GAME THREAD: 6/14/22, Twins @ Mariners, 9:10 PM CT

[Mill1634]

Roster Move: The Twins DFA'd IF Elliot Soto, who had his contract purchased by the Twins yesterday to take the spot of Cole Sands, who was optioned Sunday. Soto did not appear in a game with the Twins. I am fairly confident he will clear waivers. Joe Ryan was activated from the COVID-IL and will start tonight. A move will be made for Sonny Gray tomorrow. 

Chi-Chi Gonzalez was claimed on waivers by the Brewers.

The Pitchers:

RHP Joe Ryan (5-2, 2.28 ERA, 42K, 43.1IP, 1.5 bWAR) vs RHP Logan Gilbert (6-2, 2.41 ERA, 70 K, 71.0IP, 2.0 bWAR)

Joe Ryan will make his first big league start since landing on the COVID-IL a few weeks ago. He appeared in a rehab start for the Saints last week, where he threw 40 pitches. I assume he went to the bullpen and threw some more, but am not sure. I assume he has a pitch limit somewhere in the 70-80 range. Ryan was good last time out, going 5.2 innings against KC, allowing 1 run while walking 1 and striking out 6. Logan Gilbert has been really good for the M's, and is one of the best young pitchers in the game who isn't talked about enough, very similar to Joe Ryan. Gilbert earned the win against Houston in his last start, going 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits, while walking and striking out 3. He has gone at least 6 innings in his last 5 starts. He throws a fastball over half the time, which sits in the mid-to-upper 90s. He also throws a slider, curve, and changeup. The fastball hasn't gotten hit too hard, but the underlying numbers say it's in for negative regression. He's allowing a BA of .221, but the xBA is .273, with an xSLUG of .461. 

 

The Lineups

Twins

2B Luis Arraez L
DH Byron Buxton R
SS C. Correa R
RF Max Kepler L
3B Gio Urshela R
LF T. Larnach L
1B Jose Miranda R
C Ryan Jeffers R
CF G. Celestino R

Mariners

SS J. Crawford L
1B Ty France R
2B Adam Frazier L
CF J. Rodriguez R
3B E. Suarez R
DH Abraham Toro S
C Cal Raleigh S
RF T. Trammell L
LF Dylan Moore R

 

The Twins are rolling with largely the same lineup, with the only change behind the plate. Arraez gets second base once again as Jorge Polanco gets another day off as he is battling a slight injury. Buxton DH's once again. I assume this is to allow him to start tomorrow with a lefty on the bump. Urshela slides up in the order, and Miranda slides down. Gilberto Celestino gets another start in CF even against a RHP as Nick Gordon is also battling a minor injury. Seattle will sit Jesse Winker tonight, and JP Crawford will hit leadoff. Julio Rodriguez, who didn't start last night, is back in CF, and has been really, really good since the Twins last saw him play. The rest of the lineup looks largely the same.

 

Vegas Odds: Twins +100, Seattle -120, O/U u7.5

 

Weather: The roof will be closed (from what I can tell)

 

On This Day: 1995 - Giants infielder Mike Benjamin goes 6-for-7 in a 13-inning 4-3 win over the Cubs. It caps a three-day binge in which Benjamin, a career .186 hitter in his first six seasons, sets a major league record with 14 hits in three games. Benjamin was 14-for-18 in that stretch.

 

Pick to Click: Me being asleep by the 5th inning

 

Prediction: Twins 4, Mariners 3

 

Go Twins!!!

 

[Vanimal46]

Arraez holding a fish is A+ content. 

[CRF]

Looks like a good pitching matchup on paper. Gilbert will be tough, so hopefully Ryan is at full strength and gives us 5-6 solid innings. The line up is good...except for Jeffers. I love the A-B-C's! If I make it past the 3rd inning, it'll be a miracle. Let's win another one out there tonight!

[Dave The Dastardly]

This timezone stuff is nuts! We should admit Washington to the Union.

Ironically, the Little Woman has decided we're going to watch North by Northwest tonight.

Judy! Judy! Judy!

[CRF]

2 minutes ago, Dave The Dastardly said:

This timezone stuff is nuts! We should admit Washington to the Union.

Ironically, the Little Woman has decided we're going to watch North by Northwest tonight.

Judy! Judy! Judy!

Great movie! Love the airplane scene out in the middle of nowhere. Enjoy. 

[wabene]

Looks like Badly Sports North has stolen the TD Bullpen Usage Chart®. Shameless. 

[Mill1634]

Correa took 6 balls that AB and struck out.

[USAFChief]

I liked the strategy we employed last night better ... up 2-0 two batters in.

Why didn't we do that again???

[Mill1634]

Miles Mikolas throws a 8.2 inning no hitter, and gives up a double on a 2-2 count to a guy with a .203 average. He threw over 125 pitches. 

[USAFChief]

Just now, Mill1634 said:

Miles Mikolas throws a 8.2 inning no hitter, and gives up a double on a 2-2 count to a guy with a .203 average. He threw over 125 pitches. 

See? He clearly wore down from all those pitches!!

[a-wan]

1 minute ago, Mill1634 said:

Miles Mikolas throws a 8.2 inning no hitter, and gives up a double on a 2-2 count to a guy with a .203 average. He threw over 125 pitches. 

From a guy who pitched in 9 games and threw 44 innings last year from injuries. Woof.

Buxton not hitting a home run in the first inning, must mean he is hurt?

[USAFChief]

Ryan doesn't look like he has his typical command tonight so far. 

Work through it.

[operation mindcrime]

Jose Miranda is going to go yard here!!!!!

[operation mindcrime]

1 minute ago, operation mindcrime said:

Jose Miranda is going to go yard here!!!!!

Or he's going to strike out!!!!!

[a-wan]

No hitter, perfect game, gone.

[USAFChief]

You can cancel the post game presser.

[singlesoverwalks]

Not to be a downer, but Logan Gilbert looks like a guy who's going to pitch for the Yankees in the Series in a few years.

[mrtwinsfan]

Max    

[Steve71]

1st and 2nd, nobody out, very tough pitcher on the mound.  Is it too "old school" to lay down a freakin' bunt these days?  Cost them at least 1 run (assuming Kepler even remembers how to bunt).

Kepler has been good this year with RISP, but this guy looks tough as nails out there and we needed to score.....

[jimbo92107]

What's with Kepler these days? He looks like he's just going through the motions, rather than improving his game at the plate. I've seen him pound so many balls into the dirt just like that... where is the adjustment? He would have been better off bunting.

[Danchat]

1 minute ago, Steve71 said:

Is it too "old school" to lay down a freakin' bunt these days?

With Buxton on 2nd base, why even bunt? A single scores him anyways.

Just now, jimbo92107 said:

What's with Kepler these days? He looks like he's just going through the motions, rather than improving his game at the plate. I've seen him pound so many balls into the dirt just like that... where is the adjustment? He would have been better off bunting.

I think this is who he is. He'll get hot for a while, and then go into long ruts of being passable as a hitter. Too many popups and grounders into the shift for my liking. 

[Steve71]

That is probably ball game the way the Twins are hitting tonight.  Darnit!  Should have been up in this game!

[jimbo92107]

I can't be the only one to notice this - despite all the whiffs Ryan gets, when somebody does crank one on him, it goes a looooooong way. 

[wabene]

1 minute ago, Steve71 said:

That is probably ball game the way the Twins are hitting tonight.  Darnit!  Should have been up in this game!

Easy now

[mrtwinsfan]

89 mph,  93+ and that ptch is effictive

[Steve71]

Danchat, you bunt to take the double play off the table and move the second runner into scoring position, too.

Then when Gio hit his ball you score a run and probably advance to 3rd where who knows what happens.....

[USAFChief]

4 minutes ago, Danchat said:

With Buxton on 2nd base, why even bunt? A single scores him anyways.

 

Well a successful sacrifice would have put runners on 2nd and 3rd. No GIDP possibility.

I still ain't sac bunting in the 4th inning though. Ever.

[jimbo92107]

5 minutes ago, Danchat said:

With Buxton on 2nd base, why even bunt? A single scores him anyways.

I think this is who he is. He'll get hot for a while, and then go into long ruts of being passable as a hitter. Too many popups and grounders into the shift for my liking. 

If that's who Kepler is, Matt Wallner will take his job in about a year. Another Larnach, with an ever stronger arm. 

[mrtwinsfan]

Kepler had one job there -- anything but what he did,   ON Max

[wabene]

Might have to crack open the corral for Richie tonite.