Reliever Trevor May got the ball on Tuesday and he quickly coughed up four runs on five hits after facing eight batters. His job was done and it appeared the Twins were fast on their way to another disastrous “opener,” similar to the 18-4 beatdown they suffered at the hands of the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
But then the “opener” — using a reliever to set up the starting pitcher for a successful outing — worked to perfection. Rookie starting pitcher Kohl Stewart took the mound after May and started his day by striking out Houston’s No. 9 hitter, according to MLB.com. From there, he pitched five scoreless innings. After Stewart exited the game, the Astros tagged on another run late and the Twins lost 5-2. Get a better opening from May and the Twins would have won this game.
Things return to normal Wednesday when Jake Odorizzi gets the ball.
Extra innings…
-Can a data-driven, analytically-minded team like the Twins actually win games without talent on the field? In other words, can the data compensate for what the Twins lack as a ball club and help them win games? It can’t, right? I say this out of frustration after watching the Twins’ “openers” not go as planned, and it has me wondering: Maybe the Twins aren’t as talented as I think they are.
If you had to name a star on the Twins, who would it be? I guess it would be Eddie Rosario because of his consistent play at the plate and in the field. And after that? Well… I wish I could say Miguel Sano (and now Sano is hurt again) and Byron Buxton but both took big steps back this season. Jose Berrios, while at times pitching well, also has struggled. Tyler Austin, Jake Cave and Mitch Garver might represent the future, but they’re not stars either.
So where does the real talent lie on this team? It’s getting harder and harder to tell.