D.J. Baxendale wore his Minnesota jersey while pitching for Team USA ... against the Twins
Never since the days of Joe Maddon's midsummer pitchers-playing-in-the-outfield has the game seen as many unique positional circumstances as what transpired during Wednesday's contest between the Twins and Team USA.
For context's sake, the Twins organization lent Team USA several pitchers for the game, to help make sure the national team's arms didn't get too tired before the World Baseball Classic. One of those pitchers is D.J. Baxendale, a right-hander who spent 2016 with the club's Double-A and Triple-A squads.
Baxendale trotted out in the third inning. First up to the plate against him? Why, that's none other than
But wait, this twisted tale gets even more off-the-wall considering this:
What's so special about that? Well, Levi Michael, Tanner English, and LaMonte Wade are all members of the Twins' organization. Just like Baxendale.
So, therefore, this is a trio (triplet?) of Twins appearing in a game against their own team. Naturally, all three outs in the inning were recorded by Wade (two flyouts) and Michael (a groundout, with an assist from Paul Goldschmidt).
Got all that? Weird things can happen when it comes to Spring Training and unique circumstances, of which there were plenty on Wednesday.