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Chris Hove

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Blog Entries posted by Chris Hove

  1. Chris Hove

    Sizzling Twins Take On The Brewers for Rivalry Weekend

    By Chris Hove,


    Use an existing entry category
    The Minnesota Twins come into their weekend series as one of the hottest teams in the league, winning eleven straight games in a row; the Twins haven't seen much movement up in the Central Division standings due to the Tigers, Guardians, and Royals playing great baseball as well.
    The Twins, however, have climbed into one of the three wild-card spots, with a 0.5-game lead on the Texas Rangers. The Twins have done everything during this winning streak and received contributions from the whole lineup. Byron Buxton continues to hit; he was in a little 0-12 funk before hitting his 10th home run of the year against Baltimore; he even added three walks in that series as well. He now maintains a respectable slash line of .261/.312/.522.
    Brooks Lee had a couple of home runs, including a well-timed home run against Baltimore on Wednesday that started a four-run 4th inning. He has come up with some clutch hits but made a few mistakes at second base, resulting in his first three errors in the field. His flexibility to play 2B, 3B, and sometimes SS will help the Twins with their rotations. Trevor Larnach has found his swing over his last seven games, batting .322 with 3 HR and 8 RBI. Trevor has struggled to find permanent playing time with the Twins in his 5th year; he has been set back by inconsistent batting and injuries. Larnach has averaged 75 games played in four seasons from 2021 to 2024. So far this year, he has played 43 out of 44 games. Larnach is finally healthy this year, and with a logjam in the outfield between the Twins and their Minor Leagues, it will be interesting to see what the Twins' plans are for Larnach. Larnach commands a team-friendly contract of $2.1 million this year; he would be eligible for arbitration after this season.
     
     
    The Twins got a few surprises from their complementary players, including Kody Clemens, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., and Christian Vazquez. These three don't wow you with their high batting averages and big homerun totals, but they add another element for the Twins that most teams don't have. Clemens had two home runs in this 11-game stretch; one was to break a tie against Boston, and the other one resulted in a game-winner against Baltimore. Clemens is still battling to get his average over .200, but it has been climbing; he also plays 1B, 2B, LF, and RF, something the Twins need, especially with the recent injury news; in yesterday's game, Clemens played three different positions in one game before going back to second base for a fourth position switch. Keirsey Jr is another one who isn't hitting well but has provided some meaningful at-bats during this run. He had a game-winning hit against the Giants in extra innings and added two insurance runs with a home run against Baltimore in yesterday's game. I don't know what the future provides for Keirsey, considering the outfield depth the Twins have; Keirsey Jr also provides excellent speed for the Twins in certain situational times, but with injuries to Buxton and Bader, he could stay a little longer or bring up a hot hitting Carson McCusker, Austin Martin, or they could call up their #2 prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez if they deem he's ready. Also, a rare Christian Vazquez go-ahead three-run homer gave the Twins the 6-3 win against Baltimore. Vazquez doesn't provide much hitting for the Twins, but he does give the Twins a good veteran backup catcher. He can help Ryan Jeffers and the Twins pitchers with a solid game plan.
    The pitching staff has continued to dominate this season, outside of Simeon Woods Richardson, who was optioned to Triple-A yesterday for Zebby Mathews. Mathews will start Sunday in Milwaukee.
    Over these 11 games, the Twins starters have a 3.27 ERA, 55 K, 14 BB, and .902 WHIP, and they only gave up 23 ER over 63.2 innings; 8 of those runs were by SWR. Joe Ryan is in the top 20 in ERA (2.74), K's (54), and 3rd in the MLB in Whip (0.83). Pablo Lopez would also be up there, but he missed three starts due to a hamstring injury.
    Chris Paddack has had the most significant turnaround. He has a 2.06 ERA over his last 39.1 innings. He gave up nine earned runs in his first season start; since then, he's given up 12 runs in 8 starts.

    The bullpen has been dominant all season long as Griffin Jax has battled back after a slow start. Jax has only given up 2 ER in his last 12 appearances. His 30:8 K/BB ratio is a good formula for getting hitters out. Jorge Alcala has looked good when he throws strikes, but has battled control issues so far this season and throughout his career. He has the pitches to be effective, but you don't know what you will get. The Twins have been able to mix and match different pitchers; the combination of Danny Coulombe, Cole Sands, and Jhoan Duran has seen hitters almost unhittable. Through 54.2 innings, these three have allowed 34 H and 7 ER, with an incredible 56:17 K/BB ratio. You can also mix Justin Topa, Louie Varland, and Brock Stewart; they all are strike throwers, and Stewart has a very live fastball, topping out at 96 MPH with good movement. Duran has converted all eight saves and is one of the best closers in the game right now. The Twins' pitching staff is now in the top 10 in six major categories. 5th in ERA, 9th in Hits, 5th in ER, 7th in K, 1st in BB, and 3rd in K. The Twins, all of a sudden, have one of the best pitching staffs in the MLB while also making a change in their rotation because of Woods-Richardson's ineffectiveness. With the hitting much better as of late and the pitching as dominant as it's been, who knows how long this streak can go, 12 games? 15 games?, 20?
     
    The Twins head to Milwaukee for rivalry weekend.
    A weekend series in Milwaukee is always something a Twins fan looks for on the schedule. Going on baseball trips as a kid with my dad, we would always take the nice 4 1/2 hour drive to Milwaukee to watch the Twins play the Brewers; as we get older, we look for the weekend series for specific reasons: beer, the not having to take off numerous days of work and oh yeah, beer. American Family Field, formerly Miller Park, is a great place to watch baseball, knowing that the game will almost certainly be played, as they have a retractable roof, and people who don't like flying can jump in their car and take a nice weekend vacation.
     
    The Twins will put out their top two starters, Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez, on Friday and Saturday, and making his 2025 debut will be Zebby Mathews, who will pitch on Sunday. He was inserted after the Twins demoted the struggling Simeon Woods-Richardson to Triple-A. Mathews has been good in his seven starts at Triple-A, going 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA. Mathews can hold on to that #5 starter spot if he can throw strikes, mix in his cutter and changeup effectively, and execute his two-strike approach.  
    The Brewers will send out Chad Patrick, who's making his ninth start of the year. Patrick is 2-3 with a 3.19 ERA. Patrick isn't a big strikeout pitcher, but he has minimized the big innings.
    The 17-year veteran Jose Quintana was supposed to start Saturday's game but was put on the IL Wednesday with a right shoulder impingement. Quintana is the seventh Milwaukee starter on the shelf, prompting the team to acquire Quinn Priester from the Red Sox. Tobias Myers was recalled from Triple-A and will likely get this start.
    The Brewers will start RHP Freddy Peralta. Peralta has always been a good pitcher and is also off to a fast start this year. He is 4-3 with a 2.66 ERA on the year. He pitched a six-inning, two-hit shutout against the Twins at Target Field last year. The Brewers are 21-23 in the National League Central and trail the Chicago Cubs by four games for first place.
    The Twins will look to win their 12th game in a row and try to make it five straight series wins in Milwaukee starting tonight. Considering all our injuries in the Baltimore series, it will be a very different lineup card tonight. Buxton and Correa collided in the outfield when it appeared Buxton hit his head into the back of Correa's head; both of them are in the MLB concussion protocol.
    Bader is still experiencing groin soreness; Bader left in the 3rd inning vs. Baltimore and didn't play in the second game of the doubleheader or yesterday's game. Ty France left the same game after fouling a pitch off his foot; he didn't play in the second game against Baltimore but was forced to come in yesterday's game when Buxton and Correa left with injuries. France was 0-2 with a strikeout. No move has been made yet, and there is no injury news as of right now.
  2. Chris Hove

    Turning the Tide: Twins Showing Signs of Life

    By Chris Hove,


    Use an existing entry category
    The Minnesota Twins are slowly climbing back to .500 on the season (16-20). This slow start has been attributed to injuries, inconsistencies in the lineup, and a few bullpen hiccups. With the weather warming up and the Twins getting to play some lighter competition, they have slowly turned the corner on their painful start to the season. 
     
    Griffin Jax started the season with a few blown saves and two bad losses as he saw his ERA balloon to over 11. After his last loss against Atlanta, he has put together six scoreless appearances before giving up a solo home run to Wilyer Abreu on Sunday; he still picked up his ninth hold of the year. Griffin still ranks in the top 4% of all pitchers in K%, Whiff%, and Chase Rate. Griffin has gotten over his slow start and will likely keep his late-inning role the rest of the way. The good thing is the Twins will have options with Columbe, Sands, and Stewart should he struggle more.
    Jorge Alcala has continued to have a disappointing season. With numbers to forget, we have already seen Coach Rocco Baldelli decrease Alcala's role. You might want to sit down for these numbers. This year, Alcala has given up 17 H, 13 ER, walked 10, and struck out 13 over 13 1/3 innings. His walk rate is among the highest of any reliever in the league. He's also registered a high Avg. EV (86.0) and a Hard Hit% % of (31.7). He can only get better. You would assume he can settle down and throw strikes in low-leverage situations, but if not, you might see him shipped back to St. Paul when Michael Tonkin returns from rehab. The Twins have a lot of other options if Alcala continues to struggle. They have a lefty in Funderburk that could give them some innings, Travis Adams, Darren McCaughan, or could bring up their two main starters, Zebby Mathews and David Festa, for some experience. All four of these pitchers have done well in Triple-A this year.
     
    Chris Paddack had one of the worst starts of his career, giving up nine earned runs to a terrible Chicago White Sox lineup and three more runs in only four innings pitched against a Houston Astros team that has also struggled to score runs. As much as Twins fans don't care for Paddack, he has bounced back nicely.
     
    Over his last five starts, he has only given up eight earned runs; while Paddack is your definition of a pitch-to-contact pitcher, he has managed well through his last five starts, suitable for a 2.88 ERA. He doesn't do anything significant but is a serviceable 4th or 5th option. He will need to cut down on the walks, as it has doubled from last year, 16 BB in 32 1/3 innings this year. His WHIP will be anywhere from 1.35-1.45, but could increase if he continues to walk batters. Paddack will also need to improve how he pitches on the road; he's given up 14 ER in four starts away from Target Field and six earned runs in three starts at home.
     
    The hitting has been the most prominent sore spot for the Twins most of the season, but it has improved lately. After batting under .200 for about a month, Carlos Correa has finally shown some life at the plate. Over his last 10 games, Correa has been batting .349, with six multi-hit games. The two concerning statistics are that he only has two home runs and doesn't walk much. Correa has seen his average jump from .46 points to .233, and his OPS is almost up .100 points. Twins fans would like more power from Correa and a better ability to hit the ball in the gaps for extra bases.
    Ryan Jeffers has also been hot in his last 10 games. Hitting .355 with five extra-base hits. His slash line is respectable for a catcher: .277/.358/.426 OPS of .784. He's reduced his K% from 20.2 to 17%, significantly improving at hitting changeups and breaking balls. Like Correa, you would think the power will come with only two long balls this year after hitting 21 taters last year, which was in the top 5 in the league at the catcher position.
     
    Harrison Bader has also been swinging a hot bat, going 12-32 (.375 BA) over his last 10 games, raising his average to .280. Bader also carries an eight-game hitting streak. He's not a big power hitter but with a .362 OBP (he would be top-20 for all outfielders, but he comes up just short on qualified at-bats). He has proven so far that he can get on base without hitting the long ball, and his elite defense will essentially keep him in the lineup or as a defensive replacement if he doesn't start.
     
    It will be interesting to see what the Twins do in the outfield once Wallner returns. Will they go with a Bader, Buxton, Wallner outfield and mix in Larnach? If they go with the first option, that would not only give the Twins one of the best outfields in baseball fielding-wise, but it would also be the best option hitting-wise, barring one of those guys doesn't get traded if the Twins fall farther out of the playoffs. It's good to have options.
     
    Byron Buxton has quietly been one of MLB's best slugging outfielders. He ranks in the top 10 outfielders in SLG% (.519) and top 20 in OPS (.819). Considering Byron doesn't walk much due to his aggressive approach, he doesn't light it up in the OBP category to help his OPS. Buxton ranks in the top 10% in Barrel% (16.1) and Hard-Hit%(56.3). he also has a nice six-game hitting streak where his average has jumped up nicely to a respectable .267.
     

    ptkjWc92Rts57egX.mp4  
     
    His 10 multi-hit games are tied for the 7th most in all of baseball. Put that with his great defense and ability to steal bases again, currently 7-7 on the season, and has the fastest sprint speed in the league (30.2), the Twins could be on the verge of a bigger offensive surge. He is still at the top of the league in strikeout (32.9) and BB (3.6), but this is who Buxton is: an aggressive hitter when he makes contact, which results in productive at-bats for Byron. Can Byron stay healthy? That is his most significant question, as he has only played over 100 games twice in his 10 years as a Twin.
     
    With Royce Lewis and Willi Castro back, it should provide more chances for this Twins lineup to score more runs. Castro provides a great approach at the plate, and his versatility in playing multiple positions gives the Twins an advantage not many teams have. Lewis missed 58 games in 2013 with left oblique and hamstring strains and 81 games last year with a right quad strain and an adductor strain. He also missed the first 35 games this year with a left hamstring strain. Like Buxton, can Lewis stay healthy? If the Twins want to compete, he will be a critical piece of the lineup.
     
    "I'm tired of being the guy on the IL," Lewis said. "Seems like these injury bugs; they just stick on one guy for a while. Hopefully, I got mine off."
     
    Since the middle of April, the Twins have gone from the bottom of the league in almost every hitting category to the middle of the pack and still hold a +9 run differential, mainly because of the great starting pitching. They are 16-20 winners of their last seven out of eleven games and sit 6.5 games out of first place in the American League Central Division.
     
    Now, most people will attribute the Twins' recent hitting success to playing bad teams and bad opposing pitching, but you have to give the Twins credit for improving and hanging in there despite the lack of backing from the front office. Weather could be a factor, but I have always said that other teams must also hit in cold weather.
     
    If the Twins can continue this hot trend, and some other hitters step up and combine that with the way the starting pitching has done so far, we could see a big winning streak or even six out of ten or seven out of ten. It's not out of the question that the Twins could go on a run, but they need to do it now if they want to prove to the front office not to trade everyone at the deadline.
  3. Chris Hove
    The Minnesota Twins drafted Byron Buxton with the second overall pick in 2012. Drafted with the promise of a five-tool player boasting 30-30 potential, injuries and an inconsistent approach at the plate have unfortunately hindered Buxton from fully realizing that talent over his 11-year career. He has battled knee injuries, back problems, wrist issues, concussions, migraines, hip soreness, and other nagging issues.
    All these injuries have amounted to him missing around 50% of his playing time. Buxton is in his 11th season as a Twin, and he has appeared in 772 career games, which averages out to roughly 77 games played a year coming into the 2025 season.
    The bright spot this year for Buxton is that he has managed to play in all but three games so far. Two of the games he missed were for personal reasons. With Buxton healthy and playing centerfield, we have already seen what he can do with his glove and speed.
    Byron remains one of the best centerfielders in baseball, with an above-average Fielding Run value of two and an above-average arm. Another intriguing stat is that Buxton is among the best in the league at route running, and his burst of speed allows him to break on balls that he gets a bad jump on.
    He won a Gold Glove in 2017 when he played in a career-high 140 games. So far this year, he has yet to make an error in the field, totaling 232 innings and 59 chances. Over his 11-year career, Buxton is in the top 25 all-time in fielding percentage (.9931), proving why he's so valuable to have in Centerfield.
    Buxton Completes Twins' 100-100 Trifecta
    Buxton made history during Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians by recording his 100th career stolen base. With that stolen base and his 139 career home runs, only three players in Minnesota Twins history have achieved the milestone of 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases, and Buxton is one of them. He joins Torii Hunter and the late great Kirby Puckett as the only ones to accomplish this feat.

    Buxton has brought back his elite speed and knack for stealing bases along with his fielding. Buxton currently ranks #1 in the league in sprint speed (30.2). Since 1951, his 100 stolen bases put him #1 all-time in stolen base percentage at 89.28% (Metric is based on 80 stolen base attempts (baserunners only since 1951) or 100 decisions for career leaderboards for rate statistics). He has only been caught stealing 12 times in his career and is currently 7-7 this year in stolen base attempts.
    It's a luxury for the Twins to employ such a game-changer in Buxton. If he stays healthy, he will have a good shot at 20HR-20SB and an outside shot at 30-30, especially if he can raise his career average to .244. Brian Dozier was the last twin to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in one season when he hit 23 home runs and swiped 21 stolen bases; no Twin has ever reached the 30-30 mark. Could it be Buxton this year?
    Suppose he can work on his 34.2 K% and extremely low 3.4 BB%. A more selective Buxton would also help increase these numbers, but Byron is Byron. He's gonna be aggressive at the plate and swing early and often.
    Health is always a big question mark with Byron, but he has answered all his critics. It's very exciting as a Twins fan to see him playing every day in Centerfield, where he belongs. I hope his bat can heat up, and the Twins can pile up some wins. The Twins currently sit in fourth place (13-18) with one more game against Cleveland today, before heading out for a three-game slate vs the Boston Red Sox.
  4. Chris Hove

    Has Joe Ryan vaulted himself into ace status?

    By Chris Hove,


    Use an existing entry category
    Joe Ryan came into the 2025 season with something to prove after his injury-shortened season last year. Ryan made 23 starts in 2024, going 7-7 with an ERA of 3.60 before cutting his season short with a right shoulder strain. He has been one of the most important pitchers in the rotation since making his debut in 2021. 
    In the 2025 season, Ryan had been nothing short of dominant. Ryan has a nice five-pitch repertoire, which he features the four-seam fastball and sweeper 73% of the time. His fastball has averaged 93 MPH with 18 inches of movement. These two figures have allowed Joe to be at the top of the league in run value (6). The hitters haven't figured out how to successfully hit his fastball as he's holding batters to a .189 BA when throwing it. 
    Ryan has always had a great fastball in getting hitters out and causing them to make weak contact. He's on pace to have a better run value than last year, when he finished in the top 5% when throwing his 4-seam fastball.
    This year, he has tweaked his sweeper by adding more vertical drop from 39.2 inches to 43.6. Joe has also increased his spin rate on the sweeper to 68%, resulting in a 41.3 Whiff%. He's also relying on his sweeper to put away hitters; Increased Whiff% on both pitches has been an enormous strength. It also allows him to mix in his great fastball when needed.
     
     
    Ryan is technically the #2 pitcher on the Twins' starting staff, but he deserves to be #1, not just on the Twins but on many other teams needing starting pitching. Not many teams have a #2 starter putting up numbers like Joe has through his first seven starts
    Ryan's consistently throwing strikes and reliance on compelling secondary pitches help him gain an advantage over hitters. He has put up some more elite numbers across the league in his first seven starts despite having the seventh-worst run support in all of baseball (2.29).
     
    Although Ryan threw some shade at the Twins hitters a few starts ago by saying he would like more time between innings. "It would be nice to have a little bit more time between innings," he said via the Minnesota Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale. “I turned around and got my water bottle, and I was running back out there real quick. Like a minute or two would be nice.   The run support hasn't bothered the way he throws or his overall game plan when out on the mound. He still comes out hitting his spots, mixing in pitches, and throwing strikes, though it's frustrating not getting wins after throwing some of the gems he has this year.
     
    Ryan also ranks top 25 in ERA (2.93), top 15 in K's (47), top 10 in K/9 (10.6), tied 8th in WAR (1.2), 6th in WHIP (0.90), and amazingly top 5 in BB% (3.2).

    These numbers suggest ace status; one thinks he will only get better at 28. Ryan has looked like he can pitch with the other aces in the league. He is 2-2 this year with a 2.93 ERA over 40 innings. There's also the question of whether management will look to trade Ryan? With the Twins not playing like a playoff team, and the owners not looking to improve much or wanting to compete, that has to be in the minds of us Twins fans. You would think they would want to hold on to Joe Ryan since he has come up through the organization from day one and has developed into a great pitcher. You never know what the Pohlads will do.
     
    His next start will be against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday at Target Field, where he's only given up five runs in his three starts at home. Ryan will look to keep his strong start going against an Orioles team that ranks near the bottom in batting average, hits, and runs.
  5. Chris Hove
    The Minnesota Twins are off to a 9-16 start. The team's hitting has been pretty close to non-existent in the first 25 games. They have been able to see guys like Byron Buxton and Luke Keaschall slug the ball all over the ballpark. Both Keaschall and Buxton have a slugging percentage over .450. The Twins' renewed effort to steal bases has been a pleasant surprise. Although the Twins sit in the bottom half of the league in steals, they are almost 25% of the way there to last year's total.
    While Keaschall and Buxton have been good at taking good at-bats and setting the tone for other Twins hitters, it's too bad they can't hit in every spot of the order. Coming into Thursday's game against the Chicago white Sox, the Twins ranked in the bottom half in batting average (.216), runs (85), and hitting with runners in scoring position (.216), which this number will be lower because the Twins finished Thursday's game going 0-8. A big reason has been that Carlos Correa's bat must have gotten lost down in Florida at their Minor League camp when the team headed north.
    Correa is off to one of the worst starts of his career with a batting average of .167 and splits that look like .222/.274/.496. Those numbers are the third lowest in all of baseball with players who have recorded 80+ at-bats. He has primarily hit out of the fifth spot all year, so I don't think it's a lineup spot issue.
    Correa has seen his Exit Velocity at its lowest it's been his whole career at 87.8, couple that with his lowest Max EV. since 2020 at 110.1, to me it looks like he's just missing pitches down and in and pitches in the zone. His barrel percentage is a pitiful 4.4%. One thing I have noticed is that his quality of contact has been more towards topping the ball; his numbers suggest that 44.1% of his swings are on top of the ball, and put that with a 2.9% solid contact rate means he's not seeing the ball well and is resulting to him grounding into the second most double plays (6) so far this year.
    I haven't heard of him making any significant batting changes or mechanical issues, but it's clear that he's missing balls that are in the zone and whiffing at balls down and in. Correa says he feels good and that it's not an injury issue, he's just getting unlucky with the harder hit balls, and that he's not too far off from breaking loose. Right now, Correa is in the 74th percentile in Whiff% and 84th percentile in K%, but as you can see from the charts below, a lot of his misses have come in the strike zone. 

    I haven't heard of him making any significant batting changes or mechanical issues, but it's clear that he's missing balls that are in the zone and whiffing at balls down and in. Correa says he feels good and that it's not an injury issue, he's just getting unlucky with the harder hit balls, and that he's not too far off from breaking loose.

     
    Carlos Correa is expected to remain the Twins' primary shortstop. Carlos Correa is expected to remain the Twins' primary shortstop due to the team's current injury situation and the lack of a Minor League shortstop prospect ready for immediate Major League impact. With Willi Castro just landing on the IL, the Twins are thin at middle infielders. Brooks Lee will likely have to play third until Royce Lewis comes back, and newly acquired Jonah Bride has never played shortstop.
    Correa signed a six-year, $200 million contract in 2023, and his 2025 annual salary is $36 million, resulting in a total payroll salary of $37.33 million for this season. That also might be another reason why the Twins are reluctant to make a move. He has shown that he hasn't lost much on the defensive side, already tracking down some in-between hits that any other normal shortstop wouldn't have made a play on, essentially giving the Twins the defensive skills that they don't have with anyone else.
    Another possibility would be for the Twins to move him further down in the lineup and shift players like Harrison Bader, Brooks Lee, or Ty France up to the five-hole. The Twins need to desperately get his bat going, especially when Matt Wallner and Royce Lewis come off the injured list. It would be ideal for the Twins to have all hands on deck. Can Correa get going and save his season at the plate?  
  6. Chris Hove

    Can This Series Against The White Sox Jumpstart The Twins?

    By Chris Hove,


    Use an existing entry category
    With a 7-15 record, the Twins come into the season holding the second-worst mark in the American League. They open up a three-game series against the worst team in the American League, the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox are bringing statistically one of the worst teams in baseball to Target Field.
    It was the same day last year, April 22nd, the Twins were 7-13 and were getting ready to host a four-game series vs the White Sox. Their sweep of the White Sox then sparked a 12-game winning streak. From April 22nd through roughly the second week of August, the Twins performed like one of the best teams in baseball. We all know what would happen after that. Is this the series that gets the Twins rolling? Or is this team different?
  7. Chris Hove

    Searching for Answers: Twins Look to Bounce Back from Sweep

    By Chris Hove,


    Use an existing entry category
    Despite the Atlanta Braves' struggling lineup, which ranks in the bottom half of every offensive category this season, the Minnesota Twins were unexpectedly swept in their series. Chris Paddack showed flashes of what the Twins were expecting out of him. He went 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 K, 1 BB. He didn't factor into the win on Friday as the Twins lost 6-4. Despite his 2 clunker starts, Paddack has bounced back nicely with 10 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 11 K, 3 BB. Despite possessing a four-pitch arsenal, Paddack has primarily relied on his fastball and changeup over these two starts.
    His fastball and changeup usage were 81% in these two games against the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves. Paddack has had a good change of speeds with his fastball topping out around 95-96 MPH and his changeup at 84 MPH. These two pitches are his primary put-away pitches. Paddack has lowered his ERA to 7.27. He will look for another start Thursday against the White Sox at Target Field.
    Saturday's game was a bullpen game with Justin Topa starting. Topa would go one inning, giving up 3 H and 1 ER in one inning. Simeon Woods Richardson struggled to contain the Braves' offense, surrendering seven hits and three runs over 4.1 innings. The bright spot was that Byron Buxton had three hits and his team-leading fifth stolen base. Twins' bats would go silent after the sixth inning as the Braves' bullpen sent them down in order in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings. Twins lose 4-3.
    Joe Ryan started Sunday, and the Braves continued where they left off on Saturday, putting together eight hits and 6 runs off Ryan. Those runs were more than enough to beat the Twins 6-2. Byron Buxton stayed hot, going 2-5 with a double and a solo homerun. He finished up the three-game trip vs Atlanta going 5-13 with 5 H, 3 XBH, 2 R, 2 RBIs, and a stolen base. The fresh call-up Luke Keaschall had a hit in every game while also collecting a double in all three games. 
    The Twins are now 7-15 on the season and are coming close to falling into last place, where the White Sox are 1.5 games behind the Twins in the American League Central Division. They have already experienced four three-game losing streaks in 22 games. Coming into Sunday's game, the Twins were ranked 27th in BA (.214), 25th in runs (73), and 27th in OPS (.625). and tied for 24th in run differential (-20). The Twins' pitching, all in all, ranks in the middle of the pack for most standard categories. However, they're one save ranks 29th in the league, ahead of the Chicago White Sox, who have yet to record a save on the season. 
    The six-game homestand will start on Tuesday with three games against the Chicago White Sox and three against the Los Angeles Angels. The Twins will look to get on a winning streak against the Chicago White Sox, who rank last in every statistical category in baseball.

    Tuesday vs Chicago White Sox
    MIN Bailey Ober (1-1, 6.16) vs CHI Davis Martin (1-2, 4.84)
    Wednesday vs Chicago White Sox
    MIN David Festa (0-0, 0.00) vs CHI Undecided
    Thursday vs Chicago White Sox
    MIN Chris Paddack (0-2, 7.27) vs CHI Shane Smith (0-1, 2.82)
    Friday vs Los Angeles Angels
    MIN Simeon Woods Richardson (1-2, 4.74) vs LAA Kyle Hendricks (0-2, 4.50)
    Saturday vs Los Angeles Angels
    Joe Ryan (1-2, 4.00) vs LAA Yusei Kikuchi (0-3, 3.38)
    Sunday vs Los Angeles Angels
    Bailey Ober (1-1, 6.16) vs LAA Jose Soriano (2-2, 3.16)
     
     
  8. Chris Hove
    Danny Coulombe is in his second stint with the Twins. He pitched last year with the Baltimore Orioles. Coulumbe was very effective out of that Orioles bullpen, sporting a 2.12 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP over 29 2/3 innings last year. When the Twins re-signed him before this season, they were counting on him being the only lefty in the bullpen so they could use him in any matchup, especially against right-handed hitters. What the Twins have gotten out of Coulombe so far this year is one of the best starts to a season for him, and he also has a nice scoreless streak dating back to last year. Here are some of the incredible stats Coulumbe has put up this year and the latter part of 2024 with the Orioles
    He has pitched 17 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings over his last 18 appearances, stretching back to last season. Here are some more astonishing stats so far this year.
    9 games 7 2/3 INN 27 batters faced 3 hits 0.00 ERA 0.52 WHIP 0.91 OPP BA .130 OPP OBP .136 OPP SLG .145 BAbip (Batting Avg. on Balls in Play) 2-14 VS RHB 1-13 VS LHB This may be a small sample size this year, but Coulombe has been exceptionally good at getting hitters out this season. He's not a big strikeout pitcher, but he mixes speeds well and has a lot of movement on his pitches. Considering Griffin Jax's shaky start, the Twins should explore using Coulombe in higher-leverage spots.
     
     
     
  9. Chris Hove

    Bullpen Boost: Stewart Returns; Other Twins Injury News

    By Chris Hove,


    Use an existing entry category
    The Twins reinstated Brock Stewart from the injured list on Saturday. Stewart has been on the injured list all season due to a left hamstring strain he suffered in spring training. He made two appearances in Single A, throwing 1.2 innings while striking out all five batters. He will replace left-hander Kody Funderburk, who was optioned to Triple-A. Funderburk appeared in two games this year, throwing 4.0 innings with a 4.50 ERA.
    Stewart only pitched in 16 games last year, mostly due to right shoulder tendinitis. The Twins are hopeful that, now fully healthy and ready, he can return to his 2023 performance, during which he struck out 39 batters in 27.2 innings and had a 0.65 WHIP. That season, Stewart also topped many statistical pitching categories. His fastball averaged around 97 MPH, Whiff% 41.5, K% 35.8, Barrel% 3.4, and Hard-Hit% 31.0. Those are all great stats when you compare relievers, but that was 2023 when he was healthy. Fast forward two years, and now completely healthy, it will be interesting to see how fast he can bounce back.
    With a hefty 11.25 ERA and having blown the Twins' last two leads, struggling reliever Griffin Jax will also benefit from his reinstatement. By taking on some high-leverage situations, Stewart could give struggling Jax a breather, with the ultimate goal of Jax returning to his 2024 level. Will Rocco throw him out there right away? That remains to be seen.
    Michael Tonkin, back for his third stint with the Twins, has been sidelined all year with a right shoulder strain. He will begin a rehab stint Friday with Triple-A St. Paul Saints. Assuming that goes well and there are no setbacks, I see him back sometime at the end of April. Who will be the odd man out in the bullpen is the bigger question?
    Pablo Lopez, who has been out since April 8 due to a strained right hamstring, will make a rehab start on Saturday for Triple-A St. Paul. Assuming no setbacks, Lopez will probably only need one start. Look for him to rejoin the Twins rotation around Wednesday, as that is when he is eligible to return from the IL.
    Royce Lewis is probably the farthest away, although reports say he is making some progress. He has been running and doing baseball activities, including hitting, for a while now, but he was scheduled to advance his running progression Thursday with some light baserunning work. Although his return to game action is still weeks away, rather than days, he continues to progress in his recovery from a strained left hamstring.
     With Matt Wallner recently hitting the IL due to a strained hamstring, there's no new information regarding him, Austin Martin, or Jose Miranda. This comes at a bad time for Wallner, as he was one of the Twins' most consistent hitters and an on-base threat. His slash lines look like this: .263 average, .373/.474/..847.  Miranda will likely return in the middle of next week when his stint is over.  Despite his struggles this year, Miranda would provide much-needed depth for the Twins. He was injured while shopping at Target when he dropped a pack of water and strained his left hand trying to re-grab it, yes, that's no joke, Twins fans. He could add some depth if Correa and Castro continue to nurse injuries.
    Willi Castro (oblique) and Christian Vazquez (hand) remain day-to-day due to injuries. The Twins will also continue to monitor Carlos Correa, who sustained a wrist injury earlier this week but has played in subsequent games.
  10. Chris Hove

    Why is Yunior Severino getting no love?

    By Chris Hove,


    Use an existing entry category
    Yunior Severino has been in Triple-A for part of 2023, and all of 2024. He started 2025 in St. Paul. He was the Minor League Player of The Year in 2023 clubbing 35 homeruns in both Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul, and then followed that up with 21 homeruns last year strictly in Triple-A St. Paul.
    He does strike out a lot but has managed to maintain a career .266 batting average and has major power potential. He was once a top-30 prospect but has now completely dropped off. Anyone know what has happened to him? He can play corner infield, mostly first base. Seems like there's no trust.
  11. Chris Hove

    Byron Buxton is creating havoc with his speed again

    By Chris Hove,


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    Byron Buxton is transforming back to the young Byron Buxton. Yeah, he's only hitting .215 with an OBP of .261 and two walks, but when on base, it's more than likely that he'll come around and score. He's been on base 20 times this season and has scored 15 runs, which is a (75%) clip.
    The Twins' offense has gained a dynamic edge with Byron Buxton's increased aggressiveness on the basepaths. His ability to pick up extra bases often feels like a guaranteed run, a dimension unseen by fans in recent memory. However, this exhilarating style has unfortunately led to knee injuries and soreness. The team currently faces a balancing act, needing Buck's presence on the bases for the high probability of scoring.

  12. Chris Hove

    Welcome To The Show; Luke Keaschall

    By Chris Hove,


    Use an existing entry category
    Luke Keaschall has been called up tonight and will be in Atlanta for tomorrow's game. Where do we see him primarily playing? 
    This call up has pumped some excitement into the team and added some much needed depth with the uncertainty of Willi Castro and Carlos Correa. Keaschall can handle the bat and provides some much needed speed for the Twins. What is everyone's thoughts on this move?
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