It’s dreary but for the most part dry here at Target Field, where the Minnesota Twins are preparing to face the Baltimore Orioles for the first time since getting swept at Camden Yards in Baltimore to start the season.
The threat of inclement weather pushed the Twins rotation back a day, but it also means the guys will get what’s probably the Orioles’ best starter. Even still, manager Paul Molitor would have preferred to play last night rather than have an evening off, early-season struggles and all.
“To be honest with you, when they made the announcement I was a little disappointed,” Molitor said. “I was kind of anxious to get out there and play. Which might sound a little bit contrary to what people would think when you’re struggling, but I think that’s one good thing about our game is that you’ve got a lot of opportunities and they come quickly.”
Molitor’s stance softened a bit when he reflected on what a night off meant for a club that’s been embattled through the first month in myriad ways.
“But after some time went by and I had a chance to think about some people who have been banged up a bit, not only position players that are trying to get to 100 percent, but our bullpen has been heavily overused here for the first month,” Molitor said. “So an extra day for all those guys was probably good. We’ll take the off night, and come back here hopefully refreshed and ready to play.”
Accuweather.com lists about a 30 percent chance for precipitation around game time, with that dropping to 20 percent as the night wears on.
Additionally, the Twins announced Tuesday night that the July 28 makeup game against the Orioles would be played at 6:10 pm.
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Here’s how the Twins will line up today:
Jose Berrios takes the mound for a third time as a Twin after an unscheduled night off on Monday. He hasn’t worked since May 2, a span of eight days since his last start in Houston. The numbers have been loud for Berrios through two starts. He’s fanned 13 batters but walked seven in 9.1 innings, has allowed a pair of home runs and has had to contend with an incredibly high .350 BABIP so far. It’s difficult to get a read on just what Berrios has accomplished thus far by numbers, not only due to small sample size but also the fact that he had to contend with spotty weather in his first start and a questionable strike zone in the second.
Here’s what we do know: he’s averaged 93.2 mph on his four-seam fastball and just a tick lower on the two-seamer. He’s reached back for as high as 95.7 mph on the four and 95.1 on the two. He mixes in the curveball quite frequently (23.3 percent), but the fastball (15.6 percent) has been the best pitch for swinging strikes. The suspicion here is that the curve and changeup will take the lead on that front as he pitches more, but for now his changeup has been hit hard. He’s allowed a single, double and a home run on the pitch so far this season for a .750/.800/.1.750 line. That’ll all even out in the wash however; the pitch has good depth and plenty of fading action, and it’ll help once he commands the fastball a bit better.
Opposing Berrios is Kevin Gausman, whom the Orioles selected fourth overall in the 2012 draft — two picks after the Twins took Byron Buxton. Gausman was an accomplished pitcher at LSU, and was expected to be on the fast-track to the big leagues after being selected. True to form, he debuted 10 months after signing, but has kicked around the last few years between Baltimore and Triple-A Norfolk as well as between starting and relieving with the Orioles.
Gausman has made only three starts this season after opening the year on the disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis, but he’s been on point thus far. The right-hander has allowed just three earned runs through 19 innings (1.42 ERA), with just three walks and a single home run allowed. So despite having a 0-1 record, he’s been solid. Gausman’s game is predicated on velocity; he’ll average between 94-96 mph on the four-seam fastball, and will mix in a slider and a splitter that doubles as a changeup.
The split is a very good swing-and-miss offering (17.7 percent), and the slider is in double digits as well. Strikeouts have been down a bit for Gausman so far (6.6 K/9 2016, 7.8 career), but he has shown an increase in groundball rate. If the Orioles have anyone on the roster with ace potential, this is it.
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Moving up, Moving out
The organization announced the following moves on Tuesday:
RP J.T. Chargois was promoted from Double-A Chattanooga to Triple-A Rochester.
RP Ryan O’Rourke and SP Tommy Milone were outrighted to Rochester.
C Brett Doe was released from the active roster, but retained as the bullpen catcher at Rochester.
Chargois will wear No. 48, Milone will don No. 23, and O’Rourke will resume wearing No. 20. John Ryan Murphy will now wear No. 12. The team is at 24 players on the active roster.
Chargois is a right-handed fireballer who is on the Twins 40-man roster, and had made 11 strong appearances at Chattanooga this season: 1.54 ERA, 10.8 K/9 and 1.11 WHIP. Walks and command can be an issue with Chargois, but he’s moving quickly up the list to get a chance in this big league bullpen in the near future.
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Notes and Quotes
Molitor on batting Joe Mauer leadoff, and what the potential is for it to continue:
“It was more a willingness to acknowledge that you can’t continue to go status quo when you’re going the way you are. He’s been an option because of the fact that he’s always been an on-base guy. He’s been down the last couple years, but the way he’s been going I’d be foolish not to consider at least giving that a shot. I think we have at least eight right-handed pitchers coming up against us consecutively, which bodes well for thinking about the possibility of Joe staying up there a while.”
Molitor on giving Danny Santana significant run in center field:
“I think he likes playing center field, and for the most part he’s done well. The things that he did out there when he was first exposed to it a couple years ago….I think he’s improved on his routes and his comfortability of getting close to the wall. Some of the other things I think took some time. He’s made some really good plays, especially on the running balls down so far. There’s a comfort level of getting used to different people in the corners at different times, but I think he’s done pretty well out there. No complaints.”
Molitor on the evolution of Oswaldo Arcia:
“We saw a little attitude shift with him this spring compared to maybe in the past. It’s affected I think all things that he’s doing — including defense. I think he’s kind of out there to prove he belongs. Not just because he’s having better at-bats and doing different things, but his range is never going to be exceptional. I think he’s taking a bit more pride on being in better shape, and if you’re in better shape you’ve got a good chance to do things. I’ve been more impressed with his temperament in the batter’s box in terms of how he’s been approaching facing a couple lefties Saturday and Sunday (Chris Sale and Jose Quintana), I thought he stayed in there really well. He’s showing a lot more patience in the strike zone, which is something that was problematic for him. It’s not a huge sample size as of yet, but there’s been a resurgence of his ability and how it plays up here for us.”
* No team in baseball is inducing fewer grounders from its bullpen than the Twins (36.8 percent).
* The Twins bullpen is 11th in baseball in strikeout rate (9.0 K/9) but 22nd in ERA (4.20).
* Mauer has reached base safely in 78 of his last 83 games. He leads the AL in OBP (.420) and is second in walks (22).
* Trevor May is working on an 8.0-inning scoreless streak. Only New York’s Dellin Betances (27) has more strikeouts among relievers than May’s 26.
