Tigers 10, Twins 4: Detroit Rocks Taj Bradley in Series Opener

[Steven Trefz]

Image courtesy of © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Box Score
SP: Taj Bradley - 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (89 pitches, 52 strikes (58%))
Home Runs: Byron Buxton (19), Josh Bell (7), Brooks Lee (10), Kody Clemens (9)
Bottom 3 WPA: Bradley (-0.42), Tristan Gray (-0.19), Victor Caratini (-0.16)

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 

The Twins limped out of their 17-game string between off days by dropping three out of four to the hapless Royals. Nothing says "day off" like traveling to Detroit, only to experience a tornado warning and a two-hour rain delay. With a couple of 25-year-old righties on the mound in Taj Bradley and Troy Melton on Tuesday night in the Motor City, who would come out victorious in the battle of American League Central disappointments?

Free Solos Against the Youngsters
When the game finally got started, Byron Buxton wasted no time celebrating his return to center field and into the leadoff spot. One pitch, one 428-foot bomb. 1-0 Twins.

The Twins' good vibes were short-lived and often stifled throughout tonight's contest, though, as the Tigers responded with solo homers of their own in the first (Dillon Dingler) and second (Riley Greene) to reestablish the lead at 2-1. Greene's home run to start the bottom of the second inning was especially frustrating, given that the Twins had loaded the bases in the top of the frame with only one out, only to see Tristan Gray and Buxton strike out to leave them that way. 

Josh Bell hit a solo shot of his own in the top of the third to knot things back up, and this one had some historical significance. It was No. 200 for Bell, and put the Twins right back into the game.

Bradley's Control Didn't Make the Trip
Bradley struggled early and often to find the strike zone, walking the leadoff man in the third and fourth innings to put the pressure immediately back on himself and the Twins' defense. He somehow escaped with only surrendering one run after those walks, but as his pitch count climbed, it became apparent that the Twins bullpen was immediately going to need to use their rested arms in order to find victory. 

Brooks Lee and Kody Clemens went back-to-back in the top of the fifth to put the Twins back on top, 4-3. Normally, this awesome occurrence would warrant video highlights. In this case, before I could enter them into the recap, Bradley had surrendered a double to start the bottom of the fifth, and then surrendered the lead immediately back by serving up Kerry Carpenter for a two-run jack. In each of those at-bats, Bradley started with a non-competitive pitch for ball one. In each of those at-bats, Bradley served up a center-cut off-speed pitch in hopes of not walking more humans. That was the end of Bradley's night, and the start of this evening's bullpen implosion.

No Relief in Sight
The bullpen rest didn't do a darn thing. Eric Orze got the Twins out of the bottom of the fifth still within a run, but after Gray and Buxton repeated their "striking out with a chance to knock a run in" vibe in the top of the sixth, Orze got chased with runners on the corners and only one out in the bottom of the sixth. Twins hero Taylor Rogers came in, and unfortunately, memories are all that appear to be left of Rogers's game. After getting Kevin McGonigle to strike out on a high sweeper, Rogers went one-too-many sweepers into the well on Dingler, and by the time the Tiger catcher trotted around the bases, it was 8-4 Detroit.

The Twins loaded the bases yet again in the top of the seventh with only one out. Again, the clutch hits with runners on did not pack their bags for Detroit. Victor Caratini struck out, and Royce Lewis got Twins Territory to its feet—only to see his Grand Slam moment drop into Greene's glove on the warning track.

Like we've seen so often this season, a Twins failed rally was immediately followed by an opponent's padding of the lead. This time, it was the Justin Lawrence experience who drew the sacrificial lamb role after Rogers stayed in the game and walked the leadoff man. Lawrence followed the night's theme and walked the first man he faced. It looked like the newest Twins would escape the jam after he got the next two outs, but he walked the bases loaded with two outs and then Gray booted a "single" to allow two more runs to score. 

What’s Next?
That's a tough question to answer after a night like this. In theory, the Twins look to rebound and even up the series on Wednesday evening, but they have yet to name their starting pitcher. While the Twins faithful pray for a Marco Raya sighting, the threat of a bullpen game looms larger. The Tigers will send lefty Framber Valdez (3-4, 4.21 ERA) out to win the series. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 pm CDT.

Postgame Interviews

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	FRI	SAT	SUN	MON	TUE	TOT
Laweryson	0	0	36	0	12	48
Morris	0	0	41	0	0	41
Orze	0	17	0	0	23	40
Lawrence	0	0	12	0	26	38
Rogers	0	15	0	0	17	32
Adams	16	0	0	0	0	16
Gómez	0	14	0	0	0	14
Banda	14	0	0	0	0	14
Paredes	0	0	0	0	0	0

 

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[Parfigliano]

By what standard are TC disappointments?  Vegas had them at 72-3 wins.  They are what the money said they are.  Not good.

[thelanges5]

4-11 since the Boston sweep. 

[Aggies7]

Starting to feel a bit more like the last few seasons. I was starting to make time to watch more games around Memorial Day and it’s been in the dumper since then. Maybe I should go back to paying less attention 😂 

[ashbury]

This appearance spoiled Justin Lawrence's 0.00 ERA in a Twins uniform.

[jaimedude]

Would it kil the Twins to give a few of the talented guys with the Saints a chance? 

[Patzky]

Taj stunk but choking repeatedly with runners on didn't help. 

Yeah the pen but the script was already written by then 

[RpR]

[RpR]

Had to quit watching but it seems I did not miss much.

Buxton got his early home run then followed it up with 4 strike out; Lewis kinda sorta went 2 for 4 so complaining Buxton was not playing seems  rather a waste of time.

I hope Gray is not trying to emulate Buxton.

[howeda7]

If we're going to be bad, at least play the young guys. Enough watching old bad players. Call up Culpepper, Mendez and Funderburk  and get rid of Gray, Kreidler and one of the pathetic duo of Adams or Lawrence from the bullpen.

[KirbyDome89]

How long does the Justin Lawrence experiment need to last? 

3.2 IP, 5 BB, 2 HP, 2 H so far....

[KirbyDome89]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

This appearance spoiled Justin Lawrence's 0.00 ERA in a Twins uniform.

Unbelievable that was his only earned run allowed with the Twins (thus far at least)

[knothole61]

Love Buxton...super-talented player and a future Twins' Hall of Fame inductee. But he looks like an overmatched rookie on many of his strikeouts. If pitchers conspired across MLB to refuse to throw him hittable balls I think he'd end up with 4 BB and 6 K for every 10 AB! 

[Patzky]

4 hours ago, howeda7 said:

If we're going to be bad, at least play the young guys. Enough watching old bad players. Call up Culpepper, Mendez and Funderburk  and get rid of Gray, Kreidler and one of the pathetic duo of Adams or Lawrence from the bullpen.

Adams is the young guy! Fundy.. well congrats on the new baby but go stay home

[Parfigliano]

3 hours ago, knothole61 said:

Love Buxton...super-talented player and a future Twins' Hall of Fame inductee. But he looks like an overmatched rookie on many of his strikeouts. If pitchers conspired across MLB to refuse to throw him hittable balls I think he'd end up with 4 BB and 6 K for every 10 AB! 

Buxton doesn't walk

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

Great so see the Twins hitting some home runs, but too bad that nobody was on base when any of them were hit. Meanwhile another rocky outing for Taj, and the bullpen wasn't much better. 

[Peter]

4 home runs and still lose🤬😡😤👎very infuriating!!! This was supposed to be easy part of schedule in winning division games. NO MORE rain delays!!!

[CRF]

Solo homers? Yeah, we got plenty of those. Hit one over the fence with some ducks on the pond? Fuhgeddaboudit! Can Buxton lead off the game with a long fly? Sure! Can he do anything but rack up K's after that? Sorry...no can do. Add the really bad Taj to the mix, and our sorry a** pen...and you got a whole lot of nuthin!

[DJL44]

6 hours ago, jaimedude said:

Would it kil the Twins to give a few of the talented guys with the Saints a chance? 

Every talented Saints pitcher is already up.

[DJL44]

10 minutes ago, Peter said:

4 home runs and still lose

Breaks Lee was on base before the Bell HR but he got himself picked off. That was a really dumb time to try to steal 2B with one of their slowest runners.

[USAFChief]

Evidence why TB was willing to trade Bradley.

 

[MinnInPa]

he gave up 5...it was a game until bullpen gave up another 5.. we had 10 hits.. keys to the game were Gray and Buxton K-ing back to back during crucial part of game with RISP. Buxton K'd 4 times after leadoff HR... THAT is not acceptable

[Whitey333]

Since the Twins were 11-7 early in the season they have since gone 19-31 in their past 50.  Plus most of that time they played like we thought they would, poorly.  Getting so tired of Buxton.  Yes he has 19 home runs.  But this k if this as he definitely isn't Mr. Clutch.  He is 0-22 this season in driving in runs with 2 outs and runners in scoring position.  Tuesday after he got a cookie pitch to hit a home run he struck out 4 times and looked very bad at it too.  This is a bad baseball team and all the pitching woes and Injuries doesn't help.

[Saxophone Joe]

Another infuriating loss on all fronts. I'm sensing a pattern here!

Taj looked out of sorts from literally the first pitch. Not buying the humidity excuse at all...

The Buxton 0-22 with RISP and 2 outs stat this season is mindblowing. 

Didn't Wallner set the record last season for fewest RBIs (40) with at least 20 homers? Buck currently has 19 homers and...29 RBI. 65% of all his RBIs this season are from HRs. He's gotta be on pace for the fewest RBIs with 40+ homers. Can't make it up. 

[Jack Pine]

8 hours ago, Patzky said:

Taj stunk but choking repeatedly with runners on didn't help. 

Yeah the pen but the script was already written by then 

Which makes you wonder how you can have a bull pen game without a bull pen??

[Patzky]

13 minutes ago, Jack Pine said:

Which makes you wonder how you can have a bull pen game without a bull pen??

Please don't start out with Morris.. or end with him.. the new dude from Arizona, I expect he'll be called up very shortly.

[Carnealio]

Blech. All the negativity in this town is warranted.

[David Maro]

Taj over 60 pitches in 3 innings nuff said!!

[Patzky]

35 minutes ago, Jack Pine said:

Which makes you wonder how you can have a bull pen game without a bull pen??

You wonder why Matt Bowman got cut. Guess where he wound up?

[mikelink45]

Fascinating to read the comments - one has Buxton in the HOF - more of them points out the all or nothing Ks and hit lack of clutch. 

Taj was our number 2 and one write says he understands why TB was wiling to trade him.  

There is a plea to bring up St Paul talent and another points out we have all their best pitchers.  Is that true?

Lewis is 3 - 11 with one double since coming up.  Makes me suspicious of St Paul Stats. 

We have a cumulative position player 4.4 WAR on BR, Buxton is 2 and Jeffers is 1.8  That means a total of .6 WAR for the rest of the batters.

Only Joe Ryan has an ERA under 4 among starters.

Funderberk and Gomez are the only RP under 4 - 

Team is 93 in ERA + and 95 in OPS+