The Twins venture across town Saturday afternoon to face Fort Myers' other team, the Boston Red Sox, with right-hander Bailey Ober making his 2025 spring training debut.
The Twins are coming off a 13-10 loss to the Orioles on Friday, with Baltimore scoring eight runs in the ninth inning against middle relievers from the lower minor leagues.
As for their next opponent, the Twins get a look at new Red Sox slugger Alex Bregman, who gets the start at third base. Rafael Devers, the team’s best player who played third in recent seasons, is not in the starting lineup. He and Bregman have been taking turns at third while manager Alex Cora massages egos and evaluates where everyone fits in.
Mickey Gasper leads off at second base trying to ignite his bid to make the Twins' Opening Day roster. He comes in batting .167. Willi Castro starts at short, Jose Miranda at third, Harrison Bader in center and DaShawn Keirsey in right as Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner are not in the lineup.
Minnesota Twins (3-3) starting lineup
Mickey Gasper 2B
Harrison Bader CF
Willi Castro SS
Ty France 1B
José Miranda 3B
Christian Vázquez C
Austin Martin LF
DaShawn Keirsey Jr. RF
Mike Ford DH
Twins starting pitcher: Bailey Ober (first appearance of spring training)
Ober career vs. Red Sox: 3 GP, 17 IP, 0-2 record, 1.59 ERA, 14 K, 2 BB.
Twins previous result: Lost to Orioles 13-10 on Friday
Red Sox (2-4) starting lineup
1. Jarren Duran LF
2. Alex Bregman 3B
3. Triston Casas 1B
4. Trevor Story SS
5. Connor Wong C
6. Rob Refsnyder RF
7. Romy Gonzalez DH
8. Ceddanne Rafaela CF
9. Vaughn Grissom 2B
Red Sox starting pitcher: Tanner Houck (first appearance of Spring Training)
Houck's career vs. Twins: 4 GP, 23 1/3 IP, 2-1 record, 3.47 ERA, 22 K, 7 BB.
Red Sox's previous result: Lost to Phillies 7-5 on Friday
Watch/listen: Twins TV, NESN | Audacy App WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCO 830 AM, Audacy App WCCO and TIBN (affiliate list)
First pitch: 12:05 p.m. (Central)
Location: JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla.
Weather: 78 degrees and partly sunny
Notes
• Right-hander Joe Ryan threw two simulated innings in live batting practice Friday, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. Ryan threw 38 pitches for his longest session of camp against hitters so far. He got swings-and-misses with his fastball and sweeper, though Ryan did allow a line-drive home run to Harrison Bader. Ryan, who is recovering from a grade 2 teres major strain in his shoulder that cost him eight or nine starts at the end of the season, said he's still "cleaning up his delivery," per reporter Bobby Nightengale.
• Catcher Jair Camargo departed Friday for Arizona for the World Baseball Classic qualifier. His Colombia team faces Brazil, China and Germany in pool play over three days beginning Sunday. The top team advances to the 2026 WBC, with second place and third place squaring off Thursday for the final spot.
• Orioles slugger Colton Cowser offered his opinion of new Twins hitting coach Matt Borgschulte, who was hitting co-coach in Baltimore from 2022-24. Dan Hayes of The Athletic quotes Cowser as saying: "[I]t's important establishing a relationship, and I feel like he does that really well."
Cowser described Borgschulte as a technician well versed in the mechanical side of hitting. But he also liked Borgschulte’s approach to hitting, knowing "what to worry about and what not to in-game," he said.
• Rule 5 right-hander Eiberson Castellano allowed a walk and a two-run home run before retiring five in a row to complete two innings Friday. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters that Castellano has the staff's attention: "Everyone is paying attention because they like what they see."