The Minnesota Twins essentially wiped the slate clean before their series at the Cleveland Guardians, trading almost 40 percent of their roster.
Two games and two losses into the new era, they remain undaunted by the challenge.
Minnesota right-hander Jose Urena (0-0, 5.40 ERA) will take the mound Sunday afternoon in the finale against Cleveland left-hander Joey Cantillo (2-1, 4.14).
“Some of us now get a second chance with this,” Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers said. “I don’t think we’re going to go out there and play terrible baseball. Even last year, the (Detroit) Tigers sold some guys off and got hot and snuck into the playoffs. Anything can happen.”
The Guardians took the first game 3-2 on a Kyle Manzardo walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning, then won the second 5-4 after Bo Naylor doubled in Jose Ramirez in the eighth.
After dealing all five of their late-inning relief specialists, the Twins were forced to throw Kody Funderburk and Pierson Ohl into the fire — and paid for it as they both suffered losses.
“I liked a lot of what I saw, but at some point, you’ve got to find a way to score another run,” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Urena’s recall from Triple-A St. Paul epitomizes what the Twins are going through. The 33-year-old already has pitched for the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers this season and was available on short notice to travel to Cleveland.
Right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson originally was slated to start on Sunday, but Minnesota’s massive series of transactions prompted Baldelli to juggle his rotation. Urena is 0-1 with a 3.95 ERA in 13 2/3 innings over three career starts against Cleveland.
“It’s a part of baseball, just the business side,” Twins All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton said. “We’ll be better once we get on the other side of it, but I ain’t going nowhere.”
The Guardians aren’t going away, either — in terms of the postseason race. They have won 16 of their last 22 contests, pulling within two games of the Seattle Mariners for the final American League wild-card spot.
Despite the loss of closer Emmanuel Clase to an MLB-imposed administrative leave and former AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber in a trade to the Toronto Blue Jays, Ramirez is making sure his teammates keep their eyes focused on the prize.
“(Ramirez), man, I’m running out of things to say about him,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “He knows when we need homers and singles, and he just needs to get on base to make things happen. I don’t take it for granted that we get to watch baseball from him every single day.”
Ramirez delivered the tying, two-run homer before scoring the go-ahead run on Saturday, which also was Jose Ramirez Jersey Day at the ballpark. The perennial All-Star third baseman is batting .312 with nine homers and 21 RBIs and 27 runs scored in his last 25 games.
“It makes me happy to see all the fans in my jerseys,” Ramirez said through an interpreter. “But I get the love from them every day, not just today.”
Cantillo will take on the Twins for the fifth time in his two seasons, owning a 0-1 record and 2.77 ERA in 13 innings with two starts and two relief appearances. He is 1-1 with a 4.57 ERA in five starts since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on July 3.