The vibes are great for Minnesota right now.
Andrew Morris waited a long time for this moment, and when it finally came on Sunday afternoon in Toronto, he was not about to let the nerves win.
The 24-year-old right-hander made his Major League debut in the sixth inning of Minnesota's 8-2 win over the Blue Jays, entering from the bullpen with a grin on his face and a simple reminder playing on loop in his head.
"I was smiling running in," Morris said after the game. "I just tried to tell myself, 'This is what you dreamed of. This is what you always wanted, so just go enjoy it.'"
Morris Holds His Own
Morris replaced Taj Bradley and threw three innings, giving up one run on six hits while striking out two.
His first career strikeout came when he got Eloy Jiménez swinging on a sweeper, the type of pitch that made him the Twins' No. 13 prospect heading into the year.
He admitted he had trouble finding the zone during warmups, but once the game started he locked in.
Minnesota drafted Morris in the fourth round out of Texas Tech in 2022.
In two starts with Triple-A St. Paul earlier this season he posted a 1.23 ERA in 7 1/3 innings, and that showing earned him the call when Cody Laweryson hit the injured list.
The Twins Keep Rolling
Sunday's win gave Minnesota a series victory over the reigning AL champion Blue Jays and continued a surprising run for a team most people expected to struggle.
The Twins sit at 9-7, tied with the Cleveland Guardians for first in the AL Central, which is a far cry from the 1-4 hole they dug to open the year.
Tristan Gray led the offense with a three-run homer off Max Scherzer in the second inning, and Kody Clemens added a solo shot in the third as the Twins chased the veteran starter before he could finish three frames.
Brooks Lee also contributed a two-run double during a five-run third that blew things open.
A Team That Believes
Nobody picked the Twins to be here.
Their projections were well under .500, and losing Pablo Lopez to Tommy John surgery before the year only added to the doubt.
But first-year manager Derek Shelton has built a clubhouse that tunes out the noise, and moments like Morris jogging in from the pen with a smile on his face tell you something about where this team's head is at.
There is still a long season ahead, but the early returns suggest Minnesota is not rolling over for anyone.