Tom Froemming

The 2018 Twins team will go down in infamy as the club that suffered 15 walk-off losses. That mark tied a team record, and fell just one shy of the MLB record. But it wasn’t all bad. The Twins had six walk-off victories of their own, and each one tied in nicely with a major story line from the 2018 season. Max Kepler, April 11 vs. Houston Ah April, when hope was still alive all across Twins Territory. Minnesota actually held a two-run lead heading into the ninth inning in this one, but closer Fernando Rodney blew the save, allowing Houston to tie it up. Houston managed to retire the first two Twins batters of the bottom of the ninth but Max Kepler, who had already gone deep early in the game, hit a rocket over the right field wall to end it. This victory gave the Twins a series win over the defending champion Astros. Again, hope was still alive and well. As for Max, this was one of many bright moments he had early in the season. Through April, Kepler was hitting .299/.358/.563 (.921), but he failed to keep that pace going, mirroring the team as a whole in some ways. Ryan LaMarre, April 18 vs, Cleveland (in Puerto Rico) To me, this was the high point of the entire season. Jose Berrios pitched seven shutout innings on his home island, but this game was scoreless through the first 13 innings. Cleveland finally scored in the top of the 14th, but a Miguel Sano home run tied it back up in the bottom of the inning. Things stayed knotted up until the bottom of the 16th, when the Sire of Fort Myers became the Hero of Puerto Rico. Ryan LaMarre was one of the feel-good stories of spring training. The 29-year-old minor league free agent broke camp with the Twins, but saw little playing time and was eventually sent to Rochester for a few games, then recalled to be the 26th man for this series. LaMarre came off the bench in the 10th inning of this game and ended up going 3-for-4 with the walk-off single to top Cleveland and put the Twins back on top of the AL Central standings. The Twins relinquished the lead over the weekend that followed and never recovered. Eddie Rosario, June 3 vs. Cleveland https://twitter.com/TwinsHighlights/status/1048592270365282304 What an incredible performance this was from Eddie Rosario, who was recently named Twins Daily’s Most Valuable Player for 2018. Rosie socked three home runs, the third of which finished things in walk-off fashion. His WPA on the game was a sky-high .547. To put that into perspective, WPA is designed so that the entire winning team’s roster will combined for .500 WPA. Rosario’s big day gave the Twins their third straight win over Cleveland, pulling them up from 6.5 games back to just 3.5. Eddie had a .317/.352/.573 (.926) batting line at the conclusion of this game, but (similar to Kepler) he eventually faded. Brian Dozier, July 15 vs. Tampa Bay Remember how the Twins climbed back in the race after Rosario’s three-homer day? Well, they followed that up with a stretch in which they went 9-18, dropping them all the way back to 12 games behind Cleveland. The Twins bounced back with a stretch of great play in which they won nine of their final 11 games heading into the break. This was the final game of that hot streak, and it was capped off with a walk-off grand slam from Dozier. It was a wild game to finish the first half. Dozier scored the go-ahead run on a balk he induced in the seventh inning, the Rays appeared to respond by intentionally throwing at Eduardo Escobar (and missing) and the benches cleared. The Twins were winning, showed they had plenty of fight left in them and pulled back form a dozen down to 7.5 back in the division. Poor time for the All-Star break to come. This ended up being Brian Dozier’s final home run with the Twins. Mitch Garver, July 30 vs. Cleveland The Twins failed to make up anymore ground once the second half got rolling, which set the front office into sell mode. Eduardo Escobar was already dealt and the Zach Duke and Lance Lynn trades were announced shortly before the start of this game. It appeared as though the Twins were conceding the division to Cleveland at that point. Somebody forgot to tell Mitch Garver. Garver crushed a walk-off double to beat Cleveland, but despite the big win the Twins still trailed by eight games. More trades were to come ... Willians Astudillo, Sept. 9 vs. Kansas City Plenty of Twins fans tuned out after the trade deadline, which is a shame because there were a few guys who took advantage of the opportunities created by all the roster shake ups. Willians Astudillo was a treasure. A unicorn in today’s baseball landscape, La Tortuga quickly became a fan favorite, and quickly proved he was much more than just a sideshow act. A veteran of eight minor league seasons coming into 2018, Astudillo had never hit more than four home runs in a single season. He found his power stroke in the Twins org, slugging 12 home runs in Rochester before adding three more with the Twins. This walk-off shot was his final round tripper of the season, but Willians would provide plenty more memorable moments through the rest of September. This walk-off win served as another turning point in the Twins’ season. They had won just three of their prior 14 games prior to this game, but went 14-7 to close out the year. That does it for the walk-off highlights, which was your favorite?

Note: This is basically a B-side from the upcoming 2019 Offseason Handbook, which you can now preorder. If you like this piece, you’ll LOVE the handbook. Claim your copy today to get it before its official release. Maybe the solution to getting the Twins turned around isn’t making big, sweeping changes as much as it is knowing when to stop pouring plate appearances into guys who are struggling. Logan Morrison (359 PA, 74 wRC+), Ehire Adrianza (366 PA, 82 wRC+), Ryan LaMarre (109 PA, 75 wRC+) and especially Bobby Wilson (151 PA, 40 wRC+) all got a lot more opportunities than the average team trying to compete would have provided to them. Buxton and Sano were both very bad at the plate last year as well, but both have shown potential and still possess untapped upside. If the Twins intend to be contenders in 2019, the leash needs to be short, however, and the team needs to prepare itself with replacement options should things go poorly again. The Twins appear to already have some viable backup plans if Buxton fails to blossom. Max Kepler has proven to be a capable center fielder and the emergence of Jake Cave creates some additional flexibility. At third base, on the other hand, the Twins are paper thin behind Sano. Finding some insurance at the hot corner needs to be high up on the list of priorities for the front office. Last offseason, Derek Falvey & Co. built in flexibility, creating a team that had the potential to contend, but at the same time would be easy to tear down in the event things didn’t go so well. They added some pieces in the short term without getting too tied down in the long term. They may want to aim to set up a similar flexibility with Buxton and Sano. It’s depressing to have to admit this, but at this point it would be foolish of the Twins to expect Buxton and Sano to realize their potential in 2019. Contingency plans need to be in place, but at the same time it may be equally as foolish to completely give up on those two or sell them off at their lowest value. Everything should be set up to put Buxton and Sano in the best situation to succeed, giving them plenty of opportunities in the early going, but the team also needs to be built with the ability to pivot if those two come out of the gates slumping. The baseball season is so long, so the “take it one day at a time” mantra is usually golden wisdom. Cliches become cliches for a reason. That line of thinking can be dangerous, however, as the games in April and May count every bit as much as those in August and September. Considering how early teams make their buy/sell decisions, one could argue that those early games are even more important. Both Buxton and Sano possess a profile that provides potential flexibility. If Sano comes out slumping, there’s nothing wrong with him shifting to the bench for a spell. As a corner infielder who mashes lefties, it’s not like he’d be out of place as a bench bat/platoon DH. Similarly with Buxton, he could provide plenty of value off the bench as a late-inning pinch runner and defensive replacement. They both have specialized skills that would make them attractive even in a temporary reserve role. We’ve seen plenty of players have several false starts on the road to becoming everyday players. It seemed like Eduardo Escobar flip-flopped from being on the bench to being counted on as a starter every other season. Aaron Hicks also experienced several failures to launch. Doug Mientkiewicz, Torii Hunter and David Ortiz are just a few of the many other names that fit into this category. We’ve been talking about these two guys for years and have seen them up in the big leagues for several seasons now, but it’s so easy to forget that Byron Buxton is only 24-years-old and Miguel Sano is 25. There’s no reason to give up, but the Twins would be wise to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Hungry for more? Preorder the Offseason Handbook, which will include loads more speculation and analysis.

Of all the things that went wrong for the Twins in 2018, the organization has to especially feel good about the fact that Berrios took another step toward emerging as one of the game’s best starters. The first thing that stick out about Berrios’ numbers are the strikeouts. He increased his K/9 rate from 8.59 in 2017 to 9.45 this season and is K% boosted from 22.6 to 25.4 in 2018. There are certain milestones that stand out for a pitcher, and reaching 200 strikeouts is certainly one of them. “That was one of my goals before the season started,” Berrios said. “That’s when I wrote it down and I accomplished it and I’m thankful to God for that.” That’s a landmark milestone to achieve, but the Twins believe Berrios, still only 24-years-old, can get even better. “We all feel that he’s not done learning,” Paul Molitor said. “He’s one of those kids that’s going to embrace the year, in terms of reflection. Think about the things that worked, positivity about those things, but also how to avoid some of those stretches or some starts where things kind of got away from him.” Berrios has no problems with those high expectations. "I want to be one of the best pitchers in the league,” Berrios said. “I think I have the material to do that and to be the best pitcher on this team so that Minnesota can construct around me and build a winning team." Berrios has some things to address before he reaches his goal of becoming among the game’s best. He had a hard time on the road and in day games, experienced a bit of a dip in the second half and could have been better with runners on. Kyle Gibson had a great year himself, and was more consistent. He bested Berrios in both ERA and innings, but Jose held the advantage in FIP and paced Gibby in both WHIP (1.14 vs. 1.30) and K:BB ratio (3.31 vs. 2.27) by a wide margin. The best news for the Twins? Their trio of top starters are all set to return in 2019 and Michael Pineda should be ready to go by Opening Day. There’s also Adalberto Mejia, Chase De Jong, Aaron Slegers and the bevy of others who debuted this season like Fernando Romero, Kohl Stewart, Stephen Gonsalves and Zack Littell. Plus Lewis Thorpe, among others, is waiting in the wings and the front office will surely look to add more arms. Will 2019 finally be the year the Twins have enough pitching? That will remain to be seen, but having Berrios motivated to get even better is a great place to start. THE BALLOTS Here's a look at the ballots from each of our seven voters. As you can see, this was not a unanimous decision. Seth Stohs: 1) Gibson, 2), Berrios, 3) Rogers, 4) Rodney Nick Nelson: 1) Berrios, 2) Gibson, 3) Rogers, 4) Odorizzi John Bonnes: 1) Gibson, 2) Berrios, 3) Rogers, 4) Odorizzi Tom Froemming: 1) Berrios, 2) Gibson, 3) Odoizzi, 4) Rogers Cody Christie: 1) Berrios, 2) Gibson, 3) Odorizzi, 4) Rogers Steve Buhr: 1) Berrios, 2) Gibson, 3) Rogers, 4) Odorizzi Ted Schwerzler: 1) Berrios, 2) Rogers, 3) Gibson, 4) Odorizzi POINTS Berrios 26 Gibson 22 Rogers 13 Odorizzi 8 Rodney 1 PREVIOUS PITCHER OF THE YEAR WINNERS 2015: Kyle Gibson 2016: Ervin Santana 2017: Ervin Santana OTHER 2018 AWARD WINNERS Most Improved: Kyle Gibson Rookie of the Year: Mitch Garver Player of the Year: Coming soon Do you agree with our committee's pick? Who would be your choice for Best Twins Pitcher and why?

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Littell: 52 Game Score, 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 70.0% strikes (49 of 70 pitches) Home Runs: Kepler (20) Multi-Hit Games: Kepler 2-for-4, 2B WPA of 0.1 or higher: May .368, Rogers .200, Kepler .189, Forsythe .175, Drake .126 WPA of -0.1 or lower: Belisle -.195, Hildenberger -.302 It’s important to note that Joe still hasn’t decided what’s to come in 2019. Some of the speculation as to why Mauer avoided making an announcement earlier was that he wanted to dodge the spotlight. Well, there was no way for Mauer to find shelter from the ovations, applause and appreciation that was showered down upon him Sunday. And you know what the best part was? He seemed to revel in it. Sundays at Target Field are kid’s days, and part of what makes them special is some lucky youngsters get to stand with a player on the field during the pregame ceremonies. Well this time it was Joe’s twin daughters Emily and Maren who met him on the field. https://twitter.com/Twins/status/1046492557205692417 Prior to his first plate appearance, the White Sox faded to the background to allow Mauer to get the spotlight treatment. https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/1046482677371535360 Mauer received a standing ovation each time he stepped into the box today, and the stadium erupted when he hit a double in the seventh inning. https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/1046512332434624512 Pack it in, there’s no way you can possibly top that, right? Right!? Wait … https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/1046519774287552512 If this is it, what a way to go out. Mauer will have a growing family to enjoy and there will surely be plenty of updates to the tributes that adorn Target Field. Mauer’s number will join those that have been retired, there will likely be a Gate 7 established and a statue will be erected of him. A bar named in his honor? Well ... don’t hold your breath on that one. No matter what’s next, Joe Mauer’s legacy is secure. I’m sure he appreciates that his teammates helped end the season with a victory. The Twins closed out 2018 by winning their final six games, giving them a 78-84 record on the season. Postgame With Mauer https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/1046524930114764801 Last Three Games MIN 8, CHW 3: Twins Continue Trend of Finishing Strong MIN 12, CHW 4: Garver Drives In 6, Mauer Showered With Applause MIN 2, CHW 1: Berrios Reaches 200 Ks This has been a tough year for Twins Territory. We’ve certainly suffered through worse, but this season’s high hopes were dashed so quickly, and it left a rotten taste in the mouths of much of the fan base, as evidence by the venting that’s gone on at this site this season. I want to thank everyone who’s continued to check out these recaps on a regular basis. No matter how much fan interest seem to dwindle, I always knew there were going to be people looking for a game recap at Twins Daily. Whether you looked to these to keep up to date on the team or just needed a place for some group therapy among fellow fans, thank you for your support. I truly appreciate it. A big thank you and much love also to the moderators. I’ve also, as always, got to thank Seth, John, Nick, Parker and Brock for the opportunity to do my thing here. By green lighting these game recaps last year, you guys basically opened the door for me to be the primary voice on the site in a lot of ways. It’s a privilege and an honor that I don’t take lightly. Alright, it’s time to put these recaps to bed. See you again March 28, 2019 at Target Field. Here’s hoping No. 7 will join us.

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Gibson: 68 Game Score, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 59.6% strikes (59 of 99 pitches) Home Runs: None Multi-Hit Games: Polanco (3-for-5), Mauer (2-for-4, BB), Astudillo (2-for-5, 2B), Field (2-for-4, 2B) WPA of 0.1 or higher: Cave .173, Polanco .111, Mauer .108 WPA of -0.1 or lower: None Gibson gave up a run in the first, but the Twins weren’t down long, as Jake Cave hit a two-run double in the bottom of the inning. In the second, White Sox starter Carlos Rodon unraveled. Rodon’s final line: 1.0 IP, 6 H, 8 ER, 4 BB, 2 K. Ouch. The Twins didn’t pile anything else on from there and Gibby flipped over into cruise control. Jorge Polanco had three more hits, boosting his average to .291 and his OPS to .778. Joe Mauer reached base three times. Buckle up for tomorrow, Target Field is going to be a mess. Perfect magical unicorn Willians Astudillo had two more hits, including an RBI double. Major League Baseball player Johnny Field was 2-for-4 with a double, This will not go down as a memorable season in the annals of Twins history, but the team has won five straight games and 10 of its last 13. Remaining Games Sun vs. CHW, 2:10pm CT: Zack Littell vs. Dylan Covey Last Three Games MIN 12, CHW 4: Garver Drives In 6, Mauer Showered With Applause MIN 2, CHW 1: Berrios Reaches 200 Ks MIN 9, DET 3: Vive La Tortuga

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) De Jong: 52 Game Score, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 63.5% strikes (47 of 74 pitches) Home Runs: None Multi-Hit Games: Garver (4-for-5, 2 2B), Mauer (2-for-4, BB), Cave (2-for-4, 2B, BB), Grossman (2-for-4) WPA of 0.1 or higher: Garver .202, De Jong .101 WPA of -0.1 or lower: None Mauer, who served as the DH in both games of Friday’s doubleheader, was lifted for a pinch-runner after hitting a single in the sixth inning. Manager Paul Molitor took advantage of the opportunity to manufacture a memorable moment, and Twins Territory responded accordingly. Mitch Garver was at first base for tonight’s game, making his first start since suffering a concussion Sept. 12. Apparently he’s seeing the ball well. Garver hit a two-run double in the first inning, another run-scoring double in the second, added a two-run single in the third then just for good measure added an RBI single in the fifth. He was a one-man wrecking crew, finishing the night 4-for-5 with a career-high six runs batted in. "We just saw a steady growth of Mitch as a hitter," Paul Molitor said. "There’s been a lot of times particularly in the second half where he’s taken pitches to the opposite field in run-scoring situations to cash in some people. We always talked that the bat played and the more at-bats he’s gotten the more confidence and results." Chase De Jong earned his first MLB victory after pitching six innings. He gave up four hits and walked a batter while striking out four. The only two runs he gave up were on solo home runs. "Last year technically I started in the big leagues and ended at Double-A," De Jong said. "This year was all about reestablishing myself as a quality starter and that I could go out there and put together quality innings. I've done that. I've proven that to myself and now I've proven to the Minnesota Twins. It's wonderful to finish the year on a high note." Remaining Games Sat vs. CHW, 6:10 pm CT: Kyle Gibson vs. Carlos Rodon Sun vs. CHW, 2:10pm CT: Zack Littell vs. Dylan Covey Last Three Games MIN 2, CHW 1: Berrios Reaches 200 Ks MIN 9, DET 3: Vive La Tortuga MIN 11, DET 4: Bats Bust Out, Bullpen Shuts Out Detroit

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Berrios: 74 Game Score, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 9 K, 65.1% strikes (69 of 106 pitches) Home Runs: None Multi-Hit Games: Mauer (2-for-4), Grossman (2-for-2, 2 BB) WPA of 0.1 or higher: Berrios .362, Rogers .203, Grossman .152, Cave .102 WPA of -0.1 or lower: Adrianza -.110, Kepler -.182 With nine strikeouts, Berrios ends his season with a grand total of 202. The last time a Twins pitcher struck out more batters in a single season was back in 2007 when Johan Santana racked up 235 Ks. https://twitter.com/Twins/status/1045768052460179457 Along with the strikeout milestone, Berrios also managed to lower his ERA to 3.84, topping his 2017 mark of 3.89. "Nice finish," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We talked about it pregame. He’s had an overall good year. There’s been some times where I think he’s been frustrated. We saw a little bit of that — more so in the second half than the first — but he kept grinding, and I think he was motivated today. I know he wanted to win. But I know he had those 200 strikeouts in mind. Striking out the side in the first was a good way to put a dent in getting to that milestone. I even think he had another inning left in him, but I didn’t see any real reason to push that. So we turned it over." Robbie Grossman had another great day at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks. Jake Cave had the only extra-base hit of the entire game, a double, and also drew a walk. Taylor Rogers pitched a scoreless eighth inning and recorded the first out in the ninth before giving way to Trevor May, who earned his second save of the season. And we will now transition to the Willians Astudillo section of the recap. Astudillo opened up the second inning with a first-pitch fly out. It’s not too often he doesn’t put a ball in play, but in the fourth inning Willians drew his second career walk. That sent his career walk rate skyrocketing up to 2.3 percent. Astudillo came up in the sixth with the game tied and the bases loaded. Instead of showing off his new-found patience, Astudillo swung at the first pitch and delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly. Astudillo-mania has swept up Twins Territory, but the phenomenon also seems to have had an impact on his manager. "We’ve all enjoyed the story. It’s just kinda fun to watch that kid play baseball," Molitor said. With it being the final weekend, the focus is begining to shift to offseason plans. As for Astudillo? "He tells me that he’s in the best shape of his life," Molitor said. "Not sure that I shouldn’t bring out some diagram of some geometric shapes to see where he fits in there. I think he knows that he probably could do a little more in that regard, but it’s not like he’s going to turn into a base stealer anytime soon." Postgame With Berrios https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/1045782727088168960 Next Three Games Fri vs. CHW, 7:10 pm CT: Chase De Jong vs. Lucas Giolito Sat vs. CHW, 6:10 pm CT: Kyle Gibson vs. Carlos Rodon Sun vs. CHW, 2:10pm CT: Zack Littell vs. Dylan Covey Last Three Games MIN 9, DET 3: Vive La Tortuga MIN 11, DET 4: Bats Bust Out, Bullpen Shuts Out Detroit DET 4, MIN 2: Mauer Reaches Milestone, Hildenberger Flops

May originally floated out his idea to introduce a drum or similar noisemaker on Twitter Tuesday evening, and even offered up a ticket to the volunteer drummer for every 2019 home game. https://twitter.com/IamTrevorMay/status/1044814308683714560 When you think about a drummer in a baseball stadium, Progressive Field in Cleveland immediately comes to mind. Indians fan John Adams has pounded a bass drum at every single home game since 1973. But May’s inspiration was actually drawn more from the fans in Oakland. “I’ve been there (in Oakland) when they weren’t very good, obviously their attendance was lower than now, but those Bleacher Creatures are always there,” May said. “As a player, you notice it.” Those dedicated Bleacher Creatures at the Coliseum are a group of rowdy fans who occupy three sections. Even during their down seasons, this group consisted of 30-40 fans waving flags, shaking cowbells and just generally making all sorts of noise. “I know that me, personally, I feed off that,” May said. “It adds all kind of stuff to my game and I live for that. It makes the game more fun.” Scrolling through some of the responses May received to that original Tweet, you can see about a 50/50 split between people who love the idea and people who loathe it. Several people showed interest in joining the band, other’s threatened to boycott the stadium. May was the driving force behind creating “FortDay” at Target Field, an event that brought together a couple hundred fans of the video game Fortnite to watch May and some of his fellow E-Sports competitors play on the stadium video board, so he has some experience with the ins and outs of how things work. He acknowledged there were some logistical issues and security concerns to address. “It’s bringing them in that’s the problem, bringing extra stuff in,” May said. “I don’t think the noise itself is the problem, I think it’s when you open up to letting people bring that stuff in. My idea was to have a drum and keep it here … I’m talking about putting them way up in the right field stands.” Unlike his days as a starting pitcher, May has enjoyed being able to get hyped up and let things loose over shorter bursts out of the bullpen without having to think about conserving energy. “I love that. I think that’s why I really like relieving,” May said. “I struggle to keep that adrenaline going, that atmosphere going in my own head when I’m starting.” May mentioned former White Sox starter Jake Peavy and current Nationals ace Max Scherzer as a couple of rare examples of starting pitchers who are able to maintain a high-level of intensity and adrenaline over the course of a long start, but those types are a rare breed. May expressed gratitude for the support he’s received at Target Field, but that last trip to Oakland has him wondering what could be. “It just got me thinking about how to engage fans a little better,” May said.

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Gonsalves: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 56.6% strikes (43 of 76 pitches) Home Runs: None Multi-Hit Games: Polanco (3-for-5, 2B), Austin (2-for-4, 2 2B), Astudillo (2-for-4, 2B) WPA of 0.1 or higher: Austin .250, Astudillo .189, Magill .129 WPA of -0.1 or lower: None The Twins currently have a better record since the trade deadline (25-27, .481 WP) than they did before they sent away all their “good pieces,” as Ervin Santana put it (49-57, 476 WP). Along with Astudillo, Tyler Austin — another guy who’s provided some post-deadline intrigue — also had it going tonight. He was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. Gabriel Moya served as the opener tonight and gave up a run on two hits. Stephen Gonsalves came in for the second inning and walked the first two batters he faced. Both those runners eventually came around to score. The Twins strung together a five-run rally in the third inning, as Joe Mauer hit an RBI double, Austin had a two-run double and Astudillo drove in two on a single. Despite gaining the lead, Gonsalves didn’t last long. He continued to struggle to hit his spots, walking a total of four batters, and threw only 56.6 percent of his pitches for strikes. From there, the bullpen was great. Matt Magill wiggled out of Gonsalves’ jam and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Alan Busenitz was perfect in the seventh, Zack Littell pitched a scoreless eighth and John Curtiss followed suit in the ninth. Postgame With Astudillo https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/1045522102944595968 Next Three Games Fri vs. CHW, 1:10 pm CT: Jose Berrios vs. Reynaldo Lopez Fri vs. CHW, 7:10 pm CT: Chase De Jong vs. Lucas Giolito Sat vs. CHW, 6:10 pm CT: Kyle Gibson vs. Carlos Rodon Last Three Games MIN 11, DET 4: Bats Bust Out, Bullpen Shuts Out Detroit DET 4, MIN 2: Mauer Reaches Milestone, Hildenberger Flops MIN 5, OAK 1: Gibby’s Arm, Cave’s Bat and Adrianza’s Glove Lift Twins to Victory

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Odorizzi: 27 Game Score, 3.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, 54.7% strikes (41 of 75 pitches) Home Runs: Field 2 (9), Austin (17) Multi-Hit Games: Astudillo (3-for-5), Polanco (2-for-4, 3B, BB), Grossman (2-for-4, 2B, BB), Field (2-for-4, 2 HR), Gimenez (2-for-4) WPA of 0.1 or higher: Duffey .212, Field .200, Austin .163, Grossman .152 WPA of -0.1 or lower: Odorizzi -.320 This was Odorizzi’s shortest start since June 23 and just the second time all season he failed to at least record an out in the fourth inning. Things got off on the wrong foot right out of the gate, as Odorizzi walked the leadoff man on four pitches then nearly gave up an inside-the-park home run to Christian Stewart. Jorge Polanco made a nice relay throw to nail him at the plate. Odorizzi will end the year with a 4.49 ERA, the worst he’s posted over a full season in his career, but he also recorded 162 strikeouts in 164 1/3 innings pitched. That 8.9 K/9 is his highest rate since his rookie year back in 2014. Odorizzi gives the Twins three pitchers with 160 punchouts this season, joining Jose Berrios and Kyle Gibson. Coming into tonight, the only three Twins pitchers who’ve reached that mark since Target Field opened are Ervin Santana (2017), Phil Hughes (2014) and Francisco Liriano (2010). The last time the Twins had multiple pitchers reach 160 strikeouts was 1987 (Frank Viola and Bert Blyleven). To find the last time they had at least three pitchers reach that mark was in 1967 when they had four guys accomplish the feat (Dean Chance, Jim Kaat, Dave Boswell and Jim Merritt). As soon as Odorizzi exited, this game turned around. The bullpen held down Detroit, and in the meantime, the Twins’ bats heated up. Tyler Duffey earned the win, pitching two no-hit innings. Andrew Vasquez turned in a perfect inning of his own in the sixth and Addison Reed pitched a scoreless seventh before John Curtiss and Matt Belisle each turned in a perfect inning to finish things off. Tyler Austin hit a two-run home run in the first inning. Johnny Field hit a solo blast in the second and added a two-run homer in the fourth. Jorge Polanco capped the five-run fifth inning with a bases-clearing triple. Next Three Games Thu vs. DET, 7:10 pm CT: TBD vs. Francisco Liriano Fri vs. CHW, 1:10 pm CT: Jose Berrios vs. Reynaldo Lopez Fri vs. CHW, 7:10 pm CT: Chase De Jong vs. Lucas Giolito Last Three Games DET 4, MIN 2: Mauer Reaches Milestone, Hildenberger Flops MIN 5, OAK 1: Gibby’s Arm, Cave’s Bat and Adrianza’s Glove Lift Twins to Victory OAK 3, MIN 2: Willians Astudillo Collects Three More Hits