BRADENTON, FLA. – Tyler Duffey and Ricky Nolasco pitched in separate games Monday in a showdown to determine who gets the final spot in the Twins starting rotation.
And both failed to impress.
Duffey gave up four earned runs over four innings in Bradenton against a Pirates team of backups and minor leaguers. Nolasco, pitching in Fort Myers against an Orioles farm team from Class A Frederick, gave up three runs, two earned, over five innings.
Now it's up to manager Paul Molitor, pitching coach Neil Allen and General Manager Terry Ryan to determine who makes the rotation. If it's Nolasco, Duffey is headed to the minors. If it's Duffey, Nolasco is headed to the bullpen.
"We'll talk," Molitor said. "I'll probably talk to Neil and I will talk with Terry and we'll try to have something settled here."
If there was anything unusual at stake, Nolasco claimed not to notice. He threw 84 pitches in his final chance to impress the decision-makers who must choose the team's fifth starter.
Does he think he earned the job?
"I'm not the right person to ask," Nolasco said afterward. "I'm just worrying about going out every fifth day when I've got to pick up the ball. Staying healthy, getting my work in — that's the only thing on my mind."