Minnesota Twins Game 1 Starter Goes Viral For Pre-Game Wardrobe Choice

Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez went viral on Tuesday for his choice of pre-game fashion ahead of his Game 1 start in the playoffs.

The Twins are hosting the Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field in the first game of the wild card series (best-of-three) and Lopez walked in rocking an old school Johan Santana jersey.

🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/7K0YNJrN0D
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) October 3, 2023

This is significant for a few reasons:

1) Santana was just awesome, right? It's always cool to pay tribute to a legend. He is one of the best pitchers in team history, having thrown eight great seasons in Minnesota. He made the All-Star team three times in his Twins' tenure, won a Cy Young award and led the league in ERA twice.

2) Lopez idolized Santana growing up, with both players hailing from Venezuela. Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press had more on that:

Pablo López showed up today wearing the jersey of his boyhood idol, Johan Santana, who was the last pitcher to lead the Twins to a playoff victory.

Pablo López showed up today wearing the jersey of his boyhood idol, Johan Santana, who was the last pitcher to lead the Twins to a playoff victory. https://t.co/nHlHRNVdgJ
— Betsy Helfand (@betsyhelfand) October 3, 2023

3) That last point is significant as well. The Twins haven't won a playoff game in 18 years! They have lost their last 18 playoff games, as noted by Scott Shapiro of FOX Sports Radio:

L 10/6/04-NYY

L 10/8/04-NYY

L 10/9/04-NYY

L 10/3/06-OAK

L 10/4/06-OAK

L 10/6/06-OAK

L 10/7/09-NYY

L 10/9/09-NYY

L 10/11/09-NYY

L 10/6/10-NYY

L 10/7/10-NYY

L 10/9/10-NYY

L 10/3/17-NYY

L 10/4/19-NYY

L 10/5/19-NYY

L 10/7/19-NYY

L 9/29/20-HOU

L 9/30/20-HOU

Twins last 18 playoff gms

L 10/6/04-NYY
L 10/8/04-NYY
L 10/9/04-NYY
L 10/3/06-OAK
L 10/4/06-OAK
L 10/6/06-OAK
L 10/7/09-NYY
L 10/9/09-NYY
L 10/11/09-NYY
L 10/6/10-NYY
L 10/7/10-NYY
L 10/9/10-NYY
L 10/3/17-NYY
L 10/4/19-NYY
L 10/5/19-NYY
L 10/7/19-NYY
L 9/29/20-HOU
L 9/30/20-HOU
— Scott Shapiro (@scottshapiro33) October 3, 2023

Furthermore, it has been 21 years since the Twins last won a playoff series.

Game 1 is set for 4:38 p.m. ET.

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