The Minnesota Twins secured a 15-0 victory over the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Thursday in spring training action. Luke Keaschall paced the offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Taj Bradley turned in a solid outing, working 4.0 innings of scoreless ball with three strikeouts. The Twins finished with 16 hits on the day while holding the Yankees to 2. The Twins will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.
Key Performers
Luke Keaschall was the standout at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Twins will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
James Outman added to the attack, going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, Noah Cardenas provided support, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, and Gabriel Gonzalez also contributed, going 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBI. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.
On the other side of the diamond, Jasson Domínguez led the Yankees offense with a 1-for-2 day. Ryan McMahon also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a double. Despite those contributions, the Twins pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Taj Bradley earned the win after turning in a quality outing, working 4.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 1 hit with three strikeouts. He threw 54 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen was excellent, combining for 2.0 scoreless innings while striking out three. The Twins continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Kody Funderburk stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
The Twins struck first, plating a run in the second inning. The Twins tacked on a run in the third. The Twins pushed across two runs in the fourth. The Twins plated five runs in the fifth. The Twins added six runs in the sixth. The Twins spread their scoring across five different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Twins out-hit Yankees 16-2 on the day, with 2 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 8,483 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Twins will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.