Minnesota Twins Postseason Hopes Tied to Two Young Pitchers

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Griffin Jax
Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have to worry about getting into the postseason before they can consider their options. If they are able to hang on, the pitching will be under a microscope. Rocco Baldelli has a pair of arms that could alter the playoff landscape though.

Rookie David Festa may shine in Minnesota Twins spotlight

As things stand currently, the Minnesota Twins only have a pair of guaranteed postseason starters. Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober will unquestionably start the first two games of any series. What happens in game three likely results in a all hands on deck situation, but David Festa could get the first crack. Brendan Tuma calls Festa a young start who could shape the postseason at Baseball America.

“He’s recorded more than 15 outs in a game just once in his big-league career, so Minnesota won’t be leaning on him too much if the team avoids a late-season collapse to secure the final AL Wild Card spot. Perhaps missing out on the national spotlight will help keep Festa’s fantasy ADP in check. He’s a name to monitor entering 2025.”

Brendan Tuma on David Festa helping the Twins in the playoffs (Baseball America)

Festa has made 10 appearances (nine starts) since his last recall. Over that time he owns a 3.80 ERA and 3.37 FIP. He has a 58/18 K/BB across 45.0 innings and could be a weapon in a short stint. There’s almost no way Baldelli let’s anyone not-named Lopez or Ober go deep into a playoff game. Festa would be able to let it fly in a shorter outing, and he could be paired with either Zebby Matthews or Simeon Woods Richardson as an additional bulk arm.

Related: Minnesota Twins Making Surprise Move in Bullpen After Latest Meltdown

Baldelli being forced to massage his pitching staff on a per-game basis behind the top tow starters is not ideal. It’s the hand he has been dealt though. If the Twins are going to make any noise in the playoffs, it will be because an unsung starter steps up.

Twins’ Griffin Jax could be postseason’s best reliever

Cleveland Guardians fans will dub Emmanuel Clase as the best reliever in baseball. Fangraphs says it’s either Cade Smith or Griffin Jax. Sure the Twins best reliever gave up a big fly to Kyle Manzardo on Monday night, but he has been incredible all season. Mike Petriello doesn’t see any reason why that wouldn’t hold up in the playoffs.

“[Jax] is hardly nationally known, and this year he’s taken his game to an entirely new level, posting the fourth-largest increase in strikeout rate among pitchers with 50 innings in both seasons. What’s different now is just that everything is more. His fastball velo is up to a career-best 97.1 MPH; his first-pitch strike rate is up to a career-best 70%; his swing-and-miss rate is up from 27% to 37%; his changeup, which at 92.3 MPH is faster than a lot of fastballs, is dropping more than an extra inch from last year. Jax, the previous two seasons, was good. Jax, this year, is great.”

Mike Petriello on the Twins Griffin Jax (MLB.com)

The Twins started out the season without Jhoan Duran. He returned following an oblique injury, but he has never quite been the same pitcher. Jax has shouldered the load of a bleeding bullpen all season. Rocco Baldelli calls on Jax whenever he needs the biggest out of the game.

If the Twins can make it into the postseason, Jax is the type of reliever that can compete at a moment’s notice. He doesn’t need a consistent spot, and the highest leverage situations are where he thrives. His ability to get hot and go mow down the opposition is not typical of big league bullpen arms. He has proven to be more than a creature of habit.

Related: Is Griffin Jax Taking Twins’ Top Reliever Role from Jhoan Duran?

Should the Twins make their way into the postseason, seeing Jax hang on to some of the most stressful moments would be an absolute joy for baseball fans across the country.

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