The Minnesota Twins fell 17-5 to the New York Yankees at Lee Health Sports Complex on Friday in spring training play. Despite Eric Wagaman's 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI effort at the plate, the Twins could not overcome a sizable deficit. Marco Raya worked 0.1 innings on the mound, allowing 5 earned runs on 1 hit. The Yankees out-hit the Twins 13-10 on the day. The Twins will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Eric Wagaman was the standout at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. The long ball provided a major boost to the offensive attack. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Twins offense.
Trevor Larnach added to the attack, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, Emmanuel Rodriguez provided support, going 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, and Gabriel Gonzalez also contributed, going 2-for-2. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Jasson Domínguez led the Yankees offense with a 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI day. Spencer Jones also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI. Paul DeJong added a 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI effort as well. The Yankees offense proved to be too much for the Twins pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Marco Raya took the loss after having a rough go of it, working 0.1 innings while allowing 5 earned runs on 1 hit with one strikeout. He threw 31 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 8.2 innings of work, allowing 12 earned runs while striking out 11. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations.
Among the relievers, Nick Trabacchi stood out with 0.2 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Yankees got on the board first with five runs in the first inning. The Twins responded with a run in the first. Yankees countered with three runs in the second. Yankees plated six runs in the fifth. Yankees added a run in the sixth. The Twins responded with two runs in the eighth. Yankees countered with two runs in the ninth. The Twins struck back with two runs in the ninth. The Yankees were able to score in five separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Yankees out-hit the Twins 13-10, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 8,285 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Twins will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.