Neal: When the major league Minnesota Twins falter, there’s help on St. Paul Saints’ roster

David Festa opened the season with five shutout innings.

Zebby Matthews followed with five shutout innings while allowing just one baserunner.

Andrew Morris worked out of a bases-loaded jam but he, too, began his season with five shutout innings.

It’s time to propose a trade: Festa, Matthews and Morris for the three worst-performing members of the current Twins rotation. The Twins could use some starters who can stack scoreless innings to end this early-season slide.

And if there is a five-game stretch during which every starter struggles, put them on a light rail to St. Paul and send a Sprinter limo to CHS Field to pick up the new rotation.

The way the Twins express excitement about the arms they have at Class AAA St. Paul this season, rotation-swapping seems like a reasonable option.

There’s nothing like sharing a dugout with a pig to motivate a guy to return to the majors.

And this year’s Saints ball pig, the Great Fatsby, can remind them of all the fat pitches they left over the plate that led to their demotion.

I jest, but imagination is running wild after the first handful of games. That’ll happen with Pablo López struggling on Opening Day, Bailey Ober uncharacteristically giving up three-run dingers (though he recovered Saturday, allowing only a solo shot), Joe Ryan hitting four batters in two starts and Chris Paddack giving up three homers in one start.

The 2025 St. Paul Saints have opened the season with a roster brimming with several of the Twins’ better prospects, making a trip to CHS Field a no-brainer this summer.

It’s led by three of their top righthanded starters. Twins fans saw Festa and Matthews last season, when they were summoned to pitch meaningful games as the club desperately attempted to stick in the postseason race. They took their lumps — a 4.90 ERA for Festa in 14 appearances and a 6.69 ERA for Matthews in nine — but are in the queue because it can take 10 starters or more to get through a full season.

Matthews pitched well enough to break camp with the Twins, posting 9⅓ scoreless innings. He figures to be the first starter called up if one is needed early in the season.

But there’s more prospect power in St. Paul than those two.

Morris hasn’t debuted for the Twins yet, but he opened eyes in camp when he hit 97 miles per hour on the radar gun while showing excellent control. Teams asked for him in discussions before last season’s trade deadline.

Righthander Marco Raya is a little behind because of a quad injury, so his innings will be watched early. Righthander Corey Lewis throws in the low 90s but also throws a hard knuckleball in the low 80s. The Twins are going to experiment with his knuckleball usage, pushing it to 35% and above, because he gets so many swings and misses with it.

Righthander Travis Adams, ranked 21st among Twins prospects by MLB.com, is also on the Saints roster. Even old friend Randy Dobnak cleared waivers and is back with the Saints.

Saints manager Toby Gardenhire said he has eight pitchers who can start. He will piggyback a couple of spots, with two starters combining for eight or nine innings. As they build up endurance, decisions will have to be made.

“It’s a good problem to have,” Gardenhire said. “We’ve got depth.”

Many options exist if a Twins starter falters. Injuries, of course, and prospects needing a tuneup at Class AA Wichita can change plans.

Twins pitchers shouldn’t be the only ones looking over their shoulders. Outfielder Emmanuel Rodriguez, one of the top 40 prospects in baseball and the second-ranked Twins prospect, has an intriguing skill set of power and plate discipline.

Infielder/outfielder Luke Keaschall, impressive in camp, is considered the Twins’ third-best prospect. He will play second base for now as he distances himself from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery.

And the Twins believe outfielder Walker Jenkins, the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball, will arrive in St. Paul at some point during the season. He’s starting at Wichita, which opened play Friday.

“I think it’s the best Triple-A team we have assembled since I’ve worked with the Twins, and most talented from a prospect perspective for the Saints, for sure,” said Jeremy Zoll, in his eighth season with the Twins but his first as general manager.

Fun Is Still Good at CHS Field. Diehard fans can watch the pig put on pounds as the season progresses.

On the field, Fat Is Good, too. They will see a Saints team porked up with five of the Twins’ top 11 prospects, with pitchers forcing tough decisions for the major league club.