King Kenta takes the mound against David Peterson. Peterson sucks, but he's a lefty, so that means we're.....wait....I'm being told that we totally crush bad lefties now. Huh. Food for thought!
Go Twins!
Tag Archives: Kenta Maeda
2023 Game Log 132: Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins
After the improbable win against the Rangers yesterday, the Cleveland Guardians of the Galaxy come to town for a three game series to close out the month. The Twins currently have a 6.0 game lead in the division, so hopefully they use this opportunity to pull away. Curry is on the mound for the Guards (I think I know, but I'll let you try to pronounce his first game). He's only made a few starts this year, but has been decent enough. Most likely should be plenty to put away this lineup.
We hit the road after this (to play the Rangers... and the Guardians?) so let's get some wins!
2023 Game 127: Minnesota Twins at Milwaukee Brewers
Kenta Maeda
vs
Corbin Burnes
I'm convinced the Twins cannot be more than six games above .500. If they win a bunch, then they will need to lose a bunch to never be too far above .500. They're back to +4 games so a win is again safe.
The extremely short "road" trip ends today. Texas is next on the schedule so they can bank some losses before the Guardians visit.
2023 Game 117 in progress: Twins at Tigers
Game in progress. Good news is the Tigers haven't scored. Bad news is the Twins also haven't scored. Each team has a single hit through the 3.5 innings.
2023 Game 97: Minnesota Twins at Seattle Mariners
Maeda
v
Castillo
The Twins scored five, ten, and again five runs versus the lowly A's. Nice signs for the batters but it's the A's. The Mariners' staff is actually better than average (4.2 runs/game versus average of 4.6 runs/game). So the Twins scoring six and then ten runs is nice to see. Tonight will be the real test of this series with Castillo and his 2.96 ERA / 3.92 FIP. He's really good.
2023 Game 82: Minnesota Twins at Atlanta Braves
Day game! All the better to make this a forgettable game.
Kenta Maeda
vs
Kolby Allard
Allard makes his season, and (second) Braves, debut. The Braves reaquired him in exchange for Odorizzi this past offseason. Allard was a first round draft pick, has a career 6.07 ERA (139 ERA- and 124 FIP-), and throws from the *checks notes* left side. He checks off every Jeremy attribute.
2023 Game 25: New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins
Domingo Germán
vs
Kenta Maeda
Maeda somehow didn't break anything or sustain anything more than a big ouch from stopping the comebacker with his ankle. Bailey Ober is back with the Saints and Maeda is back in the rotation to finish off the Yankees.
Going back through all the Twins-Yankees season results, the last time prior to 2001 the Twins won a season series was 1992 when they went 7-5. They did manage to tie 5-5 in 2000. Go back another year and you will find the last time the Twins swept a three game series with the Yankees. June 11 through June 13 and September 6 through September 8. They finished 10-2 against the hapless 71-91 Yankees. 1993 and 1994 both had two game sweeps if you want to count those too.
2023 Game 19: Twins at Red Sox
As of today the Twins have a 31.3% chance of making the playoffs and a 1% chance of winning the World Series, but as of today I'd be willing to take that World Series bet at 100-to-1 odds. A modest wager, of course, it's way too early to lose our heads. Still, a 10-7 record that includes a split four game series at Yankee Stadium is the kind of start you dream about when you're blowing the latest eight inches of snow off your driveway in the dark at 5:00 p.m.
About that start. I'd say it's fair to say that our pitching is contributing considerably more to the team's winning record than is the offense. The Twins sit atop the Central division but rank in the bottom third of the AL in most offensive categories with a meager .224 batting average (13th) and a .653 OPS (85 OPS+/12th). The pitching, on the other hand, has been uncharacteristically good, and especially so the starting rotation. As a team the Twins sport a 2.61 ERA (169 ERA+), the best in the American League, 179 strikeouts in 151.2 innings pitched (10.6K/9), and a .996 WHIP.
Today the Twins send Kenta Maeda back to the mound in search of his first victory, at 0-2 he's the only starter without a win this young season. Despite the lack of a W, Maeda has respectable numbers with a 4.09 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.00 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts in 11 innings over his first two starts. The Beantown nine counter Maeda with Tanner Houck, 2-0 in three starts with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.
Play ball!
Happy Birthday–April 11
Pop Corkhill (1858)
Ossee Schrecongost (1875)
Matsutaro Shoriki (1885)
Sam Chapman (1916)
Barney McCosky (1917)
Jim Hearn (1921)
Bob Casey (1925)
Sid Monge (1951)
Bret Saberhagen (1964)
Turner Ward (1965)
Sean Bergman (1970)
Robin Jennings (1972)
Jason Varitek (1972)
Trot Nixon (1974)
Todd Dunwoody (1975)
Kelvim Escobar (1976)
Mark Teixeira (1980)
Andres Blanco (1984)
Alejandro De Aza (1984)
Kenta Maeda (1988)
Matustaro Shoriki is known as the father of Japanese baseball.
Bob Casey was the Twins' public address announcer from 1961 until his death in March of 2005.
Jason Varitek was drafted by the Twins in the first round in 1993, but did not sign.
2023 Game Log 5 – Twins at Marlins
So few complaints with the Twins start of the season huh?
Twins in Miami for game two of the the 3-game series against the Marlins and this may be the toughest match up of the season thus far. Kenta Maeda on for the Twins in his first game back since August 2021. His Spring Training was meh at best so it will interesting to see if he has his old form back.
Twins face a legimate ace in Sandy Alacantara, the reigning National League Cy Young winner (unanimously no less). Alacantara didn't have a great outing opening day so we'll see how does against the Twins bashers.
Game at 5:40p so get your dinner plans set.
Twins Line up
1. Gordon, 2B
2. Correa, SS
3. Larnach, RF
4. Miranda, 3B
5. Gallo, 1B
6. Solano, DH
7. Castro, LF
8. Vázquez, C
9. Taylor, CF
No Buxton but available to pinch hit apparently.