CLEVELAND — Trevor Larnach jumpstarted the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night, then delivered late when they needed him most.
In one of the team’s bigger games of the season, Larnach and the American League’s top run-scoring offense lifted the whole team up again. Larnach homered and singled in two key runs and the Twins snapped a four-game losing streak as 19 men reached base in a 10-6 victory over the Cleveland Guardians.
Brooks Lee also hit a three-run homer for the Twins, who send Taj Bradley to the mound Thursday in search of a four-game series split.
“I’ve always known (Larnach) could do this,” said teammate Royce Lewis, who’s worked out with the outfielder during previous offseasons. “He’s always hit line drives all over the field. It’s so nice to finally see it coming to fruition.”
With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, Larnach is one of the more intriguing players on the Twins roster. Hitting with authority against right-handed pitching and in the leadoff spot, Larnach has seen his trade value rise to the highest it has been in recent years.
Larnach could be traded but that wouldn’t necessarily mean the club is a full-fledged seller because the Twins may receive major-league value in exchange while attempting to fill his absence from within.
The franchise’s Triple-A roster features outfielder Matt Wallner, who’s producing at a high level once again and has major-league experience, as well as top prospect Walker Jenkins, who is on the cusp of the big leagues after a mid-summer hot streak.
But if the Twins did trade Larnach, not only would they be trading one of their hottest hitters, it could upset the team’s great clubhouse chemistry.
Well aware of the big picture, Larnach said he’s approaching the deadline similar to the way he handled last offseason when nobody knew if the Twins would offer him a contract, trade him or make him a free agent.
“It’s not my job to worry about what happens,” Larnach said. “It’s the same stuff. Wherever you’re going to end up is where you’re going to end up. I’d love to stay here, but that’s just me. I’d love to see where the game takes me. Baseball is baseball. When I get to the field, that’s what I’m going to be doing. I want to help this team win. I love the guys here. But that stuff is all out of my control. I tackle the things I can control and I just see where it takes me.”
Thus far, Larnach’s attitude is leading to a career year.
After reaching in three of four trips against right-handed pitchers on Wednesday, he raised his OPS versus righties to .879.
Batting in the leadoff spot, Larnach provided a team that was outscored 34-9 over the previous four games with an instant jolt in the form of a 404-foot homer off Slade Cecconi to put the Twins in front. Two innings later, Larnach walked after Alex Jackson led off with a double, and both came around to score as the Twins rallied from a 3-1 deficit.
The early offense allowed the Twins to overcome a challenging start for Bailey Ober, who battled delivery issues as he allowed four runs in four innings.
“They looked incredible out there,” Ober said of his offense. “We needed that big time today, just to get those guys rolling again. Another big output from them.”
The offensive outburst continued in the fourth inning when Jackson singled in a run to give the Twins a 4-3 lead and Lee blasted a three-run shot to center to open it up.
Four innings later, Larnach provided another much-needed hit.
With the Twins leading 7-4, Larnach added to their cushion and prevented the Guardians from coming back late like they also seemingly do any time the Twins are in town. Batting with the bases loaded and no outs, Larnach singled up the middle off Matt Festa to extend the lead to five runs.
“They’re kind of like gnats,” Larnach said. “They don’t go away and you’ve got to keep stacking the best way you can.”
Larnach is stacking good performances on top of one another and it has drawn the attention of pro scouts. The Tampa Bay Rays, who could use lefty thump, scouted the Twins over the weekend in Chicago and also in Cleveland.
“He’s been really good,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “He’s been consistent. He’s had really good at-bats and it tells by if you look up at his numbers.”
Rather than worry about his future or those of Ryan Jeffers and Joe Ryan, two of the Twins’ hottest trade commodities, Larnach will continue to simplify things as best he can. He knows talking strictly about process can be mundane — “I know it’s boring,” he said — but thus far it’s working. Larnach figures if he can continue to be boring, and stay focused, he’ll wind up in a good place no matter what happens.
“I don’t know what our higher ups and what our staff is looking for at the deadline,” Larnach said. “Let’s just be obvious, there is (more) at stake for some guys in the locker room than others, when it comes to the deadline and where the team is. It’s not my job to worry about that. … The only thing that matters is the execution of the little things each game, each inning. Then you see where it all takes you at the end of the year.”
