FIRST PITCH: 1:10 pm CT

In the wake of a nail-biting return to baseball, I think I speak for all Twins fans when I say that I’m excited to see the Minnesota lineup face a pitcher other than the reigning Cy Young winner, and really show off what these nine bats can do.

Facing right-hander Logan Gilbert this afternoon, the Twins have added Luis Arraez to the starting squad, sitting at the hot corner and batting second. Correa slides to third, Kirilloff gets DH duty, and Nick Gordon takes over out in left.

Today, Twins fans get the opportunity to welcome Sonny Gray to the club on an official, debut basis. Longtime Twinkie Town aficionados may remember that Gray has been an enticing target for many a writer here; it’s a new addition five-plus years in the making for some.

Receiving an All-Star nod and Cy Young votes in 2019, Gray posted a 4.19 ERA / 3.99 FIP in 26 starts through the 2021 season, his age-31 campaign. Despite low velocity and a mid-tier chase rate last year, Gray induced soft contact at a premium, ranking in the 88th percentile or higher in exit velocity, hard hit%, expected SLG, and barrel%, with Baseball Savant categorizing both his fastball and breaking spin as “great.”

As all pitchers seem to these days, Gray leads with a sinking fastball and throws a curve over the plate as his primary offspeed offering, turning to a diving slider as an occasional chase pitch against right-handers.

Happy birthday, Luis — and good luck, Sonny! — as the Twins look to even the four-game wraparound set, and claim their first victory of the young season.

GO TWINS GO!