Week in Review: Slow To Go

Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 4/1 through Sun, 4/7
***
Record Last Week: 1-3 (Overall: 3-4)
Run Differential Last Week: -1 (Overall: -5)
Standing: 4th Place in AL Central (3.0 GB)

Last Week's Game Results:

Game 4 | MIL 3, MIN 2: Late Rally Falls Short in Milwaukee
Game 5 | MIN 7, MIL 3: Jeffers Jolts Lineup with Big Blast
Game 6 | CLE 4, MIN 2: Twins Hitters Dominated in Home Opener
Game 7 | CLE 3, MIN 1: Offense Unable to Awaken, Held to Two Hits
Game 8 | PPD

NEWS & NOTES

The Twins provided some health updates over the weekend, sharing the latest on a trio of relievers who are working back from injury. Closest among the pack is Caleb Thielbar, who went through a successful live BP session and is on track to start a rehab assignment at St. Paul in the coming week. 

Jhoan Durán and Justin Topa are both reportedly "pain-free and throwing," but they haven't moved to a mound yet and neither appears to have a definitive timeline laid out at this point. Given the nature of their injuries (Topa shared that he dealt with problems in the same knee last year), and the overall success of the bullpen so far, the Twins will likely keep taking it slow.

We did not get any new information regarding Royce Lewis's timeline – he remains shut down until the end of the month, when they will re-evaluate his strained quad – but we did learn that he received a PRP injection to boost healing. That's probably a telling sign regarding the severity of the injury.

HIGHLIGHTS

One of the most noticeable early trends of this season is the confidence that Rocco Baldelli has shown in Alex Kirilloff coming off a strong spring. Entering the season, it wasn't totally clear how Kirilloff's role would take shape, but the manager has found a place for him in the lineup nearly everyday, and in key spots.

Kirilloff batted second in each of his first five starts, and he was in the three-hole on Saturday. He delivered by tripling in his third consecutive game, extending a scorching hot streak to open the season. So far AK has collected a hit in every game, including a 4-for-4 outburst at Milwaukee on Wednesday. He has struck out only three times in 30 plate appearances, and is slashing .385/.433/.692. 

Amid all the negative signs from the offense (which we'll soon cover), this big positive and its potential implications shouldn't be overlooked. With a sweet swing geared for both contact and power, Kirilloff at his best is a game-changer for the lineup – or will be, once some other bats come around to support him.

The pitching staff had a strong collective showing despite the team's 1-3 record, allowing 12 earned runs in 35 innings (3.09 ERA) with a 35-to-11 K/BB ratio. The bullpen was especially effective, posting a 0.59 ERA in its 15 ⅓ innings of work. Entering play on Sunday, Twins relievers had the best ERA in MLB (0.98 ERA) and were tied for second in average fastball velocity (96.2 MPH). All this without Durán.

LOWLIGHTS

Outside of one swing of the bat from Ryan Jeffers on Wednesday – a three-run blast that helped the Twins secure their lone victory of the week – it's been a constant deluge of flailing and ineptitude from the lineup, bringing back vivid memories of last year's sluggish first half. The approach and outcomes feel very similar to those that plagued Minnesota in early 2023, and at the end: passive at-bats, lengthy droughts, tons of strikeouts.

Twins hitters struck out 29 times in 18 innings against the Guardians, who held them to three runs on nine hits. The Twins offense simply looks out-planned and overmatched, with pitchers able to comfortably navigate through at-bats by dotting borderline pitches around the edges of the zone and getting ahead in counts. 

Yes, there have been some ugly umpiring performances, and Brennan Miller's lopsided travesty on Saturday was among the worst I've witnessed, but if we're being honest, the Twins kinda bring this upon themselves with their ultra-passive approach. They're unwilling to swing at the borderline pitches they don't want, which is fine except for they aren't doing anything with the pitches they swing on. Lots of foul balls drilled into feet from hitters who aren't locked in and squaring up.

Thus far Minnesota has gone 9-for-72 with runners in scoring position, producing a miserable .125/.241/.222 slash line. Their three total home runs are the fewest in baseball.

It's frustrating to watch this familiar pattern play out yet again, and even more frustrating to see Twins players and coaches so confounded and bamboozled by it. We've been here before, as Carlos Correa more or less acknowledged on Saturday. "We don’t want to be here half a season trying to figure out when we know we’re capable of doing it a lot earlier," he said, seemingly alluding to precisely what happened in 2023.

Yes, the Twins have been victimized by some circumstances beyond their control, but you don't have to look far to find examples of self-inflicted damage. Manuel Margot inexplicably attempted to bunt as a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded on Wednesday, and runners have failed to take advantage of some opportunities on the bases. Already we've seen frustration boil over, with hitting coach David Popkins ejected from Saturday's affair.

Extending back to last year's ALDS, the Twins have scored a total of six runs on 15 hits in their last four games at Target Field, with 54 strikeouts. They need to find an offensive pulse at their home park, and they need to find it fast with the Los Angeles Dodgers coming to town.

TRENDING STORYLINE

On Wednesday, José Miranda started at third base for the St. Paul Saints, which is notable because it was his first time playing the position since last July. Lingering shoulder issues have hampered the 25-year-old, including during this past spring when he was limited to first base defensively. Miranda's return to the hot corner in Triple-A featured a flashy charge-and-throw on a slow grounder that reminded us of his chops.

Does this mean the Twins are once again viewing Miranda as a legit option at third? That might be a stretch; his three starts since all came at DH and first. But at the very least, it's a good sign for the state of his shoulder. If he can heat up, Miranda has a chance to put quickly himself in the mix as an option for the Twins, who could currently use an offensive boost of any kind at the big-league level.

For what it's worth (maybe nothing), Miranda was not in the Saints starting lineup on Sunday.

LOOKING AHEAD

Sunday's rainout means everyone gets pushed back a day as Minnesota enters its first scheduled seven-game week. Bailey Ober will look to bounce back from a career-worst start against the star-studded Dodgers. Thursday's matchup in Detroit, López versus Tarik Skubal, is a showdown of electric aces worth circling.

MONDAY, 4/8: DODGERS @ TWINS – LHP James Paxton v. RHP Bailey Ober
TUESDAY, 4/9: DODGERS @ TWINS – RHP Tyler Glasnow v. RHP Louie Varland
WEDNESDAY, 4/10: DODGERS @ TWINS – RHP Bobby Miller v. RHP Chris Paddack
THURSDAY, 4/11: TWINS @ TIGERS – RHP Pablo López v. LHP Tarik Skubal
FRIDAY, 4/12: TWINS @ TIGERS – RHP Joe Ryan v. RHP Kenta Maeda
SATURDAY, 4/13: TWINS @ TIGERS – RHP Bailey Ober v. RHP Jack Flaherty
SUNDAY, 4/14: TWINS @ TIGERS – RHP Louie Varland v. RHP Reese Olson