Angels 5, Twins 4: Twins Come Back but Fall to Angels in Anaheim

[Seth Stohs]

The Twins' Los Angeles swing continued on Friday night in Anaheim. Hits were difficult to come by, but Joe Ryan kept them in the game until the Twins were able to break up Reid Detmer's no-hit bid. The Twins lost for their third time in four games on the road trip. 

Image courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Box Score
SP: Joe Ryan: 6 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K (94 pitches, 68 strikes (72.3%)
Home Runs: Castro (2)   
Top 3 WPA: Alex Kirilloff (0.186), Kyle Farmer (0.108), Willi Castro (0.098)
Bottom 3 WPA: Griffin Jax (-0.437), Trevor Larnach (-0.132), Ryan Jeffers (-0.131)  

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

No No-No, Mr. Detmers
Lefty Reid Detmers had a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Just over a year ago, he threw a no-hitter against the Rays. Detmers was the 10th overall pick in the 2020 draft. He debuted in 2021, and he has looked really good. In this game, he showed a fastball that reached 96, a slider in the low-90s, a slow-curveball in the upper 70s, a mid-80s changeup, and probably even more pitches. He was on his game in this one, striking out 11 batters. 

After a walk to Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton broke up the no-hit bid. Then Kyle Farmer singled in Correa with the Twins first run. Detmer's night was done. Jimmy Herget came into the game, and the Twins countered with Alex Kirilloff. On an 0-2 pitch, Kirilloff lined a double to the right-field corner that scored Buxton and Farmer and tied the score. 

Willi Castro led off the top of the seventh inning with a line-drive rocket over the left field wall to give the Twins their first and only lead of the game. 

Ryan Express Rolls On 
Joe Ryan was solid. He completed six innings and was charged with three earned run. A quality start. But again, he threw over 70% strikes. He had nine strikeouts. He (with Ryan Jeffers) mixed his pitches well. And, big picture, he again gave his team a chance to win. 

Oh, Mickey, You're So Fine... 
Mickey Moniak was the first overall pick in the 2016 MLB draft out of La Costa High School in Carlsbad, California. The next year, the Twins drafted Royce Lewis with the first pick out of JSerra Catholic High School. The two played against each other quite often in their amateur days. 

 

Moniak had a big game for the Angels. He had a single, double, and a huge triple late in the game to give the Angels the lead. Since he was called up recently, he has gone 9-for-20 (.450) with now a double, triple and two homers.

Your Turn
My laptop already has died, so I'm not typing any more... Feel free to add in whatever you feel are the stories from this games, things our writers can look into and more. 

What’s Next? 
In Game 2 of the series, Louie Varland (1-1, 4.40) will face another tough Angels' lefty, Patrick Sandoval (3-2, 3.22). It'll be another late one with the game time at 9:07 in Minnesota (7:07 in Anaheim). 

Postgame Interviews

(Coming Soon)

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	TOT
Jax	13	11	0	0	33	57
Stewart	28	17	0	0	11	56
Morán	0	25	15	0	0	40
Pagán	18	0	14	0	0	32
De León	0	0	28	0	0	28
López	26	0	0	0	0	26
Durán	18	0	0	0	0	18
Sands	0	0	0	0	0	0

 

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[MplsFan]

I am so sick of Griffin Jax.  I realize the counter argument is: who else is there for that third guy after Duran and Lopez? And there doesn’t seem to be a great answer to that.  Stewart’s been a pleasant surprise.  Give De Leon more chances?  Change Sands role a bit til he proves he can’t do it?

[USAFChief]

-Wasted good starter outing, made to look a little worse with shoddy defense, check.

-Approach 50% of team's outs via K, check

-winless opponant starter with ERA near 5 and WHIP over 1.5 carries no hitter into middle innings, check 

-team somehow grabs lead, only to see pen cough it right back up, check

[h2oface]

Another starter was Jax'd! I guess that is better than being Pagan'd. 

Management loves the predictive stats, and loves to quote them as reasons to spend on them and use them, even if they consistently don't perform when the heat is on. Don't ya love the mantra of "the advanced stats say that it will take care of itself, and they are really better than how they perform."

It is just such a shame when you have starters performing, the bats don't, or the pen becomes a blowpen instead of a bullpen. 

I so hate games ending on a called third strike, especially with an 0-2 count when one swing can tie the game.

[D.C Twins]

Your outfield hitting summary:  0-11 with 7Ks

For the love of all baseball, get Buck into CF already (and then Kirilloff could have started at DH!)

I know everyone is probably getting tired of me pointing this out, but I promise not as tired as I am watching Buck be a permanent DH. 

[Blyleven2011]

Who's on first  , whats on second and I don't know who's on third  ...

12 strikeouts , this is ridiculous  , if Joe Ryan  was pitching against the twins tonight  it would have been a no hitter ....

This team has no harmony  , no vision , no clue what the right approach is other than swing for the homeruns and strike out  .... 

Someone help Larnach  , he has trouble with the curve ...

[Squirrel]

Bad play results in bad losses. That’s all that needs to be said.

[Fat Calvin]

4 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

Your outfield hitting summary:  0-11 with 7Ks

For the love of all baseball, get Buck into CF already (and then Kirilloff could have started at DH!)

I know everyone is probably getting tired of me pointing this out, but I promise not as tired as I am watching Buck be a permanent DH. 

I couldn't agree more! 

[rwilfong86]

Jax is becoming the 2023 version of 2021 Colome and the 2022 Pagan.

[MABB1959]

They say the bullpen is “taxed “, so why pull Ryan after 6?   

[Mark G]

With Jax having thrown 33 pitches last night, it means he is most likely unavailable today.  What does that do to the Win Probability Chart for today's game?  😉

[Twinsoholic]

Jax needs to be in St. Paul. Pagan needs to be DFA. Try Balazovic in the pen, and see if De Leon can continue to pitch well. He should not have been pulled for Pagan against LA. On June 1, the Twins and several other teams will try to pry Chapman away from KC. I read somewhere that the Rangers are targeting Chapman. 

[Whitey333]

No real surprises.  But huge disappointments.  This continues to be just an average team in a lousy division.  If the bullpen is "taxed" it's because of very poor management.  From the FO stocking the pen to Roccos Continual mismanagement of it.  How can they be taxed.  They had Thursday off.  Looks like the pen took Friday off too.  Yes Jax is becoming the latest reliever that's failing.  He, just like Pagan and Colome before him just keeps getting sent out there day after day to lose games.  Pathetic starting lineup as well.  The lefty from Angel's has a higher batting average against lefties.  Yet of course we stock the lineup with right handed stiffs like Garlick who shouldn't even be on the roster.  The Twins will have some very good stretches of wins this year but I believe many more stretches of poor play and losses.  They are what they are.  Just an average team.

 

[mikelink45]

ax	13	11	0	0	33	57
Stewart	28	17	0	0	11	56
Morán	0	25	15	0	0	40
Pagán	18	0	14	0	0	32
De León	0	0	28	0	0	28
López	26	0	0	0	0	26
Durán	18	0	0	0	0	18
Sands	0	0	0	0	0	0

Jax had to pitch because the BP was taxed????  If I read the chart right Moran, Pagan and DeLeon did not pitch on the day off. Lopez, Duran, Sands not only did not pitch on the off day, but Lopez and Duran had no pitched for three days. And Sands is obviously there to keep the BP coach company because he has no innings on the chart. Jax is lost - this is not his year.  We have sent down pitchers for less, but the issue is the continual use of the ineffective as others have stated with Colome and Pagan.

[rv78]

1 hour ago, rwilfong86 said:

Jax is becoming the 2023 version of 2021 Colome and the 2022 Pagan.

I pointed this out last week. Everyone can see it BUT THE MANAGER. 3 years in a row now we've watched Rocco blow games using a pitcher that clearly doesn't "have it" when the game is on the line. Why does the pitcher in the bullpen who has been performing the worst for the team have the most pitches in the last 5 days? Because Rocco is a poor Manager. Would someone hold him accountable. He NEEDS to go.

 

[rwilfong86]

4 minutes ago, rv78 said:

I pointed this out last week. Everyone can see it BUT THE MANAGER. 3 years in a row now we've watched Rocco blow games using a pitcher that clearly doesn't "have it" when the game is on the line. Why does the pitcher in the bullpen who has been performing the worst for the team have the most pitches in the last 5 days? Because Rocco is a poor Manager. Would someone hold him accountable. He NEEDS to go.

 

I agree with everything you've written 100%. 

[HoskenPowell]

Sloppy play in the field and the worst manager I can remember since Billy Gardner.  Ray Charles could use his pitching staff better.

[tony&rodney]

My concern with Jax is that most of his pitches are in the same relative area. The old maxim of pitching in and out, up and down are not in use when Jax pitches. Ryan gets a ton of strike outs high in the zone because he moves the batters' eyes on every at bat. Additionally, Jax seems to throw his fastball only for a waste pitch, again in the general zone where he wants his slider to go. The hitters dismiss all of his pitches and are able to tune into one area. 

Jax and Pagan are positive points for opponents batting averages. I'm not sure what the options are at this time. Pitch selection and location?

[DJL44]

4 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

My concern with Jax is that most of his pitches are in the same relative area.

Thank you. Jax needs to use the whole strike zone, not just one corner. A slider down and away is a good pitch but it can't be your only pitch.

[2wins87]

2 hours ago, rwilfong86 said:

Jax is becoming the 2023 version of 2021 Colome and the 2022 Pagan.

It feels much more like Rogers in 2020 to me.  The peripherals say he's been unlucky, and a lot of times weak contact has done him in. Hes not giving up bombs like Pagan and Colome.

But at the same time he's laboring through every appearance. Hitters are spitting on his K pitch. Maybe he's been somewhat unlucky, but when he was good last year luck didn't matter.

It seems like hitters have adjusted to his one trick approach. The sweeper is still effective on contact and when hitters chase. I think he's had a tough time when teams have been looking for it and able to hold back out of the zone.  The strange thing is how ineffective his fastball has been when he's added velocity and it seems like hitters are sitting on the breaking pitch. I have wondered a little bit if he has been tipping the fastball, but I feel like someone on the Twins would have picked up on it and fixed it by now.

He and the team clearly feel similarly about needing to switch up the approach as they tried to mix in a cutter last night. At this point he has to be moved down the pecking order while he works it out though.  Not great options. I would put Stewart into his current role, who's pitches have been effective in the zone, and it seems like he might be getting the walks a bit more under control.

They've really missed Thielbar lately though

[rv78]

Unfortunately we have what is one of the worst group of coaches to go along with a terrible Manager. If Tingler was so good why did SanDiego get rid of him? Maki got the pitching coach job only by default when WJohnson left and Popkes has to have hitters get sent down to AAA to get their swing back because he doesn't seem to be able to do his job either. Outside of the games where they hit 3 or more HR this team can't score enough runs to win due to the Manager and Coaches unwillingness to manufacture runs. 2019 was a fun season but continuing to play games the same way since, without the juiced ball, has been a half-a$$ approach to winning. Appears to me that Rocco hasn't figured that one out yet either. Who decided to use Buxton only at DH? The Manager, the FO, or both? It's another bird-brain decision especially when his last 2 injuries didn't happen in the outfield. Seriously, these guys don't know what they are doing.

[tony&rodney]

2 minutes ago, rv78 said:

Unfortunately we have what is one of the worst group of coaches to go along with a terrible Manager. If Tingler was so good why did SanDiego get rid of him? Maki got the pitching coach job only by default when WJohnson left and Popkes has to have hitters get sent down to AAA to get their swing back because he doesn't seem to be able to do his job either. Outside of the games where they hit 3 or more HR this team can't score enough runs to win due to the Manager and Coaches unwillingness to manufacture runs. 2019 was a fun season but continuing to play games the same way since, without the juiced ball, has been a half-a$$ approach to winning. Appears to me that Rocco hasn't figured that one yet either.Who decided to use Buxton only at DH? The Manager, the FO, or both? It's another bird-brain decision especially when his last 2 injuries didn't happen in the outfield. Seriously, these guys don't know what they are doing.

Try a different type of coffee and your morning will unfold more smoothly.

[rv78]

Just now, tony&rodney said:

Try a different type of coffee and your morning will unfold more smoothly.

We all have opinions. Mine stands until they prove to me they can win meaningful games in October. (If they can even get there).

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, rv78 said:

We all have opinions. Mine stands until they prove to me they can win meaningful games in October. (If they can even get there).

True. I get the frustration and there are others thinking of October too. I just hope people don't let their team ruin a beautiful day. I watch the games and have my opinions but like to turn the page after the final out. The attendance this season will be a sort of comment by the general public.

[Reptevia]

8 hours ago, h2oface said:

Management loves the predictive stats, and loves to quote them as reasons to spend on them and use them, even if they consistently don't perform when the heat is on. Don't ya love the mantra of "the advanced stats say that it will take care of itself, and they are really better than how they perform."

Stop calling them “predictive stats”!  They clearly aren’t. I know what I’m seeing with my own eyes.  I saw Jax lose his 6th game. That’s half of the bullpen’s 12 losses. If he has options, they should be used. Also, why is Correa swinging at pitches in the dirt in the opposite batter ‘s box???

[Doctor Gast]

We have a pretty unseasoned BP, Not too many seasons under their belt, especially since Theilbar is out. An accomplished veteran would be nice so someone like Jax could be lowered in the pecking order until he gets his stuff together. Pagan needs to stay on the bottom.

[LastOnePicked]

53 minutes ago, rv78 said:

We all have opinions. Mine stands until they prove to me they can win meaningful games in October. (If they can even get there).

You see this clearly. That's the pain of it. This team won't get there, because Rocco and this coaching staff can't get them there. They don't understand grit, momentum and how to help struggling players overcome the yips. It's not the payroll. It's not the talent on the roster. It's the coaching, and it has been since October 2019.

[singlesoverwalks]

Jax leads baseball - all of baseball - in the Fangraphs stat known as "meltdowns." That means he's had the most appearances where he cost the team more than 6% win probability. A lot of guys could do worse, but their managers don't keep running them out there. Blame the manager for putting him in or the front office for not providing a better alternative, but he is really, statistically, costing this team wins.

[CoastiePilot08]

10 hours ago, USAFChief said:

-Wasted good starter outing, made to look a little worse with shoddy defense, check.

-Approach 50% of team's outs via K, check

-winless opponant starter with ERA near 5 and WHIP over 1.5 carries no hitter into middle innings, check 

-team somehow grabs lead, only to see pen cough it right back up, check

You’d post this every game recap and it would accurate more often than not. 

[Bigfork Twins Guy]

3 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

Pathetic starting lineup as well.  The lefty from Angel's has a higher batting average against lefties.  Yet of course we stock the lineup with right handed stiffs like Garlick who shouldn't even be on the roster.

Yeah, I find the fact that their lefty had reverse splits and we sent up a RH'ed lineup to be curious.  If we always go by the spreadsheet, then why didn't we do that this time?