After a dreadful season-opening sequence, the visiting Minnesota Twins will look to earn their first win of the season Monday afternoon once they open a three-game sequence on the Chicago White Sox.
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Minnesota, which ended a disappointing 2024 season with 4 consecutive losses, continued its subpar play within the first sequence of 2025. The Twins have been swept by the host St. Louis Cardinals and outscored 19-6 within the three defeats.
Byron Buxton’s first-inning RBI single on Sunday gave Minnesota its solely lead of the sequence, earlier than starter Bailey Ober allowed eight runs in 2 2/3 innings to punctuate the crew’s powerful begin.
Regardless of an inauspicious first sequence, Minnesota supervisor Rocco Baldelli believes the legislation of averages will even issues out, particularly on the plate.
“A lot of the balls that we hit on the barrel, they were making diving plays on the entire series. That will not continue,” Baldelli mentioned. “We just have to stay true to what we’re trying to do at the plate. Keep having good at-bats, keep barrelling balls up and things are going to work offensively.
“It was truly not a foul offensive show. The runs didn’t come, however you’ll be able to go up and down the lineup and say pretty optimistic issues about extra guys than not.”
Second baseman Willi Castro was Minnesota’s offensive standout of the series, notching four hits, including a home run, and three RBIs.
Looking to spark the Twins on Monday, Chris Paddack gets his first 2025 start after going 5-3 with a 4.99 ERA in 17 starts for Minnesota last season.
Paddack, a 29-year-old right-hander, has had success against the White Sox in two career starts, including a 10-strikeout, seven-inning scoreless start against Chicago last April.
Coming off the worst season by any team since the 120-loss 1962 New York Mets, the White Sox enjoyed an Opening Day home win over the Los Angeles Angels before dropping the series after a pair of one-run losses.
Chicago exploded for eight runs Thursday, but mustered just two combined runs in Saturday and Sunday’s defeats. A bright spot from the White Sox’s perspective was a pitching staff that allowed only five runs in the series, an inspiring start after the club finished 28th with a 4.68 ERA in 2024.
“We continued to battle,” first-year White Sox manager Will Venable said. “These guys have completed an important job persevering with to work. … Our pitching is holding us in there and we’ll have some probabilities right here offensively.”
Aiming to proceed Chicago’s run on the mound, veteran lefty Martin Perez will make his first White Sox begin after signing a one-year, $5 million contract in January.
Perez, who turns 34 on Friday, went 5-6 with a 4.53 ERA in 26 begins final season, however improved after a midseason commerce from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the San Diego Padres, the place he went 3-1 with a 3.46 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 52 innings.
Perez is 0-4 with a 5.43 ERA in 13 profession appearances towards Minnesota.
Subject Degree Media