FORT MYERS, Fla. — There was plenty to like about David Festa’s first taste of the major leagues, but for one of the top young arms in the organization, those 14 games also revealed to him what he wanted — and needed — to work on.
The right-hander wants to work deeper into games after completing more than five innings just once as a major leaguer. To do that, he needs to keep his pitch count down with some first-pitch outs.
“The experience, you can’t replicate it,” Festa said. “I think it allows me to know what I need to do moving forward during this spring training and improve the things I need to improve on and hopefully it’ll help me out.”
The 24-year-old also identified last year that his four-seamer just wasn’t doing what he wanted against righties. Unable to get it in on them, would miss over the plate or down. To that point, the Twins talked to him about working on a sinker, and he spent his winter tinkering with it once he began his throwing program.
“Throughout the league, I think you’re seeing the trend of guys picking up another fastball type,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “When you have more than one fastball to deal with, life can become even more challenging as a hitter. That’s our pitchers’ goal, is to make life more challenging.”
Festa started throwing the sinker in bullpens and eventually in live batting practice. He was pleased with the reaction he got from his teammates in a game-like setting.
“They said it looks good, so I’m hoping it’s going to be a good weapon for me,” he said
He’s still working on commanding it on the inner third, but believes it will be another tool he can use in games this season.
Festa, who began last season at Double-A and ascended through Triple-A before finishing the year in the majors, carved out a spot in the rotation for himself in the second half because of injuries to Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack. He finished the year with a 4.90 earned-run average across 65⅓ major league innings.
With Pablo López, Bailey Ober, Ryan, Paddack and Simeon Woods Richardson all currently healthy, Festa is most likely to return to Triple-A to begin the year. But the Twins are bound to need him at some point along the way.
“I’m always trying to prove myself, but I need to make sure that I’m controlling my controllables and doing everything that I need to do from a personal standpoint, and I think it’ll all play out,” Festa said.
Twins ready for games
The Twins have been down in Fort Myers for more than a week and finally will play a game on Saturday. Zebby Matthews, another right-hander who made his major league debut last season, will start the game against the Atlanta Braves. First pitch is set for 12:05 p.m. CT.
A whole host of major leaguers are expected to play for the Twins as Baldelli has promised the veterans will get more at-bats this spring than in previous years.
“You like to boil things down to bullet points in this game and just let the players’ ability take over,” Baldelli said. “And the bullet points so far are, ‘Let’s prepare physically, let’s be in the right mentality, let’s get ready to play some baseball.’ I think we accomplished that well.”
Briefly
The Twins will get to see elite pitching from the jump with reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale lined up for the Braves. The game will not be televised but will be available on the radio (WCCO-AM 830 / KMNB-FM 102.9) with Kris Atteberry and Dan Gladden on the call. … Former Twins outfielder Manuel Margot reportedly agreed to a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers.
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