Griffin Jax was fuming, then apologetic, and Willi Castro was confused. The Twins were embarrassed by the Red Sox 13-1 on Wednesday, and the clubhouse afterward was a scene of quiet chaos, everyone wondering what just happened — or, with the trade deadline looming at 5 p.m. Thursday, what would happen next.
That would certainly help, considering how overmatched, occasionally overwhelmed, the Twins appeared against the Red Sox, who handed them their fourth straight series loss since the All-Star break. They scratched out only five hits, surrendered 16, and wrapped up an 11-13 July, their third losing month of the four played so far.
But as dismal as the game was, the ninth inning was downright turbulent.
Trailing 8-1, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli sent Griffin Jax, rumored to be one of the top targets of the Twins’ trade suitors, to the mound, with options severely limited after using five pitchers on Tuesday and four so far on Wednesday.
“The rest of our bullpen was beyond taxed and he was the most rested guy. … He was fully good and ready to go,” Baldelli explained. “It was a seven-run game — not a spot you would normally be putting your late-inning guys in, but we needed him to pitch.”
Baldelli sent another trade-rumor subject, Willi Castro, back to his position at second base, but only for a moment. Just before the inning began, he sent France to relieve Castro, with Kody Clemens moving from first base to second.
His intention: Give Castro a little rest, and perhaps a little recognition from the crowd of 29,146.
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