Michael Brantley returns to Indians starting lineup
After two painful seasons to begin his shift to the AL, the Minnesota Twins couldn't have been expecting much from Ricky Nolasco this year. But in three starts back from an injury-ravaged 2015 and embarrassing '14, the right-hander has been their best starter.
His next shot at making more believers comes Tuesday night at home against the Cleveland Indians, who will have Michael Brantley in the starting lineup for the first time this season.
Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. on SportsTime Ohio
Nolasco (1-0, 2.66 ERA) spent time on the 15-day disabled list early last year with right elbow inflammation, then lost four months to a right ankle impingement before returning for a relief appearance and one start. It was hardly enough to begin correcting his struggles since moving to Minnesota, which ended 2015 at 11-14 with a 5.64 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and .317 opponent batting average in 36 games. He was the not-so-arguably worst pitcher in baseball with at least 150 innings pitched.
This year, after winning the No. 5 starter job over Tyler Duffey, the 33-year-old has started the long process of leveling those numbers out and earned his first decision in Thursday's 8-1 win in Milwaukee. Nolasco gave up a run and five hits with seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings, dropping this season's numbers to a 0.98 WHIP and .224 OBA.
"He looks like his old self," Brian Dozier told MLB's official website. "He's not a power guy, but he throws every pitch in every count. ... He was just fooling them - 2-0 curveballs and changeups - tricking them."
To Nolasco, it's been more about the slider. He's throwing it 33.7 percent of the time after being at 26.7 in his first two seasons with the club, and confidence is returning to the point he's using it 37.1 percent of the time when he's behind in the count as opposed to 21.9 in 2014-15.
"The slider was pretty good, and I was able to mix in some curveballs and sink the ball when I needed to," Nolasco said. "I think the key thing today was the slider. It's always been a good put-away pitch for me."
It could help him to his first win against the Indians aver going 0-2 with a 5.61 ERA in four starts and a relief appearance.
His opponent, Cody Anderson, has been figured out this season on the levels Nolasco grew used to. The right-hander gave up five runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings of Thursday's 10-7 home loss to Seattle but escaped with a no-decision. Anderson (0-1, 7.53) has a .369 OBA with five home runs allowed. Ten of the 12 runs he's surrendered have come over 8 1/3 innings in his last two starts.
Anderson faced Minnesota three times as a rookie, going 2-0 with a 2.86 ERA and one run allowed over 13 2/3 innings of the last two outings.
He'll try to get the Indians back on track after Oswaldo Arcia hit a walk-off home run to lift Minnesota to a 4-3 victory on Monday for its eighth win in the last 10 meetings. It snapped a three-game winning streak for the Indians (9-8) and a three-game skid for the Twins (6-14). Minnesota managed just five hits and is batting .172 in the last four, while Cleveland has limited teams to .148 in its last four.
Brantley (offseason shoulder surgery) made his season debut Monday as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning and will start Tuesday.
"Not only is he one of the better hitters in the game, but he's kind of the heart and soul of this team," manager Terry Francona said.
Trevor Plouffe (intercostal strain) is on track to come off the disabled list for the Twins.
