Keaschall's bat doesn't skip beat with 1st MLB HR in return from IL

DETROIT -- In seven games back in April, Luke Keaschall became a fan favorite and a talisman for the Twins. Three months and a slew of trades later, that run seems like a lifetime ago, given all the club has been through in the interim.

But it took Keaschall all of two pitches to remind the Twins and their fans why they were so excited back in the spring.

In the first at-bat of his first game after spending more than three months on the injured list, Keaschall hit his first career homer, helping propel Minnesota to a 6-3 win over Detroit on Tuesday night at Comerica Park. Keaschall drilled an 0-1 pitch from former teammate Chris Paddack over the left-center-field wall at Comerica Park. Keaschall later added an RBI single.

“It's been 101 days?” Keaschall marveled. “That's the part I don't like to hear right there. It felt great. I was happy we could jump on them early and do some damage in the first inning. It's always the goal to get out there and score some runs. I was happy we were able to do that.”

Keaschall, ranked as the Twins’ No. 3 prospect and No. 42 overall by MLB Pipeline, dazzled Twins fans upon his promotion from Triple-A St. Paul on April 18. He had at least one hit in each of his first six games and amassed five steals in that span. But Keaschall suffered a broken bone in his right arm in his seventh game, and he’s been sidelined since then.

After a two-week Minor League rehab assignment, Keaschall was activated for Tuesday’s game and got the start at second base, and he made an immediate impact.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from him,” said starting pitcher Zebby Matthews. “I’ve seen him play in the Minors, and he’s special. You don’t want to take your eye off him on the field. He moves a lot, he’s quick out there. He’s exciting.”

It’s not just Keaschall’s performance that has captured imaginations, though a seven-game hitting streak to begin a career is a pretty good way to come out of the gate. It’s also his style of play. Keaschall brings a speedy, athletic, dynamic game that has been in short supply for Minnesota this year.

“Always try and know who you are and go and bring the best out of yourself you can every day,” he said. “Everybody brings a different tool set. Mine just happens to be play with a little bit of fire, play with some intensity. I like to bring something people can build off of. It doesn't feel like extra pressure. It doesn't feel like anything. It just feels like an opportunity to go be who I am. Guys feed off it.”

In eight big league games, Keaschall is 9-for-23 (.391) with three doubles, a home run, five runs, five RBIs and five steals. He suffered the injury in his first plate appearance of game No. 7, so he did not record an at-bat. So although Keaschall has played in eight games, he’s considered to have a seven-game hitting streak.

Even though Keaschall was caught stealing for the first time in the big leagues, the fact that he had a green light to go says a great deal about how the club views him. He also very nearly beat out a double-play ball that probably shouldn’t have been close in the eighth.

“He’s only been in the big leagues for a few games, but everything he does has looked right, and he has a great attitude,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “On top of it all, I don’t think he takes this for granted. He worked his butt off. He got healthy. He’s been saying he’s ready. I think he just wants to be on the field. I think he loves playing. A great day for him, but for the team, it was also spectacular.”