When David Festa was scratched from his Triple-A start on Wednesday, it was clear where he would throw his next pitch.
Festa, the top pitching prospect in the Twins’ organization, will make his major league debut on Thursday afternoon when Minnesota opposes the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
Festa racked up 87 strikeouts in just 59 2/3 innings for Saint Paul this year while overpowering minor league batters. The Twins feel he is ready to hold his own against big-leaguers.
Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli officially announced Festa’s promotion after the Twins’ 8-3 victory over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Festa, 24, struck out 10 on three occasions for Saint Paul this season, twice while pitching six innings and once while tossing five frames. He was 3-2 with a 3.77 ERA in 14 starts.
A 13th-round pick in 2021 out of Seton Hall, Festa is listed at 6-foot-6, 185 pounds.
“He’s got strikeout stuff,” Twins infielder Royce Lewis said of Festa. “Every time I’ve seen him pitch, he’s always either striking them out or making them look uncomfortable some other way.”
The Twins needed a starter for Thursday after right-hander Chris Paddack (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday.
Festa surely would like to receive offensive support similar to the Twins’ production Wednesday.
Minnesota had 14 hits, including seven doubles, during its 11th win in 16 games. Jose Miranda hit a three-run double and Willi Castro contributed a two-run homer.
Miranda had three hits, and his bases-clearing double in the second inning started the Twins’ uprising.
“I’m just trying to get a good pitch I could drive,” Miranda said of his approach with the bases loaded. “Obviously, it was a good swing and a good result.”
Miranda has two three-hit outings in his past three appearances and three three-RBI performances over his past five outings. He is 9-for-20 (.450) with one homer, four doubles and nine RBIs during the five-game span.
“Every time we send him out there and give him opportunities, he’s doing good work against both righties and lefties,” Baldelli said. “… Miranda is definitely one of those guys that has stepped into the spotlight a little bit. He’s definitely producing.”
Arizona will look for left-hander Jordan Montgomery (6-4, 5.71 ERA) to slow down the Minnesota attack in the decisive game of the three-game series. Montgomery will attempt to win his fourth consecutive start.
Montgomery had a 6.80 ERA prior to the current hot stretch, but he has allowed just six runs (five earned) and 15 hits in 16 2/3 innings during his winning streak. He beat the Philadelphia Phillies in his latest start on Friday, when he gave up two runs and five hits over six innings.
Montgomery, 31, is 0-1 with a 7.01 ERA in five career starts against the Twins. Christian Vazquez is 7-for-24 (.292) with three homers against Montgomery, while Carlos Correa (4-for-14, .286), Manuel Margot (6-for-20, .300) and Carlos Santana (4-for-9, .444) all have one homer off him. Miranda hasn’t faced Montgomery.
The Diamondbacks struggled on the offensive end Wednesday, managing just four hits. Arizona didn’t have a baserunner in 3 2/3 innings against the Minnesota bullpen.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drove in two runs on an RBI triple and a sacrifice fly. The bottom four hitters in the Arizona lineup went a combined 0-for-13.
“We couldn’t seem to get out of the gate in many different ways,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It happens in baseball. Their pitcher (Simeon Woods Richardson) was mixing speeds, had a good changeup, some secondary stuff and good life on his fastball, kept us in check.”
Arizona’s Corbin Carroll, who has been in a season-long slump, is 3-for-8 in the series to raise his average to .216. Carroll has just two homers in half a season after hitting 25 last season while winning National League Rookie of the Year honors.
The Diamondbacks won the series opener 5-4 on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
