The Minnesota Twins’ Biggest Pitching Performance in 2024

[Cody Christie]

As the calendar turns to 2025, let’s reflect on the Twins’ best performance from 2024. What game stands out from 2024, and who led the way for Minnesota in that contest?

Image courtesy of © D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

On June 22, the Twins were in the thick of the AL playoff race with the league’s fifth-best record. Cleveland was up over seven games in the division, and the Royals were hot on Minnesota’s heels for second place. The Twins had lost three straight games and entered play needing a strong start that day's starter, Bailey Ober. He ended up turning in a masterful performance that was one for the record books. 

1st Inning
Ober’s first inning wasn’t indicative of the performance he would have on this day. JJ Bleday, the second batter of the inning, smacked a solo home run to tie the game. He was looking for a fastball and put it into the seats on the first pitch. Ober settled in and retired the next two batters on a groundout and a fly ball. Even with the home run, Ober made it out of the first inning by only throwing 11 pitches, with six of them coming against Brent Rooker for the frame’s last out. 

2nd Inning
Ober got a long rest in the top of the second inning as the Twins sent 12 batters to the plate and pushed across seven runs. Manuel Margot had the biggest hit of the inning with a three-run shot that would put the Twins in front for good. Ober’s first at-bat of the inning didn’t go as well. He allowed a solo home run to Tyler Soderstrom, another first-pitch fastball. The home run seemed to wake him up. He made it through the inning on 13 pitches and struck out two batters. 

3rd Inning
Ober found his groove in the third inning and made it out of the frame on eight pitches. Kyle McCann singled to start the inning, but Ober quickly erased the runner by coaxing a double-play from Max Schuemann. Bleday was the inning’s third batter, and Ober avenged the homer by striking him out on four pitches. 

4th Inning
In the fourth, Ober allowed a one-out double to Rooker, but it ended up being the only damage of the frame. It was the final Oakland batter to reach base during the game. Despite the hit, Ober escaped the inning on 12 pitches with two flyouts and a ground out. The Twins had a commanding 9-2 lead, and Ober knew he could pound the strike zone and get his teammates back in the dugout. 

5th Inning
Ober had another efficient inning, with him only needing eight pitches. Lawrence Butler flew out on two pitches before Zack Gelof lined out on three pitches. Kyle McCann saw three sliders in his at-bat and missed all three for another Ober strikeout. 

6th Inning
Ober started the sixth frame with a four-pitch strikeout of Schuemann, including another swinging K on his slider that was down in the zone. Bleday lined out to second base on the first pitch of his at-bat and was followed by a two-pitch infield flyout by Miguel Andujar. It was another inning where Ober threw fewer than ten pitches and was rolling into the late frames. 

7th Inning
Rooker had some of the best at-bats against Ober all day, but the Twins righty got the best of him in the seventh. Ober used three changeups on the first four pitches of the at-bat to get Rooker off balance. Then he finished him off with a four-seam fastball on the outer part of the plate for a foul tip strikeout. Soderstrom flew out on three pitches, and Tyler Nevin flew out on one pitch to end the inning. It was another single-digit pitch inning. 

"I knew my pitch count was low just because there were a lot of fast innings,” Ober said. “But after the seventh inning, I walked past [pitching coach Pete Maki] and said, ‘I'm finishing this thing.’"

8th Inning
Ober could see the finish line in the eighth, especially since the Twins continued to have a big lead. He was masterful in this frame with three strikeouts. Butler struck out on four pitches, including a fastball at his eyes for a swinging K. Gelof also struck out on four pitches with three swinging strikes on breaking pitches low in the zone. McCann was the final strikeout victim. Ober got him to swing at three different pitches and struck him out on a slider low and away. 

9th Inning
In the final frame, Ober took the mound with 81 pitches, so the Twins had no reason to have anyone up in the bullpen. Schuemann started the inning with a five-pitch strikeout, including a fastball down the middle that he took for a called strike three. Armando Alvarez got a cutter on his first pitch and grounded out softly to first baseman Carlos Santana. Daz Cameron was the game’s last batter as he grounded out to shortstop on the second pitch he saw. 

It was the first time in 19 years that a Twins pitcher threw a complete game in fewer than 90 pitches. Ober tied his career high with 10 strikeouts in the game. The only other outing of 90 or fewer pitches and 10 or more strikeouts in a nine-inning complete game since pitch counts started being tracked in 1988 was David Cone’s perfect game on July 18, 1999. Ober retired the final 17 batters of the game, including four consecutive strikeouts in the final two innings. He threw single-digit pitches in five of the nine innings and never threw more than 13 in a frame. 

"Me and Joe [Ryan] have talked about it -- throwing a Maddux is under 100,” Ober said. “It's something we've talked about. A little personal goal to get a CG under 100 feels pretty good."

It should feel pretty good. It was a tremendous performance and one that should be a highlight of the Twins’ 2024 season. What do you remember about Ober’s performance? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

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[tony&rodney]

It was a helluva fine pitching performance. Honestly, Ober looks like he could throw all day long when he has control of his pitches. 

[TwinsDr2021]

IMO his game on July 28th was better, but I get the complete game and low pitch count.

[Blyleven2011]

I was shocked that Ober was allowed to finish a complete game  ...

He was large and in charge , great game  ...

[ashbury]

I had the fantastic good luck of being there at Oakland Coliseum for this one.  Most enjoyable ballgame I watched all season.

[LambchoP]

They better not trade any one of Lopez Ober or Ryan. I don't believe the "we have a pitching surplus" line they keep trying to push. We're one SP injury away from relying on SWR, Festa and Mathews just like we did late last year and we all saw how that happened. I actually wouldn't mind if we kept Paddack and used him as a hybrid type pitcher. Spot starts and long reliever could be valuable. I get that we need to move him for salary space though. I just hope we use the money saved on a lefty reliever. Coloumbe should be cheap enough. Sign him and bring in Theilbar on a minor league deal and our pen should be set.