3 things we learned from the Twins' three games in Houston

Byron Buxton continues to struggle at the plate.

May 31, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez (49) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Twins won two of three games on the road vs. the Astros this weekend. What did we learn from their performance in Houston?

Is Pablo Lopez "back"?

In game one of the series, Lopez had his best outing since May 9 and one of his best of the season. He has struggled to find a rhythm this season with a 4.84 ERA, but he went seven innings for the first time since Opening Day.

He struck out six Astros while allowing only one earned run and six hits. In 12 starts this season he has allowed one run or less only five times, giving him an ugly earn-run average. But did you know that while his actual ERA is 4.84 his expected ERA is 2.99? That goes to show that lousy contact and luck are producing runs against Lopez, which is likely to progress to the mean and deliver better numbers as time goes on.

Trevor Larnach's power

Larnach had two home runs over the weekend to continue the trend of him making powerful contact. Out of his 27 hits in 2024, 22% have gone over the fence. He is currently hitting a career-high .270 on the year, but his home run rate proves that he is a legit power hitter at the MLB level.

It was reported earlier this season that Larnach's average home run distance (419 feet) was the longest by a Twins player in the Statcast era, since 2015. His raw numbers might not jump off the page, but the 27-year-old having the best season of his career and he's earned an every day spot in the lineup.

Byron Buxton's struggles continue

After a two-week stint on the injured list with knee soreness, Buxton has been back in the Twins lineup since May 18. Over the weekend he went 1-for-11 at the plate with four strikeouts.

Since returning from the sore knee, he has hit .230, with two home runs and four RBIs. He has struck out in 12 of his 39 at-bats (30.7%). His seven-year, $100 million contract extension is only becoming more questionable as time goes on, as he has not looked like the same player since it was signed.

Minnesota will be back on the road Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. CT for a three-game series in New York vs. the Yankees.