The promise of Correa’s return was entirely blunted by the depleted pitching staff continuing to spring leaks in a LOSS to the noncontending Reds on Saturday at Target Field, driven by a nine-run fourth inning for Cincinnati that highlighted the struggles of the Minnesota bullpen to lean on the relievers whom the Twins hoped would emerge down the stretch.
On Friday, it was Jorge Alcala who took the brunt of the damage of a six-run seventh inning that turned a close game into a laughter. On Saturday, Louie Varland’s second huge blowup in three outings continued the rockiness of another transition to relief as the Twins dropped the first two games of what looked, on paper, to be a series they needed to win.
“We have to find ourselves as a team,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We’ve been looking over the last month as far as who we are and how we’re going to do this.
At the very least, the Twins didn’t lose ground in the tightening chase on Saturday, as the Tigers also lost, to keep Minnesota’s lead for the third Wild Card berth at 2 1/2 games over Detroit. The Twins appear all but out of the race at this point, having fallen 6 1/2 games behind the division-leading Guardians
Much of the talk before Saturday’s game revolved around the Twins’ need to use what time remains this season to make sure Buxton and Correa acclimate back to seeing big league pitching after both returned from extended injuries without rehab assignments.
Both looked fine. A hobbled Buxton still posted an elite 31.3 ft/sec sprint speed on the RBI infield single that gave the Twins their only run, while Correa used his strong right arm to complete a tricky double play and lined a 103.7 mph double to right field in his first game since July 12.
But the Twins might well need to use that time to figure out their depleted bullpen, especially given the continued struggles of both Alcala and Varland, who could be pivot points for this team, especially as the offense has struggled to score runs amid this 8-17 skid since Aug. 17.
“[Varland is] still going to be a guy that we’re going to have to go to in important spots, to keep the game where it’s at, to keep leads,” Baldelli said. “So I don’t want to let this outing deter him.”
While Alcala emerged as one of the club’s setup men in the first half, struggles with homers have given him a 9.45 ERA and seven long balls allowed in 14 appearances since Aug. 4, including the back-breaking grand slam to Elly De La Cruz on Friday.
Varland was a key bullpen addition down the stretch last season and into the playoffs, and the Twins counted on him again to reprise that role this year -- but he has now been tagged for 15 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in this dedicated stint as a reliever.
“I’m not totally sure, to be honest with you,” Varland said of his recent struggle. “It’s happened twice now. It’s not ideal. It’s a really bad feeling to have [it] happen and it’s not good.”
MINNEAPOLIS -- It's the final weeks of a Reds playoff-less season that many will want to move on from quickly when it's over. But the body of work a makeshift rotation has put together this month should not be overlooked.
That's true even on a night where the Reds' lineup swallowed up the Twins during an WIN at Target Field on Saturday. Starter NICK MARTINEZ kept Minnesota in check with one earned run and three hits allowed over six innings.
"Our offense kind of took over that game but really, it starts with the starting pitching and Nick," said Reds manager David Bell, who turned 52 on Saturday. "Having him on the mound, we’re knowing what to expect when he’s out there. He’s going to give us a great effort. It was just a great start again.”
Over his last three starts, Martinez is 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA.
“It’s no surprise to me," said right fielder Jake Fraley, who had three hits, including a fifth-inning solo home run, in Saturday's win. "I actually train at the same place Nick does in the offseason in Miami. I get to see what this guy puts in as far as preparation and his work ethic. It’s literally the best I have ever seen and witnessed. I’ve seen that guy do more than the average MLB pitcher I’ve been able to be around.”
The only trouble Martinez encountered against the Twins came in the first inning. After Royce Lewis' one-out double put two runners in scoring position, a two-out infield hit by Byron Buxton scored a run. After that, Martinez retired nine in a row and 16 of his final 17 batters.
A nine-run Reds rally erupted in the top of the fourth inning. After Ty France's infield hit scored Spencer Steer with the go-ahead run, the lineup kept it coming with the biggest hits being Noelvi Marte's two-run ground-rule double with the bases loaded and TJ Friedl's two-run homer as part of his four-hit game.
Despite the rally keeping him from the mound for around 20 minutes, Martinez stayed sharp.
“I felt good," said Martinez, who struck out six and didn't walk a batter. "I stay warm. I don’t sit. Legs will stay loose and [I'm] throwing plyo balls against the wall to keep the shoulder going.”
Last month, the Reds saw All-Star Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo all go on the injured list.
Martinez was the only healthy pitcher left who began the season in the rotation.
Cincinnati initially relied heavily on its bullpen to pick up the slack as it was forced to fill innings. Eventually, the club found a rotation combo that worked with Martinez, Brandon Williamson, reliever-turned-starter Jakob Junis and rookies Julian Aguiar and Rhett Lowder.
That group has posted a 1.71 ERA for September while the team has a 9-4 record for the month. Cincinnati's overall record is 73-77 and it is nine games back from a berth with 12 games remaining.
“We’re definitely in a tough spot when it comes to fighting for a playoff spot. We’ve still got a job to do," Martinez said. "For the young guys, they want to show that they belong up here and make a good first impression. They’re doing just that."