The Minnesota Twins come into their April 2, 2025, matchup against the Chicago White Sox in urgent need of a course correction. After dropping their first four games of the season—including a humbling 9–0 loss to Chicago—the Twins find themselves in unfamiliar territory, not only winless but also largely ineffective in key areas. The pitching has been inconsistent, the offense quiet, and the defense shaky at best. Against a White Sox team that appears rejuvenated, the pressure is mounting on the Twins to avoid a winless opening series and rediscover the formula that helped them claim the AL Central title just one season ago. On the mound, Minnesota will hand the ball to right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson. The 24-year-old is making his first start of the 2025 campaign, coming off a 2024 season in which he posted a 4.17 ERA over 133.2 innings. While he showed flashes of promise last year, control issues and a lack of strikeout punch limited his effectiveness. Woods Richardson’s fastball-changeup combination works best when he’s locating on the edges and staying ahead in counts, but he often struggles once runners get on base.

He’ll need to keep composure and attack the strike zone against a White Sox lineup that has already punished the Twins’ pitching staff for 20 runs over the last two games. Offensively, the Twins’ woes are glaring. Through four games, the team has scored just five total runs, and their key hitters have yet to get going. Carlos Correa is hitless in his first 14 at-bats, and Byron Buxton is just 1-for-13, showing no signs of the explosive threat he’s capable of being when healthy. Their inability to generate quality at-bats with runners in scoring position has left far too many opportunities on the table. Max Kepler and Alex Kirilloff haven’t fared much better, and the bottom half of the order has been nearly invisible. The club had hoped the return of Royce Lewis and the development of young players like Edouard Julien would help inject some offensive life, but so far, those sparks haven’t caught fire. Manager Rocco Baldelli has been forced to shuffle the batting order early, searching for any combination that might shake the team out of its funk. Defensively, the team has been average but prone to lapses, particularly in the outfield. Miscommunications and poor positioning have led to extra bases and unearned pressure on the pitching staff. The infield has remained mostly steady, thanks in part to Correa’s glove at short and Lewis’s athleticism when healthy, but the lack of support around them has kept the defense from being a true asset. One bright spot has been the bullpen, which—despite inheriting frequent deficits—has managed to limit further damage in most outings. Jhoan Duran remains a reliable closer, though he hasn’t had the chance to enter a save situation yet. Brock Stewart and Griffin Jax have kept the Twins within striking distance in a couple of games, but without run support, their work has been largely in vain. In conclusion, the Twins desperately need a turnaround. Whether it starts with a bounce-back performance from Woods Richardson or a spark from their stagnant offense, they must rediscover their competitive edge. Otherwise, a talented roster could find itself buried in the division standings before April even ends.