The Timberwolves were dominating the Phoenix Suns across Target Field plaza, taking a 1-0 series lead in the NBA Playoffs. A few feet away on the diamond, the Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers 4-3, taking care of business for the first time in a week.
On all fronts, the Twins needed the victory badly because they had dropped their previous seven games. A week after winning their previous game, which was also against Detroit, Minnesota pulled off a late comeback behind an outstanding pitching performance by Bailey Ober.
In order for the Twins to continue their winning streak, Sunday will be crucial in a number of ways.
Potential starters for the Twins vs. Tigers game on April 21
It’s not simply about picking up another victory on Sunday to keep things going forward. Louie Varland (0-3, 8.36 ERA) is making his fourth start of the season for the Twins, and he really needs to have a strong outing.
Despite showing some promise in each of his three starts this season, Varland has lost them all outright. In his most recent start against Baltimore, his velocity remained consistent despite giving up six runs on eleven hits in a 7-4 loss. It was difficult not only because of Varland’s struggles but also because of the circumstances around them. If things don’t improve, Minnesota won’t have a reliable replacement at the rear of the rotation, which puts even more pressure on Varland to figure things out.
Even while the Twins won’t necessarily win if they have a strong performance against the Tigers on Sunday, that conversation will still need to take place after a few more poor starts.
The Twins’ offensive situation will make it difficult to provide Varland with adequate run support. Casey Mize (0-0, 4.11 ERA), who will be facing the bump for the fourth time this season, is the starter for Detroit. Despite having a poor start, he has improved over the last two games, winning 4-2 against a very strong Texas Rangers squad in his most recent start.
Mize is a crucial component of the Tigers’ potentially dominant rotation, so the Twins will likely see a lot of him in the coming years. Finding a way to continue is all that matters at this point, though, and it doesn’t appear like Mize will make it simple.
