Twins Video
Box Score
Joe Ryan: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Alan Roden (-.252), Kody Funderburk (-.193), Mickey Gasper (-.189)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
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Still reeling from the Great Restructure of 2025, the Twins had to play ball. Though emotions still ran high from the day prior, these games nonetheless must be played—even if the team most closely resembles a zombie, or perhaps an organism controlled by a parasite long after it died. So, bring on your huddled masses—your Austin Martins, Edouard Juliens, and Erasmo Ramírezs—because these games matter to them. And someone has to play them.
Friday’s opponent was the Cleveland Guardians. Hey, at least the inevitable heartbreak will feel numb this time. No need to re-explore the third track off Elton John’s Honky Château.
Joe Ryan appeared disinterested initially. And a little lethargic. His stuff was fine, yet his typical calm demeanor read more aloof than usual; no play exemplified this more than when José Ramírez stole second off him in the game’s opening frame with a cartoonish jump so large he could have run safely to Dayton. Cleveland scored runs in the first and second off the righty.
Fortunately, the malaise was short-lived, as Ryan settled into a scoreless groove for four frames, eventually allowing him to walk off the mound with a respectable two-run, six-inning start under his belt. He whiffed four.
Ryan Jeffers, Matt Wallner, and their Merry Men of Hitters Still on the Team had their hands full with Guardians starter Gavin Williams. A practitioner of stuff, not command, the tall righty overpowered the Twins with his assortment of high-velocity fastballs and sweeping breakers. They were utterly baffled; Williams shut them out for six frames with two threats—a close attempt by Brooks Lee to score on a hit to the outfield in the third, and a base-loaded opportunity in the fourth—serving as the only real threats to his dominance.
Yet, providence evidently deemed the Twins a useful vessel for her unusual methods. With Williams gone, Minnesota placed two men on base, coaxing Guardians manager Stephen Vogt to call on Hunter Gaddis out of the bullpen. Gaddis elicited a meager check-swing by Martin that dribbled the ball in front of the plate. The pitcher pounced. He saw a vision. There he is, Jeter-ing the ball to first in miraculous fashion. The ESPN Top 10 would certainly include his play.
The Not Top 10, it turns out. Gaddis hurled the ball beyond Carlos Santana, who awkwardly tipped it into no-man’s land, allowing the eventual game-tying run to score.
The game sat at two a piece for a time. Neither side looked vigorous in their scrap to score again. Twice, a Cleveland batter flew out to right field the warning track in the ninth. Matt Wallner was unenthused both times.
The game lurched into extras with the Twins' offense still stuck in neutral. They couldn't score their Manfred runner. The Guardians did. This time, Kyle Manzardo was the hero. With a great lacking in clutchness, the Twins reminded us that, though the players may change, the jerseys still restrain them from being able to win a close game against the Cleveland Guardians
Notes:
Joe Ryan's four strikeouts give him an Ozzy-inspired 666 in his career, good for 16th in team history. He's 49 behind Eric Milton.
Austin Martin set an MLB career-high with three hits in a game.
José Ramírez became the 17th player in MLB history with 275+ homers and 275+ steals in his career.
Post-Game Interview:
What’s Next?
The Twins and Guardians play again on Saturday, with the highly-anticipated TBD (likely Bailey Ober) is set to pitch against Tanner Bibee with first pitch arriving at 3:10 PM.
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
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