, 2018 by Thrylos

[blindeke]

Why wasn't Escobar playing 3B in the 9th inning? The defensive substitutions are a head-scratcher to me.

[VATwinsFan]

I will not watch the Sanchez home run.

I will not watch the Sanchez home run.

I will not watch the Sanchez home run.

Edited April 26, 2018 by VATwinsFan

[Oxtung]

For those upset with Rodney today what exactly would you like him to do? Today he got 2 infield ground balls which his defense couldn't convert for him. Then on an 0-1 pitch that was 5 inches inside Sanchez turns on it and smashes it to left field. The pitch wasn't a bad pitch.

 

Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the other team and say, "Good game." 

[Aggies7]

 

For those upset with Rodney today what exactly would you like him to do? Today he got 2 infield ground balls which his defense couldn't convert for him. Then on an 0-1 pitch that was 5 inches inside Sanchez turns on it and smashes it to left field. The pitch wasn't a bad pitch.

 

Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the other team and say, "Good game." 

And the time before that, the ball hit the mound, and the time before that a bad throw tied the game and so on and so on. Always an excuse if you look hard enough. Yes, today was tough luck but did the job get done? No, AGAIN. Surely some of the blame has to go to him.

[Mike Sixel]

I think that this streak should be a good reminder for the next time the league asks the Twins to play two home games in Puerto Rico or another place.

 

With that trip plus the weather cancellations these guys have been playing like they are on a vacation, Spring Training or something.

 

Someone needs to send a message and Molitor is not the guy to do it, because he is not willing to sit his boys or change their roles...

I'd argue it is a talent issue, and probably the manager also. I don't believe Puerto Rico had anything to do with this.

[Seth Stohs]

Always fun when the team plays poorly, as most teams do every year, how much overreacting there is.

 

That's not to say there aren't concerns and things to work on, but without being boring, it is a 162 game season. Lots of season left. 56 or so games against the Tigers, White Sox and Royals. Hopefully more consistent play. Hopefully a few of the slumpers get things going here soon. Hopefully Dozier, Mauer and Kepler keep it up. I mean, there's no reason to give up on 2018 or their playoff hopes yet. 

[jun]

As long as Morrison, Lynn and Rodney the closer get consistent playing time, this team is not going to win. Just too many bad apples in one basket.

[Thrylos]

 

Always fun when the team plays poorly, as most teams do every year, how much overreacting there is.

 

Here is a fact that you might find interesting.   The Twins are in the middle of a seven game losing streak.  Only 3 teams ever had a longer losing streak during a season (1953 Yankees with 9, 1990 Reds & 2006 Cardinals with 8)  and ended up winning a World Series.

 

Over reacting?   Nah.  Postseason contenders, such as we think the Twins should be, just do not have such losing streaks.

Edited April 26, 2018 by Thrylos