Louie Varland Could Be Removed From Rotation
Louie Varland is a candidate to be removed from the team's starting rotation after going just 2 2/3 innings while giving up four runs in a loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. The loss dropped Varland to 0-4 on the year with a 9.18 ERA. He was pushed into the team's rotation to begin the year due to Anthony DeSclafani's (elbow) injury, but he may not be around much longer. He's allowed six homers in just 16 2/3 innings. Manager Rocco Baldelli declined to commit to Varland taking his next scheduled turn through the rotation after Sunday's game. If the Twins do move Varland out of the rotation, Simeon Woods Richardson, who pitched well in a spot start against Detroit on April 13, is the most logical choice to take Varland's spot next weekend against the Los Angeles Angels.
Source: The Athletic - Aaron Gleeman
Minnesota Twins right-hander Source: The Athletic - Aaron Gleeman
Louie Varland Likely To Start On Wednesday
Louie Varland will get the nod to start on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field given how he lines up this week, which also plays into why he wasn't part of the team's roster expansions on Sunday. Varland is currently at Triple-A St. Paul, but he figures to come up this week for a spot start as the Twins look to get their regular starters some extra rest to kick off the final month of the regular season. The 26-year-old has an ERA over 6.00 with 32 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings over eight outings (seven starts) for the Twins in 2024. However, he had a quality start in six innings in his last start on Aug. 14 against the Kansas City Royals and has been very solid of late at St. Paul. Regardless of his recent hot stretch in the minors, Varland will be a shaky fantasy streamer if he starts on Wednesday with not much strikeout upside.
Source: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
MLB.com's Do-Hyoung Park assumes that Minnesota Twins right-hander Source: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
Louie Varland Called Up To Start Game 2 Of Doubleheader
Louie Varland from Triple-A St. Paul on Friday as the 27th man to start Game 2 of the team's doubleheader against the visiting division-rival Cleveland Guardians. Depending on how Varland fares in his start on Friday, the Twins could call on him again soon now that right-hander Joe Ryan (shoulder) could potentially miss most, if not all, of the rest of the 2024 season. The 26-year-old will be making just his sixth start for Minnesota this year on Friday and won't be a recommended fantasy streamer against the first-place Guardians. In his six appearances this year, Varland has gone 0-4 with a 6.58 ERA (5.75 FIP), a 1.65 WHIP and a 25:10 K:BB in 26 innings pitched. Varland's last appearance in the big leagues came back on June 16, when he gave up two earned runs in 4 1/3 innings of relief against the Oakland Athletics.
Source: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
The Minnesota Twins recalled right-hander Source: MLB.com - Do-Hyoung Park
Louie Varland To Make A Spot Start On Tuesday
Louie Varland from the minors to make a spot start on Tuesday against the visiting Colorado Rockies. Right-handed reliever Diego Castillo will be optioned to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. The spot start for Varland is intended to give the regular rotation some extra rest during a long stretch without off days. It will be a middling matchup against the Rockies, who rank 17th in all of baseball with a .686 OPS, although they also have the fifth-most strikeouts (617). Still, Varland will be a shaky fantasy streamer in deeper leagues. The 26-year-old hasn't looked good in his four starts in the majors in 2024, going 0-4 with a 9.18 ERA and 2.16 WHIP with 18 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings pitched. He wasn't that great at St. Paul, either, going 2-5 with a 5.31 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP with 44 K's and 14 walks in eight starts (40 2/3 frames).
Source: The Athletic - Aaron Gleeman
The Minnesota Twins will call up right-hander Source: The Athletic - Aaron Gleeman
Louie Varland Sent To Minors
Louie Varland and catcher Jair Camargo to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday. Manager Rocco Baldelli didn't commit to Varland taking his next turn through the team's starting rotation after another subpar performance on Sunday, when he allowed four runs in just 2 2/3 innings in a loss to the Detroit Tigers. The 26-year-old former 15th-round pick in 2019 out of Concordia University has lost all four of his starts so far in 2024 and is sporting an ugly 9.18 ERA and 2.16 WHIP with nine walks and 18 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings pitched. He's already allowed six home runs in four starts after allowing 16 all of last year in a career-high 68 innings pitched. Prospect Simeon Woods Richardson is most likely to take Varland's spot in Minnesota's rotation moving forward.
Source: Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins optioned right-hander Source: Minnesota Twins
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