Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was explaining to reporters how his team rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat the Oakland Athletics on Friday night at Target Field when he dropped a subtle nod to the uniforms he and his players were wearing.
"It was kind of a run here, and you know, it started to ripple. The ripple effect," Baldelli said, flashing a smile.
That "ripple effect" is straight off the fabric of the blue City Connect uniforms the Twins wore Friday, an effect intended to evoke running water. The Twins were the last major league team — except for the traditionalist Yankees and the soon-to-be-city-less A's, who aren't participating — to debut their City Connect uniforms, a program that began in 2021.
The uniforms are intended to link the team to its city and state's connection with water, both 10,000-plus shimmering lakes and its many rivers. The new uniforms are a deep azure blue from socks to caps with yellow accents on belts and cap brims. They feature new logos and insignias, including an image of the state on the caps and the letters "MN" on the front of the jerseys.
Twins infielder Kyle Farmer called them "cool," adding, "Every team is doing it now, so it's kind of fun."
Baldelli considers them a break from a game and a season that's all about routine and repetition. The Twins will wear them 12 times at home this season, including Saturday afternoon against the A's, when starting pitcher Bailey Ober is expected to wear matching yellow shoes.
"We do the same thing every day," Baldelli said. "There's lots of guys in the clubhouse that get really excited about new gear. New stuff, new design, new colors, some of them really enjoy it because we wear the same stuff. You almost look now and feel like a new team."
Catcher Ryan Jeffers showed off before the game two newly painted masks that reflect the new uniforms. One features a loon — the state bird — and a cityscape of downtown Minneapolis. The other is a northwoods sunset motif that on the back pad pays homage to his native North Carolina, his home area code and includes the names of his wife and daughter.
Lewis sits
Third baseman Royce Lewis didn't play but was available coming off the bench, Baldelli said before the game. It was a rest day, as Lewis is on his way back from an Opening Day right quad strain that sidelined him for two months.
"The reason he's not playing today is the same reason he wasn't playing in Pittsburgh," Baldelli said. "This is him building up to playing every day."
After getting activated last week against the Yankees, Lewis took June 6 off in New York and also didn't start Sunday's game in Pittsburgh — although in that one he ended up pinch hitting in the sixth inning and getting three plate appearances as the designated hitter.
Etc.
• The Twins grounded into three double plays in the first four innings against A's starter Mitch Spence. They also hit into three double plays last Saturday at Pittsburgh in Simeon Woods Richardson's previous start.
• Twins top pitching prospect David Festa struck out 10 batters in a game for the third time with the Saints, giving up two runs — on a first-inning homer to Edwin Rios — in six innings in a 9-5 victory at Louisville. The Saints had 16 hits, with seven players getting two hits each, and Jair Camargo drove in three runs.
