The Minnesota Twins are currently undergoing a significant youth movement, but not everything is progressing smoothly. Brooks Lee recently made his MLB debut earlier this week and appears to have solidified his place in the team. Similar to Edouard Julien’s arrival last season due to injury, Lee is making the most of his opportunity to establish himself long-term with the Twins.
However, the same cannot be said for David Festa. Minnesota’s top pitching prospect was called up in late June to fill in for Chris Paddack, who was placed on the IL, but his performance hasn’t matched Lee’s promising start. After a decent outing against the Diamondbacks, Festa struggled, allowing a total of 12 runs over ten innings, resulting in a daunting 10.80 ERA. Despite the Twins winning his first start, the team has struggled in Festa’s subsequent outings, resulting in a draw of 15-15 on the scoreboard.
Due to his inconsistent performance, Festa has already been sent back to St. Paul, a decision finalized by the Twins last Friday.
Twins send David Festa back to Triple-A, call up Josh Winder to replace him
Minnesota has sent Festa back to Triple-A and called up Josh Winder, likely to start in his place when his turn in the rotation comes up again.
It’s disappointing to see Festa struggle, but it’s not unexpected, and it’s certainly not the end for him. He remains a Top 100 prospect and has gained valuable experience in the majors, identifying areas for growth and refinement in his game. This setback is just a part of his journey, and it could ultimately benefit him in the long term.
As for Winder stepping in, his return to the Twins offers another opportunity for a young pitcher to showcase his abilities. Winder is coming off an injury that sidelined him for the first part of the season and has primarily been used in relief. His promotion to the MLB roster appears to be an effort by the Twins to bolster their bullpen, which has recently struggled after initially being a strong point of the team.
While Winder might not solve all the issues, he has the chance to prove himself and earn a role as a potential solution moving forward.
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