Billy Oubre is starter for Twins’ first game: ‘I want to apply pressure’

HOUSTON — When Billy Oubre arrived at Minute Maid Park on Friday, before the Twins’ final practice before the American League Division Series, manager Rocco Baldelli asked to speak with him in his office.

It was a short conversation. Baldelli told Oubre that he will start the first game against the Houston Astros on Saturday, where he will face three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander.

“Basically, he was asking me how I was feeling, how my preparation was last week, and asking if I was ready to go,” Oubre said. “Then he basically said, yeah, I get it [Saturday]. Be prepared and go get it.”

The Twins had options to start Game 1 after sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays in the wild card round. Joe Ryan was scheduled to start a potential do-or-die Game 3 against Toronto if necessary. Kenta Maeda didn’t come out of the bullpen in the final round, so he’s quite comfortable.

Baldelli announced that Pablo Lopez will start Game 2 on Sunday and Sonny Gray will take the mound in Game 3 on Tuesday at Target Field. This sets Lopez up for a potential Game 5 start as well.

“I can’t tell you it was easy to pick between them, but Billy is a guy who brings a very unique look,” Baldelli said of the 6-9 right-hander. “He’s been doing well lately. … It’s been two years since they played him. It’s all part of it.”

Oubre posted an 8-6 record and a 3.43 ERA in 26 starts this season with 146 strikeouts and 29 walks in 144⅓ innings. The Twins demoted Ober to Class AAA at the end of August in an attempt to manage his workload after he surpassed his career-high in innings pitched.

In four starts since his return, Oubre has posted a 2.08 ERA in 21⅔ innings with 26 strikeouts and three walks.

“I know I wasn’t pitching the best in the major leagues at the time, so I tried to use that as a mental reset,” said Oubre, who admitted he was surprised by his demotion in August. “With the guys in Triple A, they were able to take my attention away from the performance and all the success here. Just get back to the grit of baseball and enjoy playing out there, playing loose and comfortable.”

Baldelli spoke with Ryan after he made his decision to start Uber. He said Ryan was “very open to anything I had for him.” The manager indicated that Ryan is still ready to pitch in the series with “a plan in front of him,” suggesting the possibility of Ryan starting a potential Game 4 in the best-of-five ALDS.

Ryan has given up 32 home runs this season, fourth-most in the AL. He surrendered nine runs in 10 innings in his two games against Houston that year. Oubre has not faced the Astros since 2021.

“Every series is different,” Baldelli said. “We will move some things around if we think it’s the right thing to do.”

The 28-year-old Oubre started the season with the St. Paul Saints, the odd man out of the Twins’ rotation. He made his season debut with the Twins at the end of April, and became one of their most consistent pitchers.

After pitching in last Sunday’s regular-season finale, when he gave up two hits and one run in 6⅔ innings, Oubre knew he would be left off the postseason roster in the wild-card round. He maintained his usual routine all week and prepared for the possibility of his first postseason start.

“Just watching all those playoff games when I was a kid on TV and staying up until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning watching them play, that’s all I really wanted to do,” Oubre said. “I wanted to be in those situations. I want to push.”