Louie Varland‘s return to the big-league mound last week served as a litmus test. The Twins mostly know what they have in each of the arms on their pitching depth chart, Varland included. But this game would set the tone for what the club can expect from their native son going forward. With extended injuries projected for rotation stalwarts Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack, Twins Territory may just need to get used to Life with Louie for a while. And they may also need to get used to a few other young arms.
Varland’s return happened to be in Game 2 of a pivotal doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians, arguably the season’s most crucial four-game series thus far. His return wouldn’t be an easy assignment. Instead, the Twins immediately needed him to produce results. They tossed him into the kind of fire that had the whole room burning, with the cartoon “This is fine” dog sitting in the middle.
What Varland gave the club on Friday night was a representation of what they’ve seen from him in the big leagues in 2024 and possibly a sign of what is to come. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
The hard-throwing righty finished his night pitching 4⅔ innings, striking out four without allowing a walk. He gave up three earned runs, which came on a devastating home run to Josh Naylor in his final inning when he was just one strike away from stranding two men on and walking off the mound with a scoreless outing. Still, one bad pitch changed the whole story. Naylor nailed a hanging curveball to give his team the lead in the fifth inning.
Unfortunately, that story has been repeated for most of Louie’s six starts in the big leagues this year. He cruises through the lineup the first time through (.619 OPS against), then runs into significant trouble as his opponents get another look at him (.962 OPS second time through, 1.370 OPS third time through).
Still, the Twins have kept Varland stretched out in case something like what we’re witnessing in Minnesota’s rotation were to occur. That being a couple of significant injuries, mixed with a missed opportunity to add at the deadline, creating a desperate need for some young arms to step into major roles.
“It was a big game. Walking into the clubhouse today, there was – more to it,” Varland said after his start regarding the team’s needs coming to light in the thick of a playoff race. “There are innings to be pitched, and we’ll see what happens.”
While the mound may seem lonely for a young pitcher as they try to cement themselves in the big league rotation, they alone won’t fully influence the team’s performance. A thriving, dynamic lineup and a lock-down bullpen will also have to carry their load. So if these young starters can at least try to hold their own, the rest of the team can take it from there, so to speak.
“Come Thanksgiving, I’m going to tell everyone I’m thankful for Matt Wallner and Cole Sands,” Varland said after his start when these two teammates bailed him out after giving up the lead. “The team had my back, and we took two today.”
The Twins hope they can get much more through the home stretch of the regular season, where young guys can make a name for themselves during a pennant chase. With stiff competition around the American League, including two other contenders within the division, nerves could naturally play a factor for these rookies.
“I was definitely a little nervous there, but the first strikeout definitely helped calm the nerves,” said Zebby Matthews after making his big league debut on Tuesday night. “I think a lot of it is just a mindset. Just having the confidence to throw it in the zone and just trust that your stuff is good enough to get hitters out.”
So it might take a lot of that trust, especially as these young arms face adversity. Still, being in line to play a significant role on a contending team is a huge honor for these players, and they’re going to do whatever they can to stay in this rotation down the stretch and continue honing their craft at the game’s highest level. And the Twins will count on them to keep grinding in the meantime.
“You don’t quit working just because you made it here,” Matthews said. “There’s a lot of stuff to keep doing and keep improving on, so get back to work.”
Who knows, that work just might decide whether fans should get used to Life With Louie if they are going to Zag with Zebby or both.
