Gray's influence instilled in Twins' pitching

This story was excerpted from Do-Hyoung Park’s Twins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

MINNEAPOLIS -- It became very clear to Sonny Gray early in the offseason that a return to Minnesota wasn’t in the cards, because the Twins were honest with him about where they stood -- which he appreciated as he navigated free agency for the first time.

“They were very transparent from the get-go, saying, ‘Listen, we do not have the resources to give you a contract, as much as we would like to,’” Gray said. “So I kind of knew that. Even though we did come back a couple of times and try to work on some things, I kind of knew early on that it wasn't [happening].”

Still, Gray’s impact on the Twins lingers in a big way.

Though Pablo López has taken on the mantle of staff ace -- and held it last season, when Gray was still with the Twins -- it’s many of the culture-defining elements of how a pitching staff conducts itself that Gray brought to the organization in 2022 that have helped to pave the way for the current pitching staff’s continued success.

Gray has always been known for his dogged competitiveness, one that was on display even in defeat as he was outdueled by López in the highly anticipated matchup between former teammates at Target Field in Minnesota’s 6-0 victory over St. Louis on Saturday.

That’s the biggest thing López pointed to as to what he learned as an individual from Gray’s companionship, as both pitchers surged to seasons among their career bests together in 2023, pushing each other ahead.

“He was always about identity,” López said. “You have to know who you are, so when you’re in a tough situation, you know what’s going to get you out of it. You’re always one pitch away. What’s that pitch? What’s that location? You’ve got to really bear down in those moments and find out what you’re made of and who you are.”

The element of the group dynamic that has been most significant for the Twins’ pitching staff this season -- something often cited -- is the camaraderie among all, including the three rookies who will be counted on for a big role down the stretch in Simeon Woods Richardson (2018 second-round Draft pick by Mets), David Festa (No. 6 prospect) and Zebby Matthews (No. 5 prospect).

That’s something Gray had emphasized during his time in Minnesota as he coaxed the starting group to watch each other’s bullpen sessions, collaborate and talk throughout the season, putting even rookies in positions of comfort and ease that help them pitch at their best and help the team most effectively.

“It just created a culture within the staff where we're working with each other and for each other,” Bailey Ober said. “It helps create a bond, so it doesn't feel like you're alone all the time trying to get through stuff and work stuff out.”

Gray points to the influences of Bartolo Colón, Jesse Chávez, Jon Lester, Scott Kazmir and Jeff Samardzija as having been similarly critical to his career when he was young. He has looked to model that leadership at every stop since then -- and the Twins say it’s still paying dividends for them.

“I loved working with Joe [Ryan] and Bailey,” Gray said. “We just set a good culture. I did demand a lot out of those kids, and it was a good situation.”

“Just a winning mindset,” Ober said. “We try to keep that, and hopefully it sustains, and hopefully it's here to stay for a while.”