The Minnesota Twins can breathe a sigh of relief as they get ready for their home opener against the Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Through the first four games of the season, the Twins had a goose egg in the win column. However, Minnesota found its footing over the past two days with back-to-back road victories against the Chicago White Sox, and the collective mood seemed to brighten before the team flew north.
An offensive jolt from Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa played a big role in the happier mindset. Both players struggled to start the season but contributed multi-hit games in a 6-1 win on Wednesday, and Buxton delivered his first homer in the form of a 446-foot blast into the left field bleachers.
“When they start sparking things and they start having those really good at-bats, we play well,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Good things start happening and they compound, and the rest of the group gets going, too, because they take a lot of attention from the other side of the field. They’re very good at what they do.”
The same can be said for the Astros’ top hitters, who still are looking for a breakout performance. Houston arrives in Minnesota in the midst of a three-game losing streak, including a 6-3 setback against the visiting San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon.
In their first six games, the Astros have scored only 12 total runs. New additions Christian Walker (3-for-24) and Isaac Paredes (3-for-20) have struggled to get going.
Astros manager Joe Espada is confident that both players will be fine.
“It’s like I told them both (on Wednesday): ‘Don’t press, just stay calm,'” Espada said. “They’re good hitters. They’re proven hitters. I know that they want to get a big hit in a new organization, and that happens. I understand that, but they’re really good hitters.
“They’re going to hit. Just stay in the zone and remember who you are and what makes you a good hitter, and things will start happening for them.”
Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (0-0, 1.80 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound on a day when temperatures will top out in the mid-40s and rain could be in the mix.
In his first start of the season, Ryan held the St. Louis Cardinals to one run on five hits in five innings on Saturday but finished with a no-decision. He walked none and struck out five.
Ryan has faced the Astros five times in his career, going 2-3 with a 7.66 ERA.
Houston will counter with right-hander Hunter Brown (0-1, 3.00 ERA). He took the loss in his season debut against the New York Mets on Friday despite posting a quality start: three runs (two earned) in six innings. He gave up four hits, walked three and struck out seven.
The 26-year-old Detroit native has made four career starts against the Twins, producing a 1-2 record with a 5.70 ERA.
The Astros and Twins faced each other six times in 2024. Minnesota won the season series 4-2 and outscored Houston 36-27.
–Field Level Media
