Week in Review: Highs and Lows

The Week in a Nutshell:
We all know that this Twins season has been an erratic seesaw of an experience for fans, and the last week truly encapsulated that dynamic. They closed out a rough series in Detroit with perhaps their worst loss of the year, an 11-0 drubbing that ended with Alex Jackson lobbing BP on the mound. The next day brought arguably their best win of the season: a resilient comeback over the Cardinals that saw the Twins surge ahead on clutch homers after several late lead changes. Then they lost the following day, and bounced back to wrap the week up with another impressive comeback win.

As has been the case more broadly, the highs weren't enough to outweigh the lows, and the sum result was a stagnation at seven games under .500 as the season approaches its halfway point. This team needs an infusion and, as it happens, that might soon be in the cards.  

Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 6/8 through Sun, 6/14
***
Record Last Week: 3-3 (Overall: 33-40)
Run Differential Last Week: -16 (Overall: -42)
Standing: 3rd Place in AL Central (6.5 GB) 

Latest Game Results

Game 68 | DET 10, MIN 4: Twins Hit 4 Solo Homers But Pitching Can't Hold Up

• Bradley: 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 3 HR

Game 69 | MIN 6, DET 4: Big Bombs from Buxton and Lewis Help Even Series

• Buxton: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI

Game 70 | DET 11, MIN 0: More Power Hitting Carries Tigers in Series-Clinching Rout

• Matthews: 6 IP, 7 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 3 HR

Game 71 | MIN 9, STL 8: Twins Prevail Over Cards in Thrilling Back-and-Forth Slugfest 

• Buxton: 3-3, HR, 2 2B, BB

Game 72 | STL 9, MIN 6: Lineup Shows Fight But Falls Short as Bullpen Suffers Implosion

• Lawrence: 0.2 IP, 4 ER, 2 HR

Game 73 | MIN 5, STL 4: Another Late-Game Rally Secures a Series Victory Over St. Louis

• Kreidler: 2-2, 2B, RBI

NEWS & NOTES

For seemingly the hundredth time this season, the Twins traded for a waiver-bound pitcher to usher through their revolving-door bullpen. This time it was Taylor Rashi, acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash considerations. Rashi is a 31-year-old right-hander with a 5.40 ERA in limited major-league time, but strong numbers in the high minors. Sound familiar? Rashi has yet to make his Twins debut.

In more exciting news, Mick Abel fired up a rehab stint at Triple-A and Wednesday and looked fantastic, striking out five with no walks over three efficient, scoreless innings. He also said afterward he felt great, which matters even more than results as the right-hander works his way back from an arm injury that has sidelined him for two months. He's due to make another start for the Saints on Tuesday and, if things go well, he should be back in the Twins rotation next weekend.

After Sunday's game, Minnesota promoted Triple-A outfielder Kyler Fedko to the big leagues at long last, designating Orlando Arcia for assignment to make room. The 26-year-old Fedko has been steadily putting up big numbers for St. Paul over the past two years, slashing .278/.364/.532 in 100 games, but hasn't gotten a shot until now. Apparently, the persistently strong production and the very real need for some right-handed pop on the roster compelled the Twins to open the door. Let's see what he can do with it, and how much of an opportunity he gets.

HIGHLIGHTS

Byron Buxton returned to the lineup in Detroit on Tuesday after missing the final stretch of the previous home stand with a shoulder injury. He homered in his first at-bat, naturally. The following night, Buxton launched a key three-run blast, his 20th of the season, to lift the Twins in their two-run victory. He delivered another monster performance on Friday night, finishing 3-for-3 with a homer, two doubles and a walk. Then he went deep again as part of a 2-for-4 effort on Saturday. On Sunday he added three more hits, including a crucial RBI single to spur the comeback win. Buxton's overall results for the week: 11-for-26 (.423), 4 HR, 3 doubles, 7 RBIs and a steal. WHEW. 

Even with some missed time, the center fielder is on a nearly 50-homer pace, and I say "center fielder" with delight because he's back out there regularly, suggesting his hip feels better. Maybe the series of days off to mend his shoulder were a hidden blessing in that regard. Buxton is legitimately playing at an MVP-caliber level.

Royce Lewis has emerged from his stint in the minor leagues with new life, notching 10 hits through his first 29 at-bats back with the Twins. Last week he drilled three home runs, including a 444-feet nuke that ranks as the second-longest of his career. We're seeing a glimpse of vintage Royce at the plate. As importantly, he struck out only four times with three walks, hinting at the type of improved discipline that lends legitimacy to his hot streak. Lewis is now playing first base regularly and starting to look more comfortable; it could be his new long-term home and would actually fill a pretty stark need for the team.

Joining the power parade were Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee, who chipped in two homers apiece. Clemens has been scorching in June, with an OPS over 1.000, while providing real value on the defensive side — he made an exceptional diving catch in center field late in Saturday's game. Lee is still searching for an offensive identity outside of popping the occasional long ball, but what really encouraged me about his performance in the past week is that he drew four walks and didn't strike out. 

The Twins' pitching staff has generally been trending in the wrong direction, but a few arms are notably bucking the trend. Anthony Banda has turned his season around in a massive way, allowing zero earned runs on seven hits in his past 15 appearances with improved stuff and execution. He tossed 2 ⅔ scoreless frames last week. Newcomer Mike Paredes is proving helpful in a long-relief role; he started a bullpen game on Wednesday and contributed three innings of one-run ball to set the tone in a victory. Andrew Morris struck out six with no walks in his three innings of work, picking up a win, a hold and a save. 

LOWLIGHTS

This was probably the worst week of the season for the pitching staff, which surrendered 46 runs on 61 hits, 23 walks and 17 home runs in six games. The bullpen had its share of troubles — Eric Orze and Taylor Rogers combined to yield eight earned runs in 3 ⅔ innings — but the fast-fading Twins rotation is at the core of this staff's fall from grace.

Taj Bradley and Zebby Matthews both continued their momentum-shattering cold spells with a pair of clunkers in Detroit. Matthews was tagged for three homers on Thursday, allowing seven earned runs for a second time in his past three starts. Bradley gave up three homers on Tuesday and then two more against St. Louis on Sunday. He has allowed 17 earned runs in 19 ⅔ innings over his past four starts, looking mostly lost since returning from a pectoral injury.

On Saturday, Connor Prielipp stumbled out of the gates against the Cardinals, surrendering four runs over the first two innings, although to his credit he settled in to get through six without further damage. Alas, it was his fifth consecutive non-quality start, and during this stretch he's seen his ERA rise from 2.88 to 5.26.

Bradley, Matthews and Prielipp are all positioned as building blocks of a revamped rotation that's meant to lead the Twins back into relevance. Just a few weeks ago they all had an ERA under three, offering one of the biggest reasons for optimism looking forward. But now they're all simultaneously going through it, and that is beyond deflating.

On the offensive side, it's hard to look forward when so many lineup spots are being occupied by mediocre-or-worse veterans who have no real purpose other than holding a place. 

Tristan Gray, still inexplicably drawing regular starts at shortstop while Kaelen Culpepper remains in the minors, went 2-for-13 with five strikeouts. Arcia was 1-for-8 before being DFA'ed at week's end. Victor Caratini homered on Sunday and Ryan Kreidler came through with the game-winning RBI double off the bench, but those two were previously a combined 3-for-17 and in general, neither inspires any kind of confidence offensively.

Granted, the Twins are semi-limited in their healthy options to replace these guys — a state of affairs that may soon change, as we'll discuss — but it's just such a drag to watch them flail away day after day. The same goes for Minnesota's misfit-laden relief corps. Why is Justin Lawrence throwing in the seventh inning of a tie game, as he did on Saturday while taking the loss? We know why: because the Twins are utterly talent-deprived in the bullpen, largely by their own doing. 

It's quite upsetting to watch marginal minor-league signings and waiver-wire fodder fumble games away while wasting the high-end performances of Buxton and Joe Ryan in their primes. This rotation and lineup had the core components to put up a fight but the surrounding cast is grossly insufficient, and that was evident coming in. 

There's rather little to be done about that now, but even if the Twins aren't going to be factors in the postseason race, I at least want to watch players who have some semblance of intrigue or future potential. Fedko, while not likely to be a difference-maker, is a step in the right direction. Culpepper's arrival can't be far off. And more then there's this:

TRENDING STORYLINE

Reinforcements are on the way. Several key acquisitions from last year's deadline who've been sidelined are on the official rehab trail. 

It starts with Abel, who has a strong rehab start in the books and looks to be in line for one more before rejoining the Twins rotation. He's set to start in St. Paul on Tuesday with a target of 65 pitches. If Abel can return and pick up where he left off (16 K over 13 scoreless innings in his last two starts before going down), that would provide a critical boost for a unit that is currently floundering.

Kendry Rojas threw a live bullpen in Ft. Myers on Saturday as he tracks toward a rehab assignment. He'd provide a much-needed bullpen salve. Alan Roden is on the verge of completing his own rehab at Triple-A, which is noteworthy as Trevor Larnach and Austin Martin slump in the outfield corners. 

All three of these pickups from last year's deadline bullpen sell-off have been sidelined and Bradley's been struggling while Louis Varland, Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax all excel for their new teams to varying degrees. It's not the best look. The Twins (and their front office) could badly use a shift in the narrative, and if these rehabbing players can come back and bolster the club in needy areas, it'll definitely move the needle. 

One other big development on the injury recovery front: #1 prospect Walker Jenkins returned to action over the weekend in Ft. Myers to start a rehab stint. In his first game back on Saturday, he went 4-for-4 with a home run.

Jenkins been out since early May with a shoulder injury but is working toward a return to the Saints, and could still be in line for a second-half MLB debut. That's the kind of spark of energy this fanbase really needs. The current product has gotten stale but it really feels like there's some motion toward a refresh.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Twins travel to Texas to face a middling Rangers team that is hovering around .500 in an underwhelming AL West. That three-game series has a unique quirk: a day off sandwiched in the middle, due to a World Cup game scheduled next door at AT&T Stadium on Wednesday. 

Over the weekend the Twins will head to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks, who've been mediocre overall but have one of the best home records in the NL. There are two TBD (bullpen) games in the queue for Minnesota, on Monday and Sunday; I'd expect Paredes to be the bulk guy again on Monday, but if things go smoothly for Abel on Tuesday, he'll be in line to step back for the second of those games.

MONDAY, JUNE 15: TWINS @ RANGERS — TBD v. LHP MacKenzie Gore
TUESDAY, JUNE 16: TWINS @ RANGERS — RHP Zebby Matthews v. RHP Kumar Rocker
THURSDAY, JUNE 18: TWINS @ RANGERS — RHP Joe Ryan v. RHP Jack Leiter
FRIDAY, JUNE 19: TWINS @ DIAMONDBACKS — LHP Connor Prielipp v. RHP Michael Soroka
SATURDAY, JUNE 20: TWINS @ DIAMONDBACKS — RHP Taj Bradley v. RHP Zac Gallen
SUNDAY, JUNE 21: TWINS @ DIAMONDBACKS — TBD v. RHP Ryne Nelson