Twins 7, Royals 1: Big Arms Bring Back Bombas

[Sherry Cerny]

The Twins have not had a day off since April 18th and don't have a day off until Monday. If they are tired, you can’t tell. With more arms joining the bullpen, and the bats heating up, the Twins are on a roll.

Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson USA Today

Box Score
SP: Tyler Mahle 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K (66 pitches, 44 strikes (66.0%)
Home Runs: Byron Buxton (5), Carlos Correa (3)
Top 3 WPA: Byron Buxton (.118), Tyler Mahle (.108), Trevor Larnach (.085)

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

 

Early Run Support Brings the Energy
Tyler Mahle got some great run support to start the game, which he hasn’t had much of this season. In Mahle’s six games this season, he has allowed nine earned runs.  In three of those games, the Twins offense simply couldn’t get anything started,  getting no more than two runs. 

That was not the case on this night. The Twins offense started strong and showed no signs of slowing down. In the first inning, the Twins started with a couple of singles before Trevor Larnach singled to bring Carlos Correa home for the first run of the game. The Twins scored two more runs in the second inning, for a 3-0 lead over Zack Greinke. 

Is Buck Back?
Since April 19th, Buxton has had a hit or run in all but one of his appearances. He started this game 0-for-2, but in the bottom of the fourth inning, Buck launched a 419 foot, three-run, home run off Zach Grienke’s 73 MPH breaking ball, breaking the lead open by five more runs. 

Carlos Correa, who has also been on a streak, hit a solo home run immediately following Buxton’s. The back-to-back bombs got the crowd going and gave Grienke a trip back to the dugout. The Twins have had five home runs in the last three games. 

Deep Threat Pitching
Mahle only saw four innings before the Twins brought reliever Brock Stewart to the mound in the fifth. 31-year-old Stewart made his Twins debut after spending rehabbing in 2022 and the start of 2023 in St. Paul. Stewart was originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2014 in round six (189th over all). He elected into free agency in 2021 and was picked up on a minor-league contract with the Twins on July 14, 2022, and has been in the system ever since. He had a great return to the big leagues. He threw two scoreless innings. He gave up only a single and struck out three batters. A great start for the newly-minted Twin. 

In the eighth inning, it was announced that Mahle left the game because he was feeling some pain in his elbow. There was no further information and Mahle will be evaluated. Following the game, he noted that he didn't think he'd need to miss a start, but that obviously is yet to be determined. 

Jovani Moran and Johan Duran finished out the game with no further damage from the Royals, sealing the deal on the first win of the series. The Twins are 6-1 against AL Central teams.

What’s Next? 
The Twins will continue with three more games in the Royals series at Target field with these pitching match-ups: 

Friday, April 28, 3:10pm CST: RHP Pablo Lopez (1-2, 3.00ERA) v. RHP Jordan Lyles (0-4, 4.88ERA)
Saturday, April 29, 1:10pm CST: RHP Sonny Gray (3-0, .62 ERA) v. RHP Brad Keller (2-2, 3.96ERA)
Sunday April 30, 1:10pm CST: RHP Joe Ryan (4-0, 3.24 ERA) v. RHP Brady Singer (102, 8.14ERA)

Postgame Interviews

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

 

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[Blyleven2011]

Great enthusiastic write up ...

we got to continue to beat the teams were suppose to Beat and not let up , good game 1 win  ...

Feel bad for mahle  and his injured elbow  but if the medical team is smart they should put him on the IL and bring up Ober and varland  , maeda also is probably on IL ...

No sense rushing him back with the ailment  , radio was saying that his hid velocity was dropping , same thing thing happened last year , don't rush him back  ...

[darwin22]

Very concerned about potential DL stint for Mahle.  With Maeda likely headed to IL it appears that not only Ober, but Varland will be back in rotation by next week.

Good to see bats start early tonight and add on runs. 

Confused by Baldelli's use of Duran in 9th with a 6-run lead?

[stringer bell]

23 minutes ago, darwin22 said:

Very concerned about potential DL stint for Mahle.  With Maeda likely headed to IL it appears that not only Ober, but Varland will be back in rotation by next week.

Good to see bats start early tonight and add on runs. 

Confused by Baldelli's use of Duran in 9th with a 6-run lead?

Duran will be taking care of an immigration issue tomorrow and likely unavailable to pitch anyway.

[Danchat]

Yup, here come the pitching injuries, Mahle is probably going to be sidelined alongside Maeda. At least we have Ober/Varland ready and then also SWR/Headrick too. I've been encouraged by what I've seen out of Varland and Headrick in the majors.

The Mahle trade is looking pretty rough so far...

[Aerodeliria]

Good win! I hope Mahle not on the IL for an extended period of time. Starters are dropping like flies.

BTW, I noticed that the Royals pitchers did not throw a single fastball to Miranda. Maybe the MLB rumor mill says he can only hit fastballs well? Has anyone heard anything about this?

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, darwin22 said:

Very concerned about potential DL stint for Mahle.  With Maeda likely headed to IL it appears that not only Ober, but Varland will be back in rotation by next week.

Good to see bats start early tonight and add on runs. 

Confused by Baldelli's use of Duran in 9th with a 6-run lead?

Oops should have read further!

Nice win!

[Major League Ready]

Stewart looks like a decent find.   The BP has a decent chance of being better with the addition of Winder and Stewart.  Hopefully these two guys are the answer.

[bighat]

Great writeup, thank you!

Twins need to win this series, would be nice to see a sweep. Boy is old Grienke cooked, sad to see guys like him and Kluber getting smacked around. It's interesting that many all-time great hitters can leave the game gracefully with solid stats in their last years (ie: Ortiz, Pujols, etc) but it's not as common with pitchers. 

Bux is really heating up. Keep him in the lineup, Rocco....anyone have an idea if he's going to play in the field at all this year? I mean, I can see the argument for continuing to DH him but it's frustrating to see such a dynamic talent being held back. 

Pitching injuries are everywhere. 2021 Cy Young Award Winner Robbie Ray of the Mariners is now officially out for the year, he made one start. Carlos Rodon hasn't even thrown a pitch. Names like Verlander, Woodruf, Glasnow, Wainwright, McKenzie, Severino, Taillon, and many more all on the shelf for long periods of time. That's an All-Star lineup. 

 

 

[Doctor Gast]

Thanks Melissa, a fun article in what should be a fun series. I applaud the caution surrounding Mahle's arm, wish him a speedy recovery. Fortunately damage control was immediate. With Maeda & Mahle I have recommended to conserve their arms by limiting their pitches. With that in mind we also need to keep our short relief from over stretched & conserve them as much as possible. Long relief is the answer to both. In a situation where Steward was placed is very advantageous to such a pitcher where they have an opportunity to win the game. IMO long relief is a win for the 4th & 5th SP because it conserve them so they can start more games, lose less games and improve their stats. A win for short relief to conserve them so they remain fresh with better results. A win for potential starters that are long relief candidates who aren't ready for the MLB rotation  load, so they can get some MLB innings in with good results. A win for  the team & fans because with a rested & healthy pitching staff they'll win more games & go further in the post season.

Even with Ober & Varland entering the starting rotation, basically rookies their pitches should also be limited because they haven't build up their strength & stamina yet by putting in a full MLB season. 

[mickster]

8 hours ago, darwin22 said:

Very concerned about potential DL stint for Mahle.  With Maeda likely headed to IL it appears that not only Ober, but Varland will be back in rotation by next week.

Good to see bats start early tonight and add on runs. 

Confused by Baldelli's use of Duran in 9th with a 6-run lead?

Duran is unavailable today due to an immigration issue to clear up - so used him instead of others

[weitz41]

Hope Mahle is ok and maybe just needs (at most) to skip a start in the rotation. He's been pretty good so far this season. The rotation lines up nicely for a strong series. Keep the runs coming offense. 

[mikelink45]

8 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Duran will be taking care of an immigration issue tomorrow and likely unavailable to pitch anyway.

I heard that, but that is only one day.  Was that necessary?

[Karbo]

The Ump calling balls and strikes was consistently  bad for both teams. Another game showing the need for the ABS system.

[Trov]

This KC offense is just terrible.  If we do not win at least 3 of the 4 we need to be kicking ourselves.  We now have our top 3 pitchers and I would hope the starters do not give up more than 1 or 2 each game.  Our offense is starting to click a little better too, so I am hoping to bring out some brooms Sunday. 

[Otaknam]

10 hours ago, darwin22 said:

Very concerned about potential DL stint for Mahle.  With Maeda likely headed to IL it appears that not only Ober, but Varland will be back in rotation by next week.

Good to see bats start early tonight and add on runs. 

Confused by Baldelli's use of Duran in 9th with a 6-run lead?

Using Duran there is puzzling, but Rocco’s handling of his pitching staff has always been a head scratcher.  

[Dave The Dastardly]

"He was feeling some soreness in his posterior elbow." 

Rocco, you mean his elbows are one behind the other? No wonder the guy's been having trouble pitching.

[2wins87]

I think this Royals lineup is going to make the pitching incredibly dominant again over the course of the series.

I'm not too worried about these specific arm injuries for Maeda and Mahle in the short term, but I am wondering about how well their arms are going to hold up over the course of the season.  Maeda it seems hasn't even gotten back to the point where he can start every 5-6 days, and given is age I definitely wonder if he'll fully come back from TJ.  Mahle once again seems to be dealing with durability issues.  I think he was generally pretty healthy with the Reds so it's a bit puzzling, but hopefully with some extra rest he will be able to come back healthy for the rest of the season.

As far as replacements I feel very confident right now.  Varland had another excellent start for the Saints last night, so I think he could step into Mahle's slot.  Ober could slot in at any point if they decide to make the move on Maeda.  Honestly I have more confidence in Ober than Maeda at this point anyway.

On the relief front, hopefully Stewart can be that 5th guy in the bullpen who handles big spots from time to time.  His stuff certainly looked good last night, though I want to see him against better lineups.

[Whitey333]

Too bad for both Mahle and Maeda.  Both may be going to the IL.  But let's face it, neither one should be a surprise at all.  Mahle was on the IL more than on the active roster.  He has a history of arm and shoulder weakness.  Maeda, coming off Tommy John was questionable at best and should have started the season in the BP.  Ober and  Varland are likely better than Mahle and Maeda anyway.  Time will tell.  If we lose any of Lopez, Gray, and Bryan we are in a world of hurt.  Cudos to the FO for getting pitching depth.  We need to sweep the Royals.  They are awful.  Go Twins!

[2wins87]

33 minutes ago, Dave The Dastardly said:

"He was feeling some soreness in his posterior elbow." 

Rocco, you mean his elbows are one behind the other? No wonder the guy's been having trouble pitching.

I know it's a joke, but if I have my anatomy right, the posterior elbow would be much less worrying than the anterior elbow where UCL tears often require TJ.  Not a doctor so I could be mistaken on that point, but I think that's why Rocco was repeating that particular phrase from the team doctors as it could be critical to his prognosis.

[JD-TWINS]

11 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Great enthusiastic write up ...

we got to continue to beat the teams were suppose to Beat and not let up , good game 1 win  ...

Feel bad for mahle  and his injured elbow  but if the medical team is smart they should put him on the IL and bring up Ober and varland  , maeda also is probably on IL ...

No sense rushing him back with the ailment  , radio was saying that his hid velocity was dropping , same thing thing happened last year , don't rush him back  ...

Agreed, common sense move seems to be IL for both Maeda & Mahle. It’s a 3-4 week thing for Maeda and a single missed start for Mahle.

Be conservative early & let our depth help!

Last year Mahle had “shoulder fatigue” in Cinti in July & then again in September in MN. This elbow thing is new & can’t act like it doesn’t matter.

Miranda & Keppler are coming around every couple games ………if we start getting balance up & down line-up………..as CC eventually warms up, we’re pretty good!

Have 6 - 6 - 6 & 7 runs per game over the last 4 contests.

[roger]

Thanks for a great report, Sherry.

After the game they referred to Mahle's problem as general soreness.  Let's hope that all he needs is 15 days on IL then back in the rotation.  Will know more today, although they were saying they didn't think he would even be sent for imaging.

Cannot be happier for Stewart and how great he looked.  Granted, the KC lineup isn't the best he will face.  But he sure looked great.  After everything he went thru over the last four years, his return had to be emotional.  Interesting comment from him in today's Strib where he talked about breaking down while sitting alone on the flight from Rochester to Charlotte to MSP.   Will he be this year's surprise bullpen stud coming out of nowhere?  Sure as heck hope so!

 

[joefish]

We does Correa call this "my team?"

[Craig Arko]

4 minutes ago, joefish said:

We does Correa call this "my team?"

Why do so many fans do the same? Seems like a pretty human response.

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, Otaknam said:

Using Duran there is puzzling, but Rocco’s handling of his pitching staff has always been a head scratcher.  

Duran is unavailable today. Why would he not use the guy he knows can't pitch today instead of someone who could? Duran needs to take care of an immigration situation that required him to travel today. Doesn't seem that puzzling.

[John Belinski]

Twins started the season with 5 experienced starting pitchers and now after less than a month are down to 3.  Do  other teams have as many injury problems as the Twins have year after year. It appears Twins do have some help in the minors, but it is still a concern.

Hitting has picked up a little, but Correa was batting below .200 which is hard to understand. Hope his long term contract will not hurt the Twins future.

[roger]

1 hour ago, joefish said:

We does Correa call this "my team?"

Because it is the team he is on and will be long term. 

[Schmoeman5]

4 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

I heard that, but that is only one day.  Was that necessary?

I don't think he necessarily HAD to pitch on Thursday. I don't see it as an issue either. If Duran is away today handling his immigration issue, then why not use him last night. Lopez will be available today if needed and Duran should be right back and ready to go on Saturday. Sure the game was well in hand. Maybe Rocco was worried he might be rusty with 3 consecutive days off

[Dave The Dastardly]

3 hours ago, 2wins87 said:

I know it's a joke, but if I have my anatomy right, the posterior elbow would be much less worrying than the anterior elbow where UCL tears often require TJ.  Not a doctor so I could be mistaken on that point, but I think that's why Rocco was repeating that particular phrase from the team doctors as it could be critical to his prognosis.

I always find it humorous that a language with so many different words with varying meanings can so easily be twisted to deliberately muddle the message.

[JD-TWINS]

2 hours ago, John Belinski said:

Twins started the season with 5 experienced starting pitchers and now after less than a month are down to 3.  Do  other teams have as many injury problems as the Twins have year after year. It appears Twins do have some help in the minors, but it is still a concern.

Hitting has picked up a little, but Correa was batting below .200 which is hard to understand. Hope his long term contract will not hurt the Twins future.

Maeda is coming off Tommy John……..Mahle was shutdown twice last year in MN & once in Cincinnati. These are the two guys - if we didn’t anticipate potential problems with them going into ‘23 we’re pretty naive.

The entire past 3-5 months has been a constant debate about Ober v. Maeda as part of the rotation.

Correa was Ice Cold last year in April & hit around .280 for the year. Not great that he’s not been contributing a bunch but we’re winning and CC will get much better. No contract concerns.

April 28th.