Steven Trefz

The Twins got to town a day early in order to rest and to prepare for playing the best team in baseball. They should have stayed another day on the beach. The Rays are who we feared they were, and here's how the game went down.
Image courtesy of Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Box Score:
SP: Louie Varland: 6 IP 7 H 7 ER 4 BB 5 SO (90 Pitches, 58 Strikes, 64%)
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Varland (-0.223), Donovan Solano (-0.072), Willi Castro (-0.046)

Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs):

The Twins entered Tuesday's clash with the Rays with some lineup adjustments. Carlos Correa was back to batting third after sitting out the Guardians series with planter fasciitis. Byron Buxton headed to the injured list, and Trevor Larnach met the team in St. Petersburg to take his place in the lineup. They faced a stiff challenge, with Zach Eflin and his .99 WHIP and 7-1 record. Meanwhile, Louie Varland attempted to keep the good times rolling having won three of his last four starts.
Sometimes the Pitchers are Just Really Good
In the first three innings:
Eflin - 0 H, 1 BB, 5 K - 45 pitches
Varland - 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K - 34 pitches
Those commentating on the game professionally spun the angle that Eflin and Varland were nearly unhittable and on top of their game. Those commenting on the game from the Twins fan-zone were convinced that the Twins offense will never score again for at least a decade, maybe more.
Sometimes One of the Offenses is Just Really Good
In the top of the fourth, Correa belted a one-out double, 108 mph+. A Donavan Solano warning track fly ball, and a Larnach strike out later, the threat goes unredeemed.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Rays displayed how offense works. Former Twins prospect (aka the other guy traded for Kenta Maeda) Luke Raley led off with a foul ball that ended up being called a triple. Could the Rays cash in where the Twins failed? That answer took all of four pitches. Randy Arozarena singled to center, and it was 1-0 Rays.
Harold Ramirez followed that up with a walk. And then Randy Arozarena took the extra base on a fly out, and the Rays had runners at the corners with one down. Would the Rays cash in again? That answer only took three pitches, and Christian Bethancourt singled to where Michael A. Taylor and Correa weren't, and Ramirez took the extra base. 2-0 Rays with runners at the corners and one down.
Do the Rays cash in again? Of course they do. The Ballys booth called it, and the Twins were caught flat-footed, as newly called up Vidal Brujan used the safety squeeze bunt to make the score 3-0. 
Seven batters, three hits, one walk, and no home runs later and the Twins were in trouble.
Pleading in the Fifth
Remember in that last sentence how I pointed out that the Rays don't always need to hit home runs to score runs. Well they do that too, in fact they came into the game leading the majors with 103 home runs. Raley confirmed this statistical fact with a 108.6 mph, 450 foot cannon shot to center with Wander Franco trotting on home in front of him. One walk, one home run, 5-0 Rays after five.
Live to Fight Another Day, or Fight to Win Today?
Who needs former Twins that were traded as surplus from our stacked lineup, and are currently lighting up scoreboards? We have...ummmm...
Nothing. The Twins had no answer. Eflin took his team into the seventh, the bullpen took care of the Twins in easy fashion. Meanwhile, Varland also took his team into the seventh, but Jose Siri greeted him there with a 110.8 mph, 457ft blast to make it a 6-0 score. Franco continued to rake, setting up another run with a double which a ground ball delivered upon. 7-0.
Game, set, match to the superior team. 
Sometimes the Twins Offense is Just Really Bad
In the last 11 games, the Twins offense has been held to two runs or less seven times, going 1-6 in those games. In the other four games, the offense feasted to the tune of seven or more runs in each game and went 4-0. The overall record says 5-6, but does that really tell the story of how the team did?
Will an AL Central division title, with a barely above .500 record, where half of the games are unwatchable be enough for everyone?
What’s Next:
The Twins send RHP Pablo Lopez (3-3, 4.54 ERA) and a well-rested bullpen out for the second game of the series in hopes that the Twins offense has another one of their seven run outings. The Rays annouced after tonight's game that righty reliever Shawn Armstrong (0-0, 0.00 ERA in 2 innings in 2023) will be their opener. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40pm CDT. 
Postgame Interviews
Bullpen Usage Chart
  SAT SUN MON TUE TUE TOT J. López 31 0 0 0 0 31 Pagán 4 0 0 0 20 24 Morán 19 0 0 0 0 19 De León 0 12 0 0 0 12 Jax 0 11 0 0 0 11 Thielbar 0 10 0 0 0 10 Durán 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stewart 0 0 0 0 0 0      
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You know it! 😂

Yes to both unfortunately.
also just an update, Varland getting named as starter Tuesday.  Not sure what took so long for that to come out.
 

Yes to both unfortunately.
also just an update, Varland getting named as starter Tuesday.  Not sure what took so long for that to come out.
 

Yes to both unfortunately.
also just an update, Varland getting named as starter Tuesday.  Not sure what took so long for that to come out.
 

The Twins offense started the game with Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa, and Alex Kirilloff on the bench due to injury and illness. The result was exactly what anyone who has watched the club this season might suspect. The Guardians salvaged the series split, and the Twins avoided real disaster, but left many roster question marks heading into a difficult road trip. Here's how it all went down.
Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports Box Score:
SP: Joe Ryan: 6.2 IP 2 H 2 ER 1 BB 4 SO (88 Pitches, 65 Strikes, 74%)
Home Runs: Willi Castro (5)
Bottom 3 WPA: Jorge Polanco (-0.207), Royce Lewis (-0.204), Caleb Thielbar (-0.107)

Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs):

The Definition of a Pitching Dual
Triston McKenzie made his debut for the Guardians Sunday, and he did not disappoint. Twins fans were hoping for rust, but instead they got straight nastiness. McKenzie scattered ten strikeouts over five innings, and all that the Twins could muster was a Michael A. Taylor single in the third inning.
On the other side, Joe Ryan was in fine form. Through six innings, he gave up just one hit, and that runner was thrown out trying to steal second base by Ryan Jeffers. 
The Story Turns in the Seventh (You've Heard this One Before)
Ryan started the seventh in innocent fasion, retiring the first two batters easily. Jose Ramirez worked a two out walk, Ryan's only of the game, and then the wheels fell off. After a mound visit, it was decided that Ryan would stay in to finish what he'd started. Turned out that Josh Naylor enjoyed that decision, taking Ryan deep for a run-scoring double to put the Guardians up 1-0.
Thielbar returned to the bullpen after a lengthy injury absense, and Twins fans breathed a collective sigh of relief. Then Andres Gimenez came to the plate, and greeted Thielbar with a run-scoring triple off of the out-of-town scoreboard to stretch the score to 2-0.
Can the Twins Come Back?
That second run felt like the game-clincher, especially with the depleted lineup and the recent history of low-scoring losses. But someone forgot to tell Willi Castro. In the top of the eigth inning, Castro cleared the out-of-town scoreboard to cut the lead in half at 2-1. A Taylor double to left, and the Twins were back in business. Jorge Polanco made a quick out to second, moving Taylor over. Then the hero of the week (and the next decade) Royce Lewis stepped up to the plate with two outs. Then disaster struck, both for the game's chances and most importantly, for Lewis' chances to continue his hero run with the Twins. Royce flipped over the first baseman after being thrown out, and you can find the video on your own. For now, let's give thanks that he wasn't seriously injured.
So Clase, and yet So Far
The Twins were able to start a two-out rally in the ninth against Guardian closer Emmanuel Clase. Ryan Jeffers walked, and Kyle Farmer laced a single to right, setting the stage for Castro to make another memory in a Twins uniform. Unfortunately, Castro struck out, without ever actually seeing a strike thrown to him, and it was game, set, split.
What’s Next:
The Twins finally have an off-day on Monday, before heading out on an epic 3000+ mile road trip to Tampa and Toronto. The Twins were late in naming there Tuesday starter, but have settled on Louie Varland (3-1, 3.51 ERA) to face Tampa's surprise ace RHP Zach Eflin (7-1, 3.30 ERA) to kick-off the three game series. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40pm CDT.
Postgame Interviews
Bullpen Usage Chart
  SUN WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT J. López 0 16 0 0 31 0 47 Pagán 0 0 33 0 4 0 37 Morán 1 0 0 13 19 0 33 Jax 8 0 12 0 0 11 31 Stewart 0 13 0 15 0 0 28 De León 0 16 0 0 0 12 28 Durán 0 0 0 26 0 0 26 Thielbar 0 0 0 0 0 10 10
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True, but the drive Wallner over after an afternoon game to play a night game becomes less feasible :)

True, but the drive Wallner over after an afternoon game to play a night game becomes less feasible :)

From what I've witnessed on the road this season, no one in baseball receives the constant hate that Correa does in opposing ballparks. Dodgers Stadium was almost criminal at times. I don't know how a human being hears that time after time and doesn't let it impact his body during an at bat. Hearing the boos at home didn't help, because why would they.
Until that all stops, its going to be an impossible hill to climb I'm afraid. It's one thing when the Astros come to town and the whole team gets hated on...you can build around that and rally against it. The personal hate towards Correa, with the stuff that went down that he had no control over this off-season getting added into the boos by jealous and non-millionaire fans, impact a body's ability to focus on the hardest task in professional sports...hitting a round ball with a round bat.
His fielding hasn't sufferred...because he doesn't get booed out there.
Hoping that time heals the wounds...but not thinking its a quick fix.
Steve

From what I've witnessed on the road this season, no one in baseball receives the constant hate that Correa does in opposing ballparks. Dodgers Stadium was almost criminal at times. I don't know how a human being hears that time after time and doesn't let it impact his body during an at bat. Hearing the boos at home didn't help, because why would they.
Until that all stops, its going to be an impossible hill to climb I'm afraid. It's one thing when the Astros come to town and the whole team gets hated on...you can build around that and rally against it. The personal hate towards Correa, with the stuff that went down that he had no control over this off-season getting added into the boos by jealous and non-millionaire fans, impact a body's ability to focus on the hardest task in professional sports...hitting a round ball with a round bat.
His fielding hasn't sufferred...because he doesn't get booed out there.
Hoping that time heals the wounds...but not thinking its a quick fix.
Steve

From what I've witnessed on the road this season, no one in baseball receives the constant hate that Correa does in opposing ballparks. Dodgers Stadium was almost criminal at times. I don't know how a human being hears that time after time and doesn't let it impact his body during an at bat. Hearing the boos at home didn't help, because why would they.
Until that all stops, its going to be an impossible hill to climb I'm afraid. It's one thing when the Astros come to town and the whole team gets hated on...you can build around that and rally against it. The personal hate towards Correa, with the stuff that went down that he had no control over this off-season getting added into the boos by jealous and non-millionaire fans, impact a body's ability to focus on the hardest task in professional sports...hitting a round ball with a round bat.
His fielding hasn't sufferred...because he doesn't get booed out there.
Hoping that time heals the wounds...but not thinking its a quick fix.
Steve

From what I've witnessed on the road this season, no one in baseball receives the constant hate that Correa does in opposing ballparks. Dodgers Stadium was almost criminal at times. I don't know how a human being hears that time after time and doesn't let it impact his body during an at bat. Hearing the boos at home didn't help, because why would they.
Until that all stops, its going to be an impossible hill to climb I'm afraid. It's one thing when the Astros come to town and the whole team gets hated on...you can build around that and rally against it. The personal hate towards Correa, with the stuff that went down that he had no control over this off-season getting added into the boos by jealous and non-millionaire fans, impact a body's ability to focus on the hardest task in professional sports...hitting a round ball with a round bat.
His fielding hasn't sufferred...because he doesn't get booed out there.
Hoping that time heals the wounds...but not thinking its a quick fix.
Steve

tell me about it....

The warmer weather and ear plugs to drown out the incessant booing. Sounds about right. 

These recaps are sounding frustratingly similar 

The Twins came into Tuesday night's game at Houston feeling over the moon after the come from behind victory on what will be forever known as "Royce Lewis Day." They ended tonight's game being placed firmly back to Earth. Here's how it all went down.
Image courtesy of Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports Box Score
SP: Joe Ryan: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K (88 pitches, 56 strikes (63.6%)
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Joe Ryan (-0.281), Byron Buxton (-0.115), Max Kepler (-0.059)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 

Say it Ain't So, Joe!
Ryan has been the most consistent Twins starter, and his W/L record shows it. Tuesday was not his night, however, as the Astros got to him early and often. Alex Bregman led off the second inning with a rocket shot (94 mph, barely cleared the fence) to left for a home run. A few batters later, it was Chas McCormick and his .222 batting average's turn to inflate Ryan's ERA with a moon shot to the train tracks in left. 3-0 Astros.
The hits just kept on coming for the Astros in the bottom of the third. A walk to Jeremy Pena with one out, and a single by Yordan Alvarez put runners on the corners for Bregman, and he delivered again with a run-scoring single to left to put the Astros up 4-0. Two batters later, Jose Abreu came up with the bases loaded, and while he couldn't replicate Jose Altuve's grand slam mojo, he did plate another run with a sacrifice fly (that Max Kepler caught while leaping into the wall in right). The Astro lead ballooned to 5-0, and it stayed that way until the fifth inning.
Royce Lewis, Save Us!
In the top of the fifth inning, Lewis stepped up to the plate and unleashed a 104.1 mph double to left. What followed shouldn't surprise Twins fans for the most part. Max Kepler struck out. Michael A. Taylor hit a ground out. The stage was set for the newly "Champion Ringed" Christian Vazquez to find a way to break out of his season-long slump, and he found a way to deliver a small dose of hope back into the game.
The Twins Offense Stinks...Bad
The top of the sixth inning started out well for the Twins, thanks to some uncharacteristic defense from the Astros. Edouard Julien led off with a shot to second base, and Altuve booted it. Carlos Correa drilled a 15 foot squirmer down the third  base line which wasn't fielded. Suddenly, the Twins had two on with no one out, and Byron Buxton strode to the plate.
One changeup later, Buxton hit into a 6-4-3 double play, and the hope meter decreased several notches yet again. Alex Kirilloff continued to get on base, however, and there were runners at the corners with superhero Lewis up at the plate. That walk chased Brandon Bielak from an excellent start, but reliever Phil Maton proved to be kryptonite to Lewis' abilities, and he struck him out swinging to end the threat.
Sands Saves the Week, Win or Lose
Out of all the predictions that were bandied about Twins Daily this week, a four-inning start by Ryan was not a common take. That's where the Twins found themselves Tuesday night, and luckily Cole Sands answered the call. After pitching only once in the last week, Sands found himself thrown into the fire against a hot lineup. He escaped the fifth and sixth innings without allowing a run, but left the game after walking two Astros in the seventh. Jovani Moran was the next man up, and one pitch and an Alvarez 4-6-3 double play later, the score remained 5-1.
The ability to eat up innings won't bring the win home today, but it factors into every other game this week as the Twins don't get another off day until next Monday.
A Double Play Kind of Day
The heart of the Twins order came up in the top of the eighth, with the team amassing only three hits in the first six. Julien led off with a bloop to right that barely missed Altuve's glove. Correa was first pitch swinging, however, and chopped a 6-4-3 to remove the threat. The string of that poor at-bat lingered, as Buxton walked and Kiriloff shot a single into right to put runners at the corners with two outs. This time Ryne Stanek played the role of kryptonite, and Twins fans were forced to reckon with the fact that Lewis can't win 'em all.
The Twins ended up getting six hits, limited the Astros to five hits, and managed to lose 5-1. That sums up Tuesday night's ballgame and the first third of this "Home Run or Bust" season quite well. Tough to watch, but a chance to redeem the series tomorrow.
What’s Next? 
The Minnesota Twins will look to secure the series win again in game three  as they send Louie Varland to the mound. The Astros will counter with young right-hander Hunter Brown.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm CDT.  
Postgame Interviews
(Coming Soon, if available) 
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
  FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Sands 0 0 16 0 48 64 De León 19 0 27 0 0 46 Durán 0 12 0 29 0 41 Stewart 0 13 0 18 0 31 Pagán 21 0 7 0 0 28 López 0 22 0 6 0 28 Jax 0 0 12 0 8 20 Morán 0 9 0 0 1 10  

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The Twins came into Tuesday night's game at Houston feeling over the moon after the come from behind victory on what will be forever known as "Royce Lewis Day." They ended tonight's game being placed firmly back to Earth. Here's how it all went down.
Image courtesy of Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports Box Score
SP: Joe Ryan: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K (88 pitches, 56 strikes (63.6%)
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Joe Ryan (-0.281), Byron Buxton (-0.115), Max Kepler (-0.059)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 

Say it Ain't So, Joe!
Ryan has been the most consistent Twins starter, and his W/L record shows it. Tuesday was not his night, however, as the Astros got to him early and often. Alex Bregman led off the second inning with a rocket shot (94 mph, barely cleared the fence) to left for a home run. A few batters later, it was Chas McCormick and his .222 batting average's turn to inflate Ryan's ERA with a moon shot to the train tracks in left. 3-0 Astros.
The hits just kept on coming for the Astros in the bottom of the third. A walk to Jeremy Pena with one out, and a single by Yordan Alvarez put runners on the corners for Bregman, and he delivered again with a run-scoring single to left to put the Astros up 4-0. Two batters later, Jose Abreu came up with the bases loaded, and while he couldn't replicate Jose Altuve's grand slam mojo, he did plate another run with a sacrifice fly (that Max Kepler caught while leaping into the wall in right). The Astro lead ballooned to 5-0, and it stayed that way until the fifth inning.
Royce Lewis, Save Us!
In the top of the fifth inning, Lewis stepped up to the plate and unleashed a 104.1 mph double to left. What followed shouldn't surprise Twins fans for the most part. Max Kepler struck out. Michael A. Taylor hit a ground out. The stage was set for the newly "Champion Ringed" Christian Vazquez to find a way to break out of his season-long slump, and he found a way to deliver a small dose of hope back into the game.
The Twins Offense Stinks...Bad
The top of the sixth inning started out well for the Twins, thanks to some uncharacteristic defense from the Astros. Edouard Julien led off with a shot to second base, and Altuve booted it. Carlos Correa drilled a 15 foot squirmer down the third  base line which wasn't fielded. Suddenly, the Twins had two on with no one out, and Byron Buxton strode to the plate.
One changeup later, Buxton hit into a 6-4-3 double play, and the hope meter decreased several notches yet again. Alex Kirilloff continued to get on base, however, and there were runners at the corners with superhero Lewis up at the plate. That walk chased Brandon Bielak from an excellent start, but reliever Phil Maton proved to be kryptonite to Lewis' abilities, and he struck him out swinging to end the threat.
Sands Saves the Week, Win or Lose
Out of all the predictions that were bandied about Twins Daily this week, a four-inning start by Ryan was not a common take. That's where the Twins found themselves Tuesday night, and luckily Cole Sands answered the call. After pitching only once in the last week, Sands found himself thrown into the fire against a hot lineup. He escaped the fifth and sixth innings without allowing a run, but left the game after walking two Astros in the seventh. Jovani Moran was the next man up, and one pitch and an Alvarez 4-6-3 double play later, the score remained 5-1.
The ability to eat up innings won't bring the win home today, but it factors into every other game this week as the Twins don't get another off day until next Monday.
A Double Play Kind of Day
The heart of the Twins order came up in the top of the eighth, with the team amassing only three hits in the first six. Julien led off with a bloop to right that barely missed Altuve's glove. Correa was first pitch swinging, however, and chopped a 6-4-3 to remove the threat. The string of that poor at-bat lingered, as Buxton walked and Kiriloff shot a single into right to put runners at the corners with two outs. This time Ryne Stanek played the role of kryptonite, and Twins fans were forced to reckon with the fact that Lewis can't win 'em all.
The Twins ended up getting six hits, limited the Astros to five hits, and managed to lose 5-1. That sums up Tuesday night's ballgame and the first third of this "Home Run or Bust" season quite well. Tough to watch, but a chance to redeem the series tomorrow.
What’s Next? 
The Minnesota Twins will look to secure the series win again in game three  as they send Louie Varland to the mound. The Astros will counter with young right-hander Hunter Brown.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm CDT.  
Postgame Interviews
(Coming Soon, if available) 
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
  FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Sands 0 0 16 0 48 64 De León 19 0 27 0 0 46 Durán 0 12 0 29 0 41 Stewart 0 13 0 18 0 31 Pagán 21 0 7 0 0 28 López 0 22 0 6 0 28 Jax 0 0 12 0 8 20 Morán 0 9 0 0 1 10  

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The Twins need to find their heart in hostile territory, as they make a quick trip to Houston to face the juggernaut Astros in a three-game series. Will the return of Royce Lewis provide the spark that the team needs? Or will another round of low scoring losses send the Twins into second place in the division?
Image courtesy of Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports The Twins limp into Houston on the heels of a 2-4 homestand against the Giants and Blue Jays. In their two victories, the Twins netted seven runs apiece. In their four losses, the Twins scored one, three, one, and zero runs respectively. Their reliance on the home run for offensive success again rose to the front of the storyline, and their inability to manufacture runs with consistent contact continued to waste quality starts and winnable games.
However, the team still finds itself in first place in the division as we approach the 54th game of the season. This success glimmers like fool's gold, as a series sweep against the Astros would also find the Twins two games under .500.
The imminent return of Royce Lewis to the lineup should be enough reason to get anyone excited, but the absolute offensive tear that he’s been on makes the waiting almost unbearable. Where will he play? (Third base) Who gets sent down? (Kyle Garlick, Matt Wallner) Can the Twins find a way to get him an at-bat in every inning like in a spring training rehab start? (We wish). 
Storylines abound this Memorial Day week, so let’s dig into the details.
Interesting Fact: The Astros have only missed the playoffs once since 2014. For a great read about the years of “glory” that they’ve experienced, check out Winning Fixes Everything by Evan Drellich, 2023.
Weather Factor: Sunny and high-80’s as the Texas summer kicks into gear. The roof of Minute Maid Park will most likely be closed for the series, so weather shouldn’t be a factor.
Pitching Probables
Game 1 – Monday, May 29, 2023 – 3:10 pm CDT – The Twins turn to RHP Sonny Gray (4-0, 1.82 ERA) to kick off the series, and he will face Astros RHP J.P. France (1-1, 3.43 ERA). Both teams are coming off of a short night of sleep, and the advantage should be in the hands of the pitchers.
How will Carlos Correa be received in Houston now that his permanent home has been established? (Note, along with Puerto Rico, Correa's permanent home is in Houston, but his baseball home is the Twin Cities.) Will he finally find a respite from the boo-birds on the road? (Yes) Will he finally find his swing again? (We hope so!)
Game 2 – Tuesday, May 30th, 2023 – 7:10pm CDT – Twins RHP Joe Ryan (7-1, 2.21 ERA) looks to extend his All-Star resume when he faces Houston RHP Brandon Bielak (1-2, 3.55 ERA) on Tuesday night. Ryan got the victory against the Astros in early April, giving up four runs over six innings.
Game 3 - Wednesday, May 31st, 2023 – 7:10 pm CDT – In the final game of the series, the Twins call upon RHP Louie Varland (2-1, 4.24 ERA) to continue his winning ways against fellow young hurler, RHP Hunter Brown (5-1, 3.12 ERA) for the Astros. Brown is 7-1 in 17 starts, with a 1.17 WHIP in his first two seasons.
Varland looks to keep his role in the rotation with Kenta Maeda beginning his rehab assignment. Brown looks to make Astros fans forget about some guy named Justin Verlander. With the Twins facing the Guardians for four games beginning Thursday, Varland’s ability to eat up innings on Wednesday couldn’t be more important.
Prediction Time!
What's your prediction for this series?  Can the Twins maintain their lead in the AL Central through this series? Who do you see being the biggest impact player in Houston this week? Let us know in the comments! Go, Twins!

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On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the Blue Jays and some of the Twins players got together to play a baseball game. Three hours later it was time for the game to be done. Catch more of the excitement in this amazing recap.
Image courtesy of Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Box Score
SP: Bailey Ober-  5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 0 HR (95 Pitches, 61 Strikes, 64%)
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Kyle Farmer (-0.162), Matt Wallner (-0.159), Byron Buxton (-0.115)
Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs):
Eduoard Julien's Growing Pains
The game started off promising for the Twins offense, as Joey Gallo led off with a single, Julien worked a walk after being in the hole 0-2, and Carlos Correa delivered a single to the opposite field. In his best effort to help the Twins avoid a bases-loaded opportunity, Julien found a way to miss seeing the largest man on the field (Gallo) still standing at third base after being held up. The Jays easily threw out Julien, who was stuck in no-mans-land between second and third. No runs, plenty of "what might have been."
In the top of the second, Julien made an excellent stop on a ground ball in the hole between first and second. When he popped up to make the throw, however, the ball did not come with him. While not ruled an error, it was an out that needed to be completed as it extended the inning for Alejandro Kirk. The light-hitting catcher (Editor's Note: ... who won a Silver Slugger in 2022) hit a weak fly ball to left-center, and no Twins could get there in time to catch it. By the time the dust settled, two Blue Jay runs had scored, and Julien's gaffes became an unfortunate focus of the early innings.
Pitch Count and Pitches that Count
Bailey Ober fell behind in the game due to a mixture of bad luck and bad counts. He reached 60 pitches before he obtained his seventh out. Time after time Ober found himself ahead in the count at 0-2 or 1-2, only find the count evened out at 2-2 or 3-2. Non-competitive pitches didn't entice the Blue Jays to swing, and the patience of the Toronto hitters led to Ober only going five innings.
Jose Berrios Can Still Pitch
The rumors of Berrios' demise have been much exaggerated. Berrios commanded his change-up when it mattered most, and the Twins were unable to deliver clutch hits yet again. He scattered four hits and five walks, in 5 2/3 innings. Was the goose egg on the scoreboard the result of Twins hitting or Berrios' pitching? That's a question that has no right answer for Twins fans.
Heartless Baseball
During the game, I received several texts from lifelong Twins fans who had either turned the game off, or were bemoaning the fact that the games are terrible to watch and devoid of emotion and heart. All I can say Twins fans, is that Royce Lewis will meet us in Houston. To be continued...
What’s Next: The Twins travel south to Minute Maid Park to face the defending champion Astros for a three-game series. Monday's matchup will feature Twins' RHP Sonny Gray (4-0, 1.82 ERA) and Astros RHP J.P. France (1-1, 3.43 ERA). The Memorial Day first pitch is slated earlier than usual, at 3:10pm CDT. 
Postgame Interviews:
Bullpen Usage Chart:
  WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT De Leon 21 0 19 0 27 67 Moran 24 0 0 9 0 33 Stewart 20 0 0 13 0 33 Pagan 0 0 21 0 7 28 Duran 13 0 0 12 0 25 Lopez 0 0 0 22 0 22 Sands 0 0 0 0 16 16 Jax 0 0 0 0 12 12  
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I noticed the Bluejays have a strange batting approach.....they hit the ball.

As I continue to research the lyrical stylings of 007, I think the moral of the story is that when the Twins realize they still are alive and got the dog in them somewhere, they can walk away from games like last night and not let it carry over into today.
I still have the team at 96 wins and an AL Central title. And a playoff victory.
Here's to the first game of the rest of our Twins fan lives!
(author was legally obligated to pull the drain on the cesspool he himself started filling...)

If there's one guarantee with a post-game thread here, that is it.

This in when the ace rises to the top of the deck, so can Twins fans count on a win Wednesday?
The starting pitching, for the most part, has not been the problem this season. 

Walks, walks, walks.  Pitching staff self-destructed again.  Ugh.

Well it looks like Ryan will have Duran to back him up. Not sure why he didn't pitch today. But Lopez is starting to worry me just like he did the second half of last year. With all the young prospects no one the major league roster with the exception of Lewis. I'm really curious how the lineup will look tomorrow. But something's got to change. Last year. We at least made it to the All-Star game before fading