David Festa

Festa followed up the best start of his MLB career with another strong effort, inducing 16 whiffs on 46 swings for a 35 percent whiff rate and 29 percent CSW. The 24-year-old didn't allow a single extra-base hit on the day but allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in the fourth inning, which would be the difference in the game. Festa will now take a 4.75 ERA into a tremendous start against the Angels.

Festa was completely dialed-in here. This was the first time he's completed six innings in the majors and looked outstanding over those six innings. However, Rocco Baldelli tried to push him into the seventh where he walked Marcell Ozuna - his first walk allowed in the game - to start the inning. It was a tough, seven-pitch at-bat where Ozuna took some very, very close pitches. Festa was then pulled and Caleb Thielbar immediately allowed an RBI double to Matt Olson, putting Festa on the hook. Nevertheless, Festa was awesome. Jorge Soler took him deep on a fastball in the first inning and Festa responded by heavily featuring his slider for the rest of the game. He threw it a career-high 47% of the time and it left Atlanta's hitters flailing. He's scheduled for a two-start week next, first in Tampa Bay and then in Kansas City.

Olson rudely greeted Caleb Thielbar with a 105 MPH double that drove home Marcell Ozuna with what turned out to be the winning run in this pitchers' duel between Chris Sale and David Festa. The Braves need a hero with nearly their entire opening day lineup gone to injuries and perhaps Olson can be that guy down the stretch.

Festa retired the first seven batters he faced tonight, but things unraveled quickly afterwards. That he's been extremely successful at the beginning of his starts suggests that he might be of some help to the Twins as a reliever in September and the postseason. He'll remain in the rotation for now, though.

Festa gave up six hits, walked none and struck out six. More of the same from Festa. He hasn't pitched more than five innings in any of his seven starts, but he's struck out at least six batters in five of those games. It's probably not a recipe for winning a lot of games, but he's a decent pitcher with strikeout stuff. The 24-year-old right-hander is set to face the Cardinals at home next week.