Throughout the 2016 season, BP South Side will be posting weekly updates on the ups and downs of the White Sox American League Central rivals. Each week, we will spotlight one team that did something interesting, and give a roundup of the state of the rest of the division.
Spotlight
Minnesota Twins
Record: 0-6
Last week: 0-3 @Baltimore; 0-3 @Kansas City
I guess the Minnesota Twins can look at their opening week of the season and be thankful that building blocks Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton made it out in one piece, because pretty much nothing else went right in a pair of road series in which they were swept by the Orioles and Royals.
It’s only six games (small sample size alert can apply to basically anything at this point in the season) but the aforementioned young pair went a combined 6-for-38 with 11 strikeouts each while the other spotlighted rookie, Byung Ho Park, also whiffed 11 times in 18 at-bats (although he did blast his first major league homer in Friday’s loss to the Royals).
The lone offensive bright spot from the week is probably Joe Mauer, as the 32-year-old first baseman went 8-for-20 with more walks (five) than strikeouts (four).
The pitching was bad, although not quite as bad as the offense. Ervin Santana had his Opening Day cut short after two innings because of a rain delay, and struck out seven in six innings of work on Friday, while allowing just two earned runs. Phil Hughes did his typical pitch-to-contact thing in his one start, allowing three earned runs with four strikeouts and zero walks in six innings of work Thursday. Kyle Gibson, Monday’s starter against the White Sox, couldn’t find the plate in his loss, and somehow walked away with only four runs allowed in five innings against Baltimore after allowing seven hits and five walks. Ricky Nolasco was a surprising bright spot in Sunday’s 10-inning loss to the Royals, allowing just one run on three hits in seven innings of work. Overall, Minnesota’s pitching staff has allowed 20 runs in 40.2 innings of work with 20 walks issued.
Elsewhere around the division
Cleveland Indians
Record: 2-2
Last week: 1-1 vs. Boston; 1-1 @White Sox
The Tribe’s toughest opponent in the first week of the season has been Mother Nature, as Cleveland has already had three games postponed because of inclement weather. Two of their four games against Boston to open the season were postponed, as well as Sunday’s series finale against the White Sox.
The Indians have to be pleased with the player they acquired to give them right-handed pop, Mike Napoli, as well as their young shortstop, Francisco Lindor. Napoli has two home runs and a TAv of .342 through his first 16 plate appearances, while the 22-year-old Lindor continues to show the impressive bat control that accompanied his outstanding defense to the majors last year.
It’s tough to make much of their pitching staff through one start each (Josh Tomlin has yet to pitch, however). Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco allowed four runs each as neither could get through six innings in their first starts, while Danny Salazar continued his trend of impressive strikeout and walk numbers.
Detroit Tigers
Record: 3-1
Last week: 2-0 @Miami; 1-1 vs. Yankees
Detroit’s offense is off to an impressive start as the Tigers are hitting .300/.346/.467 as a team, led by Ian Kinsler‘s 8-for-19 start and a pair of dingers by Victor Martinez (granted they were his only hits of the week). On the flip side, prized offseason signing Justin Upton has gotten off to a slow start, going 4-for-19 in the first week with eight strikeouts and zero walks.
The OTHER offseason prize, Jordan Zimmermann, did his part in Detroit’s lone win over the Yankees, going seven shutout innings, allowing two hits and three walks, while striking out out three. However, he did generate just five swings-and-misses on the night.
The OTHER OTHER offseason prize, Francisco Rodriguez, acquired in hopes that he’d lock down the back end of a bullpen that has been a trouble spot for Detroit the last few seasons, blew his first save with the team in their season-opening win over Miami, and allowed three runs in an inning of work. In his second outing, he walked one and struck out the only out he recorded, getting the save.
Kansas City Royals
Record: 4-1
Last week: 1-1 vs. Mets; 3-0 vs. Twins
Kansas City started 2016 doing what they do, winning games without much offense. The Royals didn’t go yard until their fourth game of the season when Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain took the dinger-prone Tommy Milone out during the second game of their sweep of Minnesota. The three homers the Royals hit in that game (Kendrys Morales added one late) are the only homers the Royals have hit this season.
The flip side, of course, is that they’ve only allowed two home runs this season and 11 runs total. What’s even more surprising about that is that four of those were allowed by reliever Joakim Soria.
Edinson Volquez put together two good starts, striking out 15 and allowing just three walks and two earned runs in 11.2 innings, and no Royals starter allowed more than two earned runs in their first start, though Yordano Ventura was particularly erratic, walking six to go along with six strikeouts in his five-inning debut against the Twins.
Top photo credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports