MINNESOTA TWINS NOTES:
THE TWINS: Have gone 2-3 through five games on their nine-game, 10-day roadtrip, going 2-1 in Detroit over the weekend, followed by consecutive losses in Atlanta…today, Minnesota will continue the trip with the three-game series finale in Atlanta…after today’s game, the Twins will travel to Baltimore to enjoy an off-day tomorrow then play three games against the Orioles over the weekend…the Twins have gone 23-19 at home and 17-22 on the road.
The Twins are on the final game of a 16 games in 16 days stretch, their next off-day being in Baltimore tomorrow..the Twins have 10 games in 12 days leading up to the All-Star Break (July 10-13).
BRAVES FROM THE JUMP: The Twins lost to the Braves last night at Truist Park by a score of 6-2, all six Braves runs coming in the first two innings…Joe Ryan (8-5) was the starter and loser, allowing six runs on nine hits in 3.0 innings pitched, including five home runs allowed (Acuña – 2, Riley, Murphy and Harris II)…it marked the second time in Ryan’s career he al- lowed five home runs (also 7/29/22 at SD) and he is one of three pitchers to do it, along with Bert Blyleven (9/13/86 vs. TEX) and Carlos Silva (8/22/06 at BAL)…Oliver Ortega pitched a career-high 3.0 hitless innings with one walk allowed and two strikeouts…the offense recorded seven hits, including two from Joey Gallo, who singled and doubled.
CENTER CUT: The Twins played their 81st last night — which marked the exact halfway point of the season…below are how the hitting and pitching numbers have compared through 81 games since 2018:
AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG OPS
2018 .239 348 662 173 11 84 332 279 677 .310 .400 .710
2019 .270 461 774 167 11 151 444 251 650 .337 .495 .831
2020 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
2021 .245 375 672 140 10 116 348 266 698 .316 .431 .747
2022 .253 363 687 142 9 96 350 263 665 .322 .417 .739
2023 .232 343 631 132 8 104 326 271 824 .310 .401 .710
W L S IP H ER HR BB K ERA BAA
2018 35 46 17 733.1 726 364 101 282 730 4.47 .257
2019 52 29 24 733.0 684 320 96 228 699 3.93 .244
2020 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
2021 33 48 19 707.1 726 399 126 250 648 5.08 .264
2022 45 36 18 717.1 633 293 89 236 652 3.68 .234
2023 40 41 17 725.0 629 298 84 229 768 3.70 .231
STARTERS ONLY: Below is a look at the Twins starting staff through the first 81 games this season, compared to the first 81 last season:
W L QS IP H ER K BB/9.0 K/9.0 ERA BAA OPS
2022 25 20 21 394.0 358 155 322 2.4 7.4 3.54 .239 .690
2023 24 25 39 454.2 407 191 486 2.3 9.6 3.78 .236 .679
ADDITIONALLY: Twins starters lead baseball in innings pitched, fielding independent pitching (3.55) and strikeouts, rank second in WHIP (1.15) and walks-per-9.0 innings pitched, third in opponent OPS, and fourth in ERA and opponent batting average.
TWINS-BRAVES: The Twins and Braves are playing each other in the regular season for the 20th, 21st and 22nd times in their history this week and first time since August 5-7, 2019 at Target Field…the Twins are 8-13 all-time against the Braves in the regular season, going 6-8 in Minnesota and 2-5 in Georgia (4-2 at the Metrodome, 2-6 at Target Field, 2-3 at Turner Field and 0-2 at Truist Park)…the Twins are seeking their first win against the Braves since August 5, 2019 at Target Field when Miguel Sanó hit a 443-foot, two-run, walk-off home run against Chris Martin, giving the Twins a 5-3 victory…Twins are just 3-11 in their last 14 against Atlanta, dating back to June of 2010.
INTERLEAGUE INFO:The Twins have gone 10-12 in Interleague Play this season, going 1-2 at Miami, 1-2 vs. Washington, 2-1 vs. San Diego, 2-1 vs. Chicago-NL, 1-2 vs. Los Angeles-NL, 1-2 vs. San Francisco, 2-0 vs. Milwaukee and 0-2 at Atlanta…10 wins already passes their 2022 total of eight…after this series, the Twins’ next NL opponent will be the Cardinals for three games at Busch Stadium from August 1-3.
Minnesota’s remaining 2023 Interleague home schedule includes Target Field visits from the Diamondbacks (August 4-6), Pirates (August 18-20) and Mets (September 8-10)…the Twins will also play road games at the Cardinals (August 1-3), Phillies (August 11- 13), Brewers (August 22-23), Reds (September 18-20) and Rockies (September 29-October 1).
ALL THAT’S LEFT: Today marks the 17th time this season Minnesota has faced a lefty starter…Twins are 8-8 when a left-hander is the opposing starter…the last lefty starter they issued a loss to was on Friday, beating Joey Wentz.
The Twins have the seventh-fewest at-bats in baseball vs. left-handed pitching at 633…also the third-fewest hits (137).
Twins are slashing .216/.291/.374 with 22 homers vs. lefties, compared to .236/.315/.408 with 82 homers vs. righties.
ROYCE ROLLS: Royce Lewis has reached base safely in a career-best 11-straight games, hitting .368 (14-for-38) with one double, two home runs, five RBI, three walks, a .429 on-base percentage, a .553 slugging percentage and a .981 OPS in that span…in 10 road games for the Twins this season, he is hitting .425 (17-for-40) with a 1.052 OPS.
Among all rookies in baseball with a minimum of 75 at-bats, Lewis ranks first in batting average (.333), fourth in runs created-per-27 (7.93) and OPS+ (140.0), sixth in OPS (.864) and wOBA (.375), seventh in slugging (.500), and ninth in on-base percentage (.364).
LEAVE THE BROOMS ALONE: Twins are looking to avoid being swept today for the second time this season…their other sweep came in three games at Tropicana Field from June 6-8 against the Rays…Minnesota was swept seven times in 2022.
The last time the Twins were swept in an Interleague series was in two games by the Dodgers at Target Field from August 9-10, 2022… last time an NL opponent swept the Twins in three games was July 2-4, 2018 at Milwaukee.
Last time the Twins were swept by the Braves was in two games at Target Field from July 26-27, 2016…last time they were swept in Atlanta was in three games at Turner Field from May 20-22, 2013.
Minnesota has faced a potential sweep four times this season, salvaging the series finale three of four times…the three times they avoided a sweep were April 21-23 vs. Washington, May 2-4 at Chicago-AL and May 22-24 vs. San Francisco.
STEADY EDDIE: Edouard Julien has gone 5-for-15 (.333) in four games played on this trip…since being recalled from Triple-A St. Paul on June 10, Julien is hitting .314 (16-for-51) with six doubles, eight walks, a .400 on-base percentage and an .831 OPS in 15 games.
Among all AL rookies with a minimum of 100 at-bats, he ranks fourth in on-base percentage (.341) and fifth in slugging percentage (.442).
DONNIE BARRELS: In 24 games this month, Donovan Solano has posted a .412 on-base percentage, reaching 35 times in 85 plate appearances (19 hits, 14 walks, 2 HBP)…his June OBP ranks sixth in the AL (minimum 50 at-bats), trailing Shohei Ohtani (.473), Corey Seager (.438), Isaac Paredes (.430), Miguel Cabrera (.417) and Nathaniel Lowe (.417)…he has also drove in 10 runs in June and posted an .876 OPS.
STARTING PITCHER – KENTA MAEDA 18
2023: 1-4, 6.86 ERA CAREER: 60-45, 3.95 ERA
Making his sixth start and appearance of 2023 and his fourth road start…also his 175th career appearance and 141st start.
Facing Atlanta for the first time with Minnesota and fourth time in his career; is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA (18.0 IP, 4 ER), seven walks and 20 strikeouts in three previous starts vs. the Braves.
Earned his first win since his return from Tommy John surgery recovery in his last start on June 23 at Detroit; last earned a victory on August 14, 2021 vs. Tampa Bay.
Is in his fourth season with the Twins after being acquired, along with Jair Camargo, from Los Angeles-NL in exchange for Brusdar Graterol and Luke Raley in 2020.
LAST TIME OUT: Earned his first win of the season and his first win since recovering from Tommy John surgery on June 23 at Detroit in a 4-1 Twins’ victory…pitched 5.0 scoreless innings and allowed only three hits, with two walks and eight strikeouts…escaped a two-on, no-out jam in the bottom of the first by striking out leftfielder Kerry Carpenter and inducing a double-play grounder from shortstop Javier Báez…struck out the side in order in the second inning; also recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth…struck out rightfielder Zach McKinstry with two on and two outs in the bottom of the fifth to complete his outing…Minnesota’s bullpen allowed one run in 4.0 innings (an RBI single by Matt Vierling off Brock Stewart), and the offense scored four runs on six hits to win the three-game series opener.
Marked his first win since August 14, 2021 vs. Tampa Bay (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K)…snapped a five-start losing streak, which was the first time in his career he had lost five consecutive starts.
His eight strikeouts were one shy of his season high of nine, done in his first start of the year on April 4 at Miami, and are tied with five other starts for his sixth-most strikeouts in an outing since becoming a Twin in 2020 (most with Minnesota is 12 on August 18, 2020 vs. Milwaukee).
KENT-LANTA: Maeda is facing the Braves for the fourth time in his career today…is 2-0, 2.00 ERA (18.0 IP, 4 ER) with seven walks, 20 strikeouts and a .197 (13-for-66) opponent batting average in three previous starts against Atlanta, all with Los Angeles-NL; Dodgers went 3-0 in his three starts against the Braves…last faced Atlanta on August 16, 2019 at Truist Park, taking a no-decision in an 8-3 Dodgers’ win; pitched 4.2 innings and allowed three runs on five hits, with four walks and nine strikeouts…last earned a win against the Braves on August 1, 2017 at Truist Park, firing 7.0 scoreless innings with two hits allowed, one walk and six strikeouts in a 3-2 Dodgers’ victory.
His 2.00 ERA in three career starts vs. Atlanta is his lowest ERA against any single opponent in his career (min. 3 starts).
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Making his fourth road start of 2023 today; is 1-2 with a 1.50 ERA (12.0 IP, 2 ER), three walks, 17 strikeouts and a .167 (7-for-42) opponent batting average in his three previous road starts this year…snapped his three-game road losing streak with a win in his last start on June 23 at Detroit…since becoming a Twin in 2020, he is 8-6, 4.82 ERA (114.0 IP, 61 ER) with 29 walks and 131 strikeouts in 23 road starts…is 0-2, 14.00 ERA (9.0 IP, 14 ER) with two walks and five strikeouts in two home starts this season; since 2020, he is 5-4, 3.38 ERA (80.0 IP, 30 ER) with 18 walks and 84 strikeouts in 14 starts at Target Field.
In two career starts at Atlanta, he is 1-0, with a 2.31 ERA (11.2 IP, 3 ER), five walks and 15 strikeouts.
In 93 career road appearances (77 starts), Maeda is 27-24, 4.62 ERA (399.2 IP, 205 ER) with 127 walks and 436 strikeouts…is 33-21, 3.26 ERA (383.1 IP, 139 ER) with 98 walks and 420 strikeouts in 81 career home games (63 starts).
THE RIGHT STUFF: After his first five starts, Maeda has better numbers against right-handed batters than lefties…righties are slashing .273/.298/.473 with 14 strikeouts and a .771 OPS compared to left-handed hitters who are slashing .344/.400/.500 with eight strikeouts and a .900 OPS.
In his career, righties are batting just .206 (312-for-1514) with a .609 OPS and 513 strikeouts against Maeda…owns the third-lowest opponent batting average and opponent OPS vs. righties since 2016 (min 750.0 IP), trailing only Max Scherzer (.182 BAA, .532 OPS) and Jacob DeGrom (.203 BAA, .568 OPS)…lefties are hitting .252 (360-for-1428) with a .748 OPS and 343 strikeouts off Maeda in his career.
THE ARSENAL: In five starts this season, Maeda has used a five-pitch mix, throwing his slider and split finger the most; he utilizes the pair a combined 63.7 percent of the time…mostly throws his split finger (64/105 – 61.0%) against lefties and his slider (97/115 – 84.3%) and sinker (26/26 – 100%) against righties…recorded strikeouts with three of his pitch types in his last start on June 23 at Detroit (split finger – 4, slider – 3, four-seam fastball – 2)…here’s breakdown of his repertoire:
PITCH (AVG. MPH) PCT. (#, vs. RHB/LHB) RESULTS
Slider (81.8)……………………… 33.3% (115 pitches, 97/18)…………… .324 (12-for-37), 4 2B, 3 HR, 10 K
Split Finger (84.0)……………… 30.4% (105 pitches, 41/64)……………………….. .240 (6-for-25), 1 2B, 6 K
4-Seam Fastball (89.7)……….. 23.8% (82 pitches, 43/39)………………………… .375 (6-for-16), 2 2B, 6 K
Sinker (89.3) ……………………….. 7.5% (26 pitches, 26/0) ………………………………………….. .167 (1-for-6)
Curveball (75.9)…………………… 4.9% (17 pitches, 3/14) ………………………………………….. .333 (1-for-3)
ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:
First Pitch
OF Ronald Acuña Jr. homered on the first pitch thrown by Joe Ryan last night, the 29th leadoff home run of his career. The shot extended his own franchise record. Since debuting in 2018, only Toronto’s George Springer (37) and Los Angeles’ (NL) Mookie Betts (33) have more leadoff homers than Acuña Jr. Of his 29 leadoff homers, 11 have come on the first pitch of the ballgame. Acuña Jr. has 35 career first-pitch homers regardless of inning, tied with the Phillies’ Bryce Harper for fourth most in the majors since 2018. Only Kyle Schwarber (38), Pete Alonso (37) and Shohei Ohtani (36) have more.
TODAY’S GAME: The Braves and Twins conclude a three-game series today with what is the only scheduled meetings between the clubs this season…The two have not played since 2019.
- Atlanta beat Minnesota, 6-2, last night and will play for the sweep this afternoon.
- The Braves and Twins last played in 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, with Atlanta winning two-of-three…After dropping the opener of that series, the Braves outscored the Twins, 23-14, over the final two games.
- Atlanta and Minnesota have played just 21 total games since the advent of interleague play in 1997, with the Braves going 13-8 (.619) all-time against the Twins…The two franchises squared off in the 1991 World Series, with Minnesota claiming the title in seven games.
- This series marks Minnesota’s first ever visit to Truist Park…The Twins had not played here in Atlanta since a two-game set at Turner Field in 2016…They were one of just two teams yet to play here at Truist Park since the facility opened in 2017, along with Cleveland.
- LH Kolby Allard was activated off the 60-day injured list prior to today’s game and makes his first start of the season…The 6-foot-1, 195-pound lefthander missed the start of the season with a right oblique strain, and has made a pair of rehabilitation starts with Triple-A Gwinnett…Originally drafted by Atlanta in 2015 and re-aquired by the Braves last November, he is 9-23 with a 6.07 ERA (157 ER/232.2 IP) in 65 career appearances, 35 starts.
- RH Kenta Maeda has made three career starts against Atlanta, all while with the Dodgers, and is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA (4 ER/18.0 IP) and 20 strikeouts…He last faced the Braves in 2019 and allowed five hits and three runs over 4.2 innings in a no-decision…The 6-foot-1, 185-pound native of Osaka, Japan is 1-4 with a 6.86 ERA (16 ER/21.0 IP) in five starts for the Twins this season.
WIN: Atlanta beat Minnesota, 6-2, last night, scoring all six runs and hitting five homers within the first two innings…The Braves have won four straight, and 20 of their last 24 games dating to May 31.
- The Braves hit five home runs through the first two innings of play (10 plate appearances), courtesy of Ronald Acuña Jr. (2), Austin Riley, Sean Murphy and Michael Harris II…It marked the first time Atlanta hit at least five home runs within the first two innings of a game since May 28, 2003 vs. Cincinnati, when Rafael Furcal (2), Mark DeRosa, Gary Sheffield and Javy Lopez did so.
- Atlanta is a combined 15-2 (.882) against the N.L. and A.L. Central divisions, the best mark in baseball against the two.
- Atlanta improved to 12-1 (.923) in its last 13 home games dating to May 28 vs. Philadelphia…The Braves’ 26-15 (.634) record at home this season is best in the National League.
FIRST TEN PITCHES: The Braves fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning last night, but scored three runs in the first nine pitches of the bottom of the inning to take the lead.
- Atlanta has scored 33 runs within the first 10 pitches of a game, 15 more than any other team (Dodgers, 18)…The Braves are batting .411/.446/.785 with a 1.231 OPS in the first 10 pitches, all of which are highest in the majors, and lead all of baseball in hits (67), homers (15) and extra-base hits (30).
Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #49 Kolby Allard LHP
2023 MiLB Record: 0-0, 2.70 ERA • 2022 Record: 1-2, 7.29 ERA
vs. RHB: .000 (0-0), 0 HR • vs. LHB: .000 (0-0), 0 HR
Home: 0-0, 0.00 ERA (0 ER/0.0 IP) • Away: 0-0, 0.00 ERA (0 ER/0.0 IP)
Tonight’s Game
- Set to make season debut after being reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
- Missed 78 games after being placed on the IL with a strained right oblique muscle on March 30.
- Made two rehabilitation starts with Triple-A Gwinnett, pitching to a 2.70 ERA over a combined 7.2 innings pitched.
- Last pitched in the majors on October 4, 2022, holding the Yankees to two hits over 4.0 innings of on-run ball in relief.
