The Four Words From Derek Shelton That Tell You Everything About Twins Pitching

Whoa, hold up, is anyone else watching what's happening out in Minneapolis with the Twins right now? They just wrapped up a road trip with a brutal five-game losing streak, getting absolutely hammered. Like, they got drubbed 9-3 by the Pirates on Sunday, but that's just the tip of the iceberg! Over this entire five-game skid, they've been outscored a wild 46-21, giving up six or more runs every single game. And guess who's rolling into town? The Chicago White Sox, winners of five straight, looking for their longest win streak of the season! This is getting spicy, and not the good kind.

The Bullpen's On Empty and Sandlin's Back

Honestly, the biggest red flag flashing for the Twins right now is their pitching staff, or what's left of it. Manager Derek Shelton summed it up perfectly after Sunday's game, a straight-up "He saved our bullpen" regarding Mike Paredes, who tossed 3 2/3 innings in his major league debut. Think about that for a second: a rookie having to bail out the entire staff because they're "extremely taxed" and had "a bunch of guys down." Yikes, right? It's no wonder their pitching has been giving up runs left and right, with Zebby Matthews not even making it out of the fifth inning on Sunday.

And who do they get to face on Monday? Only David Sandlin, the White Sox right-hander who just had a stellar big league debut against these very Twins last Wednesday! He held them to just one run on one hit over six innings, walking nobody and striking out four. Remember how he gave up a leadoff homer to Byron Buxton, then just retired the NEXT EIGHTEEN BATTERS? That's cold. White Sox pitching coach Zach Bove wasn't overthinking the rematch, knowing Sandlin is "familiar with those guys," and honestly, the Twins are familiar with him too, just not in a good way.

Can Joe Ryan Be the Anchor?

The Twins desperately need an anchor, and they're pinning their hopes on right-hander Joe Ryan. He's making his 13th start of the season, holding a 3-3 record with a solid 2.94 ERA. The dude's on a roll, too, with four consecutive quality starts. He even handled the White Sox pretty well last Tuesday, giving up only two runs on five hits in 7 2/3 innings. Historically, Ryan loves facing the White Sox, rocking a 3-0 record with a 3.21 ERA in his first seven career starts against them. If anyone can break this brutal streak, it's gotta be him, right?

Twins infielder Brooks Lee is trying to stay positive, calling it "just one of the lulls that were in right now" and giving props to the "underrated" White Sox pitching. But optimism can only go so far when you're getting shelled nightly. This seven-game homestand, starting with the White Sox for three games then the Royals for four, is HUGE. The Twins are 15-14 at home, so they're usually solid at Target Field, but facing a red-hot White Sox team that's 12-16 on the road feels like a tough spot to break this ugly slump.

So, the stage is set for Monday evening in Minneapolis. It's Joe Ryan against David Sandlin, the Twins desperate to halt a five-game slide against a White Sox team charging hard on a five-game win streak. This isn't just another game for Minnesota; it's a test of whether they can actually turn this ship around before it sinks completely. You better believe all eyes are on that mound.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.