FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Max Kepler had to think a while when manager Rocco Baldelli asked him about the last time he hit leadoff. Kepler thinks it was in Rookie-level Elizabethton, where he last played in 2012.
But after hitting two homers out of the leadoff spot in Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Red Sox at JetBlue Park, Kepler showed that it might not take much time for him to get used to it.
Opening the game in his first at-bat of the spring, Kepler launched a 1-2 offering from Boston right-hander Ryan Weber over the right-field wall to give the Twins an early 1-0 lead. One inning later, he turned on a 1-0 pitch from left-hander Dedgar Jimenez for his second homer of the game.
"He deciphers pitches and makes good decisions," Baldelli said. "I think he sees the ball well. I think the fit is good for the group we have here. It's potentially very good for him and the way he fits in with everybody else. I'm excited about it, and he seems to be as well."
Kepler, who signed a five-year, $35 million extension with the Twins earlier this spring, has hit at least 17 homers in each of his three full Major League seasons, but he entered camp with the goal of being more aggressive at the plate. His opportunity to hit leadoff on Sunday played into that, but Baldelli doesn't necessarily think it will be a huge adjustment for Kepler to move to the unfamiliar role.
"We just want him to go up there and do his thing and be comfortable," Baldelli said. "Have the type of at-bats that he’s had. I don’t think it’s that much of an adjustment, as far as what we’re asking him to do. It’s just putting him in different kinds of situations that sometimes maybe allow guys to get comfortable and have more success."
"Initially, I wanted to go up there and just see as many pitches and try to see the ball as well as possible, just so that you break your eyes in, so to say," Kepler said. "But I guess I'm feeling pretty aggressive and comfortable at the plate. I just went up there hacking."
Kepler lowered his chase rate from 27.1 percent to 20.9 percent last season, per Statcast, and he swung at 42.6 percent of pitches overall, which was well below the MLB average. In doing so, he raised his walk rate to a career-best 11.6 percent.
But he said he was frustrated by watching a hittable pitch go by and not getting any more good offerings in the remainder of the at-bat.
"I don't want to miss those anymore," he said.
Kepler and shortstop Jorge Polanco were two leading candidates to hit leadoff that Baldelli identified after Sunday's game. No one player on the Twins' roster clearly stands out after the departure of on-base leaders Joe Mauer and Robbie Grossman from last season's team.
"I’ve seen different skill sets work out in that spot," Baldelli said. "And truthfully -- the handedness and the matchup with the guys they’re facing — truthfully, that does matter, but you have to get comfortable hitting in those spots."
The 26-year-old Kepler said that the leadoff role is a spring development for the time being. The coaches haven't yet approached him about the possibility for the regular season.
"It was fun today because I hit the ball well, but baseball comes with ups and downs, and I'm sure there's a lot more to learn to hitting leadoff," Kepler said. "But I kind of have to figure out the approach of a leadoff hitter. But then again, I don't want to change too much about my game stepping in the box. I'm not sure yet."
Perez makes Minnesota debut
Left-hander Martin Pérez , signed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal during the offseason to headline the competition for the fifth rotation spot, allowed two runs over two innings in his spring debut for the Twins on Sunday without recording a strikeout or a walk. The 27-year-old allowed a solo homer to Jackie Bradley Jr. off a breaking ball in the first inning, but Baldelli was still happy with the quality of the left-hander's pitches.
"I thought he threw the ball really well today," Baldelli said. "And truthfully, most of our guys went out there and threw the ball well. The situation of balls getting into the air and stuff today, it is what it is, but as far as the pitches that were made, our guys looked sharp."
Up next
Staff ace José Berríos is scheduled to make his spring debut for the Twins when the Orioles visit Hammond Stadium for a 12:05 p.m. CT matchup Monday. Left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers, who didn't allow a run after July 30 last season, is listed among Minnesota's available relievers for the matchup.