Baldelli on Twins’ skid: ‘We demand more of ourselves’

ATLANTA — Minnesota is at a flashpoint second. With the membership midway by way of the season, it’s feeling the strain to execute, particularly with the American League Central race tightening up.

The stress reached its restrict after the Twins’ 3-0 loss to the Braves on Wednesday afternoon at Truist Park. It’s Minnesota’s second time being swept this 12 months, dropping the membership right into a tie with Cleveland for first place in the division. After the sport, the Twins had a players-only assembly, and supervisor Rocco Baldelli spoke candidly about his workforce’s efficiency.

“ … The reality of the matter is we had been flat, and we made no changes within the sport virtually by any means,” Baldelli mentioned. “And in case you’re going to name a spade a spade and say how it’s, that’s not good baseball.

“We received wiped this sequence by the workforce on the opposite facet of the sphere. There’s no method we will stroll out of this with any positives, to be trustworthy with you, and that is the reality.”

The Twins had been outscored 13-3 within the sequence, with every outing placing a microscope on the membership’s strikeout and run-scoring woes. Within the three video games, Minnesota stranded 20 runners on base, hit 0-for-23 with runners in scoring place and struck out 31 instances. The workforce elevated its Main League lead in Okay’s with 14 strikeouts on Wednesday.

“We’re dropping video games as a result of we’re hanging out,” Baldelli mentioned. “That is not the most important half. That is one a part of it. Not making changes on the plate. … We’re enjoying in opposition to most likely probably the greatest groups we have seen in a very long time. So, that is sort of our measuring stick, in some methods, trying again on this sequence.”

Bother started early for the Twins Wednesday when Matt Olson hit an RBI double within the first to provide the Braves the lead. Within the third, Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuña Jr. recorded back-to-back base hits. Their success arrange Ozzie Albies’ sacrifice fly, which prolonged the result in two. Olson sealed the sport with a solo homer within the eighth.

Nonetheless, Minnesota had its possibilities to plate runners. Within the fourth, Byron Buxton doubled and superior to 3rd on a Royce Lewis flyout. However Buxton was thrown out at residence on a fielder’s selection after Kyle Farmer grounded to 3rd baseman Austin Riley.

With runners on first and second within the fifth, the Twins brushed apart one other alternative when three straight batters struck out. Baldelli mentioned regardless of the scores being shut in opposition to Atlanta in all three video games, the shortage of changes through the sport wasn’t “adequate.”

“These guys work their [butts] off day-after-day, however possibly we’ve started working our [butts] off differently and have a distinct strategy and a distinct mindset once we step out on the sphere,” he mentioned. “As a result of actually, what we’re doing proper now’s irritating, as a result of that’s insanity — going on the market and doing the identical stuff over and over and over — when we now have guys which have proven, both for intervals of time or for his or her complete careers, to be productive gamers.

“To be falling flat as a gaggle proper now, we demand extra of ourselves than what we’re doing proper now.”

Baldelli talked about the workforce will make changes, however he didn’t specify what modifications are coming. The lone shiny spot for the Twins has been their beginning pitching. Kenta Maeda returned from a proper triceps pressure in his final begin in opposition to Detroit and logged eight strikeouts in 5 scoreless innings.

His outing in opposition to Atlanta was equally sturdy. Dealing with one in all MLB’s hottest groups, Maeda recorded 4 strikeouts and gave up two runs on 5 hits and two walks. His fastball velocity averaged 91 mph, which was the best since April 4 in opposition to Miami.

“It was a superb lineup, and he pitched nicely,” Baldelli mentioned. “I assumed he regarded good. I assumed he did all of the issues that we at all times count on out of him. I take into account {that a} very strong begin from him.”

But Maeda’s outing, just like Sonny Gray’s start on Mondaywas spoiled by the Twins’ lack of scoring. Baldelli hopes his feedback will spark his workforce.

“We’re not going to win except we make changes on the plate and, in the end, barrel lots of balls and hit,” he mentioned. “… I hope that helps our gamers, as a result of saying one thing out loud, that is the reality, is generally one of the simplest ways to acknowledge one thing, recover from it and transfer on and do higher.”