Twins call up Varland, option Sands
Minnesota Twins pitcher Louie Varland throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 18, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
The Minnesota Twins have added a new arm ahead of the team’s pivotal series in Cleveland.
Monday morning, the club called up pitcher Louie Varland from Triple-A St. Paul.
Varland has had two other stints with the Twins this season, tossing 56 innings with a 5.30 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 10 starts. In his past 13 games for the St. Paul Saints, one of which was out of the bullpen, Varland went 5-1 with a 3.92 ERA in 66.2 innings.
In a corresponding move, the Twins sent pitcher Cole Sands back to St. Paul.
Sands tossed 21.2 innings for the Twins across 15 appearances this season, posting a 3.74 ERA with 21 strikeouts. That includes giving up two runs across two innings pitched in Sunday’s loss at Texas.
Minnesota opens a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday night. Going into that game, the Twins hold a five-game lead over Cleveland in the division with 25 games left in the regular season.