Counting Down the Top 5 Pitching Performances for the Minnesota Twins in 2022

[Matthew Taylor]

After looking back at some of the Twins longest long balls of 2022 yesterday, we go to the other side of the ball today and look at the best starts of the season by the Twins staff. 

 

Image courtesy of Brad Rempel - USA Today Sports

 

 

Previously, we looked back on the five longest home runs by the Minnesota Twins in 2022. Now let’s count down the Twins’ top five pitching performances from the year.

5. Sonny Gray
Game Score: 78
September 14 vs. Kansas City Royals
7 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 8 SO (W)

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This September start from Sonny Gray was a big one as the Twins were still in the thick of a division race for the American League Central title. At the time of the game the Twins were five games back with a five game series against Cleveland yet to come, so this matchup against the Royals was a must-win. Gray took the rubber that day and from the jump wasn’t going to let the Twins lose.

4. Sonny Gray
Game Score: 78
May 24 vs. Detroit Tigers
7 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 10 SO (W)

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After a number of solid starts to begin the year with the Twins, Sonny Gray’s May 24 start against the Tigers was his first truly dominant start that validated the big offseason trade that brought Gray to the Twins. Gray showed stamina, control and putaway power in this start and gave the Twins the top-of-the-rotation presence that they lost when they traded away José Berríos in 2021.

3. Joe Ryan
Game Score: 83
April 27 vs. Detroit Tigers
7 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 9 SO (W)

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Everyone expected Joe Ryan to be a good pitcher for the Minnesota Twins in 2022, but this April 27 start from the right-hander showed that he has the ceiling to be a top-flight pitcher. Ryan was utterly dominant against the Detroit Tigers and rode that performance to a solid 2022 season in which he posted a 3.55 ERA across 27 starts. Ryan’s progression will be a big x-factor for the Twins in 2023.

2. Bailey Ober
Game Score: 83
September 27 vs. Chicago White Sox
7 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 10 SO (W)

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The best pitching performance in Bailey Ober’s young career, unfortunately, came in a meaningless September game between two teams that were already well out of the playoff picture. While the game was meaningless for the Twins and their playoff chances, a dominant start like Bailey Ober had in his penultimate appearance of the season is the type of outing that he can take into the offseason, build on, and hopefully use as a springboard for a great 2023 season.

1. Joe Ryan
Game Score: 84
September 13 vs. Kansas City Royals
7 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 0 ER, 9 SO (W)

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The most dominant pitching performance for the Minnesota Twins in 2022 will, oddly enough, not even be remembered for the pitching of Joe Ryan. Instead, the performance will be remembered for Rocco Baldelli deciding to pull Joe Ryan from the game in the 8th inning, rather than letting Ryan try to finish out the game. Heading into the 8th inning, Ryan was at 106 pitches. Many were frustrated that Ryan didn’t get a chance to accomplish history, but at such a high pitch count, Baldelli’s long-view motivations were certainly understandable.

Which of these pitching performances will you most remember? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

 

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[Karbo]

I can't help but notice that 4 of the 5 were KC & Det, with the other being White Sox. Nice performances for sure, but against rather weak teams.

[Richard Schlicht]

43 minutes ago, Karbo said:

I can't help but notice that 4 of the 5 were KC & Det, with the other being White Sox. Nice performances for sure, but against rather weak teams.

BUT....division wins are important!

[LanceJS]

Meaningless to you, maybe, but because I hadn’t been to Target Field in 9 years, the Bailey Ober start on September 27 was special to me because I was there and saw a great pitching performance, something I always like.  Hoping that is something we will see more often from him in 2023. 

[Daniel Anderson]

I believe Joe Ryan was 10 - 0 vs the AL Central in 2022, with an ERA around 1.5. Regardless of the relative weakness of the division that is impressive.

[EGFTShaw]

The top performance is why I believe Ryan has the right mentality to be that #1 on a pitching staff. 

remember last year was his first year in the majors. I think his rookie was excellent. Not outstanding or great, but definitely excellent. 

combine that with his fire, and hopefully improvement in pitching (skills, knowledge) I do see a #1

sonny gray is firmly established as a #2 or #3.

Ober has shown flashes so I think  easily a #3 perhaps a #2

Maeda showed what is possible. And we haven’t even touched on SWR or Varland. 

for once we have actual pitchers that are not off the K-Mart Blue Light Special End of the Year Everything Must Go bargain heap. 

it is nice not to see them picking up a reclamation project to see if they can strike lightning in a bottle 

But all of this is dependent on a avoiding the Liriano Factor. Taking a potentially awesome pitcher and derailing it with injuries 

[MTV]

Honorable mention that I didn’t see on here, Dylan Bundy’s performance against Arizona on June 18th, going 8 innings (the longest outing by a starter all season) with 4 hits and a single run, along with 7 punch-outs.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

The 5 winners, whom you rightly featured here, required 9 and 2/3's total innings of relief  to seal the 5 victories.  Please give an honorable mention to Duran. That having been said, I hope Rocco lets the starters who are succeeding in a game, pitch longer into that game  this year and I hope the FO signs/ promotes/ trades for/ finds playing church league softball in Lake Wobegon/ or  observes casting a line for pike on the shore of Lake Winnibigoshish,  several more flame throwing relievers.