Game 22: Twins at Rays

First Pitch: 12:10 PM
TV: Bally Sports North
Radio: TIBN, twinsbeisbol.com
Know Thine Enemy: DRays Bay

Today is the last day until September in which MLB active rosters are allowed to contain 28 players.

Even so, the Twins have already made one roster change, moving Bailey Ober to the IL and promoting Cole Sands (No. 77 in your programs; if you’re from the UK, No. 77 in your programmes) to the big club. As Minnesota used four relief pitchers in yesterday’s win, there is a very real chance that Sands makes his MLB debut today.

In the meantime, with Ober’s IL stint leaving a vacant spot in the rotation, Josh Winder (No. 74 in your program[me]s) will be taking that spot, making his first start this afternoon. Winder’s three appearances this year have seen him throw:

• 1 inning (28 pitches)
• 5.1 innings (66 pitches)
• 4 innings (61 pitches)

That should give us an idea of how much Rocco Baldelli and Wes Johnson will be willing to let him work today. It also means the Twins will likely be using their relievers quite a bit, which increases the chances of a Sands debut. Good for him!

In other news, the Rays will be trotting out Josh Fleming to take the rubber in the first inning, meaning today’s game is a classic Josh vs. Josh mound matchup. The Rays have the Josh advantage with Josh Lowe also in the lineup, but today, everyone is an honorary Josh.

For the men entering the box with big sticks of wood to try and batter around the pitches thrown by those Joshes, see below: