Twins’ starting pitcher rotation takes form as Louis Varland, Anthony DeSclafani throw solid innings

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Starting pitching depth has been the Twins’ biggest worry this spring. A couple of outings on Friday — 90 miles apart — may help calm their nerves.

Louie Varland pitched three shutout innings against the Pirates at LECOM Park in Bradenton, allowing only a pair of singles in a quick 34-pitch outing. Varland has yet to allow a run or extra-base hit in seven Grapefruit League innings this spring.

“I came down to spring training ready to go, to compete for a spot,” the 26-year-old St. Paul native said. “I’m not ramping up or anything — I’m competing. I’ve got everything in top-notch shape right now.”

Meanwhile at Hammond Stadium, Anthony DeSclafani, the pitcher who may be Varland’s biggest competition for an Opening Day spot behind Pablo López, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack, threw a 35-pitch bullpen session and reported no soreness in his right elbow, which kept him out of action for the final two months of the 2023 season.

“I threw all my pitches, and did a mini up-down of sorts,” to simulate a break between innings, DeSclafani said of his second bullpen session in a week. “I felt good. I came out of it good.”

He’s optimistic that the same will be true on Saturday; it was second-day soreness early in camp that caused the Twins to slow down his throwing schedule and keep him out of Grapefruit League games.

“First and foremost, it’s going to be health over ramping up too quickly,” said DeSclafani, acquired in January from Seattle in the Jorge Polanco trade. “But I still have plenty of time to built up to what I would need to be ready” for the start of the regular season, especially with three days off in the first nine days.

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Edouard Julien left the visitors clubhouse at LECOM Park with his right wrist wrapped up. But the Twins have no initial concerns about his health.

Julien was hit on the wrist in the first inning by a pitch thrown by former Twin Martin Pérez. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli and a team trainer went to first base to check on Julien but left him in the game.

Once back in the dugout, Julien was replaced in the field by Michael Helman in the bottom of the inning.

“It did turn black and blue immediately,” Baldelli said, “but he was doing OK and has good strength.”

Baldelli said he’s not worried that Julien, who’s batting .421 in camp, will be out of the lineup long. There were no plans for him to have the wrist examined.

After Varland finished, five Twins relievers fared far worse, giving up six runs over the next five innings as the Twins absorbed a 6-3 loss to Pittsburgh. Griffin Jax pitched a scoreless inning, keeping him perfect over four appearances this spring, but Brock Stewart, Josh Staumont, Steven Okert and Cole Sands each surrendered at least one run as the Twins fell to 1-6 in Grapefruit League road games.

Trevor Larnach homered for the Twins and drove in another run with a single, and José Miranda went 1-for-2, raising his average to .462 this spring, and played in the field, at first base, for the first time in camp.

The Twins called a team meeting for Saturday morning, with an unusual topic: Better sleep.

Drs. Michael Howell and Jonathan Parker will give the players tips and advice for getting more effective rest. And though the topic is a useful one in general, Baldelli said the Twins’ schedule lends a particular urgency to the topic this year.

“In addition to the obvious benefits [of better sleep], we play a ton of day games this year,” Baldelli pointed out. The Twins open the 2024 season with eight consecutive afternoon games, and play only six night games among their first 21. “We play as many day games as any team in baseball. So these are things I would like our players to think about and focus on.”

Free agency doesn’t start in the NFL until next week, but already the Chicago Bears have plucked a significant addition away from Minnesota.

This one, though, is for the front office.

Meka White Morris, the Twins’ chief business officer for the past year and a half, has been hired for a similar position by the Bears, the NFL team announced. Morris, who has also worked in the front offices of the Charlotte Bobcats, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Cavaliers, came to the Twins in August 2021 as the team’s chief revenue officer.

Morris, the daughter of basketball Hall of Famer Jo Jo White, was promoted to executive vice president and CBO a year later, overseeing the team’s revenue, marketing and communications operations, as well as business strategy and innovation.

“We’re grateful. We love Meka. She’s been a wonderful contributor to our organization, and we’re excited to see her star continue to rise,” Twins president Dave St. Peter said. “Our organization is deeper with talent in the front office than it’s ever been. Meka’s teams are strong, they’re deep, and there are existing leaders who have an opportunity to rise to the occasion. We wish here and her husband Shaun all the best.”