Rays 7, Twins 0: Twins Take an Extra Off-Day in St. Pete

Box Score:
SP: Louie Varland: 6 IP 7 H 7 ER 4 BB 5 SO (90 Pitches, 58 Strikes, 64%)
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Varland (-0.223), Donovan Solano (-0.072), Willi Castro (-0.046)

Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs):

The Twins entered Tuesday's clash with the Rays with some lineup adjustments. Carlos Correa was back to batting third after sitting out the Guardians series with planter fasciitis. Byron Buxton headed to the injured list, and Trevor Larnach met the team in St. Petersburg to take his place in the lineup. They faced a stiff challenge, with Zach Eflin and his .99 WHIP and 7-1 record. Meanwhile, Louie Varland attempted to keep the good times rolling having won three of his last four starts.

Sometimes the Pitchers are Just Really Good
In the first three innings:
Eflin - 0 H, 1 BB, 5 K - 45 pitches
Varland - 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K - 34 pitches

Those commentating on the game professionally spun the angle that Eflin and Varland were nearly unhittable and on top of their game. Those commenting on the game from the Twins fan-zone were convinced that the Twins offense will never score again for at least a decade, maybe more.

Sometimes One of the Offenses is Just Really Good
In the top of the fourth, Correa belted a one-out double, 108 mph+. A Donavan Solano warning track fly ball, and a Larnach strike out later, the threat goes unredeemed.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Rays displayed how offense works. Former Twins prospect (aka the other guy traded for Kenta Maeda) Luke Raley led off with a foul ball that ended up being called a triple. Could the Rays cash in where the Twins failed? That answer took all of four pitches. Randy Arozarena singled to center, and it was 1-0 Rays.

Harold Ramirez followed that up with a walk. And then Randy Arozarena took the extra base on a fly out, and the Rays had runners at the corners with one down. Would the Rays cash in again? That answer only took three pitches, and Christian Bethancourt singled to where Michael A. Taylor and Correa weren't, and Ramirez took the extra base. 2-0 Rays with runners at the corners and one down.

Do the Rays cash in again? Of course they do. The Ballys booth called it, and the Twins were caught flat-footed, as newly called up Vidal Brujan used the safety squeeze bunt to make the score 3-0. 

Seven batters, three hits, one walk, and no home runs later and the Twins were in trouble.

Pleading in the Fifth
Remember in that last sentence how I pointed out that the Rays don't always need to hit home runs to score runs. Well they do that too, in fact they came into the game leading the majors with 103 home runs. Raley confirmed this statistical fact with a 108.6 mph, 450 foot cannon shot to center with Wander Franco trotting on home in front of him. One walk, one home run, 5-0 Rays after five.

Live to Fight Another Day, or Fight to Win Today?
Who needs former Twins that were traded as surplus from our stacked lineup, and are currently lighting up scoreboards? We have...ummmm...

Nothing. The Twins had no answer. Eflin took his team into the seventh, the bullpen took care of the Twins in easy fashion. Meanwhile, Varland also took his team into the seventh, but Jose Siri greeted him there with a 110.8 mph, 457ft blast to make it a 6-0 score. Franco continued to rake, setting up another run with a double which a ground ball delivered upon. 7-0.

Game, set, match to the superior team. 

Sometimes the Twins Offense is Just Really Bad
In the last 11 games, the Twins offense has been held to two runs or less seven times, going 1-6 in those games. In the other four games, the offense feasted to the tune of seven or more runs in each game and went 4-0. The overall record says 5-6, but does that really tell the story of how the team did?

Will an AL Central division title, with a barely above .500 record, where half of the games are unwatchable be enough for everyone?

What’s Next:
The Twins send RHP Pablo Lopez (3-3, 4.54 ERA) and a well-rested bullpen out for the second game of the series in hopes that the Twins offense has another one of their seven run outings. The Rays annouced after tonight's game that righty reliever Shawn Armstrong (0-0, 0.00 ERA in 2 innings in 2023) will be their opener. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40pm CDT. 

Postgame Interviews

Bullpen Usage Chart