George Kirby
vs
Chris Paddack
Kirby is very good and an ideal for anyone that loathes walks. He had a Silvaesque 19 walks over 190 ⅔ innings last season. This year is more of the same with four walks in his 38 ⅓ innings. He's striking out a bit more than last year and also surrendered a mere two home runs.
Day game alert!
Bailey Ober
vs
Chris Flexen
The Twins lost a few too many to start the season for a proper 162-0 season but I am convinced of their effort over the past week to instead finish at 149-13.
Game in progress, Twins down 1-0.
Garret Crochet
vs
Joe Ryan
The 2023 Oakland Athletics got their fourth win on game 20 and by game 23 were 5-18. They scored 81 runs in their first 22 games (3.7 runs/G) while the White Sox have scored 50 (2.3 R/G). If the 2024 White Sox have one thing going for them compared to last season's Athletics, it's the 129 runs allowed through 22 games compared to the 178 runs allowed for the Athletics.
Crochet strikes out a lot of batters, doesn't walk many, and gives up a few too many home runs but everything else is good enough for his 3.86 FIP. His current ERA of 5.61 comes from being shelled in his last two games. The Twins need to study the Phillies game and repeat that for today.
Pablo López
vs
Albert Suárez
Another day game alert!
Plus from the last two games: scored seven runs. Not great but not bad and not shutout.
Minuses: everything else.
Bobby Miller
vs
Chris Paddack
Day game alert!
I've missed the last several games as part of watching a celestial event. Unfortunately, so have the Twins' bats. Tonight's opposing starter strikes out a bunch so I don't have much hopes for today's game.
Chris Paddack
vs
Joe Ross
Paddack gets his first start after his second Tommy John and Joe Ross gets his first start since his second Tommy John. I'm wondering how often this has happened.
Announced attendance was 41,659. Pretty good for an early season, Tuesday afternoon game. MLB increased the difficulty for the getaway game: a Wednesday day game. This has long been my suspected reason why these games are scheduled for the middle of the week: guaranteed attendance boosts on hard to draw dates.
Lineup:
Julien 2B
Kiriloff LF
Buxton DH
Kepler RF
Correa SS
Santana 1B
Castro CF
Jeffers C
Farmer 3B
Pablo López
vs
Cole Ragans
Opening Day Lineup:
Buxton CF
Jeffers C
Lewis 3B
Correa SS
Santana 1B
Kepler RF
Farmer 2B
Castro LF
Margot DH
It's Opening Day. This winter may not have been too active but it was less dark than many previous offseasons of postseason failure. Buxton mans center, Lewis and Correa are on the left side of the infield, and a great pitcher opens the season for the Twins. Here's to the first win of 162.
Want a new Minnesota flag? Or a new seal? Now's your chance.
Game 1:
Zac Gallen vs Nathan Eovaldi
Now, Fox
Game 2:
Merrill Kelly vs Jordan Montgomery
Saturday 7:03 p.m.
Game 3:
TBD vs Brandon Pfaadt
Monday 7:03 p.m.
Game 4:
TBD
Tuesday 7:03 p.m.
Game 5:
Wednesday 7:03 p.m.
Game 6:
Friday 7:03 p.m.
Game 7:
Saturday 7:03 p.m.
