UPDATE: Randolph Native Makes Big League Debut for Minnesota Twins

UPDATE MONDAY 8:55 P.M.: Caleb Thielbar's Major League debut is complete.

With the Minnesota Twins down 5-1 in the top of the ninth inning, Thielbar was removed from the game for a pinch-hitter.

He finished the game with two innings pitched, three strikeouts, one hit allowed and no walks.

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UPDATE MONDAY 8:45 P.M.: Randolph native Caleb Thielbar just wrapped up his second inning of scoreless relief for the Minnesota Twins.

So far in his Major League debut, the lefthander has three strikeouts and no walks and has allowed one hit.

Patch will update if Thielbar pitches in the ninth inning.

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UPDATE MONDAY 8:30 P.M.: Randolph native Caleb Thielbar made his Major League debut Monday night, pitching an inning of relief for the Minnesota Twins.

Thielbar pitched a scoreless seventh inning, allowing one hit while striking out one. He faced four batters.

Patch will update if Thielbar pitches in the eighth inning.

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ORIGINAL STORY: Northfield area baseball fans just got another reason to root for the Minnesota Twins.

On Monday, the Twins called up Randolph native Caleb Thielbar from their minor-league team in Rochester, NY.

This is Thielbar’s first trip to the Major Leagues. Just two seasons ago, he was pitching for the St. Paul Saints minor-league team before signing with the Twins.

Thielbar, 26-year-old lefthanded relief pitcher, was in uniform for the Twins’ away game with the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.

“Looks like Caleb Theiblar has arrived and is sitting in the Twins’ bullpen,” Phil Miller, Twins beat writer for the Star Tribune, tweeted before the start of Monday’s game. “Big crowd in a small space out there.”

Thielbar had been pitching well for the Rochester Red Wings, the Twins’ Class AAA farm team, before his callup, says the Red Wings website.

“Thielbar was 1-1 with a 3.76 ERA (11 ER/26.1 IP) in 17 relief outings for the Red Wings this season,” says the website. “Over his last eight games, the 26-year-old, Minnesota native had allowed just one unearned run on four hits in 11.1 innings with 15 strikeouts. Thielbar also leads the Wings with an 11.6 strikeout/9-inning ratio (34 SO/26.1 IP).”

Here’s what Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com wrote about Thielbar on Monday night:

Thielbar adds an eighth reliever to the club's bullpen depth, especially with Twins starters having trouble pitching deep into games recently. The 26-year-old Minnesota native also gives the Twins another lefty in their bullpen along with Brian Duensing and closer Glen Perkins.

Thielbar, who pitched for the independent league St. Paul Saints in 2011 before being signed by the Twins, had a 3.76 ERA with 34 strikeouts and eight walks in 26 1/3 innings with the Red Wings. Thielbar, who is looking to make his Major League debut, didn't land in Atlanta until about 50 minutes before the game, but was activated in time.

"He's another arm out there, because we've killed the rest of the guys, as we've talked about," [Twins Manager Ron) Gardenhire said. "But having another lefty out there, you can take a shot with [Brian] Duensing to get a lefty out. So this gives us another option. We can use Caleb early and maybe Duensing a little later."

Click here to see Thielbar's player page on MLB.com.