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Since the Minnesota Twins played a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, their starting rotation was thrown off the rails in terms of the actual “rotation” part with both Jose Berrios and Martin Perez staring during the doubleheader. This left the Twins with a decision to make regarding how they would handle today’s game: either call up a starter or go with a bullpen day.
After the bullpen usage in last night’s game, the Twins announced this morning that they have called up not one but, surprisingly, two pitchers: Kohl Stewart will get the nod to start on the mound tonight for Minnesota; Fernando Romero has been called up as reinforcement for the bullpen.
Stewart had a cup of coffee last year with the Twins, making eight appearances and starting four games, going 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA in 36.2 IP. He allowed 15 earned runs and only one homer, striking out 24 batters against 18 walks. His Rochester numbers are not as stellar in only three starts this year: 1-2, 6.00 ERA, 12 IP, 8 ER, 2 HR, 15/8 K/BB, 1.833 WHIP.
Romero has already seen time with the big-league club this year, pitching in game two of that Baltimore doubleheader, going two innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs, and a homer on 24 pitches, good for a 13.50 ERA so far this season. After his move from a starter to the bullpen, Romero has pitched decently in Rochester: 4.32 ERA, 8.1 IP, 4 ER, 3 HR, 11 K (11.9 K/9), 2 BB (2.2 BB/9).
The corresponding move was about half as surprising as bringing up two pitchers. The Twins have elected to send Tyler Duffey to Rochester; he’s put up 5.1 innings of work in four appearances for the Twins in 2019, allowing five earned runs on two homers, striking out seven and walking two batters.
Jake Cave was the surprising move as he’s also been relegated to the Cave of Jakes Rochester. He’s put up a .233/.324/.267 slash for the Twins in 12 games so far this year, notching three RBI with a double and drawing four walks against six strikeouts.
Word on the street in Twittertown is that Stewart will be sent back down after his start tonight to make room for a bullpen arm that’s ready to come off the Injured List. Good luck, Kohl!
UPDATE (1145a): The Twins have also reinstated Gabriel Moya from the IL and optioned him to Rochester, per Twins Senior Director of Communications Dustin Morse (Twitter link).