FORT MYERS, FLA. – As the Twins announced four of their pitchers will begin the season the 15-day injured list Monday, Carlos Correa and Ryan Jeffers powered Minnesota to a 5-2 spring training win over the Boston Red Sox at Hammond Stadium.
Twins defeat Red Sox 5-2 behind home runs from Carlos Correa, Ryan Jeffers
Pitcher Joe Ryan permitted three hits and two runs in five innings while striking out five.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
March 18, 2024 at 8:09PM
Correa reached base in all three plate appearances, lining a single to right field in the first inning, bashing a 421-foot solo homer to left field in the third inning and drawing a walk in the fifth inning. It was Correa’s first home run of the spring.
Correa’s walk was a part of a four-run fifth inning, which included a two-run line drive single from Max Kepler and a 412-foot solo homer from Jeffers. Kepler had two singles and a walk before he exited.
That was enough run support for Joe Ryan and a couple of the Twins’ top healthy relievers. Ryan permitted three hits and two runs in five innings while striking out five. The damage against Ryan came in the third inning when he yielded a two-run homer to Red Sox catcher Connor Wong.
Brock Stewart and Griffin Jax are the top closer candidates with Jhoan Duran (oblique strain) and Caleb Thielbar (hamstring soreness) out for at least the first two weeks of the season, along with starter Anthony DeSclafani (right flexor elbow strain) and waiver claim reliever Zack Weiss (shoulder). Stewart struck out three of the four batters he faced and Jax struck out two.
Twins shortstop Carlos Correa is arguably their best player and easily their most expensive one. He’s frequently injured and a payroll-strapped team is up for sale. It feels like the Twins can’t afford to keep Correa, but the same is true of losing him.
