Trending
MINNEAPOLIS -- It's been an inauspicious start for new Twins designated hitter Logan Morrison, who signed a one-year deal worth $6.5 million after hitting 38 home runs with Tampa Bay last season.
After fouling out with the bases loaded and a chance to put the Twins ahead in the seventh inning Saturday, April 7, Morrison is batting .053 (1 for 19) with a double, one run batted in, five strikeouts and two walks.
"I don't think I'm happy with the way I've started, for sure. It's definitely frustrating," he said. "But this would be frustrating at any point in the season; it just happens to be at the beginning."
With the Twins trailing 5-3, Morrison had the bases loaded with two out in the seventh. A left-handed hitter, Morrison pulled a couple of pitches from right-hander Juan Nicasio foul, one of which had the distance to be a long home run had Morrison not been so early. But he wound up sending a high foul ball down the left field line that was chased down by Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager to end the threat.
The Twins didn't score again until the ninth inning in an 11-4 loss at Target Field.
"(Nicasio) throws hard, put one pitch over the middle and I pulled it foul. But for the most part, he stayed on the corners," Morrison said. "If I keep one of those fair, it's a different story in the game. Obviously a big at-bat in the game. I want to come through, but it wasn't in the cards today. I'll keep grinding, keep going."
Logan hit .246 with 85 RBIs and a .345 on-base percentage for the Rays last season, leading the team in homers and finishing second behind Evan Longoria's 86 RBIs.
"One of the reasons I came here was I don't have to be the guy, I can be a piece, you know?" he said, noting that Miguel Sano (.296, three home runs, seven RBIs) and Brian Dozier (.290, four HR, six RBIs) "are going right now."
"If they go through something," Morrison said, "hopefully I'll be there to pick them up."
Hughes close?
The Twins haven't needed a fifth starter yet this season; that's about to change.
After getting three off days in the season's first nine days, the Twins played the first of nine straight games on Saturday. It could be Phil Hughes, but the Twins appear comfortable if it's not.
With offseason additions Jake Odorizzi and Lance Lynn joining Jose Berrios and Kyle Gibson, the Twins' rotation is deeper than it has been in several years.
Ervin Santana would be the fifth, and No. 1, starter but is rehabbing in Fort Myers, Fla., from February surgery to repair a knuckle on his right hand. Initially expected back by early May, Santana will fly to the Twin Cities for a follow-up visit with Twins doctors on Tuesday.
Hughes, 31, appears recovered from a thoracic outlet syndrome that required two surgeries but is on rehab assignment with Class A Fort Myers because of an oblique strain. He threw five innings in his first start last Thursday, giving up three earned runs on eight hits and a walk.
"He touched 94 (mph) the other day, which means his arm strength is good," manager Paul Molitor said. "We're just going to have to see how things play out here."
Hughes threw a side session on Saturday. Owed $26.4 million over the next two seasons, Hughes hasn't pitched since throwing 1 1/3 innings in a 10-5 loss at Houston on June 14, and has appeared in only 26 games since 2015. His rehab assignment officially runs to May 4.
A first for LaMarre
Outfielder Ryan LaMarre, who made the Twins' roster as a non-roster invite to spring training camp, recorded his first major league RBI in the ninth inning Saturday.
Pinch-hitting for Joe Mauer with one out and a main on third, he drilled a fastball from reliever James Pazos into left field to score Ehire Adrianza from third.
"It was awesome," he said.
LeMarre, 29, made the team as an extra outfielder after batting .475 with two homers and four doubles in spring training. He played a combined 29 major league games with Cincinnati, Boston and Oakland before signing a free-agent deal with Minnesota.
"I feel like I'm in a good place, and I worked hard to prepare for this role," he said. "You never take spring too seriously, but I felt like I was in a good place leaving Fort Myers."
Briefly
Molitor was received his 2017 American League Manager of the Year Award before Saturday's first pitch. It was presented by former Twins manager Tom Kelly, who managed Molitor in his last three seasons as a player (1996-98). "I didn't realize TK was going to be here for that," Molitor said. "When I saw him here this morning, I thought he might be doing some TV today, so he kind of kept it under wraps. It means a lot coming from him, obviously."