Twins blown out by White Sox as early struggles continue: ‘We’ve got to adjust quick’

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CHICAGO — Carlos Correa did something Monday afternoon he’s never done on a baseball field.

Despite feeling great, the Minnesota Twins shortstop vacated his position at his manager’s request after only three innings and headed to the clubhouse to change out of his cleats and begin his postgame stretching routine.

With the Chicago White Sox dropping the hammer on starting pitcher Chris Paddack early, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was thinking about his lineup for the next few days.

In order to play Correa and Byron Buxton in each of the next three games, including the Twins’ home opener on Thursday afternoon, Baldelli removed his two stars after only one at-bat apiece during a 9-0 loss to a White Sox team that only a season ago set the modern-era record for regular-season losses.

Through four games, that’s the way it’s going for the winless Twins, who have been outscored by opponents 28-6.

“Terrible feeling,” Correa said. “It’s about the way we’re playing collectively right now. We’ve got to get better. We’ve got to make adjustments quick because the last thing you want is to go two weeks and this keeps dragging. (Tuesday), we’ve got to turn it on and come back ready to go.”

The Twins have played 36 innings of baseball this season. They’ve held a lead for one inning (Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals). They were fortunate enough to be tied for another four innings on Saturday.

The rest is a big plate of meh.

One of the primary reasons the Twins are facing big deficits is the early struggles of the starting rotation, which is supposed to be a strength of the club.

Though Joe Ryan was very good Saturday, Pablo López made several uncharacteristic mistakes in Thursday’s opener and Bailey Ober was bombed on Sunday after battling an illness in the days before.

Paddack was only four batters in when the direction of his day was established. The right-hander allowed a leadoff single and a walk in the first inning before Andrew Vaughn drilled a 3-1 slider into the left-field bleachers for a three-run home run.

Four of the first six Chicago hitters then reached base against Paddack in the second inning, including Andrew Benintendi, who belted a three-run homer to make it 7-0. Matt Thaiss drew the third of four walks issued by Paddack to start the third inning and scored when Michael A. Taylor blasted a two-run homer to increase the deficit to 9-0.

Through four games, Twins starting pitchers have an 11.25 ERA in 16 innings.

“We need that first (win),” said Paddack, who was removed after 3 1/3 innings. “The atmosphere in the clubhouse has been great. Yeah, we’re 0-4, but we have a long season ahead of us. I wanted to stop (the losing streak). That’s who I am as a pitcher. But when you look at the line, nine earned runs, didn’t go long in a game when we needed it and the bullpen needed it, those are the ones that are hard to swallow.”

Ty France tosses his bat after striking out in the eighth. Twins hitters struck out 13 times on the day. (Matt Marton / Imagn Images)

It’s not like the offense is doing much to combat the team’s early deficits.

Correa ripped a 101-mph line drive in the first inning off Martín Pérez, a ball carrying a .950 expected average, but it found a glove. The game was out of hand before he could step back into the batter’s box.

With the outcome no longer in doubt, Baldelli removed Buxton and Correa.

Instead of batting to start the fourth inning, Buxton stood on the top step of the visiting dugout with his elbows planted on the railing and watched as Edouard Julien pinch hit for him against Pérez. Buxton stayed there for the better part of an inning and a half.

Baldelli wanted to ensure Buxton and Correa play in more meaningful games. Ideally, both would play Tuesday night as well as in day games Wednesday and Thursday.

“Last thing I want to do is pull anyone out of a game in the fourth inning,” Baldelli said. “I want them in the lineup tomorrow and the next day, and then when we get home for the home opener, I want them to be out there and playing. Best way to do it is to get them off their feet when the score is getting close to being a 10-nothing game.”

Carlos Correa signs autographs before the game. “We’ve got to get better,” he said. “We’ve got to make adjustments quick.” (Matt Marton / Imagn Images)

Correa thinks the most effective way for the Twins to turn things around is for his teammates to make better swing decisions. He identified chasing pitches out of the zone as the biggest culprit for a team whose .436 OPS was worst among all 30 teams in the majors as of 5 p.m. CT on Monday.

“When hitters are searching and chasing hits, things like this happen,” Correa said. “You hit the ball right at people, and the next at-bat you want to put the ball in play and make something happen as opposed to wait for that pitch that you can drive and hit hard. Right now we’re getting caught up in that. We’ve got a slow start from a lot of people and I feel like we might be chasing hits as opposed to waiting for the pitch that we can do damage on.”

Perhaps then Correa won’t have to spend the rest of the day watching from the bench.

“Collectively as a group, you’ve got to put those great at-bats (together) like other teams have been doing,” Correa said. “I think we’re capable of doing that. I’m very optimistic about the way our roster is constructed and I think we’re going to be in a good spot, but we’ve got to adjust quick.”

(Top photo of Andrew Benintendi’s three-run home run: Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)

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