Twins Video
Box Score
Bailey Ober: 6 ⅔ IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Home Runs: Byron Buxton (17)
Bottom 3 WPA: Jorge Alcalá (-.166), Ryan Jeffers (-.109), Edouard Julien (-.105)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
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Action was curt to start on Friday. If you helped with making dinner or otherwise moved your attention away from the game for just a second, eons passed; batters phased in and out of the box at a rapid pace. The beginning and middle phases of a normally turgid game blew away. No one knows where they disappeared to.
It was apparent, though, that Bailey Ober was on his game once more. The elongated righty dominated in his usual fashion: with command and unpredictability. Cincinnati stood uncomfortable for the majority of the game. His mighty low 90s fastball and dastardly changeup—the great equalizer in his ordinary pitch mix—cut down Reds hitters where they stood, leaving little more than frustrated remarks and unbelieving reactions. His only early mistake was when TJ Friedl shot a decent cutter just over the right-field wall.
Cincinnati’s starter was on his game, too. Julian Aguiar worked with similar vigor, never appearing to overwhelm Minnesota’s hitters but nonetheless finding ways to get them out; for four innings, the only Twins hit was an infield single that reasonably could have been ruled an error.
Other than that? Nothing. Movement simply never materialized. Outs came and went. Innings melted away. By the time a normal game might enter its middle phase, this one transitioned to its crucial final act. Still, almost nothing happened.
Well, outside of a Byron Buxton homer. In his first start off the IL, Buxton perfectly estimated the movement of an Aguiar sinker and deposited the pitch 393 feet away to mark Minnesota’s first score of the game.
Not long after, sadly, is when the game’s ethos took a turn, and Ober’s assumed efficiency failed him. Kicking off the 7th, Spencer Steer cracked a hit off the right field facade, fooling an inexperienced Matt Wallner into overplaying his hand as the former Twins prospect rolled safely into 3rd. Then, Friedl bunted him home. God, it was a beauty; Ober attempted in vain to catch the runner at the plate, but even Jim Kaat couldn’t have made the play. Continuing the whole ugly frame, Ty France cracked a double into the left-center gap, scoring Friedl as the Reds' lead turned from 1 to 2.
And then it got worse. Much worse. Jorge Alcalá entered the game as the “relief pitcher”—which is an oxymoron—and walked Jonathan India to load the bases for Elly De La Cruz. Friends: never load the bases for Elly De La Cruz. One lethargic slider morphed the match from a close affair to a laugher. De La Cruz blasted the pitch deep into the nether; it’s set to return to our three-dimensional plane sometime in 2028.
A skirmish by the Twins in the bottom of the frame pushed them within striking distance, but the game continued to whittle down until it reached its assumed conclusion, finally mercifully ending when Willi Castro grounded out to second.
Notes:
Carlos Correa will be activated before tomorrow's game.
Byron Buxton's 132nd home run ties him with Jacque Jones for 15th place in Twins history. He is nine away from away from the next batter, Michael Cuddyer.
Bailey Ober struck out his 461st career batter on Friday, keeping him in 30th place in Twins history. He is five away from tying Tyler Duffey.
Willi Castro added to his team-leading hit total with his 126th knock of the season. Jose Miranda is in 2nd place with 115.
Post-Game Interview:
What’s Next?
The Twins and Reds match up again on Saturday, with Simeon Woods Richardson set to face off against Nick Martinez. First pitch is at 6:10 PM.
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
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