Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox Series Preview
Fresh off of a season-opening series sweep, the Minnesota Twins look to continue their winning ways against Chicago.
Stop the presses! The Minnesota Twins are undefeated! Their bullpen has yet to allow a run. Eddie Rosario walked twice in one ballgame! Okay, okay, it’s only three games into the 2017 season, but these do not look anything like last year’s rendition.
Last year, it took until Game 10 to get win number one. They have more wins in three days than they did in two full weeks of the season in 2016. One last series-opening stat: the Twins scored 21 runs in the first three games, something it took until Game 11 last year to accomplish.
More from Minnesota Twins
- Minnesota Twins: The 4 players who are on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- MLB Rumors: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins
- Falvey, Levine and the Minnesota Twins front office: An interim grade
- MLB hot take: 5 disappointing players on contending teams
- Is mediocre good enough in the AL Central?
Strange days indeed. The best part of the wins was how efficient and professional they were in dispatching a team that is just two seasons removed from winning the World Series. Patient at the plate (Byron Buxton notwithstanding), stellar in the field (zero errors), and clutch at the plate (9-29 with RISP, including numerous walks).
Ah yes, the walks. 7-9-7. Those were the walk totals in the first three games. While the Twins’ batting average (.258) during the series wasn’t eye-popping, their on-base percentage (.410) as a team was outstanding.
Newly acquired catcher Jason Castro leads all of baseball with his six walks. At one point during Thursday’s game, Castro had reached base via a hit or walk in nine of his first 10 plate appearances. Heady stuff.
With the sweep over the Royals, the Twins gain important ground on an opponent they’ve only had four wins in successive seasons against. Now, Minnesota turns its attention to the team many thought was going to finish below the Twins this year in the division, the Chicago White Sox.
Friday Night Game
Phil Hughes (1-7, 5.95 ERA)* vs Derek Holland (7-9, 4.95 ERA)*
7:10 PM Guaranteed Rate Field
TV: Fox Sports North/WGN
Saturday Day Game
Adalberto Mejia (0-0, 7.71 ERA)* vs Miguel Gonzalez (5-8, 3.73 ERA)*
1:10 PM Guaranteed Rate Field
TV: Fox Sports North
Sunday Day Game
Ervin Santana (1-0, 1.29 ERA) vs Jose Quintana (0-1, 10.13 ERA)
1:10 Guaranteed Rate Field
TV: Fox Sports North
*Statistics are from the 2016 season
Chicago: The White Sox are in full rebuilding mode. That happens when you trade away one of baseball’s best starters in Chris Sale. Manager Robin Ventura was shown the door. Twin-killer Adam Eaton garnered a trio of top prospects in return from the Washington Nationals in a trade.
What they do have now is one of baseball’s best prospect lists, almost solely on the power of their offseason dealings. They almost got even younger, dangling prize pitcher Jose Quintana in even more trade talks.
Offense: Chicago split their series with the Tigers, with one game being postponed due to rain. Early returns on Geovany Soto are favorable, as he hit two home runs to help gain the split. Last year’s pickup for third base, Matt Davidson, also homered in the same game. The DH made his first appearance since breaking his foot in his debut with the Sox last year.
Player to Watch: Jose Abreu. He and Todd Frazier form the heart of the Sox batting order. After getting pitched around much of last season, Abreu is now getting more pitches to hit with Frazier providing some protection.
Abreu is coming off his third straight 100-RBI season in just three years in the big leagues. Last season’s 24 HR was the first time he failed to crack 30 or more since arriving as a rookie.
Against the Twins, he’s a lifetime .303 hitter, with his highest RBI totals saved for the Twins (38). He’s 5-10 lifetime against Ervin Santana, and 7-24 against Friday’s starter, Phil Hughes. Manager Paul Molitor should be wary about using reliever Taylor Rogers against Abreu. He’s 2-2 with both at-bats ending with a home run.
Pitching: With Chris Sale now pitching for the other Sox, Jose Quintana assumes the mantle as ace of the Chicago staff. Derek Holland was signed to fill the void in the starting rotation, but he’s struggled to stay healthy.
After three straight years with Texas averaging 30 starts and 12 wins, Holland broke down in 2014-2015. He bounced back somewhat last year, taking the hill 20 times for the Rangers in 2016.
But his velocity is down, as are his K/9 numbers. After seasons in the high sevens and eights, he registered his lowest rate last year, 5.62.
Reliever Jake Petricka, once a stalwart of their relief corp, injured his hip last season and was limited to just nine appearances. Now after just one appearance this season, Petricka won’t be available for the Twins series, as he was placed on the 10-day DL for back issues.
Pitcher to Watch: Quintana. The young righty from Columbia survived the offseason to remain in a White Sox uniform, despite overtures by many teams trying to pry him away from Chicago.
He made five starts against the Twins last year, going 2-2 with an3.98 ERA. That ERA is deceiving. He allowed seven earned runs in a September game against the Twins to run up opposing run totals.
In three separate starts last year, Quintana went six-plus innings, allowing just one earned run each time. The last occurrence, July 29, he was out-dueled by soon-to-be traded Ricky Nolasco in a 2-1 Chicago loss.
Twins: Riding high after their sweep of the Royals, the Twins will get their first look at Phil Hughes, who will be making his first start since thoracic outlet surgery. He will be opposite Holland, another pitcher looking for a bounce back.
They will also get another peek at Aldaberto Mejia, who impressed enough in Spring Training to win a place in the starting rotation. If Mejia can provide quality starts as the second lefty in the rotation (Hector Santiago being the other), the Twins can create more matchup problems for the opposition. Last year, Tommy Milone was the sole part-time lefty starter until the trade for Santiago.
Sunday’s matchup will be a good one, pitting Ervin Santana against Quintana. Santana’s roll continued from the end of last season. He allowed just one run in the Opening Day start against the Royals, despite not having his best stuff.
He struggled with his command, getting deep into the count on most hitters. He forged through, however, allowing just two hits and two walks in his seven innings. Amazingly, all three of his strikeouts came in his last inning.
Next: Ervin Santana, Prime Trade Target?
Notes: Despite early struggles, Molitor has said that he intends to keep Byron Buxton in the three-hole in the batting order. Despite all the runs, both Buxton (1-14) and Joe Mauer (1-11), the number three and four batters in the Twins’ lineup, have yet to produce. Once they get on track, the Twins could be even harder to keep off the scoreboard.