The Minnesota Twins Have Three Elite Pitches

[Ted Schwerzler]

This season the Minnesota Twins have scuffled out of the gate on offense, but it has been a dominant pitching staff that has kept them in games. While the rotation is doing the heavy lifting, there are some notable offerings in the bullpen as well.

 

Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

Back in the beginning of March, I suggested that this Minnesota Twins team was going to look a bit different. Despite needing to retire the Bomba Squad moniker a while ago, the thought has been that Derek Falvey and Thad Levine continue to construct power-heavy lineups. Although Rocco Baldelli does have some of that at his disposal in Byron Buxton and Joey Gallo, the 2023 club is focused around pitching and defense.

So far, we have seen that come to fruition. It shouldn’t be shocking that Twins starters are going longer in games as the water level of the group is substantially higher. No longer are Dylan Bundy and Chris Archer being trotted out to the mound, and the effectiveness from the rotation props up the bullpen.

While there are individual pitchers worthy of talking points, there are some singular pitch offerings that stand out above the rest. Here are three of the Twins best pitches:

Griffin Jax - Sweeper
While it may be consider a bit more of a slider than others, Jax’s breaking ball is classified by Statcast as the new sweeper variety. He’s using it nearly 3/4 of the time this year, and it’s been nothing short of dominant. He has worked some on righty-right changeups, but that pitch has yet to bear fruit for him.

With the sweeper, Jax gets a 15% whiff rate, and through 22 games he’s thrown it 107 times. What’s most impressive about the offering is that despite its consistent usage, no one can touch it. He has allowed just a single hit on the pitch all year.

Pairing well with his sweeper is a fastball that has gotten even better. Jax saw a velocity jump in moving from the rotation to relief, but he has added another mph of velocity this season. Averaging 96.4 mph on his fastball, it’s beyond impressive where it stands given the cold weather games thus far as well.

Pablo Lopez - Sweeper
Like Jax, it’s a sweeper that is doing damage for Pablo Lopez. He was acquired over the winter in a swap with Miami for Luis Arraez. His strong start allowed him to parlay a stay in tenure with Minnesota and he signed a contract extension for the most money the Twins have ever given a starting pitcher.

The sweeper is a newer pitch for Lopez, and he’s dominating with it. Throwing the pitch over 20% of the time this season, he’s generating a ridiculous 21.1% whiff rate through the club’s first 22 games. Lopez has found success in changing his repertoire, and opposing hitters have only generated five hits from the offering this year.

Having already shown solid stuff from a reliable rotation arm in previous years, he has only taken further steps forward since joining Minnesota's organization.

Jhoan Duran - Splinker
The pitch that has made Duran famous is not a fastball touching 103 mph, but instead his patented splinker. To be able to throw a ball with that much movement, that fast, is truly incredible. Duran broke out as a reliever last year, and is now seeing new heights to start out 2023.

Duran’s 43% chase rate shows how often hitters are off balance and he’s ramped up the splinker usage rate to 28%. The pitch has generated an 18.2% whiff rate through the club’s first 22 games, and no opposing batter has yet to put it in play for a hit.

Last season Duran set velocity records for the Twins, and now with a 101.6 mph average fastball velocity, he’s added to it. Arguably the toughest closer in the game to face, Duran gets it done with a lethal combination of gas and movement.

What are some of your favorite offerings from Twins pitchers this year?

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[h2oface]

Gotta love Duran's little strikeout skip.

[Jocko87]

It will be interesting to watch the hitters adjust to the sweeper.  It may be hell when its new but we need a few times through the league to be anything but the new hotness.

[Blyleven2011]

My favorite pitch is strike three to the opposing hitter to end the game ... 

Twins win ...

[JD-TWINS]

Gray’s curveball used about 15-20% of the time is looking really good most of his starts!!

 

Ryan’s fastball, while not dominant from a speed standpoint, really seems to be under control and hitting intended spots 80-90% of the time he throws it……..saved him v. Yanks when he couldn’t get a feel for slider and struggled a bit with change/sinker as well.

 

How about every pitch Jorge López throws - what a turnaround!! I had him paired up with Pagán on the first bus out of town when season started. 3 hits & no walks in 11 appearances & BTW, no runs. He’s got velocity - movement - command - confidence. Really fun to watch in ‘23.

 

Pablo’s change-up is pretty effective and it has been lost with the success of his new sweeping slider.