With reinforcements in tow, Twins aim to pick up speed vs. Orioles

After a lackluster start to the season, the Minnesota Twins appear to be turning things around — just in time for the return of two of their most important contributors.

Minnesota won its third straight game on Tuesday following a 9-1 rout of the Baltimore Orioles in Minneapolis.

Royce Lewis made his season debut after being sidelined with a strained left hamstring, while Willi Castro (oblique) appeared for the first time since April 16.

As Minnesota looks to clinch its second straight series on Wednesday, the club is more than happy to have its regulars in the lineup again.

“It definitely lengthens us in a lot of different ways,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We feel like we’re getting stronger and we’re getting back to a place where we can put a lot of our regulars on the field on a daily basis.”

White went 0-for-4 as the designated hitter on Tuesday, while Castro went 1-for-3 with a walk.

“We’re definitely a very deep and complete team when we’re able to roll out Willi and Royce in that lineup,” said Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, who drove in two runs on Tuesday.

“I think we’ve been playing good ball for a while now. It’s just we haven’t been getting that big hit here and there, but it seems like we’re starting to get that and we’re starting to play really good baseball.”

Right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson (2-2, 4.03 ERA) will start on the mound for Minnesota on Wednesday

He is coming off a no-decision against Cleveland in which he allowed two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. The Twins lost 4-3 in 10 innings.

Woods Richardson, 24, hasn’t thrown more than 5 2/3 innings in any of his five starts. He will be facing Baltimore for the first time in his career.

So far, the Orioles are an easy pick for Major League Baseball’s most disappointing team. Entering 2025 coming off consecutive postseason appearances, the Orioles’ 21 losses are second-most in the American League, ahead of only the Chicago White Sox (26).

The eight-run loss on Tuesday encapsulated the rough start to the year for Baltimore. The Orioles’ offense is now batting .223 — third worst in the AL — while the pitching staff’s ERA rose to 5.49, which is second worst in the majors only to the Miami Marlins (5.74).

“We just got nothing going offensively (Tuesday),” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “We hung in there with some at bats, but way too many strikeouts. … We’re having a tough time coming back in games and we’re giving up a lot of runs early, which we’re not handling real well.”

Veteran right-hander Charlie Morton (0-6, 9.76 ERA) will make his sixth start of the year on Wednesday.

After signing with the team in the offseason, Morton was demoted to the bullpen in April, but Hyde confirmed the veteran will start on Wednesday.

Morton, 41, is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in four career starts against Minnesota.

–Field Level Media