Ben Rortvedt was on the Twins' taxi squad in Cleveland, which ended up as a great primer for Friday, when the 23-year-old catcher made his major league debut.
Ben Rortvedt has hit, run, RBI and skinned elbow in MLB debut for Twins
The catcher came up to start as Ryan Jeffers, Brent Rooker headed to the alternate site.
May 1, 2021 at 6:06AM
"I was catching some of the relievers, I was doing pregame work with them, and then I spent the game in the bullpen," Rortvedt said before Friday's game against the Royals at Target Field. "So that was pretty cool to be in the atmosphere. I thought that was a good treat."
The Wisconsin native had an auspicious debut in a 9-1 victory over Kansas City.He got his first major league hit in a four-run eighth inning, driving in Andrelton Simmons, who had doubled. He scored his first major league run the same inning on a wild pitch.
Rortvedt also skinned up his right elbow diving for a popup after he misjudged it.Most importantly, he guided three Twins pitchers through nine innings where they gave up only four hits.
The Twins sent backup catcher Ryan Jeffers, who was hitting .147, and outfielder Brent Rooker, hitting .103, to the alternate site in St. Paul.
Jeffers, who walked in his first big league at-bat, said last week he struggled to find a routine this season. Manager Rocco Baldelli said he hopes some time in St. Paul will help Jeffers develop consistency and timing at the plate.
Baldelli said Rortvedt brings "a lot of energy" to the clubhouse even when slotting in as a young catcher. He had plenty of family and friends in the stands to support him for his first game.
Rortvedt was in limbo last season, sitting out when the Twins didn't include him in the St. Paul group during the minor league shutdown. A second-round draft pick in 2016, he had never played above Class AA before joining the Twins. In 291 minor league games, he has 16 homers and a .240 batting average.
Kepler, Garlick recovered
The Twins reinstated outfielders Max Kepler and Kyle Garlick, sidelined since testing positive for COVID-19 amid the California road trip. Each missed nine games while recovering.
Infielders Tzu-Wei Lin and JT Riddle (activated off the COVID list) were designated for release or assignment.
Kepler slotted back into his right field spot, batting seventh. Baldelli said he saw Kepler in the clubhouse before the game with a big smile on his face. Meanwhile, Garlick was in the weight room and taking batting practice.
Garlick said the first few days after he tested positive were "rough" as he was bedridden in Anaheim, Calif., with a fever, body aches, cough and sore throat. But his symptoms improved each day.
"I'm just grateful that it didn't spread more than it did, honestly. That was my biggest concern," Garlick said. "I was pretty conscious about wearing my mask and social distancing and everything. So I was just praying that we did a good enough job not to spread it to other people."
While laid up, Garlick started rewatching "Breaking Bad" and played "Clash of Clans" on his phone. He also talked to his family and friends, some of whom he briefly saw the morning before he tested positive for a COVID-protocol-allowed breakfast.
Garlick is from Chino Hills, Calif., and still has SoCal ties, as does his girlfriend. Everyone at the breakfast was vaccinated but still tested to make sure Garlick hadn't inadvertently spread the virus.
The good news is Garlick likely can make a brief return home when the Twins make up the postponed Anaheim games with a doubleheader May 20.
Only 34 years old, Jeremy Zoll has worked his way up the organizational ranks since coming to the Twins in 2018.
