On Tuesday, one week before the Twins likely host a playoff game at Target Field, they welcomed back two relievers who could play large roles in the postseason: Chris Paddack and Brock Stewart.
Paddack, 16 months after he underwent Tommy John surgery, pitched two innings in his season debut. It was filled with ups and downs, and a lot of emotion. Stewart, back from a three-month stint on the injured list, pitched a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts in an 11-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics.
"It's not normal to have all of your relievers generally together, relatively healthy and everyone coming back and getting ready for the same time," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Stewart, who has given up two runs in 26⅔ innings this year, is a proven option and someone who could slot into the back end of the Twins' bullpen if he pitches as he did in the first half of the season. Stewart pitched around a leadoff single, hitting 98 miles per hour with his fastball. He racked up one strikeout with his cutter and one with his slider.
Paddack took the mound in the sixth inning to Eminem's "Square Dance" as the lyrics "It feels so good to be back" roared from the stadium's speakers. It had been 506 days since he last pitched in a major league game, after blowing out his elbow on Mother's Day 2022, and perhaps fittingly, he was facing the same opponent.
He surrendered a single to right field on his first pitch, then struck out the next three batters. Esteury Ruiz whiffed on a changeup. Ryan Noda swung under an elevated 97-mph fastball. Paddack finished the inning by striking out Zack Gelof with a 98-mph fastball to end a seven-pitch at-bat.
"I've been visualizing that outing right there for a really long time," Paddack said.
Paddack yelled a couple of times as he walked off the mound. He told Twins officials in January not to rule him out from pitching this season. He wanted something to target during his recovery. The Target Field crowd rewarded Paddack with a standing ovation after his first inning.