Max Kepler will hit leadoff for Twins in season opener

KANSAS CITY, MO. — In his first season as Twins manager, Rocco Baldelli shocked Twins fans and perhaps even Max Kepler by anointing the right fielder as his leadoff hitter. Kepler thrived in the role in 2019, hitting 32 homers and posting an .866 OPS.

Kepler's time atop the lineup — and his effectiveness in that spot — have waned since, from 105 games in 2019 to 34, 29 and last year just two games. He's hit .214 with a .740 OPS in the job.

Which is why it's a shock once more that Baldelli will reprise Kepler in the leadoff spot again Thursday, when the Twins open the 2023 season against the Royals. And it's not just out of nostalgia, the manager said.

"Kep came into camp physically, baseball-skills-wise, and mentally in a pretty solidified state. He came in slightly carefree and kind of ready to start from scratch and go have fun again out there on the field," Baldelli said. "Still moving around great, still looks great, swing looks good. And he has continual good at-bats. So that's the kind of at-bat you want to have at the top of the lineup."

Kepler is 3-for-10 in his career against Royals starter Zack Greinke, while Joey Gallo, who frequently led off against righthanders during spring training, is 0-for-17. But Baldelli said it's more than a one-day assignment.

"Maybe there's something about hitting up there that just jibes real well with him. Maybe there's something that works for him confidence-wise up in that spot. He's been exceptional hitting up there," Baldelli said. "I don't know if he loves it, likes it, or is just content with it, but he's been good there. I'm very pleased to be writing his name in the first spot on Opening Day."

Carlos Correa will hit second, followed by Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach, Jose Miranda, Nick Gordon, Joey Gallo, Christian Vázquez and Michael A. Taylor.

"If you do the math, we're all going to get [70] hours back over the course of the season that players will not be spending on the field during games," the manager said. "That means each one of these guys will play [the equivalent of], what, 27 fewer games? It will benefit player health. It will keep guys playing longer. That's a lot less time on their feet."

The time savings might be slightly less during the regular season, given that unlike spring games, in which neither team has more than a nodding interest in winning, teams will utilize more relievers in the late innings.

"But I can't come up with a reason why the games would be noticeably longer," Baldelli said. "The timing shouldn't function that differently."

Jorge Polanco ran the bases and took batting practice in Fort Myers this week, but the Twins say he will need plenty of game action before they declare his occasionally sore knee ready for the season.

"We all need to be cognizant that Jorge hasn't had a spring training this year. The smart thing and I think the wise thing to do is to allow him to progress along like we have allowed the 26 guys that are on our team," said Nick Paparesta, the Twins' new athletic trainer. "Jorge's on a very good track right now. We're pretty excited about it. Yesterday I got a chance to watch him run the bases and he seemed to be doing really well with that.'

Josh Winder threw 43 pitches and hit 94 mph in a bullpen session Tuesday in Florida, and will throw again on Friday, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. That's roughly the pitch count the team wants to build him up to, with the second-year righthander, who has experienced shoulder pain in each of the past two seasons, likely remaining a reliever for now.

"There's a role for him in that way. The way our starting group is built in Triple-A, we have a little depth there, so maybe he provides a different thing on our staff — one of the guys that can be a weapon out of our pen in a two- to three-inning stint."