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Rookie David Festa has promising start in Twins’ loss

NEW YORK — The Twins were unable to come to an agreement on a trade that would have brought another starter into the fold ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. That means they’ll have to be reliant on those already within the organization.

And on Tuesday, they got a good look at a starter whom they expect to be part of their future. Though the Twins fell 2-0 to the New York Mets on Tuesday night at Citi Field, rookie David Festa was solid in his outing, giving up two runs on three hits in his five innings of work.

After getting hit around in his first two major league starts, allowing 12 runs through 10 innings, Tuesday night marked the second straight promising effort from Festa, who is currently pitching in the rotation spot that had been occupied by the now-injured Chris Paddack.

In his last appearance, he cooled the Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup, one of the best in baseball, giving up one run in 4 1/3 innings in a bulk relief appearance.

“I’m trying to learn after every outing. You never stop learning. The last two outings, I thought I’ve done a better job than the first two,” Festa said. “I’m just going to continue to learn. But the confidence has never changed. Just got to continue to execute and learn as I go batter to batter, outing to outing.”

While Paddack is injured and the Twins (58-48) feel good about the top of their rotation led by Pablo López, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober, Festa, the organization’s top pitching prospect, was among the starters mentioned by president of baseball operations Derek Falvey as those whom they are looking to to step up.

“We’re going to have a lot of young guys that are going to have to play a role for us,” Falvey said. “These guys are going to be part of our future. They’re part of our present and future with (Simeon Woods Richardson) and Festa and Louie Varland and guys like Zebby Matthews and others that are down in Triple-A that could find a way. So these guys all need to be ready to contribute to the group, hopefully in a postseason setting.”

On Tuesday, the New Jersey native gave up a run in the fourth inning after a walk, balk, wild pitch and J.D. Martinez single, and one more in the fifth on a Mark Vientos home run. But he struck out six and generally fared well in his homecoming in front of a group of family and friends.

Despite his efforts, he took the loss as the Twins’ offense was quieted by Mets starter Sean Manaea, who fanned 11, walked just one and allowed just two hits in his seven innings.

The Twins finished with just those two hits in the loss and were unable to do anything with an opportunity in the eighth inning after a Mets error and a Brooks Lee walk. Byron Buxton waved at what would have been ball four from Edwin Díaz to end the Twins’ best opportunity of the game.

“Much of the game, they were very fast innings,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “There was really not a lot going on. You really have to force the action a little bit more than that by just having good at-bats. … Really it was just kind of an off night.”

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