Steven Trefz

The Twins entered tonight's game with a chance to beat the White Sox while they were down. Instead, they gifted their division rivals another reason to hope again. Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports Box Score Starting Pitcher: Joe Ryan, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (87 pitches, 60 strikes, 69%) Home Runs: Nick Gordon (1) Top 3 WPA: .Joe Ryan (.364), Nick Gordon (.177), Brock Stewart (.135) Bottom 3 WPA: Jorge Lopez (-.397), Caleb Thielbar (-.365), Jose Miranda (-.155) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Baseball Weather Guaranteed Rate Field felt like 45 degrees at the start of the game, and the baseball acted accordingly. Minnesota missed out on a chance to bust out the "Land of 10,000 Rakes" vest early, as Carlos Correa's 350 foot blast only traveled 336 feet...and the White Sox had a guy there. Joe Ryan Continues to Deal Ryan entered the game with a 5-0 record and a 0.82 WHIP with 40 strikeouts in only 34 innings pitched. In these chilly conditions, Ryan managed to continue his pinpoint control and ability to mix up his pitches effectively, to the tune of six strikeouts over the first four innings. It was the first time all season that Ryan navigated the first 12 outs of a game without giving up a run. Michael Kopech Picked a Bad Time to Start to Deal Kopech entered the game with 0-3 record and a 1.58 WHIP with 32 strikeouts in only 29 2/3 innings pitched, with a 6.07 ERA. Tonight saw Kopech hold the Twins hitless through five innings, mixing three walks with his six strikeouts. The Twins attempted to slow him down by taking time outs with 0-2 counts. That strategy rarely worked, and pointed out how smoothly Kopech was rolling, and how mystified the Twins batters were feeling. And He's Off! The Running Game Works...and Doesn't Work In the top of the third inning, Byron Buxton earned a walk with two out, and stole his first base of the season to put himself into scoring position. While he was ultimately stranded there, it was an encouraging development for a team needing to manufacture runs on the road. The fourth inning, however, pointed out the downside of aggressive baserunning, as Trevor Larnach was thrown out attempting to steal on a Jose Miranda strike out. On a night where the ball wasn't traveling well, it was a calculated risk. Finally! A Hit! And Some Baserunners! And a Run! Buxton got the hit parade started with one out in the top of the sixth inning with a ground ball up the middle that just cleared under newly returned Tim Anderson's glove. Jorge Polanco came up next, and took a four-pitch walk to put runners at first and second for Correa. Kopech's next four pitches weren't even close to the zone, and now the Twins were in business with the bases loaded for Larnach, who just got under a Kopech fastball for a sacrifice fly to score Buxton to break up the shutout. It All Adds Up A key moment in the game occurred without a ball ever entering fair territory. With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Ryan was cruising along having only thrown 70 pitches. Anderson came to the plate, and 12 pitches later he had not only earned a walk, but had cost Ryan perhaps an extra inning of work later in the game. Andrew Benintendi eventually grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, but the damage to the beloved pitch count was done. Bullpen Time Gregory Santos was the first man up from the White Sox bullpen as he entered to start the seventh inning, and gave up a close call blast to Joey Gallo but escaped unscathed. Jorge Lopez entered the bottom of the seventh inning, and gave up a lead-off single to Andrew Vaughn and a go-ahead home run to Eloy Jimenez on only eight pitches. Eight. Pitches. Thank You Alex Colome! And Nick Gordon of Course! Luckily for Twins fans, the White Sox decided that their best chance at winning this game was to bring newly reinstated and Twins legend Colome into the eight inning. In a retrospectively masterful move, Gordon pinch hit for Michael A. Taylor, and suddenly the game was tied 2-2! Gordon Giveth, and He Taketh Away Twins Daily has been trying to figure out Gordon's role on the Twins as the season progresses, and other outfielders and bats come calling from the minors. Gordon showed in the bottom of the eighth how his impact to the roster carries into the field through his utility abilities as well by making an excellent catch in center field to end the inning. How he continues to play out this road trip will go a long way toward how long he stays on the roster. Let's Hand the Game to... Brock Stewart? Stewart got the call for the bottom of the ninth, and he walked Andrew Vaughn on six pitches, which led to the Billy Hamilton show entering the game as a pinch runner. Hamilton stole second, and stayed there after a successful White Sox challenge. Miranda made a nice play on a hard ground ball, but Hamilton took third on a groundout to third. The Twins then elected to intentionally walk Luis Robert, and pinch-hitter Adam Haseley flew out to Gordon in shallow center for the second out. Yasmani Grandal also walked, which brought up another pinch-hitter, Hanser Alberto. And yes, I'm stress-typing every one of these details out, please don't hate on me for it. Could Stewart escape the bases-loaded jam to bring us to extras? Yes! He! Can! Alberto flys out to Kepler, and we never had a doubt that it would all be ok... Extra Baseball! Jimmy Lambert came in to pitch the 10th for the White Sox, and he couldn't throw a strike to save his life. Luckily for him, Christian Vasquez and Gordon decided they would swing at anything within three feet of the zone for a strike out on a ball four, and a groundout on a ball three. That left "ghost" runner Gallo at third base with two outs, with Buxton up at the plate. Three pitches and a strikeout later (on a very high pitch), an opportunity was missed and it was up to Caleb Thielbar to strand his inherited runner as well. The White Sox began the 10th with some small-ball, with Elvis Andrus bunting Alberto over to third base. Anderson came up and laced a 2-2 pitch to a drawn-in Correa, who picked it clean and threw him out. Left-handed Andrew Benintendi was the next man up, and the Twins averted disaster as Thielbar bounced a fastball that Vasquez somehow miraculously kept around the home plate area to keep the winning run from coming in. All this relief quickly dissolved, however, when Benintendi laced a single to left field, ending the game at 3-2. What’s Next? The Twins will try to bounce back from this rough outing on Wednesday with RHP Louie Varland (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will be taking the mound for the Twins, while the White Sox will send out Twins-killer RHP Dylan Cease (2-1, 4.15 ERA). Tomorrow’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:10 pm CDT, and the temperatures should bring another low-scoring affair. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Thielbar 25 22 0 0 13 60 J López 20 16 0 0 15 51 Jax 16 15 0 0 9 40 Stewart 0 0 13 0 24 37 Pagan 0 0 23 0 0 23 Winder 0 0 23 0 0 23 Duran 0 15 7 0 0 22 Moran 0 0 0 0 0 0 South Dakotan Twins fan, on a quest to see a Twins series in every MLB stadium by 2025. Follow Steven Trefz on Twitter: @TwinsTrefz View full article

Added the news that Varland is indeed getting the start on Wednesday!

it could mean “we know who’s buying in and who isn’t” or it could mean “mutiny!”

The thing I was thinking was this...If you can build the lead in May and June, you can experiment with call ups and tweak the roster with post-season relief options without as much risk.

This feels like a set-up. Can the Twins avoid the trap and swipe the series from a team in crisis? Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports At the beginning of the 2023 season, the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins sat at about even odds of winning the World Series. What a difference a month makes! The Twins enter this three-game tilt at Guaranteed Rate Field with a 17-12 record, and a commanding nine-game lead over the White Sox after only 29 games. On Tuesday night, the Twins begin a six-game AL Central road trip with a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox. Chicago is in free-fall mode, having just benched Luis Robert for not hustling on what he claims is a tight hamstring. They had a miracle ninth-inning comeback against the Rays on Sunday, which stopped a 10-game losing streak. Minnesota, meanwhile, has been winning series both home and away, and looks to extend their lead over their long-time rivals. Fun Fact: The Twins took two of three from the White Sox in mid-April at Target Field, but the scores were as close as they get. 3-4, 4-3, and 3-1. Since then the Sox have gone 3-13, and 8-21 overall in Pedro Grifol's first year as manager. Weather Factor: Chicago looks to be chilly, with temperatures in the low-40's and slight winds adding to the chill (and probably keeping the baseball in the park) Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Thursday's afternoon game might touch the high-50's if they get lucky. Pitching Probables Game 1 - Tuesday, May 2nd - 6:10pm CDT - The first game in the series will feature Twins RHP Joe Ryan (5-0, 2.81 ERA) versus White Sox RHP Michael Kopech (0-3, 7.01 ERA). While Ryan is tied for the MLB lead in wins, Kopech is still looking for his first win on the season. On paper, this looks like a great matchup for the Twins to kick off the road trip. The Twins have yet to face Kopech this season, however, and their lineup has a cumulative .180 batting average against him in 74 plate appearances. Ryan has little experience against the current White Sox lineup, but will face a team charged up from an improbable comeback in their most recent game. Will the momentum of a seven-run ninth-inning rally be enough to overcome the inertia of a .675 OPS? Or will Ryan's stuff continue to dominate against this short-handed squad? Game 2 – Wednesday, May 3rd – 6:10pm CDT - The Twins announced that RHP Louie Varland (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will take the mound opposite White Sox RHP Dylan Cease (2-1, 4.15 ERA). Louie Varland last pitched April 27th for the St. Paul Saints, going 5 1/3 innings and getting the win. He seems to be the logical call up with Tyler Mahle getting shut down for a period of time. Varland looked sharp at Yankee Stadium in mid-April, and Cease faced the Twins on April 10th at Target Field. He five innings and gave up three hits and three runs over that span. Cease's last outing ended after only four innings, having surrendered seven runs to the Blue Jays. Game 3 - Thursday, May 4th (be with you) - 1:10pm CDT - The Twins have scheduled RHP Pablo Lopez (2-2, 4.00 ERA) to close out the series. The White Sox will counter with RHP Lucas Giolito (1-2, 4.15 ERA). Lopez earned a no-decision against the White Sox in their first matchup this season, going 7 2/3 innings with 10 strike outs, giving up two runs. Last time the Twins saw Giolito they handed him a hard-luck loss, and he handed Kyle Farmer a 91.6 mph fastball to the teeth. The action on the field shook-up players, coaches, and fans. Nothing about the pitch seemed intentional, but it will be interesting to see if the moment comes up in any way as the two teams meet again this week. Prediction Time! What’s your prediction for this important road series against the White Sox? Can the Twins offense feast on a pitching staff with an ERA barely under 6.00? Will the momentum of Chicago's walk-off win Sunday to snap the 10-game skid continue all the way into Tuesday? Let's go, Twins Territory, tell us what you think! Steve is on a mission to take in a Twins series in every Major League ballpark by 2025. Follow the journey on Twitter @TwinsTrefz View full article

Actually KC was jersey and shorts weather, Miami was 90s, nyc was 94 for games 1 & 2….then the northeast breeze started the football weather vibe. Target field has been colder than usual I feel this season…some of the home crowds have resembled Marlins games 😳

Cheer loud…do you have a favorite seat at that park?

Marlins Park sue to the fact you could get 15 dollar Twins dugout seats on game day! And everyone was so happy to help you and you had the run of the whole Stadium. One caveat, it was 90 degrees and beautiful with the roof open all three games…which isn’t the same as the roof-closed experience. Every local fan that I talked to there said roof-closed = jacket weather cold from the ac and echoes and ugly from the structure. The best “while the game is played on the field” experience so far has been Fenway Park…hands down. But the structure is clunky to navigate before and after.

In April, I followed the Minnesota Twins to every road series. From my home in Mitchell, SD, I drove to Kansas City, flew to Miami, came home for four days, and then drove to New York City, Cooperstown, Boston, and back. What I discovered in these opposing ballparks surprised me, and will have an impact on how the Twins plan to contend in 2023. Image courtesy of Steve Trefz I wrote in the pre-season about how the Twins 2022 road record doomed their playoff hopes, despite carrying a division lead for much of the season. The 2023 Twins squad faced a daunting opening travel schedule, with the opening week of the season taking them 1,900 miles to Kansas City and Miami without an off-day in between. Just six days later they hit the road again, journeying 1,500 miles to New York and Boston with the off-day being Boston Marathon/Patriot Day, which led to the team spending the flex time in New York instead of at the second series site. The road schedule couldn’t have started any better. The Twins drew substantial fan support at Kansas City, and they swept the Royals with great pitching and timely hitting. Any jet lag that might have journeyed to Miami with the team got blasted away by a few bombas and even some SKOL chants from the traveling Twins faithful, and the Twins were 4-0 to start the season. Since that hot start, the Twins have struggled in opposing stadiums, going 3-6 the rest of the month. So what went right, what went wrong, and how do these trends play into a month of May where Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles x2, and Houston await the Twins baseball caravan? What Went Right Starting Pitching – Without a doubt, the key to April’s winning road record started with the starters. Especially in the Kansas City series, the Twins’ ability to pitch shutouts in the first two games, and then hold the Royals to only one run until the game was well in hand served to deliver the sweep. The remaining wins on the road saw the opposing team score one, two, three, and four runs respectively. Two of the losses involved starters holding the opponent to two runs or less. Big Innings Early – Each road series saw the Twins win a game where they dropped a three-spot or larger in an early inning. If the road team is going to have any advantage, its when you can get on the board early and often. Sometimes it came through homeruns, sometimes it was small ball. Inevitably, it resulted in a victory. Reversing the Curse – The first inning at Yankee Stadium will go down in history as one of the best innings in Twins history. Edouard Julien led off with his first MLB hit, and got the chance to hit his first MLB home run before the inning ended. What happened in between was pure magic. Two walks, a single, a sacrifice fly, three doubles, and two other home runs later the Twins were up 9-0, and the game against the perennial nemesis was over before it began. What Went Wrong Manufacturing Base runners – In four of the Twins road losses, they managed a measly eight, five, four, and three base runners in total. One could conclude that Gerrit Cole, Sandy Alcantara, Jesus Luzardo, and Domingo German’s rosin are to blame for the Twins poor offensive showings in those contests. When I watched those four games live and in person at the stadium, a different story emerged. The three-outcome approach (Strikeout, Home Run, Walk) was in full effect against dominant starters. These games followed offensive outbursts dominated by extra-base hits and homers, but when the Twins needed to manufacture a run no one changed their approach at the plate. The fact stood out especially against Luis Arraez and DJ LeMahieu’s performance in those games. Granted the long-ball also beat the Twins in those games, but when you see professional and adaptable hitting in a close game, it stands out. Who for the Twins will step up to fill this void in the lineup? Get-Away Days – Every time the last game of a road series rolled around, I was ready to be done. My van was packed, the trip after the game to the next destination was planned, and I had to almost remind myself that there was still a game to be played that day. Unfortunately, I wasn’t alone in this feeling. The Twins went 1-3 in “get-away” day games in April, the last game of each series. They actually finished around .500 in 2022 on these dates, so I’m guessing more series and months will average things out. I do feel its important to note that in each of the road series so far, the game and the team felt “flat,” and the lineups that were put on the field didn’t imply that they put their best foot forward. The human urge to lose focus on the road is real, so one might argue that the last game of a series should be the time to put the most effort into lineup construction. Random Implosions – The bullpen gave up a four-spot in the eighth inning to make a 1-1 tie into a late- inning laugher against Miami. Tyler Mahle’s arm began its slow descent onto the injured list in New York. Christian Vazquez forgot how to catch late in the game at his old home, Fenway Park, and the Twins lost in an extra innings that should have never happened. Kenta Maeda took a rocket off of his shin, and Emilio Pagan served up six runs immediately after being lights out all season up until that point. Road games carry less of a margin for error than home games, and when the Twins provided the errors, the negative results followed. Each of the players mentioned have also been responsible for wins this season, so its not even about them individually. Instead, April’s away games remind us that no implosion will go unpunished on the road. Where Does the Road Go From Here? The Twins begin May with two “must-win” road series within the division. The White Sox are one sweep away from imploding for the season, and the Guardians could leapfrog the Twins for first place with a sweep of their own. Los Angeles brings three games apiece against the Dodgers and Angels, and Houston always serves as a difficult venue for Twins to find success. If the Twins can attack any ace pitching that they find along the way with some adaptive approaches, keep their eyes focused on the task at hand on get-away days, and keep what they can control efficient and clean on the defensive end, a 10-6 record on the road in May isn’t out of the question. Based on 2022’s results, a 5-11 record is just as likely. Are the Twins’ days of being roadkill over? May will have a lot to say about that. View full article

I assume only the best!

Twins fans had to wait an extra 90 minutes before they could watch their favorite nine take the field. They didn't have to wait long to see the bats break out, but they had to hang on for dear life as the game grinded to a close. In the end, the Twins won the game, and won a game that they couldn't afford to lose. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports Box Score Starting Pitcher: Pablo Lopez, 6 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (92 pitches, 68 strikes, 73.9%) Home Runs: Max Kepler (3), Jorge Polanco (2), Jose Miranda (3) Top 3 WPA: Michael A. Taylor (.178), Max Kepler (.121), Jorge Polanco (.118) Bottom 3 WPA: Christian Vasquez (-.115), Pablo Lopez (-.104), Carlos Correa (-.103) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Waiting is the Hardest Part Much to the enjoyment of those attending the Happy Hour festivities early on Friday afternoon, the game ventured into a 90-minute rain delay. As with any delay, one worries about the starting pitchers, and both began the game by giving up an extra base hit to the lead-off man which led to the first runs of the game. Bobby Witt Jr. took a Pablo Lopez changeup to right field for a double, and later scored on a Salvador Perez sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the first inning, the first pitch went the deepest, as Max Kepler took an 89-mph Jordan Lyles fastball out to the flagpoles for his 15th career lead-off homerun to tie the game 1-1. Lopez Settles Down...Lyles Does Not Lopez worked through the Royals line-up in the top of the second inning while only allowing a shift-beating single to where Carlos Correa usually roams. Lyles started the second inning by walking Trevor Larnach, serving up a 108.1 mph double to Jose Miranda, and walking Joey Gallo to load the bases with nobody out. After Christian Vasquez flied out weakly to the first baseman, Michael A. Taylor laid off a wayward sweeper to walk in a run. Kepler came up again with first-pitch grand slam on his mind, but settled for a fly out to medium left-field to plate Miranda to put the Twins ahead 3-1. Correa followed with a harmless flyball to end the threat. Running the Bases. No Really, MLB Players Running Bases! Lopez continued to cruise until there were two outs in the top of the fourth inning. Edward Olivares shot a short-hop grounder that Jorge Polanco failed to get in front of, and hustled his way to second before Kepler could get the ball back in. A questionable late strike call got Nick Pratto in a quick hole, but Pratto slapped a single to right and Olivares again hustled his way around the bases, barely beating Kepler's throw home to close the gap at 3-2. In the bottom of the fourth, the Twins slugged and ran their way into one of the most exciting sequences in the season thus far. Gallo feasted on the first pitch and drove the ball off of the limestone facing in right, and blazed in Gallo fashion around the bases for a triple. While the Royals were still in shock, Taylor and the Twins put some backyard baseball into play, with a safety squeeze and a little bit of extra sauce... Taylor kept on running, and the only Twin allowed to steal took third base too. After Correa again popped up with a runner in scoring position, Polanco decided to dent a chair in the Great Clips seats for his 100th bomba. Let's Talk About Throwing Strikes Coming off of his worst start so far as a Twin versus the Washington Nationals, Lopez continued the Twins pattern of pumping the strike zone. Obviously, when your team spots you a large lead that becomes an easier task, but in key moments early in the game his consistent control of the strike zone garnered him a generous strike zone. The Royals couldn't focus in on one area, and had to cover 2-3 inches all around the zone. Keep an eye on Twins starters in the rest of the series to see if they can continue this positive trend. They came into today with an MLB leading 4.00 SO/BB rate, and finished the game in the same place. Let's Talk About Throwing the Right Kind of Strikes - Part 2 The top of the sixth inning presented a case study in what can go wrong when all you do is pump the wrong kind of strikes. Having just been given another insurance run on a Miranda homer to left, Lopez struggled with his off-speed location. He hung a curveball to Perez, who promptly deposited it into the bullpen. Two batters later, another hanging curve was escorted to left field for a triple by Olivares, who then scored on another shift-beating single to where a shortstop should be. Lopez continued into the seventh inning with the Twins holding an 8-4 advantage, but he immediately lost the strike zone, walking Hunter Dozier on five pitches. The curveball bit Lopez again in the next at-bat, as Michael Massey crushed another one-hopper off of Polanco's glove, resulting in runners at the corners with nobody out. Bullpen Time Griffin Jax was called in to stop the bleeding, facing Witt Jr. in a tough spot. Jax forced a fielder's choice groundout and struck out Vinnie Pasquantino to get the first two outs of the seventh. Witt Jr. stole his sixth base of the season and advanced to third on a wild pitch, with the aforementioned Perez up to bat. The timeless Perez watched four straight sweepers before slapping the fifth sweeper into left to close the gap to 8-6. Lopez surrendered a season-high six runs, and is trending the wrong direction since signing his extension last week. Can the weather be held accountable for the recent issues, or do we have something to be worried about? Caleb Theilbar continued the excitement for the Twins bullpen in the eighth inning. The end result was zero runs, but Royals manager Matt Quatraro got to enjoy an early shower after pointing out to the home plate umpire what everyone watching the game already knew. With two on and nursing only a two-run lead, the Twins took the gift and didn't look back. Shutting the Door Slowly and Painfully TwinsDaily readers pondered why Jhoan Duran was called into Thursday's game to close out a 7-1 affair. Jorge Lopez responded today with the answer: "I used to do this at an All-Star level too." After retiring Witt Jr. and Pasquantino rather easily, Lopez faced a lengthy day after Perez fouled a liner straight back off of Jerry Layne's facemask. Layne was able to stay in the game, but Perez rocketed the next pitch up the middle to bring up M.J. Melendez to the plate as the tying run. Melendez laced a single to right, Lopez plunked the red-hot Olivares in the back to load the bases, and TwinsDaily readers pulled out their favorite commenting device in preparation to rip apart the Twins coaching staff in a way only that a group of fans who started their Friday fun-day early and often is capable of doing. With Layne's post-concussion strike zone no longer offering the corners to Twins pitchers, Lopez found himself down 3-0 to Nick Pratto. The next pitch could have been a walk and a run, but the corner was caught (Thank you Mr. Layne!) and two pitches later Lopez and the Twins were celebrating another strike out and an 8-6 victory! Postgame interview What’s Next? The Twins try to avoid the rain again Saturday afternoon. RHP Brad Keller (2-2, 3.96 ERA) will be taking the mound for Kansas City, while the Twins send the man, the myth, the legend RHP Bailey Ober (1-0, 1.59) out for his second start of the season on the Minneapolis side of the creek. Tomorrow’s first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 pm CDT. Postgame Interviews (Coming Soon) Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet Morán 24 0 0 29 0 53 Jax 23 0 0 0 16 39 Durán 0 15 0 15 0 30 J López 0 10 0 0 20 30 Stewart 0 0 0 28 0 28 Thielbar 0 0 0 0 25 25 Pagán 0 0 10 0 0 10 Winder 0 0 0 0 0 0 South Dakotan Twins fan, on a quest to see a Twins series in every MLB stadium by 2025. Follow Steven Trefz on Twitter: @TwinsTrefz View full article

Agreed on 1B play, made evident by Gallo saving a throw late in the game once he entered...which could have been a momentum shift in the other direction.

Seriously, I had to hide my phone for the final innings just so I could finish this article...I didn't realize just how much this had built up on everybody's vibe. Some of the most fun I've had as a Twins fan was being in Yankee Stadium last week for that series, and listening to the local radio absolutely furious while simultaneously writing us off. Curious to tune in tonight😁

With the season series, and 22 years of angst on the line, the Minnesota Twins put together a team effort and beat the Yankees 6-2 Tuesday evening at Target Field. Joe Ryan dazzled, the bats came alive in bursts, and the bullpen closed it out in easy fashion to send the crowd home happy. Here's how it all unfolded. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Joe Ryan 7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K (91 pitches, 72 strikes (79% strikes) Home Runs: Byron Buxton (4), Trevor Larnach (3) Top 3 WPA: Byron Buxton .221, Jorge Polanco .197, Donovan Solano .108 Win Probability Chart If at First You Don't Succeed... Joe Ryan entered the game tied for the MLB league lead in wins, and looking to continue to silence the Yankee bats. The Twins got the offense rolling in the bottom of the third inning, thanks to a ground ball by Michael A. Taylor that snuck through Anthony Volpe's glove (and Peraza's for that matter) for an error. After an eight-pitch at-bat in the first inning, Donovan Solano only needed five pitches to tie the game by lacing a double to left field. Not to be outdone, Jorge Polanco continued his red hot hitting by ripping a double of his own into left, scoring Solano to put the Twins in the lead, 2-1. The Twins Giveth... In the top of the fifth inning, Donovan Solano allowed a "single" to Aaron Hicks on a smash grounder through his glove. Volpe followed with a smash single to left, and the Yankees were set up for success with two on and nobody out. Ryan battled, and was set to escape the inning after Aaron Judge hit into a 5-4-3 double play...except Solano forgot to catch the ball at first. This time it was an error which allowed Hicks to scamper around third to tie the game 2-2. (Twitter video not provided to protect Twins fans from having to see it again) The Yankees Giveth... After Cortes had retired eight Twins in a row, Polanco just kept rolling by blasting a deep fly ball to left-center for a "double" that everyone who has ever watched Hicks play outfield before was surprised that he didn't catch. Then Byron Buxton worked the count into his favor at 3-1, and drove a cutter to left field beyond where even Hicks could catch it. Not So Fast on that Joe Ryan Paragraph... Just when a TwinsDaily blogger thought it was safe to move the focus to the amazing Ryan and his pitching, the Yankees sent in lights-out RHP Ron Marinaccio to put out the fire in the bottom of the sixth. Of course, his 0.80 WHIP was no match for the blazing speed of Ryan Jeffers, who beat out an infield excuse-me grounder to third. Then, with two outs, the slugging lefty Larnach sent an 82.6 mph first pitch changeup out at 107.1 mph for a two-run blast! Ok, Now for the Joe Ryan Fanboy Paragraph (Or, 5-Joe, if you prefer) Pitcher "Wins" might not be the perfect stat to determine starting pitcher success in this sabermetric world, but Ryan earned his MLB-leading fifth win, and the Twins haven't lost a game that he's started yet this season. If that doesn't move a player into the "ace" status on your roster, I don't know what will. (*) I had the pleasure of meeting Joe before a game in Miami earlier this season, and I watched him take time for Twins fans of all ages, humbly and cheerfully thanking the fans for being there. We thank you, Joe Ryan, for being here. We like 20-game winners with fun personalities, and we think you fit that description awfully well. *one might argue also that a pitcher leading the league in ERA might also be an "ace." Or, giving a contract extension of four years and $73.5 million to the guy that most consider the team's best pitcher might also qualify for "ace" status. Now for the Jorge Polanco Fanboy Paragraph Judging by the texts that flooded my phone tonight, many Twins fans are either celebrating or sobbing because of where Polanco has landed in their fantasy baseball league. One things Twins fans are in agreement on? He is single-handedly rebuilding our hope in the Twins offense and defense with plays like this in the top of the eighth. I think Jorge Lopez's facial expression is all the evidence you need about how good it is to have Polanco back. Closing Out a Season Series Victory Against the Yankees For the first time since 2001, the Twins will win the season series against the New York Yankees. Some of you weren't even born yet, but you know the angst that's followed. Tonight's a night to celebrate Twins Territory! Let's get out the brooms tomorrow! Other notes With their 6-2 victory tonight, the Twins stretch their early lead in the AL Central to three games over the Cleveland Guardians, who continue to be overmatched at home versus the Colorado Rockies. What’s Next? The Twins play their final game of the season series against the Yankees on Wednesday afternoon with Kenta Maeda returning to face off against the sticky pitches of Domingo German. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. Postgame Interview Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Jax 31 0 0 23 0 54 López 16 0 7 0 10 33 Thielbar 12 0 18 0 0 30 Durán 0 0 11 0 15 26 Moran 0 0 0 24 0 24 Headrick 0 3 0 0 0 3 Pagan 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stewart 0 0 0 0 0 0 Follow Steve Trefz on Twitter: @TwinsTrefz View full article

The Twins shocked New York by winning the first two games of their four-game series last week, but have settled back down to Earth since then, losing six of their last eight. The Bronx Bombers, meanwhile, have treaded water since then, going 3-3 after winning the final two games against the Twins in Yankee Stadium. Who will prevail in this week's match-ups at Target Field? Image courtesy of Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports On Monday night, the Twins begin a three-game series against the perennial nemesis, New York Yankees. The Twins salvaged a victory in the tundra series against the lowly Nationals, but still struggled mightily to provide an offensive spark. This series features familiar pitching opponents, albeit in different match-ups than the prior Twins vs. Yankees encounter. Fun Fact: The last time the Yankees and Twins squared off was just eight days ago. Average attendance at those four games was around 39,000 per game. Since opening day, the Twins have averaged 17,176 fans in attendance at Target Field. Weather Factor: It won't be as cold for this series, but it won't be summer baseball either. Expect low 50's to high 40's for the Yankees series, with no threat of precipitation until later in the homestand. Pitching Probables Game 1 - Monday, April 24th - 6:40pm CDT - The first game in the series will feature Twins RHP Sonny Gray (2-0, 0.82 ERA) versus Yankees RHP Jhony Brito (2-1, 5.40 ERA). The last time the Twins saw Brito, they liked what they saw to the tune of a nine-run first inning! While the Yankee faithful showered Brito with boos, the Twins welcome him back with open arms. Which version of Brito will we see? The one who entered that previous encounter with a sub-one ERA, or the one that hasn't been able to make it through five full innings in his last two starts? Gray has been a consistent and positive force for the starting rotation, but he struggled to command the strike zone against Boston last week, and it ended up causing the Twins to rely on the bullpen an inning or two before they were ready. Game 2 – Tuesday, April 25th – 6:40pm CDT - In the pitching matchup of the series, Twins ace (if victories are what matter most) Joe Ryan (4-0, 3.24 ERA) takes the mound opposite Yankees LHP Nestor Cortes (3-0, 3.09 ERA). Cortes shut down the Twins last week, but Ryan shut down the Yankees in his start as well. The Twins haven't solved a left-handed pitcher yet, so they will have to see if the addition of Polanco adds some right-handed spice to the mix. It's also T-Shirt day, so if the game stinks at least you get free stuff. Game 3 - Wednesday - 12:10pm CDT - The Twins hope to send RHP Kenta Maeda (0-3, 4.15 ERA) out to test his recently battered leg, in search of his first Win of the season. The Yankees counter with Captain Rosin, RHP Domingo German (1-2, 4.50 ERA), who dominated the Twins in suspect fashion last week. Will Rocco Baldelli have some fun with the umpires again Wednesday? Or will the Twins finally figure out German's spin-rate to give Maeda a win and a chance to stay in the rotation? Prediction Time! What’s your prediction for our last series against the Yankees this season? Can the Twins offense find any hope? How will the Twins respond to their performance against the Nationals? A sweep feels overly ambitious, but can we win the season series? Let's go, Twins Territory! View full article

Polanco batting 5th! Hope it goes well! My bet is Varland for Sunday, he looked good in NY, after settling in.

The Twins limp home (literally) from a disappointing trip to Fenway Park, but hope to rejuvenate their series-winning ways against a hapless Washington Nationals squad. Will the real Twins version please stand up? Image courtesy of © Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports On Friday night, the Twins begin a ten-game home stand with three against the Washington Nationals. While the Nationals come into Target Field 5-13 after getting shutout by the Baltimore Orioles at home in a two-game series, the Twins come home from an exhausting and average trip through Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park still leading the AL Central at 11-8. What can we expect from this series? Fun Fact: The Twins last played the newest rendition of the club that formed them at Target Field in September of 2019, dropping two out of three to the eventual World Series Champions. Weather Factor: Cold. Very Cold. Highs will be in the low 40’s to high 30’s all weekend. Pitching Probables Game 1 - Friday, April 21st - 7:10pm CDT - The first game in the series will feature Twins RHP Tyler Mahle (1-2, 3.52 ERA) versus Nationals RHP Trevor Williams (1-1, 3.52 ERA). Twins fans shouldn’t expect any drastic changes to the lineup for Game 1, unless Jorge Polanco were to make his 2023 MLB debut. (Update pregame Friday…Polanco IS up and batting 5th!). Neither team has a significant track record with any of three probable pitchers in this series, so the status quo figures to keep on playing out. The Twins have also announced an autograph signing near Gate 34 from 5:45-6:15pm Friday to celebrate the fact that Pablo Day is here to stay! Game 2 – Saturday, April 22nd, 2023 – 1:10pm CDT - Newly extended Twins RHP Pablo Lopez (1-1, 1.73 ERA) takes the mound opposite Nationals RHP Chad Kuhn (0-1, 8.59) who is looking for his first win of the season. The intrigue here involves Lopez’s response to the new deal, after being bested by Garrit Cole on the road. Will Pablo be able to match his Target Field debut with another strong showing in cold weather? Game 3 - Sunday, April 23rd - 1:10pm CDT - The Twins have not announced a pitcher for Game 3 against the Nationals, but they do know that they will be facing a lefty in the Nationals Patrick Corbin (1-2, 6.30 ERA). With the Twins’ weak showing against left-handed starters so far this season, this looks to be another case of “they struggled until they faced us” matchup. Who the Twins send out will determine upon Kenta Maeda’s prognosis and the fact that the Twins have seven more games in a row until their next off-day. Do we see the return of Louie Varland? Or will Bailey Ober (who pitched on Tuesday, five days before this, hint, hint) make the drive across the Mississippi to enter the Twins rotation? Prediction Time! What’s your prediction for this chilly series with the Nationals? Can the Twins offense find some consistency off of the Nationals pitching? How will the Twins respond to the uncertainty in our rotation and bullpen after the Red Sox series? A sweep is there for the taking…right? Let's go, Twins Territory! View full article

Best moment from being at the game tonight? Bottom of 4th, Yankees last out is fly ball to Garlick in right. He turns to toss it to the bleacher bums, and then says “nope” and heads back to the dugout with it 😂 They booed him so hard…not Correa hard, but close. Then, just a few innings later, he goes yard. Then Correa wins it… That place went from ecstatic to rage to pin drop over the course of the night. And it was glorious.