Currently: Joe Mauer hit his first home run of the season this week. Now, the Minnesota Twins might be wise to give the smooth-swinging catcher his first chance to be a designated hitter this year.
Mauer isn’t expected to be behind the plate in a day game following a night game, but the Twins may want to keep his red-hot bat in the lineup when they play the decisive game of a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
Mauer needed 185 at-bats to hit his first home run of the season, but he hit his second just two games later. That solo shot was part of a three-RBI night for Mauer as he led Minnesota (31-28) to a 7-5 win over Baltimore (28-30) on Wednesday night.
“I’m just trying to do things to help the team win,” Mauer said.
Mauer went deep for the first time this season in the Twins’ 6-5 win over the New York Yankees on Monday night. It could be time for his first appearance as a DH in 2008 after being used in that role 48 times over the previous three seasons.
After catching Wednesday night, Mauer would normally get this matinee off. But Minnesota might be reluctant to keep him out of the lineup.
The 2006 AL batting champ is 6-for-10 with five RBIs in his last three games, raising his average from .315 to .330 - second in the AL behind the Yankees’ Hideki Matsui (.337). Mauer has gone 2-for-3 in each of this series’ first two games, and is batting .452 (28-for-62) in his last 16 games against the Orioles as the Twins have won 12 of those contests.
Backup catcher Mike Redmond will likely be Scott Baker’s batterymate. Baker (2-0, 4.09 ERA) will be activated from the 15-day disabled list to make his first start since May 3, when a groin injury forced him out after three shutout innings in a 4-1 win over Detroit.
The right-hander is 1-0 with a 4.66 ERA in two career starts against the Orioles.
“He’s a guy we’ve counted on from the beginning,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. “Hopefully he’ll get back and get going here and be one of our solid starters.”
Baker will be limited to 85-90 pitches, but the Twins have been getting sharp appearances from their relief pitchers. Four Minnesota relievers combined to pitch five shutout innings Wednesday, allowing one hit and striking out six.
Twins relievers have a 1.23 ERA in their last nine games, spanning 36 2-3 innings.
Garrett Olson (4-1, 4.03 ERA) will get the start for Baltimore as it tries to win a road series for the first time in nearly a month. He is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last two starts.
But both of those outings were in Baltimore. Olson is 1-1 with a 6.28 ERA in three starts on the road.
The left-hander allowed two runs and three hits while striking out five in five innings as Baltimore lost 6-3 to Boston on Saturday night.
This will be his first appearance against Minnesota.
Melvin Mora will likely be behind Olson at third base. He has homered in each of this series’ first two games, and in three of his last four games at Minnesota.
Camden Chat
Twinkie Town
