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Box Score
Kenta Maeda: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
Home Runs: Royce Lewis (4), Max Kepler (10)
Top 3 WPA: Kenta Maeda (.237), Max Kepler (.189), Brock Stewart (.078)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
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Kenta Maeda returned to a major-league mound for the first time since his disastrous—and hazardous—start against the Yankees on April 26th. The veteran righty served as a source of consternation and minor troubles, not necessarily in his potential addition to the pitching staff, but because every incumbent seemed well-entrenched. Then Louie Varland struggled. Now it’s up to Maeda to determine his fate.
It started a little frustrating, which is really just par for the course in Minnesota this season. Two batters reached in the 1st, but a splitter vexed Kerry Carpenter—complete with the “why the hell did I swing at that” face most hitters make facing the pitch—and Javier Báez grounded into a double play; now the game could start.
The Twins offensively faced off against the lefty Joey Wentz, who gave the team a shocking amount of trouble in his previous start—a six-inning, nine-strikeout performance just this past weekend.
Royce Lewis quickly established that Friday’s tale would be a little different. He crushed a juicy fastball, pushing the boundaries of how high a homer can go with a 41-degree titanic blast expertly caught by someone holding a baby.
Max Kepler—yes, that Max Kepler; yes, off a lefty; yes, after hitting two homers the previous week—then smoked a screaming liner off a lazy cutter, crushing the pitch 401 feet and just above the freshly-lowered homer boundary. Wentz wished it was last Saturday again.
In an unusual turn of events, Rocco Baldelli made himself enemies with an umpire yet again, screaming at Lance Barrett for apparently allowing Wentz to pitch before coming set—a grievous sin. Indeed, Wentz toed the balk line with his glove movement. Barrett was satisfied; Baldelli disagreed. The ejection was the 15th in 623 games for the now-feisty Baldelli.
The 2nd proved predictive in the game’s motion, but not immediately. Maeda punched out the side in the bottom of the frame, washing the events away with energy fueled with mightily missed hacks.
And the rest of Maeda’s start played out in a similar fashion; Detroit could only total three hits and two walks off the veteran, and he returned the favor with interest in the form of eight strikeouts—the final punch-out especially sweet as he was able to convince Jayce Tingler to keep him in against Zach McKinstry.
But chaos could only restrain itself for so long, and the 6th turned sour with angst. The Twins scored one more run—thank God for Detroit’s clumsy defense—but paid with two more ejections: the first, Michael A. Taylor for complaining about two walks stolen from him by Barrett; the second, assistant hitting coach Derek Shomon, because he woke up wanting to fight (or supported Taylor, whichever you want to believe). The calls were indeed bad, maybe not worse than the common ebbs and flows the strike zone experiences in any game, but for the same event to happen twice to one player, it’s understandable that he would show some emotions—and if Taylor is upset, then you seriously screwed up.
So started the running of the bullpens. Jovani Moran allowed two runners to reach base before Tingler ended his show early, calling on Brock Stewart to save the Twins from themselves once more. He did. Mostly. One run did score, but a double play from the lethargic (respectfully) Miguel Cabrera ended the rally, and Stewart made up for the minor gaffe by punching out the side the next inning.
Griffin Jax soon earned his bread, leaving the 9th to a familiar friend.
Jhoan Duran made easy work of his first target before walking Matt Vierling, perhaps to add a tinge of drama. The great Cabrera fanned at a curve as devastating as any Duran has ever thrown before; the fireballer then somehow one-upped himself, catching Zack Short window-shopping at a nasty downer to conclude an emotional win.
Notes:
Kenta Maeda earned 11 swings-and-misses on Friday.
Minnesota collected two Statcast "Barrels" in the game; one from Max Kepler and another from Kyle Farmer.
Twins pitchers struck out 16 batters, the most for Minnesota in 2023 since they punched out 17 Astros on April 8th.
Brock Stewart lowered his season ERA to 0.73.
Post-Game Interview:
What’s Next?
The Twins and Tigers will play the second game of their weekend series on Saturday. A later affair, first pitch will exit Reese Olson’s right hand at 6:15 PM; Pablo López follows soon after.
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
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