Apr 2, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (25) hits a home run against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins can breathe a sigh of relief as they get ready for their home opener against the Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Through the first four games of the season, the Twins had a goose egg in the win column. However, Minnesota found its footing over the past two days with back-to-back road victories against the Chicago White Sox, and the collective mood seemed to brighten before the team flew north.
An offensive jolt from Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa played a big role in the happier mindset. Both players struggled to start the season but contributed multi-hit games in a 6-1 win on Wednesday, and Buxton delivered his first homer in the form of a 446-foot blast into the left field bleachers.
“When they start sparking things and they start having those really good at-bats, we play well,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Good things start happening and they compound, and the rest of the group gets going, too, because they take a lot of attention from the other side of the field. They’re very good at what they do.”
The same can be said for the Astros’ top hitters, who still are looking for a breakout performance. Houston arrives in Minnesota in the midst of a three-game losing streak, including a 6-3 setback against the visiting San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon.
In their first six games, the Astros have scored only 12 total runs. New additions Christian Walker (3-for-24) and Isaac Paredes (3-for-20) have struggled to get going.
Astros manager Joe Espada is confident that both players will be fine.
“It’s like I told them both (on Wednesday): ‘Don’t press, just stay calm,'” Espada said. “They’re good hitters. They’re proven hitters. I know that they want to get a big hit in a new organization, and that happens. I understand that, but they’re really good hitters.
“They’re going to hit. Just stay in the zone and remember who you are and what makes you a good hitter, and things will start happening for them.”
Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (0-0, 1.80 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound on a day when temperatures will top out in the mid-40s and rain could be in the mix.
In his first start of the season, Ryan held the St. Louis Cardinals to one run on five hits in five innings on Saturday but finished with a no-decision. He walked none and struck out five.
Ryan has faced the Astros five times in his career, going 2-3 with a 7.66 ERA.
Houston will counter with right-hander Hunter Brown (0-1, 3.00 ERA). He took the loss in his season debut against the New York Mets on Friday despite posting a quality start: three runs (two earned) in six innings. He gave up four hits, walked three and struck out seven.
The 26-year-old Detroit native has made four career starts against the Twins, producing a 1-2 record with a 5.70 ERA.
The Astros and Twins faced each other six times in 2024. Minnesota won the season series 4-2 and outscored Houston 36-27.
–Field Level Media
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Blue Jays takeaways: ‘Less is more’ for Chris Bassitt, the Aaron Judge plan and more
NEW YORK — Chris Bassitt has a deep bag and loves to dig through it for something new. The 36-year-old Blue Jays starting pitcher has thrown eight different pitches in his MLB career (not counting the many variations of each), he’s raised his arm angle, dropped it back down and moved all over the rubber.AdvertisementBassitt has plenty of ideas on how to perfect his craft — many experiments to try. But the righty’s 2025 success, with a 2.62 ERA through six starts, is the product of simplification.“He does have a lot of ideas,” manager John Schneider said. “I think having his buddy Max (Scherzer) here sparked some more ideas. But we’ve found with Chris that sometimes less is more, and I think that’s kind of where he is right now.”In Sunday’s 5-1 loss in the nightcap of a doubleheader, Bassitt […]
Blue Jays takeaways: ‘Less is more’ for Chris Bassitt, the Aaron Judge plan and more
NEW YORK — Chris Bassitt has a deep bag and loves to dig through it for something new. The 36-year-old Blue Jays starting pitcher has thrown eight different pitches in his MLB career (not counting the many variations of each), he’s raised his arm angle, dropped it back down and moved all over the rubber.AdvertisementBassitt has plenty of ideas on how to perfect his craft — many experiments to try. But the righty’s 2025 success, with a 2.62 ERA through six starts, is the product of simplification.“He does have a lot of ideas,” manager John Schneider said. “I think having his buddy Max (Scherzer) here sparked some more ideas. But we’ve found with Chris that sometimes less is more, and I think that’s kind of where he is right now.”In Sunday’s 5-1 loss in the nightcap of a doubleheader, Bassitt […]
LIV Golf Mexico City: Legion XIII has strong Round 3 to rally for the win
<!--> Some of the LIV Golf League's biggest names put on a show down the stretch in the final round of LIV Golf Mexico City, but it was Joaquin Niemann who ultimately claimed the individual title on Sunday at Club de Golf Chapultepec, while Legion XIII held on to win the team title.Torque GC captain Niemann started the round two shots behind leader Bryson DeChambeau, but he charged up the leaderboard on Championship Sunday to finish at 16 under and claim his third victory in six events this season.Final Round Highlights at LIV Golf Mexico City | LIV on FOX --> Playing in the final group with DeChambeau and Cameron Smith, Niemann carded seven birdies and only a single bogey for a final-round, 6-under 65. The victory keeps him firmly in the lead for the season-long individual championship race, in […]
Paige Bueckers shares ‘wow’ differences between UConn and WNBA during her first Wings training camp
Getty Images Former UConn star Paige Bueckers has officially started training camp with the Dallas Wings, and it didn't take long for her to notice some of the differences between college basketball and the WNBA."Honestly, screens I got hit by. That would be the first, like, 'Wow. Okay, this is different,'" she said told reporters on Sunday. "And obviously, the floor is a little strange, you've got defensive three seconds in the lane, offensive three seconds in the lane. So that's a little bit different. And then the pace, and obviously the physicality of stuff they let go in the 'W.'" When she first arrived at UConn, Bueckers quickly showed her versatility on offense as well as her playmaking abilities. She had a historic freshman season and despite battling some injuries, she bounced back and also became a stronger defender […]
NBA Playoffs: Bucks’ Damian Lillard leaves Game 4 matchup with Pacers early with apparent ankle injury
Damian Lillard had to be helped off the court at Fiserv Forum after he went down with an apparent ankle injury on Sunday night.Lillard, just minutes into the Milwaukee Bucks’ Game 4 matchup with the Indiana Pacers, stumbled while trying to grab a rebound at the top of the key. He immediately reached for his left ankle and foot after he successfully passed the ball away, but he remained down clearly in pain as play went the other way.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLillard remained down on the floor for quite some time, and was then helped off the court without putting any pressure on his left foot. He went straight back to the locker room, and the team then ruled him out before the start of the second quarter with what they called a lower leg injury.Further specifics of his injury are not yet […]
How the Blues are beating Connor Hellebuyck and more from a beer-chugging win over Jets
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko wasn’t expecting the puck at the point, but when teammate Cam Fowler’s shot was blocked by the Winnipeg Jets’ Haydn Fleury, it ricocheted right to him.With less than 30 seconds left in the first period of Game 4 Sunday, Parayko put an innocent shot on net with Jake Neighbours parked just to the left of Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck.Advertisement“I didn’t actually see (Neighbours) there,” Parayko said.Neighbours saw Parayko, however, and the puck rotating as it elevated toward him.“Honestly, the puck came in so slow, I had time to line it up and make sure I got a stick on it,” Neighbours said.Neighbours had his first NHL playoff goal and the Blues were on their way to another rout of Winnipeg, a 5-1 win that evened the Western Conference first-round series at […]
Related
Blue Jays takeaways: ‘Less is more’ for Chris Bassitt, the Aaron Judge plan and more
NEW YORK — Chris Bassitt has a deep bag and loves to dig through it for something new. The 36-year-old Blue Jays starting pitcher has thrown eight different pitches in his MLB career (not counting the many variations of each), he’s raised his arm angle, dropped it back down and moved all over the rubber.AdvertisementBassitt has plenty of ideas on how to perfect his craft — many experiments to try. But the righty’s 2025 success, with a 2.62 ERA through six starts, is the product of simplification.“He does have a lot of ideas,” manager John Schneider said. “I think having his buddy Max (Scherzer) here sparked some more ideas. But we’ve found with Chris that sometimes less is more, and I think that’s kind of where he is right now.”In Sunday’s 5-1 loss in the nightcap of a doubleheader, Bassitt […]
Blue Jays takeaways: ‘Less is more’ for Chris Bassitt, the Aaron Judge plan and more
NEW YORK — Chris Bassitt has a deep bag and loves to dig through it for something new. The 36-year-old Blue Jays starting pitcher has thrown eight different pitches in his MLB career (not counting the many variations of each), he’s raised his arm angle, dropped it back down and moved all over the rubber.AdvertisementBassitt has plenty of ideas on how to perfect his craft — many experiments to try. But the righty’s 2025 success, with a 2.62 ERA through six starts, is the product of simplification.“He does have a lot of ideas,” manager John Schneider said. “I think having his buddy Max (Scherzer) here sparked some more ideas. But we’ve found with Chris that sometimes less is more, and I think that’s kind of where he is right now.”In Sunday’s 5-1 loss in the nightcap of a doubleheader, Bassitt […]
LIV Golf Mexico City: Legion XIII has strong Round 3 to rally for the win
<!--> Some of the LIV Golf League's biggest names put on a show down the stretch in the final round of LIV Golf Mexico City, but it was Joaquin Niemann who ultimately claimed the individual title on Sunday at Club de Golf Chapultepec, while Legion XIII held on to win the team title.Torque GC captain Niemann started the round two shots behind leader Bryson DeChambeau, but he charged up the leaderboard on Championship Sunday to finish at 16 under and claim his third victory in six events this season.Final Round Highlights at LIV Golf Mexico City | LIV on FOX --> Playing in the final group with DeChambeau and Cameron Smith, Niemann carded seven birdies and only a single bogey for a final-round, 6-under 65. The victory keeps him firmly in the lead for the season-long individual championship race, in […]
Paige Bueckers shares ‘wow’ differences between UConn and WNBA during her first Wings training camp
Getty Images Former UConn star Paige Bueckers has officially started training camp with the Dallas Wings, and it didn't take long for her to notice some of the differences between college basketball and the WNBA."Honestly, screens I got hit by. That would be the first, like, 'Wow. Okay, this is different,'" she said told reporters on Sunday. "And obviously, the floor is a little strange, you've got defensive three seconds in the lane, offensive three seconds in the lane. So that's a little bit different. And then the pace, and obviously the physicality of stuff they let go in the 'W.'" When she first arrived at UConn, Bueckers quickly showed her versatility on offense as well as her playmaking abilities. She had a historic freshman season and despite battling some injuries, she bounced back and also became a stronger defender […]
NBA Playoffs: Bucks’ Damian Lillard leaves Game 4 matchup with Pacers early with apparent ankle injury
Damian Lillard had to be helped off the court at Fiserv Forum after he went down with an apparent ankle injury on Sunday night.Lillard, just minutes into the Milwaukee Bucks’ Game 4 matchup with the Indiana Pacers, stumbled while trying to grab a rebound at the top of the key. He immediately reached for his left ankle and foot after he successfully passed the ball away, but he remained down clearly in pain as play went the other way.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLillard remained down on the floor for quite some time, and was then helped off the court without putting any pressure on his left foot. He went straight back to the locker room, and the team then ruled him out before the start of the second quarter with what they called a lower leg injury.Further specifics of his injury are not yet […]
How the Blues are beating Connor Hellebuyck and more from a beer-chugging win over Jets
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko wasn’t expecting the puck at the point, but when teammate Cam Fowler’s shot was blocked by the Winnipeg Jets’ Haydn Fleury, it ricocheted right to him.With less than 30 seconds left in the first period of Game 4 Sunday, Parayko put an innocent shot on net with Jake Neighbours parked just to the left of Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck.Advertisement“I didn’t actually see (Neighbours) there,” Parayko said.Neighbours saw Parayko, however, and the puck rotating as it elevated toward him.“Honestly, the puck came in so slow, I had time to line it up and make sure I got a stick on it,” Neighbours said.Neighbours had his first NHL playoff goal and the Blues were on their way to another rout of Winnipeg, a 5-1 win that evened the Western Conference first-round series at […]
Be the first to leave a comment