For eight and two thirds innings AND two strikes of this nine inning game, the Twins looked lifeless, dead, and outclassed by a much inferior Royals squad. To the point that I had a recap completely written and ready to post as soon as the score went final. But Kody Clemens had other plans.
Unfortunately, we need to start with the first 99.9% of this game.
Mere hours after being shut out by ex-Twin and bad pitcher Randy Dobnak, they somehow did even worse against Noah Cameron today. Cameron came into
this game with a 4.93 ERA, fifth worst among pitchers with at least 100 innings this season. So naturally he no-hit the Twins through six, went eight scoreless overall and simply breezed through the lineup all afternoon. Also of note: Cameron is a lefty, so this outcome was preordained by whatever left-handed witch the Pohlad family insulted a decade ago.
Minnesota’s offense made some serious strides from June 1 through the All-Star break, but have been completely lifeless since then. They’ve only scored more than five runs twice, and those came in games where the Guardians and Athletics committed three and four errors, respectively. If you eliminate those slop-fests, the Twins are averaging two runs per game since the All-Star Break. Two!!
In that same stretch, they are also 29th in home runs, 28th in SLG, 25th in batting average, 24th in OBP, 28th in xwOBA, 27th in wRC+, and 30th in barrel rate. They’re making soft contact over and over again, which does make sense when you look at regulars like Brooks Lee, Luke Keaschall, Ryan Kreidler, and Austin Martin. The difference is now hits aren’t falling like they used to.
Which makes it even more baffling that the Twins opted to bring up yet another non-factor bat when Buxton went on the IL. They could have turned to Walker Jenkins, the consensus Top 5 prospect who has hit well at AAA all season. Kaelen Culpepper and Emmanuel Rodriguez are still working themselves back from injuries, but starting them every other day could bring some juice to a lineup that desperately needs it. Instead, Derek Shelton has run out two different lineups this week that involve journeyman minor league catcher Alex Jackson starting at first base.
But we’ll complain about that next week. Kody Clemens wasn’t happy about my negativity and did something about it.
Despite the offensive ineptitude on display all day, the Twins rallied with two outs in the ninth inning. Lucas Erceg was the Royals’ closer to begin the season, but his lack of commend lost him the role before April ended. That wildness was on very much on display today.
Erceg hit Ryan Jeffers, gave up a soft two-strike single to Royce Lewis, and walked Josh Bell after getting ahead of him 0-2. Lefty Matt Strahm then came in to finish the game against Kody Clemens and also got up 0-2 on the Twins’ left-handed hitter. And then on the third pitch of the AB, Clemens made sure the rest of that game didn’t matter. Take it away, Cory Provus.
How about one more angle for good measure?
After all that, the Twins secured another series victory, are back at .500, and Kody Clemens goes home a hero of epic proportions. In fact, he did something only 33 other players in MLB history have done: hit an ultimate grand slam.
On to Seattle!
STUDS
- Somehow, some way, Kody Clemens: WALK OFF GRAND SLAM
DUDS
- If this was any other game, literally every other hitter
- But it’s not. NO DUDS TWINS WIN!!
