Game Thread: Twins @ Blue Jays, 6/5/22 @ 12:37 CT

[stringer bell]

12 minutes ago, Jerr said:

IF we get him for 3/4's of the games IF.

No way Buxton plays in 120+ games. Today will be the 17th game he will have missed in its entirety and we are just past the 1/3 mark of the season. 

[wsnydes]

Perkins singing praises for Angel Hernandez on the radio.

[stringer bell]

Smeltzer has held Toronto to one run through three innings. Color me happily surprised. 

[TeJayDubz]

21 minutes ago, Jerr said:

IF we get him for 3/4's of the games IF.

I was only talking about the very next 4 games. Normally he plays two games in a row, I'm hoping with the extra day of rest he'll go 3 days in a row. I also think as we move into past the trade deadline and into August he will be forced into a more everyday role until rosters expand Sept. 1.

11 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

No way Buxton plays in 120+ games. Today will be the 17th game he will have missed in its entirety and we are just past the 1/3 mark of the season. 

I agree that's why I'll be happy if we get 100 out of him. He only did it one other time when he was an AS, and platinum glove winner. Any player who has the talent and ability to play their way into MVP talks without 150+ games is special, and is worth trying to keep healthy however you can manage it in my opinion.

[Danchat]

Arraez is a beast! Nobody slaps singles like he does.

[wsnydes]

You cannot stop Luis Arraez.  You can only hope to contain him.

[stringer bell]

2 minutes ago, TeJayDubz said:

I agree that's why I'll be happy if we get 100 out of him. He only did it one other time when he was an AS, and platinum glove winner. 

Buxton has never been an All-Star. 

[wsnydes]

Dazzle talking about Sano is slated to start a rehab assignment in a few weeks.  That could become interesting.

[rwilfong86]

2 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

You cannot stop Luis Arraez.  You can only hope to contain him.

I wanna see him win the batting title so bad. 

[PDX Twin]

1 minute ago, wsnydes said:

Dazzle talking about Sano is slated to start a rehab assignment in a few weeks.  That could become interesting.

Because we need to strike out more?

[TeJayDubz]

3 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Buxton has never been an All-Star. 

My bad for some reason I thought he was in 2017 you're totally right! I've never checked Baseball Reference so fast in my life ?

 

2 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

I wanna see him win the batting title so bad. 

J.D. Martinez has to slow down a little bit first. I think everyone else in the race will but him he's a true triple crown threat.

 

1 minute ago, PDX Twin said:

Because we need to strike out more?

I'm still in favor of trading him to the highest bidder, or designating him for assignment and being done with his contract. With our depth on the IF corners and Buxton entrenched at DH every third game there's no way he gets consistent ABs in the majors.

[Jerr]

3 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Buxton has never been an All-Star. 

Only a finalist and finished 4th in voting.

 

[Mill1634]

Fantastic job by the Twins lineup, which featured a lot of guys who don't start/play a lot. Gausman either didn't have a good feel for his splitter, or was tipping it, but you have to give credit to the Twins lineup for taking advantage of an unusually poor performance by Kevin and the Jays defense.

[rwilfong86]

2 minutes ago, Mill1634 said:

Fantastic job by the Twins lineup, which featured a lot of guys who don't start/play a lot. Gausman either didn't have a good feel for his splitter, or was tipping it, but you have to give credit to the Twins lineup for taking advantage of an unusually poor performance by Kevin and the Jays defense.

I didn't expect them to chase Gausman after 3.2 innings. 

[wsnydes]

7 minutes ago, PDX Twin said:

Because we need to strike out more?

I'm using the word ambiguously for a reason.  It'll be interesting to see how long they leave him on assignment and what they do with him once he's done with it.

[rwilfong86]

6 minutes ago, TeJayDubz said:

I'm still in favor of trading him to the highest bidder, or designating him for assignment and being done with his contract. With our depth on the IF corners and Buxton entrenched at DH every third game there's no way he gets consistent ABs in the majors.

His return will create a conundrum for sure. I can't see any scenario where he becomes a full time player again (barring multiple injuries).

[wsnydes]

Larnach leads the team in DRS?

Wouldn't have guessed that either.  

Larnach really is flying under the radar.

[Mill1634]

I think Rocco should be aggressive with the bullpen today if the lead holds after the 4th inning. Jax for the 5th and the 6th, Smith for the 7th, and Duran for the 8th and the 9th. 

[IndianaTwin]

Checking in from Globe Life Park in Arlington, where Mrs. IT is taking in a game in her 23rd major league city. 
 

[Mill1634]

Palacios with another great play. It's mostly been the glove, but the arm strength right there was hot.

[Danchat]

Palacios has the look of a quality backup SS - he'll probably never hit that well in the majors, but defensively he's got everything you need to play SS. Got to wonder if he can be the next Adrianza for us, or someone else.

[rwilfong86]

At least they got the double play before Kirks homerun. 

[wsnydes]

11 minutes ago, TeJayDubz said:

 

I'm still in favor of trading him to the highest bidder, or designating him for assignment and being done with his contract. With our depth on the IF corners and Buxton entrenched at DH every third game there's no way he gets consistent ABs in the majors.

The team would still be on the hook for his salary regardless.  Another team can pick him up for the league minimum.  And he's got an option for next season, which will likely be declined anyway.

[Squirrel]

wow, I knew Palacios was good on defense, but I didn't realize how good. Far better than Lewis

[rwilfong86]

Just now, Danchat said:

Palacios has the look of a quality backup SS - he'll probably never hit that well in the majors, but defensively he's got everything you need to play SS. Got to wonder if he can be the next Adrianza for us, or someone else.

He would be a great piece in a package for pitching help.

[singlesoverwalks]

Again just super happy that the Canadian government has saved us from the possibility of Rocco bringing in Pagán to protect this lead.

[PDX Twin]

Alejandro Kirk. Offspring from the Enterprise's visit to planet Dominican?

[mnfireman]

1 minute ago, IndianaTwin said:

Checking in from Globe Life Park in Arlington, where Mrs. IT is taking in a game in her 23rd major league city. 
 

Was there earlier this spring, Astros beat Rangers, Odorizzi got his first win of the season...

[rwilfong86]

Just now, Squirrel said:

wow, I knew Palacios was good on defense, but I didn't realize how good. Far better than Lewis

I think I heard that he was considered the best defensive shortstop in the minors for the Twins. 

[wsnydes]

Dazzle made it sound like that HR was sent into orbit.