Snow postpones Twins-White Sox game, rest of series in doubt
MINNEAPOLIS -- A freak winter storm forced the Minnesota Twins to postpone their Friday night matchup with the White Sox at Target Field.
And it's only expected to get worse, with a foot of snow or more expected to fall on the Twin Cities by Saturday night leaving the Twins' Saturday afternoon contest -- as well as the rest of the series -- in doubt.
In fact, after the Friday game was officially postponed, Twins manager Paul Molitor didn't sound like somebody planning to play the next day.
"There's a hope that no matter what happens tonight, we can play Sunday, which is still in question because of snow removal and ice underneath and all that kind of stuff," he said.
If Saturday's game does go on as scheduled, Lance Lynn (0-1, 5.00 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the Twins. He is 1-0 with a 1.40 ERA in three career starts against Chicago, but he has not faced the White Sox since 2015.
The White Sox haven't announced a starter yet. It probably would be either Reynaldo Lopez (0-1, 0.69 ERA) or Miguel Gonzalez (0-2, 8.68).
Friday marked the second time the Twins lost a game to weather on their current home stand, which ends Sunday followed by a trip to Puerto Rico for a two-game series against Cleveland.
"It's been a different start," Molitor said. "You're always going to have weather, but this time it's been extreme. ... I think we're all looking forward to the day we can start putting it together day after day after day instead of the stagnation. But so far, so good. We'll take it."
Chicago manager Rick Renteria had his players go through their usual pregame routines Friday until it began hailing. He plans to keep as much of a normal schedule as possible Saturday, until any further changes to the schedule become official.
"We are a routine-based species in the game of baseball," Renteria told the Chicago Tribune. "We are trying to do everything we can not to disrupt it too much. (Pitching coach Don Cooper and bullpen coach Curt Hasler) are continuing to grind out a schedule and work routines so (the pitchers) feel as comfortable as possible for their next starts and the day we are using them."
The Sox have battled weather this season as well. Friday's game marked the second time they've had a game postponed in 2018, having also lost an April 1 contest at Kansas City to weather.
"It's incredible that we are talking about snow in the middle of April," said Renteria. "We'll deal with it and everybody will do what they can to move forward. There's so much baseball left and we'll just keep working through it."
Chicago second baseman Yoan Moncada might have been the only party happy for the unexpected night off. Moancada went 0-for-4 Thursday in the series opener, dropping his average to .184 through the team's first 12 games.
"I'm not frustrated," Moncada said. "I know that probably the results are not there, the good results, but I still have plenty of confidence in me. I believe in myself because I know what I'm capable of doing. Right now, it's just a matter of a rough time, but I still feel very confident in myself."
Renteria sat down and talked with Moncada after the game for some reassurance and moral support.
"He's by no means a finished product, and I want him to understand he's not a finished product," Renteria said. "But I want him to understand there are certain things you have to do. You have to maintain focus, and if you're not hitting, you've got to catch the ball. And if you're not catching the ball, you better hit. But you can't fail at both, because then there's a problem. So a lot of it has to do with learning, focusing and continuing to concentrate."
