FORT MYERS, FLA. – Pablo López, the Twins’ Opening Day starter, gave up four runs Sunday, and closer Jhoan Duran surrendered two more as the Washington Nationals sent the Twins to only their second Grapefruit League home loss of the spring, 7-3 at Hammond Stadium.
Pablo López takes the loss as Twins fall 7-3 to Nationals in exhibition
Opening Day starter Pablo López gave up four runs (three earned) and Jhoan Duran surrendered two more as the Twins were defeated 7-3 by the Washington Nationals on Sunday.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
March 10, 2024 at 11:48PM
“A good day for learning a few things,” López said with a shrug. The righthander, who gave up five hits and struck out three, threw 67 pitches and said his ramp-up for the season, with two more spring starts before heading north, is going well, at least.
“I found the time to throw a 3-1 slider, a 2-0 changeup here and there,” he said. “… Right now, we get the luxury that we know it doesn’t really count, but the reps are real.”
One of the runs he gave up was unearned. López dropped to 0-2 this spring.
Max Kepler, 2-for-19 this spring before Sunday, cracked a long home run to right field in the fourth inning, scoring Carlos Correa ahead of him. But the Twins managed only six hits against Washington, two of them by newcomer Manuel Margot, and fell to 5-2-2 at home.
Byron Buxton, one day after his three extra-base-hit outburst, singled in the first inning and went 1-for-4 in his first time playing on consecutive days this spring.
Eiberson Castellano must remain on the major league roster for the entire 2025 season or he would have to return to the Phillies. He is projected as a reliever.
