We’re just over a day away from Game 1 of the Minnesota Twins versus the Houston Astros in the American League Divisional Series and who will take to the mound for the Twins remains a mystery.
The Twins used Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray in the 2-0 Wild Card series win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it makes sense for the Twins to give Lopez a full four days of rest so he’s ready to start Game 2 on Sunday, with Gray ready for Game 3 in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
That means the Twins have a decision to make for Game 1. Joe Ryan has been the Twins’ No. 3 for most of the reason, but had a bad experience on his only game at Minute Maid Park on May 30, giving up five runs in just four innings of work to the Astros lineup.
Since returning from injury in late August, Ryan pitched seven games but managed only two quality starts, struggling in visits to Cincinnati and Colorado, where he gave up four and six runs respectively.
But included in that run was a huge performance at the Texas Rangers on Sept. 1, as he led the Twins to a win giving up just one run across six innings, and also threw 10 strikeouts against the Los Angeles Angels at Target Field on Sept. 24.
The alternative options for the Twins here would be using Kenta Maeda, calling up Bailey Ober, or using a combination of both.
Ober was not named on the Twins’ 26-man Wild Card roster, but Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey has hinted that he will be called up for the ALDS, with a batter likely to make way.
The 6’9″ tall starter was broadly excellent on his starts this year, accruing a 3.43 ERA over 144.1 innings pitched and racking up eight wins for the Twins.
Maeda has pitched fewer innings than Ober, 104.1, and finished the season with a 4.23 ERA. He did however finish the season stronger than Ryan, posting an era of 2.70 in September compared to Ryan’s 5.28.
There had been speculation before the playoffs started that Maeda could be used in long relief, potentially playing a similar role as Yusei Kikuchi when the Blue Jays (wrongly) pulled Jose Berrios after 3 innings of Game 2 against the Twins on Wednesday.
There is no such speculation as to the Astros’ starter; that would be Justin Verlander. Gulp.
