Uptick in velocity an encouraging sign for Twins reliever Anthony Banda

NEW YORK — There was plenty for the Twins to like in Tuesday’s win over the Mets.

Mets starter Nolan McLean looked as if he might have been flirting with history for the first five innings of the game, all perfect. But the Twins kept at it and finally broke through against him late in his outing. Luke Keaschall collected both the game-tying and game-winning hits, and the bullpen threw four scoreless innings to finish off the comeback win.

Included in the victory was a perfect sixth inning from Anthony Banda in which the left-handed reliever’s velocity ticked up, a step in the right direction for the veteran, who has had a tough start to his season.

Last year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Banda averaged 95.9 mph on his four-seam fastball. His average velocity on the pitch this year has dropped to 93.5 mph. Tuesday, his average velocity on his slider, sinker and four-seamer were all up, with his four-seamer topping 95 mph multiple times.

“We’ve been tweaking some things and just trying to, I guess, get the fight or flight response to kind of really flip on,” Banda said. “The process that we’re on right now, I feel like it’s something that’s worth keeping just because the fact that (Tuesday) was, kind of, I wouldn’t say the first time, but almost the first time in a couple weeks to really flip on and kind of get me going.”

It comes down to a matter of getting his body moving faster down the mound, so the focus has been on his quick twitch, explosive movements. Now, his work is focused on “body movement-type stuff,” in the weight room, and gaining a better understanding of how he’s moving and then figuring out how to apply that.

“I think we’ve been at it for a good while now and I think it’s starting to show a little bit,” he said. “I think it’s a good thing. It’s a good sign.”

It’s been a collective group effort, Banda said, between him, Twins pitching coaches and the weight room staff. The inconsistency in his movement is something he said he has been voicing since spring training.

Banda had a 3.18 ERA last season in 71 outings with the Dodgers, but the results haven’t been there this season. Entering Wednesday’s game, he had a 9.31 ERA across 9 2/3 innings pitched.

“I hate to say this, but we are still within the first month and we are still right there playing good baseball and everything,” Banda said. “I’ve got FOMO for not doing my part, in a sense, and it’s been really irritating for myself, really, because I know what I can do and what I bring. That’s been the most frustrating part for me.”