MINNEAPOLIS _ For Ryan Jeffers' first major-league at-bat, there was no easing into it.
The 23-year-old approached home base with Ildemaro Vargas looming at third, his speed carrying him to scoring position after a line drive to centerfield. And now the newbie could drive in the Twins' breakthrough run against the Milwaukee Brewers at the bottom of the third inning Thursday.
Ryan Jeffers could have understandably failed to rise to the big occasion. Instead he exceeded expectations, smacking first hit and RBI single on an groundball to left field and helping the Twins to a 7-1 victory at Target Field.
The Twins took the series 2-1 and now head on a 10-game road trip, starting Friday at the Kansas City Royals. Jeffers, a 2018 second-round draft pick out of UNC-Wilmington, earned the call-up with starting catcher Mitch Garver placed on the 10-day injury list with a low-grade right intercostal strain.
"I definitely don't want is to bring someone up just to kind of hang out and watch the games," Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey said pregame. "I know there's some benefit to getting some exposure and experience, but I don't think that's as beneficial from a developmental standpoint. ... With this opening and this opportunity, he's got a chance to play pretty close to every day at the big-league level. Now is the best time. ... I think Ryan has proven that so far."
The Twins built on their lead in the sixth inning, loading the bases for the second time that game before Vargas' sacrifice fly scored Eddie Rosario. The Brewers cut the Twins' lead in half the next inning, though, with Justin Smoak hitting a 385-foot home run to left center. Pitcher Tyler Duffy had only just entered the game before giving up his first run of the season.
Starting the bottom of the seventh inning, the Twins had 11 hits but just two runs to show for it and clung to a slim lead. But Nelson Cruz, as he often does, gave the Twins a boost.
After grounding out and striking out in his first two at-bats, Cruz squandered a bases-loaded situation in the fifth inning, hitting into a double play. But he could maybe blame that on an equipment malfunction, as his contact lenses appeared to bother him, necessitating a quick couple of eye drops from a trainer to finish his outing.
He was seeing very clearly by the seventh inning, though, smashing a 395-foot home run off his first pitch from Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta that scored Max Kepler as well.
The Twins loaded the bases again in the eighth inning. Brewers pitcher Angel Perdomo walked-in Ehire Adrianza before Jorge Polanco's double scored Vargas and Jeffers.
Falvey remarked before the game how Jeffers' would have a "tough" first outing ahead of him facing Brewers' starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff and actually coached Jeffers to just focus on the defense and helping the Twins' pitchers, including starter Jose Berrios.
"Whatever happens offensively is kind of gravy after that," Falvey said.
Well considering Jeffers reached base three times off two singles and a hit-by-pitch walk and even scored a run all in hist first big-league appearance, his offense seemed to be just as much the main dish.
That or he's just really bad at following directions.
