FORT MYERS, Fla. — Byron Buxton left camp Sunday feeling physically prepared for the World Baseball Classic and as if the Minnesota Twins clubhouse he’s leaving behind heard his message.
With both of those items checked off, the Twins All-Star is excited about his upcoming chance to play for Team USA. Buxton flew Sunday to join Team USA in Houston, an absence that could keep him away from Twins camp until March 18, depending upon how far the team advances.
In order to prepare for the WBC, Buxton played in back-to-back games Friday and Saturday. Buxton also appeared in games on three of his final four days in camp and accrued 15 plate appearances as part of a plan he, Twins manager Derek Shelton and Twins broadcast analyst Justin Morneau devised. Buxton and Shelton relied on the advice of Morneau, who played in the WBC tournament four times for Team Canada.
“The tone setting, I think we’ve done that,” Shelton said. “There’s a pretty good feel in our clubhouse. (Buxton) did a good job preparing. We tried to amp up his at-bats and back-to-backs. I think he’s ready. It’ll be exciting to watch him play.”
Buxton again praised Shelton for helping him navigate the early schedule. He also clearly understands Shelton wanted him to play a bigger role as a leader and made sure to emphasize important messaging before leaving camp. Though Buxton isn’t the most vocal of leaders, he’s clearly grown more comfortable with it later in his career.
“(The) only thing I said is believe in yourself,” Buxton said. “If you want to throw a curveball, throw, believe, believe in the curveball. Hit your spot. Throw it with conviction. Don’t sugarcoat for the most part. Come out and challenge yourself. Whatever you’re doing, whether you’re on the mound, whether you’re in the box, believe in what you’re doing. Don’t be afraid to strike out. Don’t be afraid to give up a homer. Trust the person. … Be more aggressive. Don’t take the passive side out. We got to start being on the fight side a little bit more and attack.”
Buxton went 3 for 13 with two doubles, two walks and one stolen base.
Ryan throws ‘pen, gets clarity on WBC
Bill Streicher / Imagn Images
Joe Ryan won’t pitch for Team USA in pool play, but he is upbeat about the possibility of starting for his country in the later round of the WBC.
Ryan emerged feeling good after a 30-pitch bullpen session Saturday and is scheduled to participate in a live batting practice session this week. If all goes well, Ryan, who was scratched from a start last month with lower back stiffness and hasn’t yet pitched in a game, would then make a start for the Twins.
“His ‘pen went well,” Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said. “We’ll see where things are at from there. … We think this is smartest and best for everyone.”
Ryan, who pitched for Team USA in the 2021 Summer Olympics, has a good sense of where he stands and wouldn’t be surprised if he pitches in a later game. He highlighted the way Zoll, Shelton and Team USA manager Mark DeRosa are working together to determine when he might be needed.
“The communication … has just been super helpful in easing (me) mentally,” Ryan said. “I feel really good about it. I think DeRo feels really good about it. JZ feels good about it. I don’t want to speak for them necessarily, I guess, but it seems like from the communication we’ve had, everyone’s in a good spot. We’ll progress and try to reach those goals. But yeah, I’m excited.”
Ober happy with stuff, readies for game action
Bailey Ober’s next outing will occur under the lights when the Twins host the Atlanta Braves on Friday night. After briefly pushing back his first game to work on mechanics in a recent bullpen, Ober is pleased with how he’s throwing the ball.
Ober still got hit in a live batting practice Sunday, with Matt Wallner launching a solo homer off him. But the shapes of Ober’s pitches were good, and his fastball looked lively.
Ober faced Wallner, Royce Lewis and Ryan Jeffers, among others, in a two-inning outing.
“I had a few guys say, ‘Hey, this stuff looks sharp,’” Ober said. “Everything’s moving really sharp and late. So that’s like a positive. It doesn’t really matter what the velo is at that point, because if it’s happened so late, they can’t diagnose it until then. I felt really healthy and felt really good.”
Hamstring injury for prospect Jenkins
Twins prospect Walker Jenkins will miss time after he was diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain on Sunday, the team said. Jenkins suffered the injury running out a double play ball in Saturday’s game. After reporting soreness on Sunday morning, Jenkins underwent an MRI.
More notes
• Mick Abel generated 10 swings and misses, mostly via his four-seamer, after working to spot his offspeed pitches early in the count and getting hitters to expand their zone during Sunday’s game against Atlanta. Abel struck out six in three scoreless innings and hit 99 mph on the radar gun.
“It’s (one) of the goals that we’ve set … landing the spin early, and the offspeed stuff early, to get them to expand more,” Abel said. “(It) tells me stuff’s pretty good. I thought I was setting up pitches pretty well.”
• Taj Bradley’s line Saturday wasn’t representative of how he pitched. His defense struggled behind him twice, which led to runs. Bradley hit 99 mph on the radar gun, but also allowed five earned runs in a loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Afterward, the pitcher was excited with the progress of his cut-fastball more than his velocity, saying “99 might look like 95 now.” Bradley got five swings and misses with his cutter out of 20 pitches.
“Those pitches like that, when it’s a hitter’s count, that’s a pitch you want a strike,” Bradley said. “I feel like that’s something I’m working for. All in all, stuff looked good. Just a little bit more fine-tuning with the repertoire.”
• Two of the team’s top 30 prospects are out of action in minor-league camp, Zoll said. Enrique Jimenez, who was acquired in the Chris Paddack trade, is out 3-4 weeks with a fractured right ring finger. Matt Barr, whom the Twins drafted in the fifth round, won’t be ready for Opening Day as he has a stress fracture in his right ulna.