Twins Video
Box Score
Joe Ryan: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Jorge Alcalá (-.250), Carlos Correa (-.093), Louis Varland (-.078)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
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Thursday’s dud of an Opening Day set the stage for a redemptive episode—this time featuring an old friend unseen on a big league mound since August 7th of last year. Would Joe Ryan prove to be the catalyst needed to spark Minnesota’s first win of the season?
You’d be forgiven if you thought the start of Saturday’s match was a rerun; St. Louis scrapped their way to a 1st-inning run thanks to two well-placed singles sandwiched around a runner advanced on an out. That’s Cardinals baseball, alright. Whitey Herzog would have been proud. But that run proved to be the only score against Ryan, who—while uncharacteristically inefficient at times—worked around trouble to stymie St. Louis from advancing any further. He ended his day with five strikeouts and no walks. He did not earn a decision.
Working opposite Ryan was one Erick Fedde, a recently developed personal nemesis of the Twins. He has their number. Entering the game, Fedde had allowed just two runs across 17 frames against Minnesota, whiffing 23 with a WHIP of .824. Something about his finessing ways short-circuits Twins hitters, no matter their style.
And he continued to fool them. An early run knocked in by Willi Castro (aided by a Trevor Larnach steal!?!) served as the lone dent in his armor. The only runner to reach following Castro’s double was via a Fedde fielding error; that runner was then negated with a double play, anyways. Few were surprised.
Minnesota’s defense proved adept at times. An early steal attempt was snuffed out thanks to some gold medal-level gymnastics from Carlos Correa, and Byron Buxton later made a deep flyout to center look simple with signature smoothness.
The wind may need an assist on that Brendan Donovan flyout, as well.
Unfortunately, the good news ended there. Ryan’s exit after the 5th inning portended a disastrous showing from Minnesota’s bullpen. Jorge Alcalá was greeted with a line shot off his person, resulting in a rare infield double and a greeting from the athletic trainer. He was deemed fine.
Perhaps in health, but certainly not in performance: he allowed two more runners and broke the tie before being yanked in favor of Louis Varland, who nearly escaped the situation. He walked one to load the bases but struck out two to regain favor. One measly out stood between him and an impressive outing. But the man up was Lars Nootbaar, so far the main character of the 2025 MLB season, and he cracked a two-out single into center to plate a pair of back-breaking runs.
A fifth and final run in the 8th charged to Jhoan Duran removed the necessity for St. Louis' stud closer, Ryan Helsley, to enter the game; instead, Phil Maton took the mound to quell Minnesota's bats from offering a last-minute comeback.
Post-Game Interview:
Notes:
Mickey Gasper earned his first career MLB hit with an infield single in the 8th inning.
Joe Ryan's five strikeouts give him 530 in his Twins career, good for 22nd place in team history. He's two Ks away from tying LaTroy Hawkins.
Matt Wallner, Carlos Correa, and Byron Buxton are a combined 0-for-24 to start the season.
Trevor Larnach stole his seventh career base on Saturday. He's 269 behind Chuck Knoblauch for 1st place in Twins history.
What’s Next?
The Twins and Cardinals finish their series with a Sunday excursion pitting Bailey Ober against Andre Pallante. First pitch is at 1:15 PM.
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
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