Minnesota Update, 7.26.2023
The Twins are still the Twins, and need some help.
Well, they’re still the Twins.
Minnesota struck out 18 times, the bullpen spectacularly blew a four-run lead after a Pablo López gem of a start, and the Twins lost for the first time in five games, 9-7 to the Mariners.
Jovani Moran was the main culprit out of the bullpen, with one of the most spectacularly bad relief appearances you’re likely to see; he walked two batters, gave up a Cal Raleigh double to left, then departed, having successfully set fire to a four-run lead. The next man out of the pen was Emilio Pagán, with runners on second and third and nobody out, and I think we all knew that what was about to happen was what was going to happen. Pagán got a ground-out, then Mariners star Julio Rodriguez swatted a pitch into the right-field seats, and the game was tied.
Oliver Ortega pitched the ninth, as the last available pitcher, with no help coming no matter what he did; in the event, he allowed three more runs, and the bullpen had turned a 6-2 lead into a 9-6 deficit.
The Twins, coming off two consecutive ninth-inning comebacks, couldn’t produce a third miracle in a row. But at least nobody struck out in the ninth, and they didn’t manage to strike out 20 times in one game.
Since I know you’re wondering, Caleb Thielbar’s first appearance of his latest attempt at a rehab stint went pretty well - one inning for St. Paul, no runs, one walk - but Brock Stewart isn’t close to returning, as his mysterious muscle soreness still hasn’t gone away.
The Twins still have Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax out of the bullpen, but after that, things are generally pretty horrifying. I wouldn’t expect much for moves from Minnesota at the trade deadline - it seems like it’s actually more likely that they would trade Sonny Gray and bring up Dallas Keuchel from the minors, though I don’t know how they could possibly try to sell that to their fans - but I would be pretty surprised if they didn’t trade for at least one mid-level reliever, just to try to replace one of the true strugglers on the roster.
On the east side of the river, the Saints got a rough start from Louie Varland, but simply out-hit Toledo anyway. Andrew Stevenson had four hits and a homer, Gilberto Celestino homered and reached base three times, and St. Paul beat the Mud Hens 14-7 at CHS Field.
The Twins are rewarding Edouard Julien for his hot hitting by moving Jorge Polanco to third base for his rehab stint; Polanco singled and walked twice in six trips to the plate. This is giving Anthony Prato a chance at second, and he continues to rake at St. Paul, with a 1.079 OPS in 32 games there (this after a .553 OPS at double-A Wichita, in 43 games there). Nothing wrong with Prato that International League pitching couldn’t cure, somehow.
TODAY’S SLATE
TWINS vs Seattle, 12:10pm
SAINTS vs Toledo, 1:07pm
LYNX vs Washington, 7pm
ON DECK
LOONS vs Chicago, Thursday, Leagues Cup
Jon, are you going to need some extra group therapy sessions soon after having to watch and write about these types of games all the time now? Maybe talk it out on the pod soon.