NORTH PORT, FLA. – With fewer than three weeks until Opening Day, there's no time to ease J.A. Happ into major league readiness. So there he was on Monday, making his Twins debut by facing the second-most potent offense in the big leagues.
"Seeing their lineup today, it was fun to get out there and compete," Happ said after emerging unscathed from one trip through Atlanta's hitting minefield. Happ pitched two shutout innings in his post-COVID return, and pronounced himself encouraged, even though Atlanta scorched relievers Devin Smeltzer and Robinson Leyer for five runs and a 5-1 victory at CoolToday Park.