Sending Varland down to Triple-A 'the right decision,' Baldelli says

Twins manager still believes starting pitcher will do 'great things.'

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli expects Louie Varland to do great things, but that didn’t change the fact that Baldelli had to make the decision that was best for his ball club. 

The Twins optioned Varland to Triple-A St. Paul Monday, a day after Varland lasted just 2 2/3 innings while allowing three hits, four runs and four walks in a 6-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Target Field in Minneapolis. Varland is 0-4 in four starts this season with a 9.18 earned-run average across 16 2/3 innings. He’s struck out 18, but allowed 27 hits and 17 earned runs. 

“With everything that had been going on early in the year, I don’t think it was a hard decision right now,” Baldelli said. “I actually think it was the right decision, and that was clear for him and for us. It gives him an opportunity to focus on some things and get better without having to only worry about the results of what he’s doing.

“And I think he’s in agreement with that, too. He took it hard cause he cares; and he wants to be here; and he wants to make people proud; and he wants to do great things, frankly. But there will be a lot of great things coming his way over time. I think he knows that; I don’t know if he’s feeling it in the moment, but I’m feeling it.” 

Varland will not get a chance to work through some things with the Saints. Meanwhile, the Twins haven’t yet called up another starting pitcher and instead called up reliever Ronny Henriquez. Outfielder Max Kepler was also reinstated from the injured list Monday, while catcher Jair Camargo was optioned back to Triple-A. 

Simeon Woods Richardson is lined up and ready to pitch next week, Baldelli said. But the Twins’ starting pitching is beginning to look thin, and Baldelli isn’t ruling out any options should things get any thinner. While nothing is in the works yet, Baldelli isn’t ruling out Varland coming back up sooner than later, nor is he ruling out the possibility of stretching out other arms. 

“We have guys that are in Triple-A that we can turn to that are pitching well enough to get an opportunity, but I also think that there could be discussions over time of stretching some other guys out and taking them from certain roles into other roles,” Baldelli said. “That can’t be out of the question, nothing’s really off the table, and I’ll keep saying that.”

Kepler back

Kepler was reinstated from the injured list on Monday and was scheduled to be back in the lineup at right field and batting fifth for Monday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. 

“He looks like he’s in about as good a place as I’ve seen him in a while. I think he’s excited to be back and be playing. It’s the first time he’s really, when he’s missed any time, gone out, gotten some at-bats,” Baldelli said. “I think it was something he wanted, actually, we asked him and he said, ‘Yes, I think that would be helpful.’ So maybe that’s him maturing over the years and kinda seeing what he needs, but he looks ready to play and he’s right on in there in right field.”