Box Score
Starting Pitcher: Chris Paddack 5 IP, 11 H, 6 ER, 2 K, 1 B (98 pitches (63 strikes (64%))
Home Runs: Kody Clemens (11)
Bottom 3 WPA: Paddack -.270, Correa -.130, Larnach -.059
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs):
After taking the first two games from the first-place Cubs, the Minnesota Twins had a golden opportunity to complete their first series sweep in nearly two months and pull back to within one game of .500. Instead, they fell flat on Thursday afternoon, getting hammered 8-1 at Target Field in a lopsided loss that highlighted both rotation struggles and offensive inconsistency.
Chris Paddack took the mound for the Twins and delivered another shaky outing. The Cubs got to him early, with Dansby Swanson doubling in the second and scoring on an RBI single from Nico Hoerner. In the third, Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his breakout season with a towering two-run homer, his 24th of the year, to put the Cubs up 3-0. Chicago kept adding on in the fourth and fifth innings, eventually chasing Paddack after five innings and 98 pitches.
Paddack’s final line was rough: 11 hits, 6 earned runs, one walk, and just two strikeouts. He only generated seven whiffs all game. It’s been over a month since his last quality start, and while his spot in the rotation would normally be in question, the Twins’ current pitching depth issues likely mean he’ll remain in the mix… for now.
Things didn’t get much better after Paddack left. Anthony Misiewicz, newly recalled to help eat innings, served up Crow-Armstrong’s second homer of the day in the sixth to push the Cubs’ lead to 7-0. Justin Topa took over for the final two frames, allowing one more run as the game got further out of reach.
Offensively, the Twins were lifeless. They managed just four hits all afternoon, and largely looked uncompetitive. The lone bright spot came in the fifth, when Kody Clemens launched a solo homer to center (his 11th of the year) to briefly cut into the deficit. The top three hitters in the lineup—Willi Castro, Trevor Larnach, and Brooks Lee—combined to go 0-for-11, and the team only hit four balls over 100 MPH all game. The Cubs, by contrast, had nine.
The broadcast added a lighthearted twist to the otherwise rough afternoon. Former Twins general manager Terry Ryan joined the players-only booth, where he chatted with the former players that he once drafted or acquired and even read old scouting reports on-air. It was a fun and nostalgic wrap to a new-look booth for this series that featured Glen Perkins, Justin Morneau, and Trevor Plouffe in a series that didn’t include the familiar voice of Cory Provus, or any traditional play-by-play voice at all.
Despite the ugly finale, the Twins still took the series against the NL Central leaders and have now won back-to-back series. The loss dropped Minnesota to 45-48 on the season, with just three games remaining before the All-Star break.
What’s Next
Friday night’s matchup is one of the most anticipated of the season. Second-year phenom Paul Skenes makes his Target Field debut for the Pirates, going head-to-head with Twins All-Star Joe Ryan. First pitch is set for 7:10 pm, followed by the postgame Nelly concert under the lights.
Postgame Interviews
Coming soon…
Bullpen Usage Report
