The Twins improved (if one can say that) to 3-6 against the AL Central on Sunday after they topped the Detroit Tigers before 15,000 fans at Target Field.
That’s an underwhelming attendance figure for a sunny Sunday, but with Hall of Famer Joe Mauer in the house and a new statue of him outside the ballpark, I imagine there was too much good mojo in the air for the Twins to lose.
And they did not. Simeon Woods Richardson gave them five strong innings, Byron Buxton homered, Eddie Julien pulled off the rare opposite field shot off the left field foul pole and the Twins rolled to a 5-1 win. Willi Castro and Ty France chipped in with two hits apiece and Brooks Lee, in his return to the club, drove an RBI single up the middle to give the team a 2-0 lead.
And the bullpen made sure the Twins maintained the lead, particularly the artist formerly known as Louie Varland and Griffin Jax. Varland fanned the side in the sixth inning on 12 pitches and Jax accomplished the same in the eighth on 17 pitches.
I wish I could say the season will get easier, but it does not. The 10-5 Mets come to Minnesota on Monday. Joe Ryan gets the ball.
Extra innings…
–Tread carefully, Minnesota. After manager Rocco Baldelli’s shock and awe comments after Saturday’s loss, the result was a demotion for Jose Miranda to Triple-A St. Paul and a promotion for Lee. The move was apparently made easier by a Miranda base-running mistake. But is that the right call? Looks like punishment to me, which could alienate Miranda and other teammates. And why Miranda? Yes, he is off to a slow start, but this is also the same guy who tied a major league record with 12 straight hits last season. He slashed .284/.322/.441 in 2024. What warrants special protection for Mickey Gasper? Send that dude down instead and promote Lee.
–Funny moment in the radio booth: Kris Atteberry spied a Tsuyoshi Nishioka jersey during the game, which prompted a discussion about the disappointing former infielder. Paul Molitor recalled that he worked with him at second base to help him turn the double-play, but after every 10 to 15 ground balls, Nishioka wanted a cigarette break!
-The 1988 Twins also started the season at 4-11 after a 10-2 loss at home to the Cleveland Indians on April 23.
The Star Tribune was there:
“Dan Gladden sounded like a man that had hit rock bottom.
“As if another one-sided beating wasn’t enough, the Twins outfielder bit into a postgame meal Saturday night and chipped a tooth.
“When things go bad,” fellow outfielder Kirby Puckett said, “they really go bad.”
“Bad to the bone.
“Steve Carlton might not have seen a career pass before his eyes but it’s a good bet Twins management did after Carlton got rocked in a 10-2 loss to Cleveland at the Metrodome. The Indians pounded the lefthander while extending the Twins’ slide to six games.
“The Twins, with newly acquired Tom Herr at second base, now have lost five straight at the Dome for the first time since July 8- 12, 1986. They also have lost six straight overall, dropping to 4-11, and sinking deeper into the Western Division cellar.”
However, Puckett made clear the team was bound to turn a corner.
“It’s going to happen,” said Puckett. “Tomorrow is a new day and I hope it’s our day. Sooner or later it’s got to be. I guarantee it’s got to be. You have to keep the faith. It’s too early.”
-I wish I was as optimistic as Puckett, but I am not. I do hope, though, that there is a Puckett-like voice in the clubhouse of this 2025 team. They’re going to need it.
-Despite the slow start, the ’88 Twins would go on to win 91 games, Frank Viola won the AL Cy Young award and Puckett had a MONSTER season, slashing .356/.375/.545 with 234 hits, 121 RBI and 42 doubles. The dude could HIT.
Source: Newspapers.com