Wes Johnson calls decision to join LSU Tigers 'very tough,' as Minnesota Twins adjust to 'unique' in-season transition

CLEVELAND — Wes Johnson knows the timing isn't ideal for the Minnesota Twins. It's not easy for him, either, or without some personal pain.

Johnson is leaving the Twins to return to his college coaching roots, taking over as LSU's pitching coach. He said the decision took an emotional toll on him.

«Very tough. I don't know if I've slept a lot in the last week,» Johnson said Monday at Progressive Field ahead of the Twins' game against the Guardians. «Very, very, very tough. This the toughest thing I've ever done.''

Johnson's move comes as the American League Central-leading Twins open a five-game series against the second-place Cleveland Guardians, who are two games back in the division. Johnson will fulfill his duties as Minnesota's pitching coach through this series, which concludes Thursday.

Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said the team is having ongoing discussions about how to replace Johnson for the remainder of this season — and beyond. Johnson joined the Twins in 2019 after coaching at Arkansas. In the short term, bullpen coach Pete Maki and assistant pitching coach Luis Ramirez figure to play major roles.

»It does create some juggling,'' Falvey said. «Our plan here is to work with the internal group that we have to step into Wes' role.''

Falvey called Johnson's midseason departure „unique,'' but he said he's confident the Twins are equipped to handle it. So is manager Rocco Baldelli, who called a team meeting Sunday night when it arrived in Cleveland to inform his players of Johnson's decision.

“We're not going to ask anyone to be Wes,'' he said. „That's not how life works and that's not how baseball works. We're going to make sure we give our pitchers everything that they need. We're about as