Steven Trefz

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.

21.5 hours. That's how long it takes to drive straight from Mitchell, SD to The Bronx, NY. 21.5 hours. Four games against the Bronx Bombers, the Twins' playoff kryptonite, the &#@%! Yankees. The first road trip through Kansas City and Miami involved a decent 6 hour drive, and a flight to the SE corner of America. Seven nights away from home. In Kansas City I found the traditional opening day experience. Overpriced tickets, a giant flag, recognizing the whole roster on the field for pre-game ceremony, some old-time heros, some kids skipping school, and a bit of anticipation about how the previous year translates into this year. The Twins fans at Kauffman Stadium arrived early and cheered loudly, for the most part drowned out by an over-sized crowd of Royal blue. The next five games on the road trip were the exact opposite. Twins fans held their own, and probably equalled or surpassed the home team at both stadiums. I walked around and had at least a hundred conversations (I know because I handed out over a hundred business cards!), and the Twins faithful couldn't have been nicer. They all had stories to share...how many stadiums they had been to, where they were going next, why did we trade Arraez? I asked fans to send me their photos from the stadium, or any stories or interactions with the team that they wanted to share. I wasn't prepared for the amount of response that I received! After I wrap up these four games in New York, a trip over to Cooperstown, and three more games at Fenway Park, I plan to release a front-page summary of the first two road trips. Sort of a "what you notice on the road that the cameras and announcers don't pick up" type of vibe. Player interactions before and during the game, new rules in different stadiums and how they are impacting the experience of the team and also the staff at the ballparks (Did you think about how staff working an MLB game now make an hour less of pay per game thanks to the pitch clock?), and how the experience of getting to and from the ballpark varies from place to place. My week at home between these two lengthy (distance and time) series didn't allow for much reflection. Kansas city sweep, quality time with old friends and mentors, meeting Twins employees and players for the first time, the Negro League Hall of Fame, the Miami empty stadium and sunburn, culture shock, jet lag, school kid excitement, and, of course, the moments that you wouldn't believe unless they happened to you. I think my biggest takeaway so far is that these moments didn't just happen to me...they were shared by my fellow fans at the stadium, they got echoed through our time together, and amplified when shared with others. I learned that these stories that I'll be sharing over the next two years aren't just my stories, they are our stories. I'm only a few hours from the Big Apple now, time to get back into the "where in the world are we?" navigational seat with my trusty co-pilot Eric Van Meter. Let's take 5 of 7 at these shrines of baseball and meet you back at Target Field :) Steve @TwinsTrefz Going to the games in NYC or Boston? Send me a note at TwinsTrefz@gmail.com Thanks to fellow Twins fan Harrison Smith who captured the opening day national anthem photo shown at the top! Bullpen view!

In running some numbers on away team stats, I discovered the new extra inning rules seem to favor the away team, but again who a team has left in the bullpen or who is playing positions in the field that aren’t “optimal” due to end of game batting substitutions are tough to quantify. I was holding my breath with Thielbar’s entry in the 8th, having been there in person for the last Marlins 8th inning where he gave up the HR…but he’s resilient!

The game started with instant offense, then saw a quality pitcher's dual broke out. Luis Robert tried to ruin the night in the ninth, but the Twins found a way (Thank you White Sox defense!) to win in walk-off fashion again on this opening home stand. Image courtesy of Matt Blewitt, USA Today Minneapolis - On the heels of their second two-game losing streak in 2023, the Twins sought to take a positive step toward winning another series in Game 2 at Target Field against an old teammate, Lance Lynn. Pablo Lopez started the game off shaky, committing an error, allowing three hits, and surrendering two runs. However, Lopez and the Twins battled right back with two runs of their own in the 1st inning, and took the lead in the second. Pitchers dominated the middle of the game, but a usually dominant Jhoan Duran served up a ninth-inning homer and the teams headed into the second extra inning game on this home stand. The Twins didn't give up, and thanks to some classic White Sox defense, a Michael A. Taylor bunt and a wild throw brought home the walk-off run in the bottom of the tenth! Here's how it all went down. Box Score SP: Pablo Lopez: 7.2IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 K (98 pitches, 70 strikes (71%) Home Runs: Buxton (2), Taylor (1) Top 3 WPA: Pablo Lopez (0.331), Griffin Jax (0.130), Byron Buxton (0.124) Win Probability Chart Welcome to the First Night Game of the Season at Target Field! Warm temperatures greeted the batters to Target Field tonight, and both offenses hit the ground running. Lopez came into the game on fire, but struggled early against a White Sox lineup that was missing Tim Anderson (fresh on the IL). The Sox Strike First Andrew Benintendi led off the game with a single, followed by a Luis Robert swinging bunt. Lopez attempted to make the impossible happen by playing the ball off the mound, but instead skipped the ball like a rock into foul territory, allowing both runners to advance on the play. After a walk to Gavin Sheets loaded the bases with no one out, Andrew Vaughn made Lopez pay with a booming double off of the wall, scoring Benintendi and Robert. The Buck Truck Delivers! Lopez was able to settle down, and stranded Sheets and Vaughn on a strikeout and two ground-outs. This brought the Twins up in the bottom of the first, needing a spark. After Donovan Solano singlesd to right field, Byron Buxton came to the plate and made some Twins history, launching his 100th home run to left field, and tying the game 2-2. Not the Only Center-Fielder with some Pop! Lopez retired the White Sox 1-2-3 in the second inning, which rushed Lynn back onto the mound. After retiring Matt Wallner and Christian Vazquez, Lynn left a hanging curveball to Michael Taylor, and he did not miss! Taylor lashed a home run to the left field bullpen to put the Twins up 3-2. Lopez Locked In The story of the middle innings was Lopez's dominance, as he finished the first inning and blazed through the next six innings 21 up, and 21 down. After needing 31 pitches to complete the first inning, Lopez only needed 58 to complete the next six innings! Vazquez's role in this gem can't be overlooked, as the Twins pitching staff carried a 1.86 team ERA into this night, and he righted the ship early to call a great game. Lynn fared similarly through the middle of the game, however, scattering two hits across innings three through six, keeping the game tight at 3-2. Bullpen Time Recently recalled reliever Keynan Middleton took the mound in the seventh for the White Sox, and struck out the side. Lopez returned in the top of the eighth to strike out the first two batters, and much to the dismay of the Twins Twitter faithful, Rocco Baldelli came out to pull the man who had just retired 23 men in a row. Enter Caleb Thielbar and he did not disappoint, striking out Benintendi to end the inning. After lefty Jake Diekman pitched a scoreless eighth for the White Sox, the stage was set for a Jhoan Duran ninth inning save. Uh Oh... Someone forgot to tell Luis Robert that Duran has been un-hittable so far this season, as he smashed a game-tying first pitch homerun off of Duran's curveball. Duran channeled his anger into three straight strike outs after that bomb, but the damage was done. The Twins hoped for another walk-off winner in the bottom of the ninth. Reynaldo Lopez came in for the White Sox, and struck out Farmer and Wallner before Vazquez sent one deep into the right field gap. His eyes were faster than his legs, however, and he was thrown out trying to stretch the double into a triple with two outs. Let's Play Extra! The Twins sent Griffin Jax in for the top of the tenth inning, and he induced pinch-hitting Hanser Alberto into a ground out, advancing pinch runner Lenyn Sosa to third. Oscar Colas flied out to shallow left field, and Romy Gonzalez grounded out to Jax to end the threat. Willi Castro pinch ran for the Twins as the "ghost runner" in the bottom of the tenth, and Taylor started the inning with a surprise attempt to simply move the runner over with a bunt. After Alberto (now in at third base) tossed the ball off of Taylor's helmet at first base, Castro cruised on home to send the fans home happy with a 4-3 victory! Final Thoughts Twins fans hoped that Lopez would lead the team back into their winning ways, and he did not disappoint. The Twins once again found just enough offense to win the game, and reclaimed first place in the Central for the time being. The news of Edouard Julien's impending MLB debut will be story "A" in the morning, but the consistent ace-level pitching from Lopez will be a story that Twins fans pray continues far into 2023. On a night where Luis Arraez became the first Marlin to ever hit for the cycle, Twins fans can rest assured that this looks like one trade where both squads won. On a night in which the Twins needed a win, they got one. What’s Next? The Twins will attempt to win the series against their Central Division rivals by sending to the mound right-hander Sonny Gray (1-0, 0.75 ERA) in Game 3 of the series on Wednesday afternoon. Right-hander Lucas Giolito (0-0, 9.00 ERA) will counter for the White Sox. The game is scheduled for 12:10 pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Morán 0 20 0 35 0 55 Durán 19 3 0 0 24 46 Alcala 0 0 45 0 0 45 Jax 13 12 0 0 8 33 Pagán 0 0 23 0 0 23 López 8 14 0 0 0 22 Thielbar 0 0 0 10 4 10 Sands 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

Looks like Buxton is set in lead off for a while…tough to have Gallo and Kepler out today…curious when Kep will return. Expecting Joe to dominate today

That’s my fault! Extras got me scrambling! Thanks!

The Twins came into the Home Opener off of a two-game losing streak, facing the reigning World Series Champion Houston Astros. On a chilly day at Target Field, Sonny Gray led the way with 13 strikeouts, and the Twins got their first walk-off winner in 2023! Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports Minneapolis - Following a 4-2 opening road trip to Kansas City and Miami, the Twins aimed to regain their winning ways in the 2023 home opener. With the temps hovering in the high 40's, the fans hoped that Sonny Gray could warm up everyone's spirits with another impactful start. The reigning World Series Champion Astros sought to regain some momentum for their 2023 season, after coming to the Twin Cities with a 3-4 record. The Twins would give up the lead in the top of the 10th, only to send the fan faithful home happy with a 3-2 walk-off winner! Here's how it all went down. Box Score SP: Sonny Gray: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 13 K (98 pitches, 61 strikes (62%) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Jose Miranda (0.288), Sonny Gray (0.254), Donovan Solano (.176) Win Probability Chart Opening Day! Before the first pitch, the Twins hosted a morning breakfast at the ballpark, Twins Daily hosted a pregame watch party, and Mother Nature hosted a Sonny Gray, I mean, a sunny day at half the temperature of the last Twins game. The Twins set their lineup to combat Jose Urquidy and his reverse-split arsenal of pitches with more right-handed bats than usual. The usual opening day fanfare set the stage for the main event. The Astros Strike First With Max Kepler suffering a knee injury Monday night, the question of "Who will lead off?" continues to vary from game to game, but Byron Buxton got the call again today. The Twins bats again began the game on "silent mode," and they were only able to mount two singles through the first three innings. The Astros didn't start out any stronger, but they were able to follow up a Mauricio Dubon double with an Alex Bregman single to the wall, to take a 1-0 lead. A Sonny Day Despite the early run, Gray was dealing, recording a career-high 13 strikeouts through seven innings, and keeping a potent Astros offense to only one run. Piranha Style Comeback After wasting a lead-off double from Michael Taylor in the fifth, the Twins struck piranha style in the bottom of the sixth inning. Donovan Solano ripped a single with one out, and advanced to second base on Kyle Farmer's single under the second baseman's glove to right. Nick Gordon came in to pinch hit for Joey Gallo (right-side soreness), and responded by slapping a fielder's choice ground ball to short. The scene was set for Christian Vasquez's hero story, and reliever Bryan Abreu took the opportunity away from him by firing a wild pitch to the backstop. Solano scored, tying the game 1-1. After Vasquez walked, Michael Taylor struck out swinging to end the threat. Bullpen Time The end of the game got handed to the bullpen, and Griffin Jax got a chance to avenge his last outing versus the Marlins. Jax responded with a 1-2-3 eighth. Jose Miranda led off the eighth inning with a single but was left at first base. Jhoan Duran took the ninth for the home team for the first time since opening day last week, and his reward was facing Yordan Alvarez, Jose Abreu, and Kyle Tucker. Alvarez walked on a full count, but Duran was able to lock up Abreu on a perfect curveball at the bottom of the zone. Tucker also struck out on 101 high heat, and David Hensley grounded out weakly to end the inning. However, former Twin Ryan Pressly entered the bottom of the ninth and easily shut down the Twins in order. Extra Baseball! In an attempt to give the fans their money's worth, the Twins entered extra innings for the first time this season. Jorge Lopez tried to keep the ghost runner Hensley from scoring, but after getting the lead-off batter, Dubon struck again with a seeing-eye single through the drawn in infield to put the Astros up 2-1. The Astros countered with Ryne Stanek, and he promptly struck out Carlos Correa looking on a full count. A passed ball moved Buxton to third base with one out, and Trevor Larnach walked on a full count. Miranda was the next potential hero to come to the plate, and he delivered! His single to right plated Buxton and sent Larnach to second base. An immediate wild pitch by Stanek advanced both runners, and Solano walked after Maldonado saved yet another wayward pitch. This all led to the new Twin Farmer, in his first home game, to come up with the bases loaded and only one out. Twins fans were able to go home happy today, as he delivered with a base hit up the middle to score Larnach for the winning run! Final Thoughts Twins fans packed Target Field in hopes of righting the ship, and starting a new narrative against elite-level ballclubs. Sonny Gray led the way with a career-high performance, but the Twins bats again couldn't keep pace throughout the game. Luckily, the Astros bullpen ran out of steam before the Twins bullpen did, and single after single brought home the opening day victory! What’s Next? The Twins will attempt to keep the momentum going by sending to the mound Joe Ryan in Game 2 of the series (1-0, 1.50 ERA) on Saturday afternoon. The team will face Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (0-1, 5.40 ERA). The game is scheduled for 1:10 pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage MON TUE WED THU FRI TOT Sands 28 0 0 0 0 28 Pagán 0 26 0 0 0 26 Alcalá 25 0 0 0 0 25 Jax 0 0 9 0 13 22 Durán 0 0 0 0 19 19 Morán 0 15 0 0 0 15 Thielbar 0 0 13 0 0 13 López 0 0 0 0 8 8 View full article

My brother and I went for three years in a row to Target for the home opener, so meeting somewhere random in western MN and getting our families into one vehicle for the journey into the city from our various SD locations. That last stretch of driving was always special.

The Astros are missing Jose Altuve and Justin Verlander, but they're still the bullies of the American League. Image courtesy of © Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports The Twins got destroyed by the Astros at Target Field in 2022 by a combined 18 runs, and lost all six games to the eventual World Series champions. In 2021, however, the Twins actually won the season series 4-3. This season finds the Twins coming home after a winning road trip, while the Astros are limping into town at 3-4. The Twins returned to the land of a thousand frozen lakes Wednesday night after gutting out a 4-2 start to the 2023 season. The frigid temps caused the Home Opener to be pushed back a day, but that only added to the anticipation for the Twins' faithful. Unfortunately for the home team, the guests for the weekend will be none other than the defending World Series champions, and perpetual bully, the Houston Astros. The starkest difference between the two teams thus far is their pitching. The Astros bring in a 4.02 ERA and 1.319 WHIP, while the Twins have been consistent and effective with a 1.90 ERA and a .962 WHIP. The offense of both squads appear evenly matched, with the Astros generating 2-3 more baserunners a game, and almost an entire run per game. Fun Fact: The home opener kicks off with breakfast on the plaza from 6-9am, and most importantly, the Twins Daily Social Club Home Opener Pregame festivites at Tom's Watch Bar from 11am-3pm! Weather Factor: The home opener was moved to Friday in order to capitalize on the temperatures "rising" to the low 50's at game time. Coming from the 88 degree and humid tropical heat of Miami will present its own set of challenges to both pitchers and batters. Saturday and Sunday look slightly warmer, with plenty of sunshine. Now let's take a look at the Pitching Probables for the Twins' second series of the season: Game 1 – Friday, April 7th, 2023 – 3:10pm CDT – Right-handers Sonny Gray (Twins) and Jose Urquidy (Astros) will square off in the Twins' home opener. Gray comes in at 1-0, with no runs allowed in five innings against the Royals on opening weekend. Urquidy, on the other hand, got a no-decision against the White Sox while giving up three runs over four innings. Of the Astros' potential lineup, Jose Abreu has the most experience by far with 24 at-bats versus Gray, but with only a .250 batting average. For the season, Kyle Tucker comes into town batting a salty 1217 OPS, with Yordan Alvarez and Chas McCormick also notching an OPS over 1000. The Twins are somewhat struggling at the plate, having scored two runs or less in four of their first six games. Joey Gallo and Trevor Larnach bring an OPS over 1000 so far this season. Game 2 – Saturday, April 8th, 2023 – 1:10pm CDT – Right-handers Joe Ryan (Twins) and Luis Garcia (Astros) take the mound in an afternoon tilt where the temperature is expected to be climbing into the low-60's. Ryan brings a 1-0 start and a 1.50 ERA/0.83 WHIP into the matchup. Garcia took the loss against the White Sox on opening weekend, allowing three runs in four innings. Neither team has much history against the starters, but if Ryan can continue in the vein of his previous home performances, this matchup should lean towards the Twins. Getting a healthy Max Kepler back by this point in the series would also add a key left-handed bat. Game 3 - Sunday, April 9th, 2023 – 12:10pm CDT - Right-hander Tyler Mahle (Twins) faces off yet another right-hander, youngster Hunter Brown (Astros). Mahle comes in at 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA after defeating the Marlins on the road, while Brown took a no-decision against the Tigers in his first start, allowing four runs over 4.2 innings. The Twins have no at-bats yet against Brown, who is making only his 9th MLB start. Mahle similarly will be facing most of the Astros hitters for the first time as he continues to become familiar with AL line-ups. Prediction Time! What's your prediction for this series? Get out the brooms, or something in between? Who do you think can catch fire in the Twins line-up? Will the Twins starters continue their dominant ways? Let's go Twins Territory! It's the first series of the year at Target Field! Steve Trefz - On a mission to go to a Twins series in every stadium over 2023-24. The journey continues in New York! Follow me on Twitter: @TwinsTrefz Statistical help from StatHead.com View full article