CHW 10, MIN 3: White Sox Hit 5 Homers Off Twins Bullpen

[Nash Walker]

A pitching duel between ground-ball experts Randy Dobnak and Dallas Keuchel quickly turned into a power display by the White Sox lineup. Unlikely hero Leury Garcia hit two of Chicago’s five homers off the Twins bullpen as Minnesota lost 10-3.Box Score

Dobnak: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Home Runs: Cruz (1)

Bottom 3 WPA: Littell -.244, Donaldson -.140, Smeltzer -.104

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs):

Download attachment: WinChart.png

 

The Twins are in danger of losing their opening series to the White Sox.

 

Chicago's starter Dallas Keuchel signed a three-year, $55.5 million deal this offseason, furthering the belief that the team could compete in 2020.

 

His first start couldn’t have gone any better. He quieted the Twins’ potent offense less than a day after they posted 10 runs in a resounding victory.

 

Keuchel is known to bite the edges of the zone with dipping changeups, forcing groundballs and thus, outs. The Twins fell victim to his deception Saturday, mustering only one hit through the first five innings. The Twins hit nine balls over 90 MPH off Keuchel in the form of four line-outs, two groundouts, a pop out, a single and an error.

 

Randy Dobnak started for the Twins and pitched fairly well, allowing only one run in four innings. He handed the ball and a 1-0 deficit to Zack Littell, who impressed with a 2.68 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 37 innings in 2019.

 

After such a dominant performance in Friday’s victory, the Twins’ bullpen was abysmal on Saturday. Littell allowed four runs on three homers in just one inning. Devin Smeltzer struck out five but allowed two longballs of his own, totaling five earned runs in 2 innings.

 

It didn’t take long for Edwin Encarnación, who owns a .944 OPS in his career against the Twins, to start terrorizing them again. He hit a monstrous homer off Littell in the fifth.

 

White Sox second baseman Leury García has 23 career homers in 463 games. He went deep twice Saturday afternoon, his first multi-homer game since 2017.

 

Nelson Cruz trimmed the Sox lead to two with a three-run shot off Steve Cishek in the sixth inning. Cruz’s first homer of 2020 came off the bat at a sizzling 108 MPH. It wasn’t nearly enough to keep up with the Sox onslaught.

 

The Twins will trot out Kenta Maeda in the opening series finale on Sunday against Reynaldo López. Maeda will make his first start in a Twins uniform while López seeks to improve upon his 5.38 ERA from 2019. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. CT.

 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

Download attachment: BullpenChart.png

 

Postgame Pint

 

Parker, Seth and John commiserated over the Twins' 10-3 loss to the White Sox, discussing the bullpen’s implosion, Dobnak’s start, some tricky umpiring and whether the White Sox are for real. Check it out below or download the podcast here.

 

 

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[h2oface]

Can somebody tell me again how reliable and good our pitching staff is going to be this year? 15 runs in 2 games, and implosions by Berrios, Littell, and Smeltzer, all serving up plenty of meat. Good thing we hit in one of the games. 15 runs.......

 

This team is going to need to score lots of runs.

[mikelink45]

During free agency I believe I read a number of statements on TD that Kuechel was not the ace we wanted.  He might not be an ace, but I liked what he did.  And our pen looked pretty poor today.  

 

Dobnak, on the other hand, looked like he deserves another start and has left Smeltzer in the rear view mirror. 

[Danchat]

 

Can somebody tell me again how reliable and good our pitching staff is going to be this year? 15 runs in 2 games, and implosions by Berrios, Littell, and Smeltzer, all serving up plenty of meat. Good thing we hit in one of the games. 15 runs.......

 

This team is going to need to score lots of runs.

I don't think we should underestimate the White Sox hitters, they're pretty darn good. I am concerned that Littell and Smeltzer got hit up so much, but I think Berrios will be fine. We'll have to see how the new additions (Maeda/Bailey/Hill) do; if they get hit up, then I will be concerned.

 

 

During free agency I believe I read a number of statements on TD that Kuechel was not the ace we wanted.He might not be an ace, but I liked what he did.And our pen looked pretty poor today.

 

Eh, he got some help since the ump was giving him some low pitches, and he only ended up with 5.1 IP and 2 ER despite him rolling through the first 5 innings.

[h2oface]

 

I don't think we should underestimate the White Sox hitters, they're pretty darn good. I am concerned that Littell and Smeltzer got hit up so much, but I think Berrios will be fine. We'll have to see how the new additions (Maeda/Bailey/Hill) do; if they get hit up, then I will be concerned.

 

Anything can happen in one game. I know. I know. I just have a hard time talking my fan self into pitching being better than what it is, and settling for second (debatable) tier or third tier or worse... but, hey, with potential....... all the time, and convincing my fan self that it will be fine, and it is something to be excited about.

[h2oface]

Gonzales was right at the fence, in plenty of time, basically right under the ball, and could have and should have caught that homer by Jimenez that bounced of the top of the wall. Easy catch. Not even a super play required, but routine. That was pathetic fielding. He took a Delmon Young route back but still saunters under it finally and lifts his glove and gets it caught in the top rail of the padding. Gonzales has no place in the outfield. None.

 

 

[mikelink45]

 

I don't think we should underestimate the White Sox hitters, they're pretty darn good. I am concerned that Littell and Smeltzer got hit up so much, but I think Berrios will be fine. We'll have to see how the new additions (Maeda/Bailey/Hill) do; if they get hit up, then I will be concerned.

 

 

Eh, he got some help since the ump was giving him some low pitches, and he only ended up with 5.1 IP and 2 ER despite him rolling through the first 5 innings.

I believe that is homer assessment - he got help from the umps - they do not like us

 

[mikelink45]

 

Gonzales was right at the fence, in plenty of time, basically right under the ball, and could have and should have caught that homer by Jimenez that bounced of the top of the wall. Easy catch. Not even a super play required, but routine. That was pathetic fielding. He took a Delmon Young route back but still saunters under it finally and lifts his glove and gets it caught in the top rail of the padding. Gonzales has no place in the outfield. None.

I agree - we have two legit OFs on the bench - he is not needed

[mikelink45]

 

Anything can happen in one game. I know. I know. I just have a hard time talking my fan self into pitching being better than what it is, and settling for second (debatable) tier or third tier or worse... but, hey, with potential....... all the time, and convincing my fan self that it will be fine, and it is something to be excited about.

This year every game is 2 1/2 games so we are not 2 1/2 - 2 1/2 .500 on the season.  So we must judge every game with more intensity.  MLB asked for it. 

[DocBauer]

So today happened. Ugh!

 

The good news is Dobnak looked OK and I agree he he serves another start.

 

Very disappointed in Littell and Smeltzer but not going to panic over ONE GAME, and first game at that.

 

Not the least bit worried about Berrios after one game either. Once again, first game, limited time ramp up, and facing a good lineup. He seemed to settle down in the 3rd and 4th. Honestly, I think he was too amped up and over-throwing.

[bighat]

 

Gonzales was right at the fence, in plenty of time, basically right under the ball, and could have and should have caught that homer by Jimenez that bounced of the top of the wall. Easy catch. Not even a super play required, but routine. That was pathetic fielding. He took a Delmon Young route back but still saunters under it finally and lifts his glove and gets it caught in the top rail of the padding. Gonzales has no place in the outfield. None.

I mentioned this on the game thread. This is what happens when you have a utility infielder playing in the outfield. Many right fielders would have made that catch and it wouldn't even have been on SportsCenter - not exactly a "routine" play but a catch that I think Kepler makes for sure.

[FlauerPauer]

 

I mentioned this on the game thread. This is what happens when you have a utility infielder playing in the outfield. Many right fielders would have made that catch and it wouldn't even have been on SportsCenter - not exactly a "routine" play but a catch that I think Kepler makes for sure.

 

And Cave and Wade... Gonzalez should not be played in the outfield. Not that it really would have made a difference, but that won't be the first time Gonzalez costs the team runs in the outfield.

[bighat]

Over reactive post incoming:

 

Already? Injuries (Buxton, Odorizzi) and coddling (Hill) already have the Twins putting together a bullpen game and duct taping a lineup together in the 2nd game of the year. Sending a soft-tossing lefty mop-up guy (Smeltzer) into the teeth of a right-hand heavy power-hitting lineup? For two innings? Huh? Where was Romo? And yes it's too early to panic but EARTH TO JOSH DONALDSON....uh, we're waiting bud

[Danchat]

 

I believe that is homer assessment - he got help from the umps - they do not like us

Dobnak got help from the ump too. If you go through the game thread, you'll notice a few comments on the ump's strike zone and how balls below the knees were getting called as strikes. Kuechel relies on those, so it helped him more, but I didn't intend to say that it was all one-sided.

[theBOMisthebomb]

The White Sox are legit.

[Linus]

Smeltzer was dominant for his first inning and some. He got lit up but could have been out of there with some help from Polanco. A four hopper that makes it by Donaldson and Jorge was not good

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Relax everybody. It's just 2.5 games into the season. As Gardy used to say after losing the first series of the year, "Its a marathon",

[mikelink45]

I just have to ask - is Luis Robert about to become what we all hoped Byron Buxton would be?  I still hope for Byron, but if Luis stays healthy he is going to be a force.

[Aerodeliria]

 

Relax everybody. It's just 2.5 games into the season. As Gardy used to say after losing the first series of the year, "Its a marathon",

 

More like a 10K this year.

[Shaitan]

I don't think they changed the baseball.