Old Teammates Square Off as Giants, Twins Finish Series

Chris Paddack will reunite with a former teammate and the manager who traded him when the Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants wrap up the unofficial first half of the season in Northern California on Sunday afternoon. The clubs split the first two games of the series.

Historical Context and Player Background

Paddack, now with the Twins, pitched his first three seasons (2019-21) for the San Diego Padres, a rival of the Giants in the National League West. Over those three years, he faced the Giants seven times, recording a 1-1 record with a 3.82 ERA. In his third season with the Padres, Paddack was teammates with left-hander Blake Snell, who will oppose him on Sunday.

Snell, now with the Giants, was the No. 2 pitcher in the Padres’ rotation in 2021, ending the season with a 7-6 record and a 4.20 ERA in 27 starts. Paddack, fourth in the rotation, went 7-7 with a 5.07 ERA in 22 starts. Their paths diverged after San Diego missed the playoffs, leading to managerial changes and trades.

Managerial Changes and Trades

The Padres’ failure to reach the postseason in 2021 resulted in the departure of manager Jayce Tingler. Bob Melvin was hired as his replacement, and Paddack was traded to the Twins in a five-player deal that included Taylor Rogers moving to the Padres. Melvin now manages the Giants, and Rogers is one of their relievers, taking the loss in Saturday’s 4-2 defeat.

Current Season Performance

Looking to win the series after splitting the first two games, Paddack (5-3, 5.18 ERA) has struggled in recent outings, failing to secure a win despite facing the Oakland Athletics twice and the Chicago White Sox once. Over these three starts, Paddack allowed 10 runs in 12 innings, taking a no-decision in each.

Meanwhile, Snell (0-3, 7.85 ERA) returned from a left groin strain to pitch five shutout innings, allowing just one hit in a 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays last Tuesday. It was his first outing since June 2, following a month-long absence due to a left adductor strain. Despite speculation about being rushed back, Snell expressed satisfaction with his treatment by the Giants.

“I’ve been treated really well here, and I’ve really enjoyed my time here,” said Snell, who signed with the Giants on March 19. “They care a lot. They want to win, but I think they just care about the players a lot.”

Injury Updates and Lineup Changes

Twins shortstop Carlos Correa might miss a second consecutive game due to a bruised right heel suffered in Friday’s series opener. In his absence, Willi Castro, who has been added to the American League All-Star team, stepped up with two hits out of the leadoff spot and played spotless defense at shortstop in Saturday’s win.

“He’s the real MVP of this team,” Correa said of Castro. “He plays everywhere. If somebody gets hurt, he replaces them with no problem. If you ask him to play second, he plays great defense at second base. If you ask him to play shortstop, left, center, it doesn’t matter. He plays everywhere. When you have a guy like that, he makes you so much better as a team. I think we should appreciate him way more than we do already. He’s a real great player.”

Conclusion

As old teammates Chris Paddack and Blake Snell face off, the Twins and Giants aim to secure a series win heading into the All-Star break. With Paddack seeking to overcome recent struggles and Snell returning strong from injury, fans can expect an exciting and competitive matchup. Player updates and strategic lineup changes will add to the intrigue of this series finale.