Victorian Lewis Thorpe will start for Minnesota in its series-opener against Pittsburgh tomorrow, MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park has reported.
Thorpe is expected to start for the Twins at Target Field after Homer Bailey was put on the 10-day injured list with right biceps tendinitis.
It will be the 24-year-old’s first start of 2020 after two scoreless appearances out of the bullpen. Thorpe made his MLB debut in a start for Minnesota last June and also started a game against Cleveland in September.
His other 12 big league outings have come as a reliever. Thorpe has not allowed a run in 4 2/3 innings in 2020.
The left-hander tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings in his season debut, a 14-2 win over the Chicago White Sox, on June 26. Thorpe issued two walks but the only hit he gave up came on a liner that hit his leg and deflected away.
It forced the former Victorian State Team representative and Doncaster and Greenhills Montmorency junior pitcher from the game. He next appeared on June 30 and worked two scoreless frames in a 2-0 loss to Cleveland as the Twins’ offence failed to fire.
Thorpe allowed two hits and recorded one strikeout. He allowed seven runs on 12 hits across 8 2/3 innings in his two starts in 2019. Thorpe struck out 13 across his pair of starts.
Minnesota leads the American League Central with a 7-2 record after edging the Indians 3-1 earlier today.
First pitch in Thorpe’s slated start against the Pirates is set for 10.10am AEST.
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