Dodgers 12, Twins 3: The Dodgers Are Who We Thought They Were, and So Are the Twins

[Steven Trefz]

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

 

Box Score
SP: Kendry Rojas 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K (50 pitches, 25 strikes (50%))
Home Runs: Victor Caratini (6), Brooks Lee (12)
Bottom 3 WPA: Austin Voth (-0.39), Byron Buxton (-0.08), Lee (-0.08)

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 

The Dodgers did what the Dodgers do on Monday night, winning a close game thanks to their superstars. On Tuesday night, the rain delayed the inevitable, but ultimately, the Minnesota Have-Nots had to play the Los Angeles Haves. Justin Wrobleski and his 2.84 ERA stood in the way of the Twins getting the series back to even. Kendry Rojas looked to take the first couple of innings in his return to action, with newly promoted righty Austin Voth waiting in the wings. The Twins made a game of it early, but they were just the mouse that Los Angeles was playing with before they lost interest and finished the job.

Effectively Wild and Wildly Ineffective
Rojas walked the lead-off man in both of his innings, but he only got burned in the first. The rookie was all over the place, and occasionally in the strike zone, as well. After walking Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages to start things, Rojas then struck out Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts. Tommy Edman stayed red-hot and singled in Ohtani to put the Dodgers up 1-0. Rojas' 50% strike rate ensured that he would not get a second crack at the lineup, and that set the stage for Voth's debut in the third.

In the bottom of the second, Victor Caratini had tied the game with a flower-destroying homer just over the left-field fence. Voth and the Twins' defense managed to immediately give the lead back to the visitors. Freeman hit a double, because that's what he does—more than any other active player. Just when Voth thought he had escaped the threat, Luke Keaschall took what was a guaranteed out number three and underhand chucked it into the dugout to allow Freeman to scamper home. 

The Twins fought right back in the bottom of the third, but they ran themselves out of an opportunity at home plate (yikes, Austin Martin) and then had a three-run Brooks Lee home run go just foul. Josh Bell did plate Byron Buxton in the middle of it all, but the Twins definitely had Wrobleski on the ropes and didn't get the job done. 

Dodgers Show How to Get the Job Done
Immediately, the Dodgers made the Twins pay for their missed opportunities and miscues in the top of the fourth. Voth surrendered a couple of singles to put runners at the corners with one out and Ohtani up to bat. Shohei hit a shallow pop fly, but Martin's throw to the plate was cut off, and the Dodgers were back on top 3-2. Then three straight singles with two outs made it 5-2, and any glimpse of hope left the home team. Voth wore almost 100 pitches, but ultimately his 9.90 ERA wasn't going to get the job done. His fifth earned run of the game got bunted in in the top of the seventh under Travis Adams's watch to make it 7-2 Dodgers.

The Twins' bats could only muster one hit over the final four frames of Wrobleski's night, as he scattered five hits over his seven innings of professional pitching. Pop fly after pop fly left little to cheer about for the hometown faithful, while those sporting Dodger blue yawned due to the redundancy with which they have witnessed this excellence year after year. Taylor Rogers continues to struggle for the Twins' bullpen, and he gave up a homer in the ninth to remind everyone of that fact. 8-2 Dodgers, please make it stop. A walk and a blast to the gap later, it was 9-2. Please make it stop. Pages singled to make it 10-2. Then the bases were somehow loaded up, and then Max Muncy doubled in two more to invoke the mercy rule at 12-2. I didn't know a bullpen could implode when you were already down five runs to start the ninth, but somehow Rogers and the Twins proved me wrong.

Lee did get his home run off of old pal Brock Stewart in the bottom of the ninth. Way too little, and way too late to save this night. It's not because of their payrolls, really, but these are two very different calibers of baseball team.

What’s Next?
Target Field should enjoy its largest crowd of the season on Wednesday evening. Twins ace Joe Ryan (5-3, 2.99 ERA) looks to avoid the sweep, while the Dodgers will put their trust in a bigger ace named Ohtani (7-2, 1.47 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 pm CDT.

Postgame Interviews
Coming Soon

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	FRI	SAT	SUN	MON	TUE	TOT
Voth	0	0	0	0	96	96
Paredes	0	0	75	0	0	75
Adams	42	0	0	0	30	72
Rogers	0	0	0	17	38	55
Orze	0	24	0	11	0	35
Morris	0	0	17	15	0	32
Gómez	0	7	20	0	0	27
Banda	0	12	10	0	0	22

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[DataNerd]

This might be the most pathetic game of the year.  Not even that much because of the result, but because I don't see any reason that Voth deserves MLB innings.  He's old, doesn't throw hard, last had positive WAR in 2022, and wasn't great in AAA.  Completely punting on the game in the 3rd inning, and in reality when he was added to the MLB roster.

[Bracky]

That play from Keaschall to 1st (well the dugout) was definitely odd. Unless I missed something, given the location of the play was there any reason for the pitcher to have really been running much to 1st? It seemed like Royce stayed on the bag since the play was towards the 2nd baseman already. Obviously potential for Keasch to have made the play but also seemed like the pitcher and 1st base needed to communicate also.

Royce is still relatively new at 1B also which could have contributed. 

Still not giving up on Keaschall potentially at 2nd or Royce at 1B with continued development. However I do think it may be worth still giving Clemens some time there as he does seem to be a defensive upgrade at both 1st and 2nd. Not everyday for sure but he does play consistent defense. 

[Parfigliano]

TC just got a National TV curb stomping.

[Maybe Next Year]

The run LA scored in the first inning never should have scored. Yes, Edman hit the ball hard but Keaschall should have made the play. He only needed two steps to his right to get to the ball but then he let the ball play him. At a minimum he should have knocked the ball down and kept it in the infield. Had he played it properly it would have been out #3. 

[D.C Twins]

Yep.... the Dodgers are a playoff competitive team.

We are not... even... close. That in and of itself is not a problem.

Lack of acknowledgement leading to not being sellers at the deadline would be a problem.

I hope Tommy P is watching the Dodgers and close to breaking his 'competitive' fever dream 

 

[Sampson5]

Twins love a mid vet arm who's been terrible for years over literally any other arm in st Paul ... It's kinda crazy how often they do this plenty of better options in St Paul hell isn't raya even on the 40 man ?? Confusing and yet almost always goes laughably terrible. It's to bad that lee homer went foul while clearly wouldn't of mattered would of been nice to have a 2 homer 4 rbi game outta someone in the lineup although possible that changes the game since would of got to the pen sooner at the minimum. Also about keashall I'm not sure what the twins do about him defense is tough but at the same time really no position to hide him at guess twins gotta just pray at some point the defense becomes passable ? Figured this series would be a tough watch but it's pretty sad when you play a team and it looks like they are playing a scrimmage vs a NCAA team lmao but hey maybe Joe saves us from a sweep good news is twins love to randomly abuse a ace for 7 + runs so we can only hope that tread continues 

[DocBauer]

To be fair, I didn't read anything beyond the headline. I didn't need to.

The Twins battled on Monday against probably the best team in MLB and lost an extremely close game.

Circumstances had us throwing a talented young rookie for a couple of innings and then tossed out a recently signed, mediocre or poor AAAA arm to just get through the damn game. 

While I am very disappointed by Rogers appearance, he wasn't signed this season to do anything but be a decent Coulombe replacement. He's largely done that, despite today's game/appearance. Unfortunately, this was a throw away game from the 1st pitch.

So IDK if this really "defines" the Twins. I think that's unfair considering Monday vs a virtual "give up" game tonight. 

My hope is Ryan is ready for Wednesday. Does he have the stamina after being sick all weekend? I sure hope he does as winning 1 game against the Dodgers would make me feel really good.

[USAFChief]

I'm of the opinion Keaschall isnt going to be a viable defender. Ever.

No reason not to keep playing him, and hope, but he's just bad. The kind of bad that doesnt get much better. And he's not really doing a lot offensively either. 

Keep playing him, but start figuring out who's the next second   baseman.