A Day in the Majors Wasn’t Wasted By Caleb Boushley

ST. PAUL – Caleb Boushley had a wild 48-hour journey to end April and begin the month of May. 

Following the St. Paul Saints 8-5 day game loss on Tuesday, the Minnesota Twins had a 40-man roster spot open up with the activation of Jhoan Duran from the injured list and designating Matt Bowman for assignment. 

The following day fans spent hours speculating who would be taking the open space prior to the Twins’ afternoon game against the White Sox to finish their three-game series on the south side of Chicago. Internally, the Twins had already had their guy in the clubhouse that morning as Boushley got the call Tuesday night he’d be returning to the Big Leagues. 

“It was unexpected, but that’s a good phone call whenever you get that,” said Boushley. Having the opportunity to go back up to the Major Leagues—obviously, I didn’t pitch yesterday—was still a good experience.”

Saints manager Toby Gardenhire has made many phone calls to players over the last four years telling them they're going to the Big Leagues. But when it comes to a guy like Boushley, who has grinded in the minors waiting to get the call and is a fellow University of Wisconsin System alumni, it adds an extra special layer to the call for Gardy.

“It was awesome,” Gardenhire said. “Getting a chance to tell him he’s going to the big leagues is awesome. I know he made it up to the Big Leagues at the end of last year, but it’s always cool when guys like him get a chance to go up there.”

Boushley had a cup of coffee for his MLB debut last September with his hometown Milwaukee Brewers. He grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, which is only an hour-and-a-half’s drive from Miller Park. In his MLB debut on September 29, Boushley threw 2 ⅓ innings against the Chicago Cubs, striking out five, walking two, and allowing only one hit on a home run to Ian Happ in the top of the 9th. 

While Happ's home run tied the game and sent it to extras, former Brewer and current Twins teammate Carlos Santana hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 10th to give Boushley his first-ever MLB win. Reuniting with Santana and his new teammates for the first time since Spring Training, Boushley said he was welcomed by everyone as if he had been there all season. 

“It was brief, but everyone in that clubhouse was very welcoming and it was cool. I got to meet a handful of guys for the first time, and like I said, it was a very welcoming clubhouse, and it makes me want to go back,” said Boushley. 

Following their 10-5 win over the White Sox, Boushley returned on the Twins’ charter flight from Chicago back to Minnesota. The next morning, the Twins optioned him back to St. Paul, but since he was not used in Wednesday’s game, he was available to make the start for the Saints on regular rest. 

It’s a rare thing for pitchers to be sent back down to the minors and pitch the very same day. But Boushley went back out on the mound Thursday, May 2, to pitch as he was originally scheduled to for the Saints. “I didn’t throw at all yesterday with the Major League team so I didn’t see the point in skipping a day.” 

Boushley’s first four innings in his return to the minors were solid. He didn’t have a perfect inning, as the Lousiville Bats had a runner on base each inning, but Boushley kept all of them from advancing past second base. 

The pattern remained the same for Boushley in the top of the fifth. He allowed a single with one out to shortstop Erik Gonzalez, retired the next batter, but left a sweeper hanging for right fielder Rece Hinds who crushed the ball for one of the furthest home runs ever hit at CHS Field. 

His evening on the mound was done after that, as he was up to 71 pitches, 47 of which landed for strikes. Boushley’s last pitch of the night may have been his worst, but for a guy who had just been called up to the Majors the day before and sent back down the very next day, he gave the Saints enough length to alleviate their bullpen for 4 ⅔ innings. 

“I felt fine. I wasn’t as sharp as I was hoping to be, but I still made it into the fifth inning and made some pitches where I needed to,” Boushley said after his start.

“He was great. He had a shutout going until the last pitch he threw, and the guy hit a two-run home run, but other than that, Bousley was outstanding. We were going to limit his pitch count a little bit because of all the crazy stuff and travel to the Major Leagues for him, but he did a great job,” said Gardenhire. 

Boushley made his second start since being sent back down on Wednesday afternoon against the Toledo MudHens. He faired much better going a full five innings for the Saints, allowing no walks, striking out three, and surrendering only one run off of four hits, none of which were extra-base hits. 

While Boushley may not have an overpowering velocity with his pitch arsenal, averaging 88 MPH on his fastball, he’s an old-school pitch-to-contact guy who would have been prized among the former Twins' front office regime of Terry Ryan. Even so, he’s proven to still be a valuable starting pitcher in the Saints rotation. If he keeps up the results he’s had over the first month of the season, he will likely be called up to the Twins again this season and finally make his debut out of the Twins bullpen to give his welcoming teammates relief. 

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