Bailey Ober is Game 1 starter for Twins: 'I want the pressure'

HOUSTON – When Bailey Ober arrived at Minute Maid Park on Friday, ahead of the Twins' final workout before the American League Division Series, manager Rocco Baldelli asked to speak with him in his office.

It was a short conversation. Baldelli told Ober he was starting Game 1 against the Houston Astros on Saturday, matching up with Astros ace and three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander.

"Basically, he was asking me how I was feeling, how my preparation was this past week and asked if I was ready to go," Ober said. "Then he basically said, 'Yeah, you got [Saturday]. Be ready and go get 'em.' "

The Twins had options for their Game 1 starter after sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays in the wild-card round. Joe Ryan was scheduled to start a potential do-or-die Game 3 against Toronto, if it was necessary. Kenta Maeda didn't pitch out of the bullpen in the last round, so he is fully rested.

Baldelli announced Pablo López will start Sunday's Game 2 and Sonny Gray will take the mound for Game 3 on Tuesday at Target Field. That lines up López to start a potential Game 5, too.

"I can't tell you it was an easy decision picking amongst them, but Bailey is a guy that offers a pretty unique look," Baldelli said of the 6-9 righthander. "He's pitched real well lately. … It's been a couple of years since they faced him. That's all kind of woven into it."

Ober had an 8-6 record and a 3.43 ERA in 26 starts this season with 146 strikeouts and 29 walks in 144⅓ innings. The Twins demoted Ober to Class AAA at the end of August in an attempt to manage his workload after he surpassed a career high in innings pitched.

In four starts since returning, Ober posted a 2.08 ERA in 21⅔ innings with 26 strikeouts and three walks.

"I know I hadn't been pitching the best at the time up in the big leagues, so I tried to use that as a mental reset," said Ober, who admitted he was surprised at the August demotion. "With the guys in Triple-A, they were able to take my mind off performing and all the success up here. Just get back to the grittiness of baseball and have fun playing out there, playing relaxed and loose."

Baldelli spoke with Ryan after he made his decision to start Ober. He said Ryan was "very open to basically anything that I had for him." Ryan was told to prepare himself to start a potential Game 4 in the best-of-five ALDS, though he will be available in the bullpen if another game went to extra innings.

Ryan gave up 32 home runs this season, fourth-most in the AL. He surrendered nine runs in 10 innings in his two starts against Houston this year. Ober hasn't faced the Astros since 2021.

"Every series is different," Baldelli said. "We're going to move some things around if we think it's the right thing to do."

The 28-year-old Ober started the season with the St. Paul Saints, the odd man out of the major league rotation. He made his season debut with the Twins at the end of April, and he became one of their most consistent pitchers.

After pitching in Colorado in the regular-season finale last Sunday, when he gave up two hits and one run in 6⅔ innings, Ober knew he would be left off the roster for the wild-card round. He maintained his usual routine throughout the week and prepared for the possibility of his first postseason start.

"Just watching all those games in the playoffs growing up when I was a kid on TV and staying up until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning watching them play, that's all I ever really wanted to do," Ober said. "I wanted to be in these situations. I want the pressure."