CHICAGO — The Twins did not name a starter for Saturday night’s game in the hours before the first game of their series against the Chicago White Sox, but there was one 6-foot-5 hint who had a locker in the Rate Field visitor’s clubhouse.
Mick Abel, the top pitching prospect the Twins acquired at the trade deadline, traveled with the team to Chicago and will make his Twins’ debut on Saturday, manager Rocco Baldelli said after Friday’s game, giving them their first look at a pitcher whom they expect to be a rotation piece in the future.
Abel will take the roster spot of José Ureña.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Abel said. “It’s been nothing but good vibes here, (since) when I first got here, so I’ve been looking forward to it for a while.”
The 24-year-old, whom the Twins landed in the deal that sent closer Jhoan Duran to Philadelphia, made his major league debut earlier this year and pitched in six games for the Phillies, pitching to a 5.04 ERA across 25 major league innings.
Since switching organizations, Abel has a 1.75 ERA across three starts for Triple-A St. Paul. In his last game, he struck out 11 batters.
“I think it was definitely a shock more than anything, as much as I could have prepared for it,” Abel said of the trade. “Definitely still a shock to the system. It’s an exciting opportunity. I’m just ready whenever.”
One of the first things mentioned to him upon his arrival in the organization is that the Twins would like him to test out a sweeper. Abel had worked on the pitch with the Phillies but hadn’t really brought it out because he wasn’t yet comfortable with it. Since joining the Saints, he’s been working on it and has been pleased with the pitch.
“It was in the back pocket for the first couple bullpens here and then my first home start in St. Paul, I deployed it for the first time,” Abel said. “It was only in two-strike counts, but I’m much more comfortable with it now.”
Abel’s Twins debut provides some excitement for the future for the Twins, who are also expected to get their first look at Taj Bradley a day later. The Twins have yet to name a starter for Sunday’s series finale, but it will likely be Bradley, who was acquired for Griffin Jax at the trade deadline, and has been pitching in the Saints’ rotation alongside Abel this month.
Briefly
Pablo López needed 45 pitches to get through just 1 2/3 minor league innings on Friday, but Baldelli said as far as he knew, “everything went well physically,” for both López and Simeon Woods Richardson, who threw 64 pitches and gave up four runs (three earned) in 3 1/3 innings pitched.
It was López’s first rehab start since suffering a Grade-2 teres major strain in early June, and Woods Richardson’s second rehab outing since dealing with a parasite that he believes he got from eating seafood. …
Outfielder Alan Roden underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb on Friday. Roden is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for spring training 2026.
