Louie Varland’s Struggles Continue for the Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins’ season has gotten off to a rough start, and much of the blame can be placed on the struggles of starting pitcher Louie Varland. Thrust into the rotation due to Anthony DeSclafani’s injury, Varland has failed to impress in his first four starts, leading to questions regarding his place in the rotation moving forward.
In his latest outing once morest the Detroit Tigers, Varland struggled from the beginning. He narrowly escaped a 39-pitch first inning filled with walks and ultimately lasted just 2 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and surrendering his sixth home run of the season. His record now stands at 0-4 with a dismal 9.18 ERA.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was less than optimistic regarding Varland’s future in the rotation, stating that the team has a lot to discuss and needs to find a way to improve. Varland’s struggles can be attributed to his inability to put hitters away with two strikes and the number of fat pitches left over the plate. It was clear that something was off for Varland in this outing, and the Twins are now tasked with finding a reliable replacement.
Unfortunately, the Twins’ options are limited due to payroll cuts and the lack of offseason rotation additions. Simeon Woods Richardson, who made a spot start earlier in the season, appears to be the most logical choice to take Varland’s place in the rotation. Despite a rough 2023 season, Woods Richardson has shown improvement in spring training and might potentially provide a much-needed boost to the struggling Twins rotation.
The poor start to the season has the Twins feeling an increased sense of urgency to make changes. Manager Baldelli acknowledged this, stating that the team cannot continue to play like this and expect things to improve. Roster moves and changes in player usage will likely be explored in an effort to turn things around.
While the Twins may have hoped that DeSclafani’s presence would buy them some time before turning to Varland, their current situation leaves them scrambling for solutions. The team is now forced to delve deep into their rotation depth chart, and it is unclear who the next options would be following Woods Richardson. The lack of reliable replacements is a clear weakness for the team and a source of concern for fans.
Injuries have also plagued the Twins, with top prospects Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa sidelined. The absence of Lewis and Correa has allowed 2022 first-round pick Brooks Lee to make his MLB debut and take on a significant role in the infield. However, Lee has been dealing with a back injury since late in spring training, further adding to the team’s woes. The coaching staff and front office have been impressed with Lee’s performance thus far, but his return timeline
