Matthew Lenz

This is a good nugget and one I didn't think of. Thank you!

While saying "half" is correct, it feels a little disingenuous when we're talking about the difference of a year. As I prefaced in the article, I used that trade "for reference"..not to say that is what it will cost. That said, his cost will be driven up with multiple teams interested. Regardless of the number of teams interested, there is zero chance the Padres deal him for a "couple of lower level prospects" and Vázquez.

It was just a year ago that he was traded, so a difference for sure but not substantive. It sounds like multiple teams are interested so that is going to drive up his cost, as well. I'd assume that he will cost less than a year ago but not by much.

The Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres have had equally quiet offseasons, but a recent report suggests the two could tango in what might be a blockbuster deal. Image courtesy of Vázquez: © Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images; Cease: © David Frerker-Imagn Images Dan Hayes and Dennis Lin, both of The Athletic, are reporting that the Twins and Padres “have spoken about a potential trade that would send Christian Vázquez to San Diego.” While a deal isn’t imminent, it is worth noting that this isn’t the first time the Padres have expressed interest in adding the veteran backstop to their club. In fact, they were one of the suitors competing against the Twins for his services two years ago, before he agreed to a three-year, $30-million pact. Despite talks slowing down, I would anticipate the two sides continue to work toward a deal, considering the Padres' need for a primary catcher and the lack of suitable options on the free agent market. While trading Vázquez has been a topic frequently discussed on Twins Daily, the sentiment has generally suggested that he would be dealt as more of a salary dump. On the contrary, Hayes and Lin’s report suggests that the Padres see the 34-year-old as a viable primary option behind the plate. Currently, the Padres have Luis Campusano and Brett Sullivan as the two catchers on their 40-man roster, but also signed Martín Maldanado to a minor-league deal in mid-January. Campusano got the bulk of the reps in 2024, but carried a .642 OPS and produced -0.5 fWAR in 91 games. Sullivan and Maldonado, who appeared in seven and 48 games respectively in 2024, aren’t expected to be productive contributors moving forward. For a team trying to remain a playoff contender and compete against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Padres are even more motivated to shore up one of the most important positions on the diamond. So, if the Padres are actually interested in Vázquez, then what’s in it for the Twins? Dylan Cease. That’s what. No, seriously. Dylan Cease. Well, maybe. According to Hayes and Lin’s report, “the Twins would like to reallocate resources and are among the teams with interest in Dylan Cease.” Cease, who is set to be a free agent following the 2025 season, will make $13.75 million this year and is coming off one of the best years of his career. Across a career-high 189 ⅓ innings, the righty posted a 3.10 FIP with elite strikeout and walk rates and garnered both MVP and Cy Young votes. Since he spent parts of five seasons with the Chicago White Sox, the Twins brass is overly familiar with the 29-year-old's arsenal and skillset. It should go without saying that any deal would require more parts than Vázquez and Cease, and the Twins would likely have to send one of their big-league starters (likely one of their pre-arbitration arms) in any trade package that would net them Cease. For reference, the Padres acquired Cease by sending the White Sox a top-100 pitching prospect, two top-10 organizational prospects, and a replacement-level reliever. Of course, the White Sox organization is in a completely different position than the Twins, but that gives you an idea of what it would cost for the Twins to nab the former sixth-round pick. From a financial perspective, these two teams are an interesting fit. The Twins' self-imposed salary ceiling and potential sale have stopped the team from adding salary. On the other side, the Padres are currently projected to be above the luxury tax threshold, and they're expected to shed salary. Meanwhile, family members of the late owner, Peter Seidler, are in the midst of a legal dispute, further complicating things. Hayes and Lin go on to report that finances are one thing holding up this deal, as the two sides can’t agree on how much of Vázquez’s salary San Diego will absorb. The two sides make a tricky fit, unless a third team gets involved to facilitate things. Acquiring Cease would improve an already good starting rotation for the Twins, even if it cost them one of Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, David Festa, or Zebby Matthews. Cease is a clear upgrade over any of those names. That said, the Twins reportedly aren’t the only party interested in acquiring Cease. The longer they’re in a stalemate with the Padres, the less likely it becomes they will be the team to acquire him in a deal. Do you think the Twins should do what it takes to acquire Cease? View full article

Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach are too similar to be mainstays in the lineup over the long term. Dan Szymborski’s ZiPS projections for the Minnesota Twins paint a pretty clear picture; it's not hard to decide which one the team should trade. Image courtesy of © John Leyba-Imagn Images Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach being left-handed hitters really isn’t the issue. Rather, while it’s still a relatively small sample, neither player has shown an ability to be remotely serviceable against left-handed pitching. With the Twins' penchant to play matchups, it’s not feasible to have two players that profile so similarly. That would require more than one right-handed-hitting, corner outfield bat on the bench. When it’s all said and done, the Twins are going to need to trade one of the two, and ZiPS projects one to far outperform the other. Szymborski's model projects Wallner to be a valuable slugger in 2025 and over the next three years, with a projected three-year OPS+ 15 points higher than Larnach's. Considering those projections, coupled with the fact that Wallner is the superior defender, the Twins should look to move on from Larnach sooner rather than later. The former first-round pick is coming off a career year, wherein he slashed .259/.338/.434 with 15 home runs and respectable strikeout and walk rates, but ZiPS projects him to fall short of those numbers in 2025. Larnach's not a truly poor hitter. The models like him to be a slightly above-average hitter in 2025 and over the next three years, with 106 and 105 OPS+ marks, respectively. That's a bit weak for a corner outfielder, though. With three years of team control remaining and ZiPS roughly projecting his 2024 season to be the norm from a production standpoint, Larnach's value now is higher than it may ever be again. While there may be more teams interested in a former top prospect entering his age-28 season, the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves are two teams who have specifically identified a need for a left-handed hitting outfielder. With some of the top names that fit this bill (like switch-hitter Anthony Santander, Michael Conforto, and yes, Max Kepler) off the market, the Astros and Braves are left to fight over Jurickson Profar or less attractive options. Given both teams' plans to contend in 2025, and the Astros' preference for a more cost-effective approach, Larnach could be a valuable asset for either club. While I won’t put together specific trade packages, I will identify players from both teams who would be attainable and could help the Twins in 2025. Astros The Astros are $3 million above the CBT and could be looking to dip below that threshold. Larnach, costing $2.1 million in 2025, would be a cost-effective solution. Mauricio Dubon, a classic Falvey/Baldelli (Falvelli??) utility player who can play all around the diamond while being a plus at the plate, will cost $5 million in 2025. While this isn’t a perfect fit (as it wouldn't get the Astros under the CBT threshold and the Twins aren’t looking to add money), it has the framework to help both teams accomplish their goals, whether it be through a larger deal or dealing with other teams. Another roster fit, this time a little closer to 1:1 from a salary standpoint, is right-handed hitting corner outfielder Jake Meyers, which is a need for the Twins whether they move Larnach or not. Braves It’s a little harder to see a deal with the Braves come to fruition that would help the Twins win in 2025. They likely don’t have any cheap bullpen arms available and any available hitter would likely be a downgrade from Larnach. They do have two pre-arbitration utility players in Nick Allen and Eli White, although neither player jumps off the page as anything more than a defensive replacement off the bench. Acquiring either of those players would require the Braves, who don’t have a strong farm system after their top 5 guys, to throw in additional assets for it to make sense for the Twins. Those likely aren’t the only two teams who would be interested in Larnach given his prospect pedigree coupled with his 2024 season and controllability, but those are two that have publicly stated they’re interested in a left-handed hitting outfielder. Bottom line for the Twins: Based on 2024 and his future projections, Larnach’s value is at its highest point, and the cash-strapped Twins need to capitalize on that value now. What are your thoughts on trading Larnach? Would you rather see Wallner dealt? Or neither? Join the conversation in the comments! View full article

Unsurprisingly, it's been a quiet offseason for the Minnesota Twins coming off an 82-win season. While pitchers and catchers report in under a month, multiple sources are indicating the Twins have been active in the trade market. On January 16th, Jeff Passan stated ($$) "Minnesota has entertained plenty but consummated nothing" in response to a question regarding any remaining "big trades" this offseason. Then, a day later, Dan Hayes quoted Derek Falvey ($$) who stated "...I can tell you we’ve had more active conversations in the last couple of weeks than we’ve had prior..." While specifics names and teams weren't mentioned, it's clear that the Twins are doing their diligence whether it's on bigger names like Carlos Correa and Pablo Lopez or salary dump candidates in Willi Castro, Chris Paddack, and Christian Vazquez. Are there any Twins on the current roster you'd like to see moved? Any players on other teams you'd like to see added? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

The American League Central's top pitching prospects aren’t quite as strong as the division’s top hitting prospects, but does feature a couple of the best in baseball. I took each team’s top prospect and ranked them within the division. Image courtesy of William Parmeter One reason the division's top-end pitching prospects appear weaker than the hitting prospects is because of recent graduations. In the recent past, the Minnesota Twins had David Festa and Zebby Matthews graduate from prospect status; the Cleveland Guardians had Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee graduate; and the Kansas City Royals... well, they just hope Seth Lugo’s and Michael Wacha’s 2024 campaigns weren’t a fluke. In my review, I used a combination of MLB, Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and FanGraphs rankings and scouting reports to get an idea of how I’d rank the prospects against one another. Let’s see how they stack up. 1. Jackson Jobe - Detroit Tigers Jackson Jobe was the third overall by Detroit in 2021 and, while it took awhile for him to turn a corner in his development, he is considered the best pitching prospect in baseball by multiple rankers. Since missing the first month of the 2023 season, Jobe has been dominant, flying through the Tigers’ system and making his major-league debut at the end of the 2024 season. He finished each of his 2023 and 2024 minor-league seasons with an ERA south of 3.00, striking out more than a quarter of the batters he faced. Jobe's fastball has 18 inches of induced vertical break, reaching 94-97 mph, complementing his plus-plus slider with high spin rates and significant sweeping action. His ability to command the strike zone is a little inconsistent, but still, Jobe will be a thorn in the division’s side for the foreseeable future. 2. Noah Schultz - Chicago White Sox Schultz has quickly climbed prospect rankings, after being the 26th overall pick in the 2022 Draft by the Chicago White Sox—and that's despite missing more than two months of his second professional season. Regardless, though, he struck out 38 batters in 27 innings at Single-A Kannapolis and followed that up by posting a 2.45 FIP, a 32.1% strikeout rate, and a 6.7% walk rate at High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham. The 6-foot-9 lefty, who’s rightfully drawn comparisons to Randy Johnson, features a plus slider with exceptional horizontal movement; a fastball that sits 93-97 mph; and a nascent two-seamer. A mid-80s changeup shows promise, and he also features an average cutter. While he doesn’t have the upside of Jobe, his impressive development shows that he has the ceiling of a front-line starter. 3. Marco Raya - Minnesota Twins Zebby Matthews “misses” the cut by just a few days after debuting in 2024, so the top spot in the Twins organization goes to Marco Raya. His development has not come without its lumps, due to both injuries and performance. Regardless, Baseball America ranks the 6-foot-1 righty as the 58th-best prospect in all of baseball. As a prep draftee, he performed well at Double-A Wichita in 2024 despite his age, posting a 4.05 ERA and 3.88 FIP with solid strikeout and walk rates, earning a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul. He boasts a mid- to upper-90s fastball, while his slider is a true out pitch, sitting mid-80s with elite spin. A slower curve provides a different look, and his changeup has developed into a plus offering. Having not yet eclipsed the 100-inning mark in any professional season, the goal for 2025 will be to manage a full starter’s workload at the minors' highest level—but be ready if called upon by the parent club, as a starter or reliever. 4. Braylon Doughty - Cleveland Guardians Braylon Doughty was the 36th overall pick in the most recent draft, as a prep prospect. The 6-foot-1 righty did not pitch in the 2024 season, but his scouting reports tell us he has a mid-90s fastball with arm-side run and good command, coupled with a high-spin curveball and slider. He’s also working on a changeup to help round out his arsenal. While it will be a long time before we see him in the big leagues, he’s currently pegged as a mid-rotation starter. 5. David Shields - Kansas City Royals David Shields, a 2024 second-round pick, re-classified for the draft, making him just 17 years old at the time he was drafted. Like Doughty, he did not pitch in the 2024 season, but we know he features a low- to mid-90s fastball up with good movement and command, along with an above-average low-80s slider, and a changeup and cutter that still need some fine-tuning. Given how young he is, it’s hard to know how much he will develop as he continues to grow and gain professional experience, but it’s likely he adds some ticks to his fastball and continues to improve his secondary offerings. After the top two arms, the current ceiling of the top pitching prospects within the division falls off considerably. Of course, that’s in part due to unknowns surrounding Raya’s ability to stay healthy over an entire season and the age of the two 2024 prep draftees. In the meantime, Jobe aims to remain in the majors, while Schultz and Raya target debuts by 2026, perhaps even by the end of 2025. Doughty and Shields are too young and far away to put any definitive timelines on, but MLB currently has both of their estimated arrivals for the 2028 season. Regardless of the current status of the top pitching prospects, the AL Central still claims some of the best young arms in baseball and these names will only deepen those starting rotations. What are your thoughts on the top prospects in the division? Were any players snubbed from the list? Join the conversation in the comments! View full article

Yep, just the three. Walker at 5, E Rod at 17, and Keaschall at 44.

The American League Central has an impressive crop of top hitting prospects, with each organization boasting at least one consensus top-50 prospect. I took each team’s top position-player prospect and ranked them. Image courtesy of © Jonah Hinebaugh The AL Central saw three teams make the playoffs and four teams finish above .500 in 2024, making it the most competitive division in all of baseball. After reviewing some of the top hitting prospects for each organization, this may not be a one-year wonder for the division, as each of the organizations has multiple hitting prospects in the top 100. In my review, I used a combination of MLB, Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and FanGraphs. Let’s see how each team's top prospect stacks up against the others within the division. 1. Walker Jenkins - Minnesota Twins Topping the list is our very own Walker Jenkins and, at least based on the prospect lists I referenced, it isn’t particularly close. The fifth pick in the 2023 Draft, Jenkins has had an impressive start to his career, reaching Double-A Wichita at just 19 years old. In 410 professional at-bats, he’s carried an .873 OPS, with nine home runs and 23 stolen bases. The 6-foot-3 left-handed hitter is projected to have plus hit and power tools by various scouting outlets, and was even compared to Twins (and National Baseball) Hall of Famer Joe Mauer, by Baseball America ($). Like Mauer, he has the ability to hit to all fields and demonstrates excellent contact skills. However, his power output is still a work in progress but is expected to develop over time as he’s produced very high-quality contact. Defensively, he can play anywhere in the outfield and could be the long-term heir apparent to Byron Buxton in center field. 2. Travis Bazzana - Cleveland Guardians Bazzana was the top pick in the most recent MLB Draft out of Oregon State. He was just 15 years old when he started playing in the Australian Baseball League. After three excellent seasons in college baseball, he slashed .238/.369/.396 at Hi-A Lake County, with three home runs and five stolen bases across 101 at-bats. He earned All-American honors as a freshman and, in the same summer, was named the MVP of the Cape Cod League. Bazzana’s left-handed swing generates consistent and dangerous contact, while his above-average power plays to all fields. His plus speed will play well on the base paths and, although he’s primarily a second baseman, his speed and arm strength give him the ability to also play center field. 3. Max Clark - Detroit Tigers Clark, drafted third overall by the Tigers in 2023, had the most variance in terms of rankings from the various sites. MLB currently has him as the sixth-ranked prospect in baseball from their August 2024 update, while Baseball Prospectus placed him 31st this week in their Top 101 list. After a brief stint in the Florida Complex League, he reached Single-A Lakeland by the end of 2023 and Hi-A West Michigan by the end of 2024. In his first two professional seasons, he has a .788 OPS, with 11 home runs, 5 stolen bases, and a very impressive 13.7% walk rate. He has a plus plate approach and the ability to hit to all fields, but his quality of contact to this point suggests he has some work to do in the power department. Clark has exclusively played center field, showing off excellent speed with a plus arm, and is fully expected to remain the captain of the outfield when he reaches the major leagues. 4. Colson Montgomery - Chicago White Sox Montgomery, who could have played Division 1 basketball, chose to enter the 2021 MLB draft and was selected 22nd overall by the Chicago White Sox. Despite battling injuries, Montgomery has climbed the White Sox system, reaching Triple-A Charlotte at just 22 years old and boasting a .710 OPS with 18 home runs and eight stolen bases. Overall, he’s shown a good approach at the plate with solid walk rates at each level but, if there is one concern, it’s the 28.6% strikeout rate he carried last season. MLB compared the big, left-handed hitting shortstop to Corey Seager, stating he “has plus power and is tapping into more often by launching balls in the air more consistently in 2023 and 2024.” Given his size, scouts wonder if he’ll be able to stay at shortstop long-term but think that his athleticism will make for an easy transition to the hot corner. 5. Jac Caglianone - Kansas City Royals Might Caglianone be the next Shohei Ohtani? Okay, probably not, but the sixth overall pick in the 2024 draft did earn the 2024 John Olerud Award as college baseball’s best two-way player at the University of Florida. That said, the Royals are developing the 6’5” power hitter as a first baseman, rather than a pitcher. Like Clark, there is quite a bit of variance in Caglianone’s rankings, largely because of an aggressive approach at the plate that resulted in 75 collegiate home runs—but also a high chase rate. While strikeouts weren’t an issue in college or his first taste of professional baseball, a 5.6% walk rate at Hi-A Quad Cities suggests some regression in that area if his approach doesn’t change. It’s the volatility in that type of profile that creates a wide range of outcomes for Caglianone. It’s going to be fun to watch these players develop over the next few seasons, as they slowly trickle into the major leagues. Given the state of the team and what he’s shown through his first three professional seasons, I fully expect to see Montgomery playing shortstop at some point for the White Sox in 2025 (maybe even Opening Day). After that, I’d expect Jenkins, Clark, and even Bazzana to debut sometime in 2026, with Caglianone to more realistically debut in 2027. Regardless of when they debut, though, the American League Central will boast some of the best young position players in all of baseball in the very near future. What are your thoughts on the top prospects in the division? Were any players snubbed from the list? Join the conversation in the comments! View full article

The young Dominican outfielder is a consensus top-100 prospect in all of baseball, and a top-3 prospect for the Minnesota Twins. Despite this, he's a bit of a polarizing player; you’ll find drastically different opinions on the (soon-to-be) 22-year-old. What does his ceiling look like? How about his floor? Let's dive in. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson / St. Paul Saints In his first four professional seasons, Emmanuel Rodriguez has performed well, with elite plate discipline, an inevitably strong OBP, and an average quality of contact that can produce decent power and a passable batting average. Where scouts and prospect rankers seem to differ the most is how his plate approach will translate as he moves up and eventually reaches the big leagues. His astonishingly low swing rate is a double-edged sword: his chase rate is low, but the lack of aggression can get him behind in counts. He's been limited by an extremely high swing-and-miss rate and a strikeout rate that flirts with 30%. If he can stay healthy, which is turning into a bit of a concern, he's a guy whose ceiling could be around 30 home runs with an OBP approaching .400. Think rookie Eddy Julien with a little more pop and a lot more defense. I chuckled while listening to episode 107 of the Future Projection podcast by Baseball America, wherein they suggested that a negative correlation exists between fans of Luis Arraez and Rodriguez, given their very different profiles. Staying on the theme of player comps, let's expand our player pool beyond the Twins organization. Which players compare to the wide range of outcomes that are possible for Rodriguez? Out Of This Universe Comp - Juan Soto What's to say that, if the stars align and fortune smiles down on the Twins organization, Rodriguez can't become Juan Soto? Okay, sure, there's a lot that says he won't, but I'm talkin’ 99th-percentile outcome here. All he needs to do is cut his strikeout rate in half, which in turn leads to a boost in batting average, and voilà—we have our very own Soto. (We'll all try hard not to think about the fact that Soto had 328 hits, 228 walks, and a World Series ring in the majors by Rodriguez's current age.) Ceiling Comp - Kyle Schwarber A much more reasonable “ceiling” comp is Kyle Schwarber, who profiles very similarly to Rodriguez, with a very good walk rate but a very high strikeout rate. Schwarber has more power but plays considerably worse defense (hence primarily DHing in 2024), but Twins fans would be extremely happy if Rodriguez turned into a consistent 35+ homer hitter with a .340+ OBP. Schwarber makes a nice fit, too, because his extreme tendency toward strikeouts has limited his upside at times, which we know is a risk with Rodriguez. Median Comp - Ian Happ Happ is Schwarber with less power, but better defense. While I think Rodriguez will strike out more and hit for more power than the current, increasingly balanced version of Happ. I think he presents a really good ballpark for Rodriguez’s 50th-percentile outcome. When Happ first came up, he was more extreme in his offensive profile, but his game has always been driven at least partially by abundant athleticism. Rodriguez has that, too. Floor Comp - Joey Gallo While Gallo has had an eight-year career (and counting), it would be pretty disappointing if Rodriguez turned into a guy who hit below the Mendoza line with a strikeout rate north of 35%. Sure, Gallo has three seasons of 38 or more home runs, but he also has five with 21 or fewer. We may very well see Rodriguez debut in 2025 at just 22 years old. Given his age (and keeping in mind development is rarely linear), I might expect more Gallo than Schwarber in the early parts of his career. That said, I don't think a Kyle Schwarber-esque player is out of the question down the road if the stars align on his development. What are your thoughts on these player comps? Leave your own in the comments! View full article

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The Minnesota Twins have had plenty to celebrate in their 64-year history. From winning three American League pennants, two World Series’ rings, and a Game 163, to hosting two All-Star games and record-breaking moments. There are a plethora of picture-perfect moments to reflect on from the franchise's history. In this article, I aim to identify some of the most iconic pictures in Twins history. Image courtesy of © David Berding-Imagn Images The pictures in this article will be presented in chronological order rather than a subjective ranking. Jim Kaat and Sandy Koufax Share a Moment During the 1965 World Series Eventual Hall of Famers, Jim Kaat and Sandy Koufax, faced off three times during the 1965 World Series. Each pitcher split their first two starts before Koufax led the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-0 win in game seven of the series. Harmon Killebrew Smashes Home Runs 500 & 501 Nine years after Wild Chamberlains iconic “100” picture came Harmon Killebrew’s “500 and 501” picture. Whereas, uncertainty surrounded the legitimacy of Chamberlain’s accomplishment, there is no doubt regarding Hammerin’ Harmon’s home run total. He would end up with 559 home runs in a Twins uniform and 573 over his entire career. Hrbek’s Statue-Worthy Celebration The Twins won their first World Series in franchise history in 1987 after a seven game back and forth against the St. Louis Cardinals. 25 years later, it was ensured the moment would never be forgotten as a Hrbek statue was unveiled outside of Gate 14 at Target Field. Ron Gant Loses His Battle With... Physics... In the top of the third inning, a heads up play by Twins pitcher Kevin Tapani resulted in one of the more controversial plays in World Series history. After a base hit to left field, Atlanta Braves center fielder, Ron Gant, was caught wandering a little too far off first base. Although, anyone who knows anything knows that it was – “physics” – that pulled Gant off the bag. "And, we'll see you tomorrow night!" Before Jack Morris and John Smoltz dueled in the best World Series game to date, Kirby Puckett provided two magical moments for Twins and baseball fans alike. The moment pictured left occurred in the top of the 3rd inning with the Twins leading 2-0 and Ron Gant representing the tying run at the plate. While the ball wouldn't have cleared the 13-foot plexiglass wall, Puckett's leaping catch saved at least one run from scoring early in the game. Eight-and-a-half innings later, Puckett would provide the most magical moment in Twins history with a walk-off homerun off Charlie Leibrandt (pictured right) leading to one of the most iconic phrases in sports history as Jack Buck exclaimed, “And we’ll see you tomorrow night!” Dan Gladden Scores World Series Winning Run The Twins Jack Morris and Braves John Smoltz went head-to-head in one of the best pitching duels ever, regardless of the stakes at play. After nine-and-a-half innings of scoreless baseball, Gene Larkin’s hit brought home Dan Gladden and clinched the Twins second World Series title in four seasons. Future Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was a first-year third base coach, and he was clearly excited about this. Kirby Puckett dons Eye Patch During Retirement Press Conference The Twins superstar woke up with blindness during Spring Training in 1996. A few months and multiple surgical procedures later, he would announce his retirement with an eye patch over his right eye. I think we can all agree that this was, in fact, one of the most sad moments in baseball history. Game 163 Walk Off I'm not going to provide much additional context here as you can review Nick Nelson’s recap of the entire 2009 season, key moments that preceded Game 163, and our own oral history of Game 163. In short, after a 12-inning back-and-forth between the Twins and Detroit Tigers, Alexi Casilla sent the Twins to the playoffs with a bleeder through the right side and sent the Metrodome out in style. Target Field’s First Walk Off Home Run This moment was so picturesque it was used as the Twins team card in the 2011 Topps flagship set. In Target Field’s inaugural season, the Twins were hosting the 2nd place Chicago White Sox holding a three-game lead atop the division. A White Sox comeback brought us to extra innings and, after they took the lead in the top of the 10th, Thome hit a two-run walk-off blast. The 2014 Home Run Derby Double Rainbow The 2014 Home Run Derby was setting up to be one of the worst in recent memory. It was a soggy Monday night that delayed the start of the event and, aside from a 10 home run performance from José Bautista, the first round was pretty much duds-ville. However, as Brian Dozier stepped up to the plate, the skies opened a bit showing off a double rainbow over the Minneapolis skyline. Joe Mauer’s Last Game It was highly speculated that September 30th, 2018, would be Joe Mauer’s last. It was all but confirmed when, ahead of the top of the 9th inning, Mauer walked onto the field in catcher’s gear for the first time since August 19th, 2013. This isn't a comprehensive list of iconic images. In fact, knowing that I missed some, I'd love to see you add anything you think I missed in the comments. View full article

The offseason can be a slow burn, especially when your ownership group imposes a salary cap on the front office. With the Minnesota Twins' hot stove colder than the arctic, let’s look back at one of the most fun seasons of the 21st century. Image courtesy of Image courtesy of © Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports Our own Nick Nelson reviewed the 2009 season as a whole and another Twins Daily contributor specifically focused on Game 163, but now, we are going to relive the key moments that got us to one of the most exciting games in Twins history. While there's always the argument that every game counts and a win in April is just as important as a win in September, this look back will start at the 2009 Trade Deadline. Jul. 31: Twins acquire Orlando Cabrera Some of you young 'uns have spent the last few years getting your first taste of how promising Twins teams can disappoint the fan base with lackluster trade deadlines. However, we more experienced folks went through this for most of the 2000s, with the lone exception being 2003, when the Twins acquired Shannon Stewart. Alas, in 2009, the front office made a (relative) splash by acquiring shortstop Orlando Cabrera from the Oakland Athletics. He was a spark plug in the 2-hole for the Twins, providing them with a .742 OPS, 36 runs batted in, and 42 runs scored in just 260 plate appearances. Aug. 21: Orlando Cabrera Walk-Off Picks Up A Rare Joe Nathan Blown Save This marks the day The Magic started, as the Twins entered the day seven games back of the division-leading Tigers and opened a series against the lowly Kansas City Royals. Down 3-0 entering the sixth, they tied the game on the strength of the bats of Alexi Casilla and Denard Span, who would also give them the lead in the eighth. The game was then sent to extra innings after a rare Joe Nathan blown save in the bottom of the ninth inning. With Casilla at first and Cabrera facing an 0-1 count, the key deadline acquisition hit a triple that gave the Twins a 5-4 lead. They would go on to sweep the Royals and finish the season 27-13 from this date. Aug. 25: Delmon Young Walks Off the Baltimore Orioles Riding a four-game winning streak, the Twins pitching staff gave up six earned runs in the first six innings of the game. Fortunately, the offense rallied in the fifth, tying the game where the score remained until the bottom of the ninth. Baltimore Orioles reliever Kam Mickolio got two quick outs before giving up a single and a walk to Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel, respectively. Facing a two-out full count, Young hit a single to the opposite field, scoring Cuddyer from second base and securing the Twins' fifth straight win. Sept. 1: Another Walk Off After LOOGY specialist José Mijares failed to get Scott Podesdnik out to lead off the eighth inning, Matt Guerrier gave up a two-run home run to Gordon Beckham. This tied the game at 3-3 and set up for more Twins heroics in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs, José Morales came to the plate with Brendan Harris on first and Nick Punto on second. After a first-pitch strike, Morales sent a ball to the right-field grass, scoring Punto and clinching the Twins' 67th victory of the season. Sept. 14: Twins Explode for a Six-Run Eighth Despite that big win to open September, the Twins had a measly 4-7 record over the first fortnight of the month and were still facing a 5.5-game deficit. Things were looking especially bleak after they were shut out for seven innings by Cleveland starter Jeremy Sowers, but fortunately, Twins starter Carl Pavano kept them in the game with six innings of three-run ball. Cleveland would use three different relievers in the eighth, as the Twins sent 10 hitters to the plate. Home runs by Cuddyer and Kubel helped the Twins take a 6-3 lead that would be held by Joe Nathan in the final frame. It ended up being their second win of a six-game streak, and marked another critical point in the season, as the Twins would only lose four more games over their next 15. Sept. 18: Twins Blank Tigers Having won four in a row, the Twins hosted the Tigers, trailing in the division by three games. One of the more unsung heroes from this stretch was rookie Brian Deunsing, who carried a 2.86 ERA as a starter down the home stretch. On this day, he provided 6 ⅓ innings of shutout ball, allowing just five baserunners and striking out one. Mijares, Jon Rauch, and Nathan would finish off the gem, with the only semblance of a threat coming in the ninth inning. Sept: 29: Brandon Lyon Struggles in the 10th After a rainout the day before, the Twins and Tigers faced off in a doubleheader on the 29th. With the Twins trailing two games with seven to play, they desperately needed to at least split the day. In the first game, Nick Blackburn, Rick Porcello, and both bullpens dominated, as the game entered extra innings tied 1-1. Tigers reliever Brandon Lyon entered in the 10th and gave up a single to Span. Two wild pitches later, Span was on third, and Cabrera delivered a one-run lead with an RBI single. A walk of Joe Mauer put runners on first and second, and a Carlos Gómez bunt advanced them 90 feet. The Tigers elected to intentionally walk Cuddyer to load the bases, and Young gave the Twins a two-run lead with a sacrifice fly. Nathan then came on to earn his 45th save of the season. Oct. 3: Michael Cuddyer’s Go-Ahead Home Run The Twins were one game back with two to play, facing a lowly Royals team while the Tigers were facing a middling White Sox team. After scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-0 lead, Blackburn and Mijares stumbled in the seventh and eighth, allowing the Royals to tie it up. Royals reliever Dusty Hughes, who got Joe Mauer to fly out to end the seventh, got Kubel to ground out to lead off the eighth inning. Cuddyer then stepped to the plate, drew a 2-0 count, and took the third pitch of the at-bat over the left-field wall to give the Twins a 5-4 lead. For the 47th and final time that season, Nathan would slam the door shut with a 1-2-3 ninth, and the Twins would enter Sunday tied atop the division. From there, we know how the story ends. The Tigers and Twins both won on Sunday, leading to one of the best games in Major League Baseball history, and completing a comeback for the record books. It's easier to forget, though, the many games Minnesota had to pull out over the final two months to force that showdown. View full article