Make it Official! Twins 7, Brewers 3: Kirilloff, Jeffers Provide Comeback Clout

Box Score
SP: Chris Paddack 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (82 pitches, 47 strikes, 6 whiffs - 7.3%)
Home Runs: Ryan Jeffers (1)
Top 3 WPA: Ryan Jeffers .347, Alex Kirilloff .213, Carlos Correa .189

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

Paddack Returns to the Bump
It had been nearly 700 days since Chris Paddack made a start in a major-league game. The Sheriff toed the rubber at American Family Field and struck out Jackson Chourio on three pitches, as if he'd never missed an outing. After flashing a 94.6-mph fastball, he rung up the talented rookie on a changeup that dove out of the strike zone.

William Contreras offered a free out to Paddack with a nubber back to the mound, but Minnesota’s starter couldn’t pick up the ball and gave up what was (spuriously) ruled a single. Christian Yelich, who has started the year on a tear, then lined a middle-middle pitch to center field, and the Brewers were in business. With Willy Adames stepping in, the Minnesota starter overcooked a curveball that got past catcher Ryan Jeffers, letting the runners reach second and third. After having Adames down 0-2, Paddack walked him, and loaded the bases for Rhys Hoskins.

Paddack pushed the velocity to 96.1 mph against Hoskins, and a hard grounder to Kyle Farmer at third base turned into a much-needed inning-ending double play. The Twins offense needed to get going, but the starter was now able to settle in.

Joe Ross Back in the Bigs
Having not pitched in the majors since 2021 himself, and throwing just 17 professional innings the past two seasons, Milwaukee Brewers starter Joe Ross seemed like a good candidate for the struggling Twins offense to get right. Batters forced him to go deep in counts and racked up 54 pitches in his first three innings of work. They struck out only twice while drawing three walks, but no one was able to capitalize on the opportunities they created.

Brice Turang got himself a ball to lift into left field in the second, scoring Sal Frelick, but Paddack may have been able to escape damage if Jeffers could have hung on to a popped-up foul bunt just before that. Ross was provided with the slightest breathing room early, and a lackluster Twins lineup limped out of the gate again.

Coming out for a fourth inning of work, though, Ross continued to struggle. He twirled in only 38 strikes across 73 total pitches, and walked five batters on the day. With the sacks packed and Edouard Julien at the dish, Pat Murphy went to lefty Hoby Milner in relief of Ross, and Milwaukee was into their bullpen before the Minnesota offense could show up to the party.

Margot Makes it Even…Or Not
With Julien ready to step in against Milner, Rocco Baldelli opted for the platoon advantage in the form of Manuel Margot. Despite the bases being loaded and there being two outs in the inning, the speedy Margot dropped down a bunt. It wasn’t a good one, popped up toward third baseman Joey Ortiz. With a shortstop background, he made a wonderful play to grab Margot after a review at first.

The desperation signaled by that bunt reeked of a lineup that can’t get things going. The Twins allowed Ross to escape an otherwise ugly day with nothing to show for his time on the mound.

Because the baseball gods have a cruel sense of humor, Hoskins immediately launched a solo shot off of Paddack to start the bottom of the 4th inning. Minnesota trailed 2-0.

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Santana Stops the Drought
Playing against his former team, Carlos Santana stepped in against J.B. Bukauskas in the top of the following frame. The bases were loaded, and the recently-promoted Brewers reliever got behind to the tune of a 3-0 count. Santana took what was a borderline strike one call, and fouled off a second strike. He then grounded a ball to second, and Turang wasn’t able to turn what would have been a tough double play. Alex Kirilloff, who had reached for the third time already, scored from third.

Looking to even the score, Willi Castro was up, and the Twins had runners on the corners. After a ball and strike apiece, the utility man lined a ball to right field but the rookie Chourio was there to make the play.

Through the first five innings of the game, Minnesota found themselves 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, and nine players had been left on base. With so much traffic, Baldelli certainly would have appreciated his lineup putting a crooked number in the run column. Daniel Duarte took over for Paddack in the bottom half.

Jackson Chourio Blasts Off
There has been no more anticipated debut in Brewers Land than that of Jackson Chourio. The 20-year-old is a favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year award, and despite his sizzling start, he had yet to leave the yard. On the third pitch from Duarte, the Venezuelan got a hanging slider and deposited the pitch over the center field wall.

While Minnesota failed to capitalize on their good fortune from the top half of the inning, they watched the run they got back be immediately erased. It was an ugly miss from Duarte, but he responded by getting both Yelich and Adames to ground out and escape further damage. Duarte continues to be a reliever worth watching for the Minnesota bullpen.

Kirilloff Crushes and Jeffers Blasts
Starting the 7th inning with a double, Kirilloff continued his hot day, as he lifted a fly ball to the right-field corner. Chourio wasn’t able to track it down, and it ultimately hopped over the wall to put him on second base against reliever Joel Payamps.

Minnesota had Byron Buxton working as the designated hitter today. He stepped in and crushed a ball to left field that allowed Kirilloff to scamper home. After a game full of futile at-bats, it appeared that the Twins lineup finally had life. Correa confirmed as much with a hit of his own, a single to left, and Buxton raced home from second base (despite an ill-advised near-stop from Tommy Watkins, which would have been a glaring failure to take advantage of Yelich's weak outfield arm). After Santana lofted a single to center, manager Pat Murphy decided he had seen enough from his workhorse setup man.

Bryse Wilson came on to face Castro and Jeffers. The Twins sought to take their first lead of the game, and Jeffers finally got off the schneid with his first hit of the season. After a solid spring training, he had come into the game hitless over the first four contests. Although the ball barely made it over the left-field wall, his three-run dinger gave the Twins a 6-3 lead and set them up for a series split. The home run was just Minnesota’s second of the season, with the other coming from Royce Lewis on Opening Day.

Carlos Correa Catches It
With Brock Stewart taking over in relief, Baldelli was into the leverage arms of his bullpen. Looking to keep their three-run lead comfortable, Minnesota had one of their best available pen arms on the bump. After a strikeout of Oliver Dunn, and then a 12-pitch punch out of Turang, it was a highlight-reel play to end the inning.

Correa channeled his inner Willie Mays for an over-the-shoulder catch that looked so smooth. He then pulled off a Michael Jordan-esque shrug to top it off. The Twins shortstop is special.

In the top half of the eighth inning, Kirilloff continued his terrific day with a gapper that allowed him to race around to third base. It was just his third career triple, and with Austin Martin taking over as a pinch runner, put Minnesota in position to score once again. Unfortunately, Wilson got both Buxton and Max Kepler on strikes to strand the potential run 90 feet away.

Bullpen Musical Chairs
Just before the regular season started, the Twins found themselves with a bunch of late pitching injuries. Jhoan Durán, Caleb Thielbar, Justin Topa, and Josh Staumont were all going to begin the year on the injured list. That meant a bunch of unexpected names were going to be expected to step up, and Baldelli would have to get creative with the group.

Stewart didn’t go two innings today, and he shouldn’t ever be expected to do so, given his injury history. Griffin Jax took over in the 8th inning, and rather than riding him for six outs, Minnesota’s manager decided to put Steven Okert in for the 9th. That decision appeared to be made before Jeffers drove in Correa and took away the save situation, and it’s reflective of a manager putting his best arms in spots where he needs them most.

Having been acquired from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Nick Gordon, Okert has shown well in his first two outings for Minnesota. He certainly is excited to be in a new place, with his former franchise falling to 0-7 on the season this afternoon. Command wasn’t his friend early in the outing today, but he battled back against Andruw Monasterio for a strikeout. He punched out former Twins backstop Gary Sanchez on a dotted 3-2 pitch, and then got Dunn for another strikeout to end the contest.

What’s Next? 
Minnesota heads to Target Field for the first time in 2024. Kicking off the home schedule, Pablo López starts against Tanner Bibee on Thursday. Cleveland hasn’t updated their probables, but the Twins will throw Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober over the weekend, as the weather turns downright balmy (by the standards of early April in Minnesota).

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