ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Twins are making a quick West Coast trip to play a doubleheader against the Angels today (3:07 p.m., BSN). The games are makeups for an early season series that was interrupted when the Twins had COVID-19 issues.
Thorpe, Berrios will start as Twins squeeze in doubleheader with Angels
Max Kepler (hamstring) and Mitch Garver (knee) won't start Game 1 in Anaheim.
May 20, 2021 at 7:06PM
Mike Trout (calf) is out for the series, and probably another month or two, so the Twins catch a break today. Shohei Ohtani pitched last night (and played the outfield) in a loss to Cleveland as the Angels fell to 18-24, seven games behind AL West-leading Oakland.
The Twins have the AL's worst record at 14-27 in a "whatever can wrong will" season.
Lefthander Lewis Thorpe (0-1, 4.50 ERA) is the 27th man for the Twins today, and he'll start Game 1 against righty Alex Cobb (1-2, 5.48 ERA). Jose Berrios (3-2, 3.74) starts Game 2 against the Halos' Griffin Canning (3-2, 4.78).
Max Kepler (hamstring) won't be in the Game 1 lineup. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Kepler's hamstring was tight today, and he'll be monitored as the day wears on.
Alex Kirilloff homered for St. Paul last night in his rehab assignment with the Saints. Baldelli said Kirilloff might play in the field today if the field is dry for St. Paul's game. Baldelli said Byron Buxton (hip) continues to work toward a return, and is on the "light side of things" and "some time before he ramps up to sprinting."
"When he takes the field, he needs to be himself," Baldelli said. "You have to make sure he's able to go when he comes back. It's not fair to a guy like that to ask him to play at half speed."
Mitch Garver (knee) won't start Game 1, but Baldelli thought he might start Game 2.
Starting pitchers J.A. Happ and Kenta Maeda didn't make the trip; they'll go ahead to Cleveland, where the Twins start a three-game series on Friday.
The Twins' woes were the subject of a StribSports Live discussion with Rand, La Velle and Souhan here.
TWINS GAME ONE LINEUP
Luis Arraez, LF
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Nelson Cruz, DH
Jorge Polanco, 2B
Miguel Sano, 1B
Willians Astudillo, C
Trevor Larnach, RF
Rob Refsnyder, CF
Andrelton Simmons, SS
ANGELS GAME ONE LINEUP
Jose Iglesias, SS
Phil Gosselin, 1B
Anthony Rendon, DH
Justin Upton, LF
Taylor Ward, RF
Kurt Suzuki, C
Juan Lagares, CF
Jose Rojas, 3B
David Fletcher, 2B
Talk of competing for the best players or of a potential new owner wielding big bucks doesn’t change this: They are last in popularity among the four major men’s pro sports.
