St. Paul – 2024 was a career year in pro ball for Jonah Bride. Between his time at Triple-A Jacksonville and on the Miami Marlins roster, he slugged 22 home runs, drove in 78 RBI, and drew 90 walks in 146 games across the two levels.
However, he experienced a setback this year. After going just 4-for-40 in 12 games with the Marlins, they DFA’d him on April 15. A day later, the Twins bought their way up the waiver wire to acquire Bride to bolster their depleted infield at the time.
In the first 16 games he played with the Twins, Bride stepped up in his bench role, going 13-for-39 with 3 RBI. However, over the next 17 games, he was only 2-for-33 and was seen more often as an emergency reliever than anything else. Sometimes the lack of playing time can be attributed to the poor results for players at the plate, but that is not the singular reason Bride believes his numbers dropped.
“I don’t blame it on that at all,” said Bride. “I think just from the start of this year’s spring, I was trying to find something the whole time. Now, it’s like the last couple of weeks, I’m starting to find something again, and I think it’s working. It’s just been a lot of that, I think I’m just trying to do too much this year with finding mechanics rather than just sticking with one thing.”
Bride’s results at the plate have seen some improvement following his outright to Triple-A St. Paul on July 2, especially of late. Over his last 21 games, Bride is hitting .296/.398/.451 with two home runs, 10 RBI, and a .365 batting average on balls in play. Bride attributes his turnaround to finding the rhythm he’s been searching for since spring training.
“It’s like a weird little bat wag at the pitcher, and then I have my hands set, just sitting in the same position for so long that I have a little rhythm going into my swing,” he said. “So like I said, it’s a little weird que but just trying to find positives from every day, so that’s what I’m going with right now.”
Bride hasn’t been the only veteran infielder on the Saints who has lost his rhythm at the plate this season. José Miranda is having a career-worst season in pro ball, putting up a .193/.270/.299 slash line in 356 plate appearances with St. Paul this season. Bride and Miranda quickly gravitated to one another, working together to improve their situations at the plate when Bride arrived in St. Paul in July, and it’s helped both of them knowing they are not alone.
“It’s good to have Jonah here, and I can talk to him, and we can relate to each other,” said Miranda. “We’ve kind of been through the same path, kind of like in the big league level, and having to be down here, it’s always hard. Having him here, talking, chatting every day and seeing what works for him, what works for me is always good.”
“Me and Miranda, were talking about it, we’re close to that finish line,” said Bride. “Last year, my last week and a half was my best week and a half of the season, and it kind of put me in a good spot going into this year, so I was telling him, ‘We have this time right here, and this can really make your season in a way.’
“So, taking that positivity into the off-season, I think it’s a really good thing. I think this game is a lot of mental, so having success at the end is very important.”
The work the duo has put in together hasn’t gone unnoticed by Saints coaches and teammates, who are rooting for them to return to the big leagues, if not this year, then next season.
“He’s got a great attitude, a great clubhouse presence, and he’s a good leader of this young group we have,” Saints hitting coach Shawn Schlecter said about Bride. “A ton of credit to him and both those guys (Bride and Miranda), even though it’s not exactly where they want it to be. They’re still young in their careers, they’re fun guys to work with, and we appreciate the things they’re doing for not only themselves but the younger group that we have.”
There are many things that Bride will look back on in 2025 as areas for improvement. However, he’s already looking back on his four-game stint as a relief pitcher in blowout games with some fondness. He will admit he was far from being the most dominant position player on the mound, but he was happy to be the man to volunteer and step up in a role few position players want.
“At the time, obviously, we were losing, so it wasn’t fun,” said Bride. “But looking back on it, it’s good memories for sure. To be able to say you did that in a big league game, I think, is special, regardless of what my ERA would say. So yes, it’s definitely something looking back, I did enjoy getting to do that.”
“Trust me, no position player, only a couple of sickos really want to go out there and pitch,” Baldelli said in June after Bride volunteered to pitch. “Most of the guys who go out there and pitch don’t want to do it. They do it to be a good member of the team and to help out, but trust me, it’s not that comfortable for those guys unless they’re just a little cuckoo.”
Bride takes the sicko compliment more in good taste, having fun in the game in a role that has become all too common in today’s game. But as the season winds down, the Twins will likely release Bride. He’s hoping to replicate what he did with the Marlins a year ago, making the last week of the season his best to put himself in a good position to secure a contract with an invitation to spring training next year.
“Lately, I feel like I’ve been swinging with the best version of myself,” said Bride. “The whole season just swing-wise, whether I’m hitting it out or getting a hit. I’m making sure it’s solid contact and driving the ball, and trying to get more exit velo has been a big thing. So lately I’ve felt much better about that.”