Category Archives: 2021 Twins Game Logs

2021 Twins Game Logs

2021 Game Log 10: Red Sox and Twins

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Twins and Red Sox look to get started again after yesterday's postponement. Looks like today's announced starters will remain with Monday's starters going on Wednesday as part of a doubleheader. That means A.J. Happ versus former Twin Martin Perez.

Going to be lousy weather with wet raw temperatures in the upper 30's. I bet you could get in the game for under $10 if you wanted to (bundle up!).

Red Sox have been decent this year, not sure if it's SSS or they've made some real improvements. Twins have played well except for a relieve who shall remain nameless.

1:10p first pitch, let's hope for some baseball as a small distraction to trying times.

Twins Lineup
CF - Buxton
LF - Garlick
C - Garver
2B - Polanco
DH - Sano
3B - Arraez
1B - Astudillo
SS - Simmons
RF - Cave

2021 Twins Game Logs

2021 Game Log 9: Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins Canceled

Hey, gang, no time to rap with you. Here are your lineups. Play ball!

BOSTON RED SOX
1. Kike Hernandez LF
2. Christian Vazquez DH
3. JD Martinez RF
4. Xander Bogaerts SS
5. Rafael Devers 3B
6. Hunter Renfroe CF
7. Christian Arroyo 2B
8. Bobby Dalbec 1B
9. Kevin Plawecki C
SP. Martín Pérez

MINNESOTA TWINS
1. Byron Buxton CF
2. Kyle Garlick LF
3. Nelson Cruz DH
4. Mitch Garver C
5. Miguel Sano 1B
6. Willians Astudillo 3B
7. Andrelton Simmons SS
8. Luis Arraez 2
9. Jake Cave RF
SP: J.A. Happ

2021 Twins Game Logs

Game 9: Twins v. Mariners

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Matt Shoemaker v. Chris Flexen

All three series the Twins have played have split the first two games. They've managed to win the rubber game in the first two series, and turn to Shoemaker to try to keep that pattern going.

Last time out, Shoemaker got quite a bit of run support, and only allowed 3 hits over 6 innings, so I say let's do all of that again and see how it goes.

Flexen is the first right-handed starting pitcher the Twins have seen this series. So far (in ~200 PA) the Twins are a little less successful at the plate against righties (.242/.333/.453) but an .786 OPS certainly isn't a bad thing, just less than their .854 OPS against lefties (~100 PA).

Further reading?

I thought this story about scouting during COVID and Flexen's journey from the KBO back to the major leagues was pretty interesting.

2021 Twins Game Logs

2021 Game 7: Seattle Mariners at Minnesota Twins

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Game Time:  3:10 p.m. CDT

The Twins return from their season debut road trip with a 4-2 record and series wins against Milwaukee and Detroit to open the home half of their schedule against the Seattle Mariners this afternoon. Jose Berrios gets the honors for the Twins, returning to the mound for his second start sporting a 1-0 record, a 0.00 ERA and 12 strikeouts. Early notice among the position players this year goes to Byron Buxton, who is launching bombas like a boss (tied with Cruz for the team lead at 3 each) and boasting a slash line of .357/.438/1.143/1.580. Honorable mention goes to Luis Arraez, who is hitting .389 and getting on base every other at bat as the Twins' primary leadoff hitter. The Mariners feature Marco Gonzales (0-0, 7.50 ERA, 2K) in the starting role today. He's coming off a somewhat rough Opening Day in which he notched six innings but gave up three runs. He also walked three batters in that game after only walking seven all of last year. But enough of that. The game’s afoot: Follow your spirit, and upon this charge, cry - Play ball!

2021 Twins Game Logs

2021 Game 6: Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers

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Well that sucked. On the plus side, they are undefeated in nine innings. Unfortunately, two games took extra innings.

Kenta Maeda
vs
Matthew Boyd

Boyd had a scoreless start to open the Tiger's season. It wasn't a particular great start with more walks than strikeouts but with only three hits it was good enough.

Lineup
Garver - C
Garlick - RF
Cruz - DH
Polanco - 2B
Buxton - CF
Rooker - LF
Sanó - 1B
Astudillo - 3B
Simmons - SS

2021 Twins Game Logs

2021 Game Log 5: Twins at Tigers

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Except for one little 9th inning hiccup and a couple of GI issues (oh and Josh Donaldson), I think Twins fans can all be pretty happy the way the season has gone so far. A 3-1 record, Buxton and Cruz hitting bombas, Arraez getting on base at 6.9420 clip, great starting pitching etc. So let's keep it going.

New Twin J.A. Happ on the mound today and the Twins only lefty. Not a big strikeout guy but maybe a good veteran presence. He's certainly been around both leagues a bit. Casey Mize for the Tigers, a former #1 pick who made his debut last year but wasn't spectacular.

After scoring 15 runs yesterday big concern about saving some for today but Twins' bats should match up well against Mize so no worries there. 12:10p start.

Twins Lineup
Arraez - 2B
Polanco - SS
Cruz - DH
Kepler - RF
Rooker - LF
Cave - CF
Sano - 1B
Astudillo - 3B
Jeffers - C

2021 Twins Game Logs

2021 Game Log 4: Minnesota Twins at Detroit Twins Tigers

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Well, the Twins basically got the series sweep, if not technically (I forget what happened at the end of that first game). I'd call it a decent start to the year.

They hop over Lake Michigan for a three game set with Tigers, all DAY GAME ALERTs. Looks like we'll be spending our lunch breaks with the Twins this week.

A lot of familiar faces in the other dugout this series, including Akil Baddoo who cranked a donger on the first major league pitch he saw. I have a feeling he won't be offered back to the Twins this year...

Shoemaker makes his Twins debut facing off against Jose Urena in a battle of the righties. Nelson Cruz also debuts in his natural position, so hopefully the Boomstick can start to get into a groove. It's a nice, warm day to enjoy some afternoon baseball.

2021 Twins Game Logs

Game 3: Twins @ Brewers

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Michael Pineda v. Adrian Houser

It's been over 600 days since Michael Pineda took the loss in one of his starts (July 16, 2019 vs. the Mets). You can argue that number is inflated by the general lack of games over that time period, but that wouldn't be any fun.

But in a general sense, Pineda has been incredibly consistently good as a Twin.  In his last 20 starts here's the distribution of runs allowed:

  • 0 starts with 0 runs allowed
  • 8 starts with 1 run allowed
  • 5 starts with 2 runs allowed
  • 5 starts with 3 runs allowed
  • 1 start with 4 runs allowed
  • 1 start with 5 runs allowed

His record is 9-2 in those 20 starts and he's got a 3.17 ERA. Perhaps more importantly the Twins record in those games is 16-4.

Adrian Houser had trouble missing bats last season, and all the projection systems at FanGraphs seem to anticipate that he will be almost perfectly average (4.30 ERA/FIP, 8.0 K/9, 3.0 BB/9).

2021 Twins Game Logs

Game 2: twins @ brewers

75 Comments

Let's try this again, shall we?

As referenced in today's CoC, the day off is stupid, and yesterday, it felt REALLY stupid. I wanted nothing more than a new game to wash out the unpleasantry of opening day. Alas.

JosACE Berrios takes the mound tonight. Hopefully he's sharp, and hopefully another Brewers pitcher tries to sneak strike one by Buxton.

Game 1 was going pretty well up until the ninth. Tonight, with any luck, they can make it through all nine.