Article: MIN 6, DET 1: Stewart Impresses, Rosario Exits Due to Injury

[Tom Froemming]

Kohl Stewart not only had his best outing so far with the Twins, but one of the better performances of any Twins rookie pitcher this season. Over his six innings of work, Stewart only gave up an unearned run on three hits and three walks. He recorded five strikeouts.

 

Eddie Rosario was forced to leave this game after aggravating the quad injury he suffered in late August.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Stewart: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 59.3% strikes (51 of 86 pitches)

Home Runs: Rosario (24), Polanco (6)

Multi-Hit Games: Polanco (2-for-4, HR), Grossman (2-for-4, 2B)

WPA of 0.1 or higher: Stewart .230

WPA of -0.1 or lower: None

Download attachment: WinChart917.png

Gabriel Moya served as the opener for tonight’s game. He held the Tigers scoreless, giving up one hit while striking out a batter in the first. The last time Moya opened, he covered the first two innings, but this time it was only the first frame.

 

That’s where Stewart took over. He could have afforded to throw more strikes, though on the other hand, he did successfully keep Tigers hitters off balance. As is the norm, he relied heavily on his sinker and did a very nice job at limiting the damage. To my eyes, he also just looked really comfortable on the mound compared to some of his other outings.

 

The highlight of the game came from Jake Cave, who made another tremendous diving catch.

That play ended the third inning, the Twins responded with a four-run top of the fourth that included an RBI single from Cave.

 

It was station-to-station baseball that inning. Robbie Grossman led things off with a double, which was followed by the Cave single. Logan Forsythe and Ehire Adrianza added a couple more singles, bringing Cave around to score, then Willians Astudillo hit into a run-scoring ground out. Joe Mauer capped it all off with an RBI single of his own.

 

Rosario homered in the first inning and played the outfield for the first time since Sept. 7. It’ll probably be awhile before he’s out there again. Rosie slipped while fielding a ball and aggravated the quad injury he’s been dealing with since the end of August.

 

It looked pretty gruesome at first, he couldn’t get back up to throw the ball back to the infield, but after gathering himself, Eddie was able to walk off the field under his own power.

 

Postgame With Stewart

Next Three Games

Tue at DET, 6:10 pm CT: Jake Odorizzi vs. Daniel Norris

Wed at DET, 12:10 pm CT: TBD vs. Spencer Turnbull

Thu: Off

Fri at OAK, 9:05 pm CT: TBD

 

Last Three Games

MIN 9, KC 6: Twins Swat Four Homers, Avoid Sweep

KC 10, MIN 3: It’s a Hard Road

KC 8, MIN 4: OH THE HUMANITY!!!

 

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[DocBauer]

Cave is a keeper.

 

NOT going to annoit Stewart anything at this point, but he shows enough to get his rapid rise thjs season. And he has looked just a little bit better each time out it seems. And he was pretty good tonight. You can say "it's just Detroit", but it was a road game against a ML team. I don't know his ceiling, or whether he should start or relieve, but I think he's protected and brought back for 2019.

 

BTW...tip of the cap to Polanco. I still think his long foul ball was a HR. So he just goofs the next pitch to the seats! Awesome!

[Vanimal46]

How do you evaluate a primary pitcher like Stewart? There's a reason why they use an opener for him right? Is the hope he can be an actual starting pitcher next season?

 

Someone tell me how I'm supposed to feel.

[mikelink45]

 

How do you evaluate a primary pitcher like Stewart? There's a reason why they use an opener for him right? Is the hope he can be an actual starting pitcher next season?

Someone tell me how I'm supposed to feel.

I believe confused describes it.  Imagine the first Opener to be named to the HOF!

[Craig Arko]

Someone tell me how I'm supposed to feel.

[Mike Sixel]

How do you evaluate a primary pitcher like Stewart? There's a reason why they use an opener for him right? Is the hope he can be an actual starting pitcher next season?

 

Someone tell me how I'm supposed to feel.

He pitched six innings and htave up one unearthed run, and you don't know how to feel?

[gunnarthor]

Just keep letting Stewart pitch. I think he can be a solid ML pitcher for us but he'll have some growing pains.

[Channing1964]

Oh my god Kohl Stewart for Cy Young 2019. L.M.M.F.A.O.

[Channing1964]

did i actually see someone call Detroit a major league team? If that were true then you'd have to assume the Twins were that too Is anyone really that naive?

[Circus Boy]

 

did i actually see someone call Detroit a major league team? If that were true then you'd have to assume the Twins were that too Is anyone really that naive?

La Tigres did just take two of three at Cleveland, so they had that going for them.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

How do you evaluate a primary pitcher like Stewart? There's a reason why they use an opener for him right? Is the hope he can be an actual starting pitcher next season?

Someone tell me how I'm supposed to feel.

encouraged? Considering that everyone had written him off...

 

If you want something that says that the new FO has changed development practices with Stewart, look at his progression. He actually started striking people out this year.

 

Now that said, I'm not sure they should count on him. He's got 3 options, I'd plan on using one next year and see if he continue to improve. Either that, or perhaps he's trade bait at some point. He's showing that he's probably ready to be a serviceable back end starter with some upside. Perhaps someone with a blocked player at one of our needy positions might flip him to fill one of theirs?

[MN_ExPat]

 

He pitched six innings and htave up one unearthed run, and you don't know how to feel?

Unearthed Run???   Did he change his name to Indiana Stewart the famed archeologist?

[MN_ExPat]

 

did i actually see someone call Detroit a major league team? If that were true then you'd have to assume the Twins were that too Is anyone really that naive?

Snark much??

[MN_ExPat]

 

encouraged? Considering that everyone had written him off...

 

If you want something that says that the new FO has changed development practices with Stewart, look at his progression. He actually started striking people out this year.

Pretty good point diehard.

 

I have spent more and more of my time in recent years around pitchers and pitching coaches.   The single biggest development point that I have discovered...??   Repeatability of mechanics.   "Stuff" can only carry you so far (although freakish spin rates can help ).  

 

The pitchers who stick around and those who especially thrive all have one major thing in common, and that is they repeat their delivery time and again.

With Stewart, I believe we are starting to see that consistency.   He's got the "stuff" to pitch (no, I do not care about what # starter he is... only that he can pitch) and we are starting to see the early fruits of that labor I think.

[Vanimal46]

Well he's not any # of starter in the rotation because he's a primary pitcher....

[SF Twins Fan]

I'm glad to see he is progressing even if it's against Detroilet. I don't care if he's a regular starter, a "primary" starter or a future piece of the bullpen. All that matters to me is that he's able to get hitters out and having some success.

[ashbury]

Well he's not any # of starter in the rotation because he's a primary pitcher....

If you want to make an issue of the Opener versus Starter topic, let me point out that this game worked almost perfectly as a way to squeeze an extra inning out of a nominal starter. Moya pitched the first inning, then Stewart came in and faced the #5 batter in the lineup to start the second inning. He faced the lineup twice, then saw the #5 through #9 batters a third time. That #9 batter made the third out of the seventh inning. So Kohl Stewart achieved his first 6-inning appearance in the majors.

 

You need more than one game to prove anything, and you need a better opponent than the 2018 Tiggers. I'm skeptical that games can be routinely choreographed to this level of detail. But, if someone asks you what the idea is behind the Opener strategy, this game is the example you might point to.

[jimmer]

 

I'm glad to see he is progressing even if it's against Detroilet. I don't care if he's a regular starter, a "primary" starter or a future piece of the bullpen. All that matters to me is that he's able to get hitters out and having some success.

This

[rdehring]

Next spring is going to be interesting.  Assuming the Twins don't sign any starters over the winter, their Top 4 starters next spring will likely be Berrios-Gibson-Odorizzi-Pineda.  That leaves one opening for Mejia, Slegers, Stewart, DeJong, Romero, Littell and Thorpe.  Doubt Thorpe will be ready and will start at Rochester.  That leaves six others battling for one spot.  Mejia is out of options, so all the others except one will be the eligible to be starters for the Red Wings.

 

Will the FO be comfortable going into the spring with that group?  Or will they sign one veteran free agent just in case Pineda doesn't make it?  With all those numbers, most likely scenario may be that we see a trade over the winter.

[Vanimal46]

If you want to make an issue of the Opener versus Starter topic, let me point out that this game worked almost perfectly as a way to squeeze an extra inning out of a nominal starter. Moya pitched the first inning, then Stewart came in and faced the #5 batter in the lineup to start the second inning. He faced the lineup twice, then saw the #5 through #9 batters a third time. That #9 batter made the third out of the seventh inning. So Kohl Stewart achieved his first 6-inning appearance in the majors.

 

You need more than one game to prove anything, and you need a better opponent than the 2018 Tiggers. I'm skeptical that games can be routinely choreographed to this level of detail. But, if someone asks you what the idea is behind the Opener strategy, this game is the example you might point to.

The opener vs. starter topic is pretty cut and dry to me. Did Stewart start the game? Since the answer is no, he's not a starter. Did the strategy work out this particular game? Yes.

 

What does that mean going forward with Stewart's evaluation? Is he going to continue being a primary pitcher? Why don't all starting pitchers use an opener? I'm sure Berrios could benefit entering the game against the opponent's #5 or #6 batter too.

[AceWrigley]

Kohl Stewart might become someone like Mike Torrrez in the 70's and 80's. Pitched from the middle of the rotation somewhere, made all his starts, ate innings, and generally gave his team a chance to win. Won a ring with the '77 Yankees (the Mr. October series against the Dodgers), winning 2 games. Won 20 games once. Had a couple of pretty rough seasons. Guys like this help solidify a starting rotation.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

If you want something that says that the new FO has changed development practices with Stewart, look at his progression. He actually started striking people out this year.

Perhaps. Still not sure how much of that was simply due to repeating the level (3rd year at AA), plus of course rising K rates all over pro baseball. Stewart's K rate was only average this year in his 3rd go-around at AA (23.1% vs league 23.0%), and it was well below average at AAA (17.5% vs 22.0%), and of course again in MLB (13.8% vs 22.2%).

[Shaitan]

Is Stewart a minor league FA this year?

[ashbury]

The opener vs. starter topic is pretty cut and dry to me. Did Stewart start the game? Since the answer is no, he's not a starter. Did the strategy work out this particular game? Yes.

 

What does that mean going forward with Stewart's evaluation? Is he going to continue being a primary pitcher? Why don't all starting pitchers use an opener? I'm sure Berrios could benefit entering the game against the opponent's #5 or #6 batter too.

I think what motivates the strategy isn't "what's best for Kohl Stewart?" nor "what's best for Jose Berrios?", but "what's the best way to handle the top of the opponent's lineup?"

 

Facing batters a third time seems to be a defining mark for a multi-innings pitcher. If Berrios at a disadvantage the third time through is still better than a lesser pitcher who is fresh, then let him pitch inning #1. If Stewart needs all the help he can get, at this stage of his career perhaps, then let a specialist try to pave the way for him.

[Rosterman]

Spring training will be a tell. Pineda, because he didn't end the season pitching innings, can likely start in rehab in the minors...with the Twins fuming about the $$$ investment. Mejia will get the biggest opportunity, especially since he is a lefty. But the Red Wings rotation looks pretty solid right now...someone will not make it there!

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Kohl Stewart might become someone like Mike Torrrez in the 70's and 80's. Pitched from the middle of the rotation somewhere, made all his starts, ate innings, and generally gave his team a chance to win.

Of course, Torrez had durability that Stewart has yet to demonstrate (and may not be able to, in the modern game). Torrez was top-14 for inning pitched in the AL for 5 straight seasons, reaching as high as 6th.

 

Without the durability, I'm not sure how valuable that performance would generally be. It might be more like Jake Odorizzi's 2017-2018 in the modern game in terms of value.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Is Stewart a minor league FA this year?

No, he's on the 40-man roster.

 

Players are only eligible for minor league free agency after they've had their contracts renewed 6 times (so played in 7 pro seasons) and aren't currrently on a 40-man roster.

 

Drafted in 2013, Stewart would not have been eligible until after the 2019 season anyway. He still could be eligible after 2019 if we remove him from the 40-man before that time (and assuming another team wouldn't claim him on waivers for their own 40-man).

Edited September 18, 2018 by spycake

[slash129]

 

I'm sure Berrios could benefit entering the game against the opponent's #5 or #6 batter too.

 

I agree, but I doubt they want to mess with his routine at this point. The routines of the new guys are all fluid as they take their looks.

 

[Vanimal46]

I agree, but I doubt they want to mess with his routine at this point. The routines of the new guys are all fluid as they take their looks.

They don't seem to care about Odorizzi's routine... Some days he starts. Other days he's the primary pitcher.

 

Since this is a hot new concept I'm trying to understand the logic. They're using openers to supplement marginal pitchers like Odorizzi, Stewart, etc. So those pitchers enter the game starting with the opponent's 4, 5, or 6 batter.

 

By that same logic, Berrios should be even better if he also has an opener. He could pitch 7-8 innings and theoretically have a better ERA because he's also at an advantage.

 

So why don't we have 162 opener starts next year because all of our primary pitchers will have better stats and stay in the game longer? Berrios with a 2.5 ERA is better than Berrios who starts and has a 3.5 ERA.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

They don't seem to care about Odorizzi's routine... Some days he starts. Other days he's the primary pitcher.

Odorizzi has started all 30 of his games this year. He has not been used as a "primary" after an opener yet.