Joe Ryan allowed just a run over five innings on 59 pitches in his final spring tune up before the regular season begins next week, and then the ball was handed off to the bullpen and they promptly coughed up the go-ahead runs for a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
That’s a problem, and I think it’s what Twins fans fear the most: decent starting pitching followed by shaky relief, which was something we saw way too much of late last season.
In this case, Dan Altavilla, who generated some positive buzz for team Italy during the World Baseball Classic, entered the game for the Twins and served up two runs, getting tagged with the loss and blown save.
Raising additional questions about the bullpen is that the Twins have released veteran closer Liam Hendriks and reliever Andrew Chafin. When both were signed to minor league deals, they struck me as under-the-radar moves that might pay off in a big way.
In the end, they didn’t pitch that well this spring. But does that really matter when you have veterans who clearly understand the difference between big-league games and exhibition play? Aren’t they more inclined to be game-day ready when it matters most?
It feels like a missed opportunity. Now, we’re relying on all those names who underwhelmed us last season: Justin Topa, Cole Sands and Kody Funderburk to name just a few. I just don’t know, Twins fans…
The other problem is that this team isn’t scoring runs. The Twins have scored 12 runs over their last six games, or an average of two runs per game. Across 26 games through Saturday, they have averaged 4.3 runs. Can’t they at least play loose and swing away during spring training?
Extra innings…
–Of course, leave it to the kids to show the veterans how it’s done. Twins prospects on Thursday took the field against the Philadelphia Phillies’ equivalent and banged out 10 hits in the 9-3 win.
Kaelen Culpepper drove in three runs, Emmanuel Rodriguez connected on two hits, including a triple, and Gabriel Gonzalez also had two hits. Marek Houston, the Twins’ first-round pick in 2025, contributed two hits with two runs scored and an RBI as well.
If the veterans can’t get it done, call ’em up.
–MLB Trade Rumors currently is hosting a “Who will win the AL Central?” poll and right now voters are giving the Twins a 5 percent chance to win the division. Sounds about right, I hate to say.