MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins pitching coach Wes Johnson is leaving his job this week for the same role at LSU.
Johnson traveled with the team Sunday night to Cleveland, where he will stay on for a five-game series against the Guardians that’s scheduled through Thursday. The Twins confirmed after they landed in Ohio that Johnson is leaving for LSU.
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The midseason move by a key assistant from a first-place team was startling, but Johnson’s arrival in 2019 was also unusual. He was widely believed to be the first college pitching coach to jump directly to the major leagues when the Twins hired him from Arkansas.
Johnson presided over pitching staffs for division-champion teams in his first two years, and the Twins have returned to the top of the AL Central this season. They lead the Guardians by two games entering their series this week. The Twins have a 3.78 team ERA, which ranks 11th in the majors.
