Chris Archer has started 21 games for the Twins this season. In not one of them has he pitched more than five innings. Not one. He'll take the mound again tonight, but if want to see him pitch, try not to blink. Archer squares off with Luis Garcia, who is 10-8 with an ERA just north of four and 127 strikeouts in 124 innings. If momentum is tonight's starting pitcher, advantage Astros, I guess.
The Guardians keep collecting wins while the Twins squander their opportunities and pile up the losses with lackluster defense, baserunning, and an offense that is only days away from an official MIA designation. The main thing that keeps me hanging on is that I love watching Luis Arraez play baseball and feel compelled to watch every plate appearance and track his batting average on a daily basis. So, I have no idea how you turn this team around and get it playing up to its potential again, that's Rocco's job and that's why he makes the big pile of dough. It doesn't strike me as an easy task, though.
The Guardians won yesterday and the Twins did not, falling further back in the division. The Orioles have a better record. MLB released its 2023 schedule and for the first time, every team will play all other 29 teams in a season. There's still a bias towards intradivision games, but it's less than it used to be. The AL Central has a chance for everyone to be below .500 next year.
Valdez is having his best season yet. He's also left-handed. Insert everything free wrote yesterday into this game log.
Finally a beatdown of a bad team. After a great start last night by former and again current teammate Gray, it's Mahle's turn to continue the great pitching. Especially if it means pitching deep in the game and removing the need for Pagán to enter the game.
It's the August of our discontent in Twins Territory. The team itself is playing lousy, not fun baseball, Emilio Pagan is still on the team, Buxton either seems to hit an epic HR or feebly strikes out. Twins have fallen 2 games back from the hardly trying Guardians and tied with the underperforming White Sox (also how did both teams end up having played two more games than the Twins?) Here at the WGOM, most game logs seem the have a "in progress" tag if they show up at all.
Hopefully nothing better to fix that than an even more lackluster Royals team. After yesterday's win, hopefully the Twins have the wind in their sails. Zach Grienke for the Royals in probably his last season. Sonny Gray up for the Twins and he's been hands down the best pitcher for the Twins this year.
Another 6:40p start on what should be a nice night. Here' hoping the Twins can build on yesterday's win and start to play some fun, winning baseball.
Twins now tied with the Guardians in the division. BR ranks them both as average teams. Finishing 81-81 does feel like an accomplishment considering how the season has gone after May. FanGraphs projects them for 84 wins. Keep it close fellas and I'll find out in the morning.
Another Tuesday another 2-game midweek series against an NL team. This time it's the Dodgers who are a MLB high 42 games over .500 after sweeping the Padres this past weekend. Julio Urias up for the Dodgers with his gaudy .99 WHIP, ERA under 3.00 and nearly a strikeout per inning. Joe Ryan for the Twins. Which Joe Ryan will be get? The guy who at times has been lights out or the one who gives up bombas at an unsustainable rate? Let's hope it's the former.
It's the start of a California road trip so get used to late starts. This one is at 9:10p.
Twins Lineup
DH - Buxton
SS - Correa
2B - Polanco
1B - Miranda
3B - Urshela
CF - Celestino
RF - Kepler
C - Leon
LF - Gordon
2021: Twins stink. They trade their best pitcher for a handful of prospects who may or may not be good someday.
2022: Twins don't stink. They trade a handful of prospects who may or may not be good someday for a different team's best pitcher.
