Twins split two games in first spring training action

FORT MYERS, FLA. – Six consecutive Twins, none of whom were on the roster last season, collected hits during a six-run second inning on Saturday, Kenta Maeda and Jhoan Duran each came out throwing strikes in their 2023 debuts, and the Twins romped to an 8-4 victory over the Rays in their Grapefruit League opener at Hammond Stadium.

The game was the first Twins games ever played with a pitch clock to speed up the game, a ban on severe defensive shifts in the infield, and 18-inch square bases rather than the old 15-inch bags. None of the rule changes seemed to have a noticeable effect on the Twins' home game, which lasted 2 hours, 31 minutes.

Joey Gallo did, though. The former All-Star slugger singled to lead off the bottom of the first for the Twins, then doubled an inning later, the sixth consecutive hit by a mixture of Twins' free-agent signings and prospects.

The inning started with singles by Michael A. Taylor and Edouard Julien, a two-run triple by former Tigers infielder Willi Castro, an RBI single by first-round pick Brooks Lee in his first game in a Twins uniform, a two-run home run onto the left-field berm by former Astros first baseman Tyler White, and Gallo's opposite-field double. Gallo later scored on Kyle Farmer's sacrifice fly.

Josh Lowe drove Maeda's first competitive pitch since Aug. 21, 2021, over Gallo's head in left field for a double, but Maeda quickly retired the next three hitters, throwing 10 strikes among his 13 pitches. Duran pitched a perfect second inning, throwing eight strikes among 10 pitches, four of them clocked over 100 miles per hour.

In Sarasota, the Twins split squad team lost to Baltimore as Heston Kjerstad went 3-for-3 and belted a pair of home runs.

Terrin Vavra, son of former Twins coach Joe Vavra, had a homer and double for the Birds.

Kala'i Rosario and Mark Contreras homered for the Twins. Brock Stewart gave up four runs in the third inning and took the loss.

The Twins return to action Sunday in Clearwater against the Phillies, with Joe Ryan pitching the first inning.