MINNEAPOLIS -- If someone had told you that four different pitchers would get the Twins’ first four saves of 2026, that probably wouldn’t have shocked you. But if someone had told you that one of those four would be Cody Laweryson? You might not have seen that one coming. Laweryson, 27, has had quite the baseball journey. He was a 14th-round Draft pick out of the University of Maine back in 2019. After the 2020 Minor League season was canceled, he scuffled as a starter in ’21 and saw some success upon pitching more in relief in ’22. But it wasn’t until 2025 that he made his Major League debut, one of the parade of pitchers to get a chance after Minnesota’s Trade Deadline selloff. |
After that, he was promptly waived and claimed by the Angels -- then released by Los Angeles. He re-signed a Minor League deal with the Twins and came into camp as a long shot to make the bullpen. A strong spring allowed him to crack an Opening Day roster for the first time. And even then, if you were laying out candidates to close out wins, Laweryson probably would’ve been low on the list. But Monday night, he came in to a two-on, two-out jam against the Tigers with a two-run lead in the eighth. He got out of it, Minnesota extended its lead in the bottom of the inning, and Laweryson got to finish it out, which he did quite efficiently. Save No. 1 in the books. Not bad for a 14th-rounder. |
|
|
“It feels pretty good,” said Laweryson. “A little extra juices flowing out there. That was a little bit tough in the cold weather to get everything going, but it feels good. I’m comfortable throwing in any role, just to help the team win. It just happened to be in a leverage situation. Anything I can do.” Laweryson is an understated sort, about what you’d expect from a Mainer, so it may not sound like he was all that enthused. Have no doubt, the milestone was meaningful. “Yeah, I got the save ball,” he said. “It’s probably going home to my parents. My dad is going to want it. He’ll gladly take it from me. He has all my memorabilia and stuff. He makes sure that nobody else is getting it. It’s just as much theirs as it is mine.” Laweryson got the save in relief of Joe Ryan, who had an up-and-down outing but secured his first win of the season. “Laweryson getting his first save is awesome to see,” said Ryan. “He's been throwing the ball exceptionally well from spring through the season so far.” |
BULLPEN MIX WILL BE FLEXIBLE |
Don’t assume that the list of pitchers with a save will stop at four. There’s no designated closer or eighth-inning man in the Minnesota bullpen, and manager Derek Shelton isn’t funneling saves to any one pitcher on a night-by-night basis. Instead, it’s more about matchups, looking to match pitchers to particular portions of the opponents’ lineup. Laweryson, Cole Sands, Justin Topa and Kody Funderburk have all gotten saves, and it’s easy to see Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda, and maybe Eric Orze getting chances as well. “Well, I think, number one, it's kind of sitting before the game and saying, ‘Hey, we like this group of hitters with this pitcher,’” Shelton said. “And then the game dictates. That's why everybody gets caught up in analytical decisions and all these things. The numbers are really good, and we use them for that, but then ultimately, the game tells you. … “I think it's just a matter of who's available, and then also, there's a little bit of meritocracy to it. You start to pitch well, you're going to pitch yourself toward the back of the game, or you're going to pitch yourself into the leverage game. And I think that's where too many people get caught up. They think just because you pitch the eighth and the ninth --there's so many games that are won in different situations, and you may have to use who you think is your best arm available at that juncture of the game.” |
The Twins go out of town briefly this weekend, with a single-series trip to Toronto before returning home to face the Red Sox next week. And come Tuesday, there will be another Dollar a Dog Day, with $1 hot dogs at Hennepin Grille and Taste of Twins Territory stands at Target Field. Limit two per person. For tickets to the Red Sox series and all other games, visit this link. |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
|
|
As they were in Spring Training, the Twins have been one of baseball’s most aggressive teams with ABS challenges. And overall, it’s worked out well for them. It was particularly notable in Tuesday night’s win against the Tigers, when Ryan Jeffers had two successful challenges from behind the plate to end innings. Entering Wednesday night’s game, the Twins had the most hitter challenges, the most successful hitter challenges, the second-most catcher challenges and the second-most successful catcher challenges in MLB. “Being able to have the ability to trust myself to challenge it, but then to be able to challenge that in general,” said Jeffers, “it’s a big wrinkle in the game now that I think some people are going to be really good at and some people are not going to be good at. It’s going to be a skill that’s going to be tracked and evaluated like any other skill is.” |
AND, FINALLY, THE PLAYLIST |
Let’s go with a bunch of new stuff. These are all terrific acts putting out good music, like, now, in a variety of different genres. So I hope you find something in here you like. Y’all be kind and look out for each other, OK? Nia Archives, “Danger” Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, “BATH WATER” Jobi Riccio, “Love of The Song” Joshua Ray Walker, “Chasing Sunsets” Pet Needs, “Tour Worn” |
|
|
FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW |
|
|
To subscribe to Twins Beat, visit this page and mark "Twins Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Twins or that they're checked as your favorite team. |
|
|
|
