Twins' Tepesch to make first start in a year vs. Red Sox (May 06, 2017)
MINNEAPOLIS -- Nick Tepesch's last appearance on a major league mound was June 24, 2016, when he started for the Los Angeles Dodgers at Pittsburgh.
His journey commences Saturday when he starts for the Minnesota Twins at home against the Boston Red Sox.
"I'm looking forward to getting back out there and making a start, and helping this team win a ballgame," Tepesch said Friday before Minnesota opened the three-game series with a 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox thanks to a two-out, walkoff home run by Joe Mauer.
The Red Sox will counter with right-hander Rick Porcello (1-4, 4.46 ERA).
Tepesch hasn't seen too much mound work, majors or otherwise, lately. The right-hander last pitched in a game on April 20. That start came for Triple-A Rochester.
Tepesch was recalled by Minnesota shortly after to serve as another arm in the bullpen, but he didn't make an appearance and the Twins needed another starter with rookie Adalberto Mejia being optioned the minors after his last start on April 22.
Tepesch was 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts in Triple-A, recording 17 strikeouts in 18 innings.
"I felt like I've thrown well so far this season," Tepesch said. "Just trying to take what I've been doing into this game tomorrow and do what I do."
Tepesch has appeared in 43 career major league games, making 40 starts, with a 9-18 record and 4.68 ERA. He started his career in Texas, where he saw time in the majors in 2013 and 2014. He made his way back in 2016 for Los Angeles.
"We're hoping he has a good day," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "You're asking to come in and face a pretty darn good lineup and hasn't pitched in two weeks. If he makes his pitches, he'll have a chance to give us, hopefully, five innings or so, and we'll go from there."
Porcello has lost his last four starts, but he has shown personal improvement in his last two outings. He has allowed four earned runs in his past 12 2/3 innings. He took a loss to Baltimore in his last outing after surrendering two runs in six innings.
It's the Red Sox offense that has surprisingly been inconsistent. Boston had only one run against Minnesota's Phil Hughes on Monday before rallying for two runs to tie the score in the top of the ninth.
"We know that this is a lineup that's going to have to produce top to bottom," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "It's not going to revolve around one big hitter in the middle of the lineup. We need contributions up and down and bunch our hits together. Right now, that combination has not been there."
Minnesota could be without second baseman Brian Dozier and center fielder Byron Buxton. Buxton missed Friday's game with soreness and Molitor said he has had headaches after colliding with the outfielder wall in Thursday's game. Buxton has passed concussion tests, but the team is still monitoring his situation.
Dozier left Friday's game with a sprained ankle. He injured himself midway through Friday's game but stayed in. He was then pinch-hit for in the bottom of the ninth inning and Molitor said he's considered day to day.
