Twins Atop the Division as MLB’s Second Quarter Starts

As the Minnesota Twins start the second quarter of the season, they continue to sit upon the top perch of their division. Leading the surprising Tigers by three games, and Cleveland by three and a half, the team has done just enough to lead the division. They are aided of course by the fact that they remain the only team in the Central Division with a winning record.

Hey, but first place is first place. There have been moments of greatness, futility, and a few head-scratchers. Let’s examine how the Twins got here and what they need to do to stay atop the division and set themselves up for a long playoff run.

The Twins Have Excellent Starting Pitching

Let’s begin with the starters. For the most part, they have been fabulous. The Twins lead the American League in team strikeouts with 415, and WHIP at 1.47. The team is second in innings pitched with 381, and fourth in ERA at 3.38. Much of this is attributable to the top of the rotation where Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan have been on fire.

Entering into Wednesday’s game, this duo had a combined record of 10-1, with 113 strikeouts in 95 1/3 innings pitched. Gray leads all of baseball with an ERA of 1.39 and Ryan ranks third in MLB stats with a 0.84 WHIP.  They are among the early leaders for the American League Cy Young Award.

Not all of the Twins’ starting pitchers have been so fortunate. Pablo Lopez has looked unhittable at times but also has been susceptible to the Gopher Ball. Kenta Maeda has not gotten untracked yet and is currently on the injured list with a triceps injury. And Tyler Mahle showed some flashes early, but was recently shut down for the season due to an elbow injury that will require Tommy John Surgery. His future with the team is very much in doubt.

Pitching Depth Has Been a Key

But the much-ballyhooed starting pitching depth that the Twins have been touting all spring has come to the rescue. Bailey Ober was recalled from the Triple-A St. Paul Saints, and he has been lights out. He sports a 3-0 record, an ERA of 1.78 and his WHIP is currently 0.96. This includes the gem he pitched last night where he outdueled Clayton Kershaw in a 5-1 Twins victory. And Louis Varland has filled in nicely for Mahle.

Twins Bullpen Has been a Mixed Bag

The bullpen has been kind of a mixed bag. Set-up man Jorge Lopez has been missing bats all spring. Caleb Thielbar pitched very well until he landed on the injured list. And fireball closer Jhoan Duran has seven saves already as he continues to twist opposing hitters into knots with his 100+ mile fastball. Cole Sands and feel-good story Brock Stewart have also been effective in spot duty.

Emilio Pagan has put together some good outings, but he continues to run hot and cold on the mound. Jorge Alcala has looked awful after missing most of last season with an elbow injury. Griffin Jax has been inconsistent filling in for Thielbar as the seventh-inning guy. And Jovani Moran has not performed well in mop-up and middle-inning appearances. The Twins will probably look to bolster their bullpen as it gets closer to the MLB trade deadline.

Hitting Needs Improvement

For a first-place ball club, the Minnesota Twins’ hitting has been less than stellar. As a team, they are sporting a .231 batting average, and a paltry 3.09 OBP. And they have done a poor job of driving in runners who are in scoring position.

Carlos Correa has struggled all season after signing the big contract this past January. He does show signs of late that he is starting to break out of his slump. Byron Buxton has nine home runs but has struck out 49 times and is currently batting 2.36. Max Kepler has hit for power with six round-trippers in 2023, but he continues to struggle against left-handed hitters. And Jose Miranda looked lost at bat and in the field before he was sent down to Triple-A.

On the other hand, Joey Gallo has been performing well despite sporting a poor batting average. He leads the team with 10 dingers and has driven in 22 runs. He also has been almost flawless on defense as the Twins have deployed him at every outfield position and first base so far this season.

Mr. Consistent, Jorge Polanco, has hit four home runs and driven in 14 runs since recovering from his knee injury suffered last year. Alex Kirilloff and his beautiful swing have been tearing up the league since his promotion from Triple-A. And Trevor Larnach, after a brief stay in St. Paul, has hit two home runs and driven in seven runs in the past week.

Defense and Base-running are OK

Defensively, the Twins rank in the middle of the pack among all MLB teams. There have been some costly miscues that have cost the team some possible victories during this young season. Donovan Solano and Miranda in particular have struggled in the infield.

But Michael A. Taylor has been a very nice substitute for Buxton in centerfield. Buxton is only starting at DH currently as a precaution against injuries.  And Christian Vazquez and Ryan Jeffers have both been solid defenders behind the plate. In terms of base running, the Twins are still not considered a speedy team, but Taylor has been active on the base paths leading the team with six steals so far.

So, if the Twins continue to have first-class starting pitching, and their bats can come alive, they stand an excellent chance of winning the division. Some additional help in the bullpen would also go a long way towards securing that goal. And the elusive long playoff run is the prayer of every Minnesota Twins fan. Could this be the year?