Twins 3, Nationals 12: Things Are Going from Wurst to Worse

[Nate Palmer]

The Twins' woes continued Monday. Pablo Lopez's worst start of the season pushed the team's losing streak to seven, and the offense continues to struggle. 

Image courtesy of © Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

Box Score
Starting Pitcher: Pablo Lopez: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (74 pitches, 55 strikes (74.3%)
Home Runs: Carlos Correa (3)
Bottom 3 WPA: Pablo Lopez (-0.297), Christian Vazquez (-0.061), Manuel Margot (-0.053)

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 

After being swept in two straight series against the Yankees and Guardians, the Twins enter Monday night desperately needing a win. With Pablo Lopez on the mound, it seemed the perfect time to get back on track as they opened up against the Washington Nationals. 

The Twins would strike first, but only with some missed opportunities blemishing the effort. In the second inning, following a Byron Buxton single, Willi Castro sent a double to left field. As Buxton was using his speed to get from first to third, it looked like he was beginning to slow down until getting what must have been a surprise wave home. That hesitation was enough to result in Buxton getting thrown out at home. 

Thankfully, on the next at-bat with Kyle Farmer at the plate, the Twins would bring Castro home to make it 1-0. For a team that has struggled to score runs in stretches, it is worth wondering what could have happened if Buxton had been full speed the whole way? 

Washington Brings the Bats
On a night when the Twins missed an opportunity to get their offense going early, the Nationals got theirs rolling. In the second inning, the Nationals got on the board first with a two-run home run from Luis Garcia Jr. With another home run two innings later, Jesse Winker hit a solo shot to make it 3-1. 

It was the fifth inning when the Nationals extended their lead to 7-1. The inning was less explosive than others but showcased the Nationals putting runners on base and moving them around. The RBI producers were singles by Jacob Young, Joey Meneses, and Garcia Jr.. While Lopez produced five strikeouts against the Nationals offense, they found many different ways to put runs on the board against the Twins top starter. 

Mitchell Parker Flashes
Nationals rookie Mitchell Parker started his seventh game of 2024. Coming into the matchup with the Twins, Parker had a 3.09 ERA, 129 ERA+, 2.0 BB/9, and a 7.0 K/9. The numbers have not painted Parker as a strikeout pitcher, but he looked like one against the Twins Monday night. That would have been normal last season, but this season, the Twins have been less prone to the strikeout, and they still fell victim seven times when facing Parker. 

The Twins, specifically Carlos Correa, were able to get to Parker late. After former Twin and National Denard Span called a Carlos Correa home run on a Parker breaking ball pre-game, Correa delivered in the sixth inning with a 2-run blast. The home run was the shortstop's third for the season. The Twins did leave runners on base in the sixth, which would have come back to haunt them if the game was closer. 

Thielbar Struggles
Caleb Thielbar was the first arm out of the bullpen for the Twins. After allowing runs in appearance early to Thielbar’s start to the season, the left-hander had been getting the job done as of late. Monday night was not a continuation of that. Instead, he gave up three runs, three hits, and two walks. Some of the defensive plays around him did not help either. 

Namely, Vazquez made a throw down to third, which hit the runner Young in the back. This allowed Young to score, Eddie Rosario to head home, and eventually score, as the veteran catcher was not able to corral the throw home to attempt and apply a tag. 

Caleb Boushley Debut
Caleb Boushley debuted for the Twins after getting the call after Jay Jackson was DFA’d. Boushley’s first inning went as smoothly as one could hope. The right-hander faced the minimum and collected a strikeout. The next inning got rocky. Boushley almost got out of the inning with another zero, but he couldn’t put Rosario away, resulting in the Nationals extending their lead to 12-3. 

What’s Next?
With a seven-game losing streak, Joe Ryan will take the mound for the Twins to try and bring a stop to the bleeding. The Nationals will send veteran left-hander Patrick Corbin to the mound. We can fully expect Rocco Baldelli to counter with a right-handed heavy lineup to try and get the offense going early. 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

 

	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN	MON	TOT
Funderburk	0	0	38	0	0	38
Boushley	0	0	0	0	31	31
Thielbar	9	0	0	0	21	30
Durán	0	10	0	14	0	24
Sands	18	0	0	0	0	18
Okert	6	11	0	0	0	17
Jax	0	9	0	0	0	9
Staumont	0	0	0	0	0	0

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[Patzky]

Guess Kepler will simply wait around for a righty to take the mound? If you have to have Margot hit, please don't put him at number three ..

[USAFChief]

I'm thinking Dave St Peter did ya'll a solid when he made sure you wouldn't be able to watch.

[darwin22]

Another day with another loss.

Diverting my time and emotional investment to other things.

I will ask again:  Who are the leaders on this team?  Where is the fire? Where are the guts?

 

 

[Aggies7]

Stomped by a team on a 5 game losing streak. With our ace on the mound. What will rock bottom be?

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

6 minutes ago, darwin22 said:

Another day with another loss.

Diverting my time and emotional investment to other things.

I will ask again:  Who are the leaders on this team?  Where is the fire? Where are the guts?

 

 

Correa needs to set the tone.

[Schmoeman5]

I don't know how many times this lineup has to be marched out to face a lefty before Rocco figures out his ouija board is broke. Hell. Bring back Luplow and Garlick. Because this one isn't working. Pablo got beat up pretty good. An ACE is supposed to prevent or stop long losing streaks. And the bullpen is a mess. It's gotten so bad, that my wife who never misses a game switched it off. We never leave a game early or shut it off, no matter the score.

[Blyleven2011]

I tuned in late , seventh inning and chuckled when I saw the score 10-3 , 

It wasn't a chuckle of enjoyment  , it was a chuckle  of disgust , our best pitcher gets clobbered  ...

Ryan express , we need a perfect game out of you tomorrow  , please...

[AKTwinsFan]

Time to trade or DFA Farmer, Vázquez, and Margot. They'd be better off with some new bats and talent.

[Old Crow]

If left handed starters alway need to be benched against left handed pitchers would not the opposite also be true?

[VivaBomboRivera!]

1 hour ago, Schmoeman5 said:

Bring back Luplow and Garlick.

Boy, this sounds desperate.

Kyle Garlick has an .804 OPS. At Reno.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

28 minutes ago, VivaBomboRivera! said:

Boy, this sounds desperate.

Kyle Garlick has an .804 OPS. At Reno.

Just cuz they’re desperate, doesn’t make them wrong

[Jocko87]

1 hour ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Correa needs to set the tone.

Apparently there was one of those closed door meetings after the game.  Correa said some pointed things in the game report, I imagine he was pretty pointed behind closed doors.

Was he talking smack to the Nats dugout after the Homer?

[Schmoeman5]

46 minutes ago, Old Crow said:

If left handed starters alway need to be benched against left handed pitchers would not the opposite also be true?

Exactly. If Ted Williams was the Twins left fielder he'd be sitting against lefties. After all. His OPS vs lefties was only .930 as opposed to 1.150 vs righthanders. Castro or Margot would have to get the nod.

[Aggies7]

 

[Whitey333]

Luckily I can't watch it either thanks to Dave St. Peter and the Twins screwing that up too.  I listen on the radio.  I really miss Corey Provus on the radio.   Kris Atterberry is ok.  Glen Perkins and Paul Molitor are very good.  I even like Gladden.  But Atterberry spends more time talking about his experiences throughout his broadcasting career.  And while it's OK for a while, he never stops.  Do they realize there is a game going on that they are supposed to broadcast?  Just a rant I've been holding in for a long time.  The game stunk.  There's no life, no fire in this team.  They couldn't even blame it on the umpire Monday Night.  Very pitiful performance.  Can it get any worse?  

[howeda7]

Kick Falvey and Rocco to the curb. Let Thad and Toby finish the year. DFA the pathetic vets (Vazquez, Margot, Farmer). Hold SOMEONE accountable for this dead@ss team.

[h2oface]

Pablo Day Lopez. Right. This is what he is. A career 4 (3.92) ERA pitcher. 43-43. Now 4.72/4-4 on the year. Pretty close to his career line. He can look good some games, but he is really nothing special. Half good games, half forgettable games. Certainly not the leader of a pitching staff, or an ace. He has career stats to back it up.

This is what rotten meat sausage worship and arrogant post game selfies on the mound get you. Embarrassment Karma. It was classless then, too. Even during the winning streak, Baldelli would play 4 or 5 players with .100 something batting averages. It has to catch up to a team, and it has.

This is really embarrassing. 

 

[h2oface]

4 hours ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Correa needs to set the tone.

He is. He got caught cheating the shift a couple days ago. Still trying to work his special magic.

[Peter]

Ugly embarrassing game!!!  Flush it down toilet!!! Hopefully coria ripped into team last night with meeting!!! As I’ve said before twins need our support more then ever now!!! Let end losing streak/take this series as well sweep Texas and get back to winning!!! I’m not giving up on twins and neither should you!!! We must get behind them!!!

[Doctor Wu]

4 hours ago, h2oface said:

Pablo Day Lopez. Right. This is what he is. A career 4+ ERA pitcher. He can look good some games, but he is really nothing special. Certainly not the leader of a pitching staff, or an ace. He has career stats to back it up.

This is what rotten meat sausage worship and arrogant post game selfies on the mound get you. Embarrassment Karma. It was classless then, too. Even during the winning streak, Baldelli would play 4 or 5 players with .100something batting averages. It has to catch up to a team, and it has.

This is really embarrassing. 

 

I like Pablo, and he can look great in some games, but he is woefully inconsistent.  Great for a game or two and then can't seem to escape the one big inning. I'm no pitching guru or analyst, so I'm puzzled. What's his problem?

[dogsday]

Ownership right-sized their spending, the players are right-sizing their performance. Fans can right-size their engagement. 

If I were Falvey or Levine I'm probably wishing I'd chosen this year to say 'Mission accomplished. The organization has been remade and is in a good place, and I 'm moving on.'

 

 

[Patzky]

55 minutes ago, Peter said:

Ugly embarrassing game!!!  Flush it down toilet!!! Hopefully coria ripped into team last night with meeting!!! As I’ve said before twins need our support more then ever now!!! Let end losing streak/take this series as well sweep Texas and get back to winning!!! I’m not giving up on twins and neither should you!!! We must get behind them!!!

I'd be ok with putting Correa as a player-manager.

[chinmusic]

5 hours ago, h2oface said:

9 hours ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Correa needs to set the tone.

He is. He got caught cheating the shift a couple days ago. Still trying to work his special magic.

Aw. C'mon. Be nice😆

[rv78]

51 minutes ago, dogsday said:

Ownership right-sized their spending, the players are right-sizing their performance. Fans can right-size their engagement. 

If I were Falvey or Levine I'm probably wishing I'd chosen this year to say 'Mission accomplished. The organization has been remade and is in a good place, and I 'm moving on.'

 

 

Only way things will change for the better is for fans to stop attending games and send ownership the message that this is NOT ok. I agree that the organization has been remade but I'd beg to differ that it is in a good place. Falvine should have moved on before the crap they have assembled blew up in their face. Name 1 player currently on this team, that consistantly plays good baseball all year, every year. There isn't one. Their highest paid player and supposed team leader left the team for greener pastures sending a message that he could care less about the Twins and that backfired in his face only to be saved by the fools in the FO. A known cheater who didn't want to stay here is your leader? Sure... great move. All of the starting pitchers are inconsistant including your Ace who isn't really an Ace. The bullpen is worse, including the go to guys of Jax and Duran. Most of the hitters can't hit, especially when there are runners on base. Their defense is average at best and that's a stretch. Most of the main guys you want in the lineup can't stay healthy. The Manager is totally inept at managing a lineup and a bullpen. The FO continues to bring in washed up veterans or injured pitchers thinking that somehow that is actually improving the team.  I've been tellin you guys this team is a joke but most all of you keep drinking the kool-aid. Chug Chug.

[TWTwinsFan]

the philosophy of FO and Rocco has failed, we won division champ only because we're in central. 

especially the stubborn righty lefty decision, Kepler been our steady hitter so far, and Rocco didn't let him start 

our dreaming all star center fielder can not play center field every day, totally a joke 

I've seen enough these years, it's time to reset.

[Karbo]

Look at the splits for Parker. Lefties have been much better against him. Yet, we sit the better hitters for guys struggling to get above the Mendoza line. I thought Rocco played off the stat sheet for lineups.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Players only meeting last night per ESPN. Also have Rocco for what seems like the 4th or 5th time this year come out in the media questioning the Twins' approach at the plate. I'm just dumbfounded that they haven't made a change among the trio of 'hitting coaches'.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

This team isn't any worse than last year's team - at least not currently. The problem is Cleveland and Kansas City are playing lights out. I keep thinking they'll fall off, but maybe they won't.

[twinzcynic]

All of the people who were skeptical during the winning streak (mostly against AAAA teams) have been vindicated. This is more who the team is and KC/CLE will leave us in the dust by the end of June.