Nash Walker

The Astros, despite losing George Springer, facing the ferocious fans, and dealing with myriad injuries, continue to win, win and win. Could the Twins help them win even more in 2021? What’s Their Situation? The Astros continue to reap the benefits from the tremendous core they constructed nearly five years ago. Houston has a truly terrific lineup. When fully healthy, they mesh four outstanding right-handed hitters in José Altuve (138 wRC+), Carlos Correa (149), Alex Bregman (120) and Yuli Gurriel (136) with three equally great left-handed bats in Michael Brantley (138), Kyle Tucker (128) and Yordan Álvarez (146). It’s the best and most dynamic attack in all of baseball. There’s no question that the addition of Dusty Baker as manager has benefitted the Astros in a massive way. He’s carefully navigated the difficulties of their (self-imposed) cheating demons, and continues to masterfully and tactfully manage. Baker’s starting rotation has the lowest ERA in the American League (3.35) even with a fairly pedestrian strikeout-to-walk rate (15.8%). The rotation is spearheaded by Lance McCullers Jr., who’s dazzled to a 2.89 in five starts since returning from the injured list. The Astros have a quantity of quality, with a major-league-leading five pitchers who’ve started at least 10 games with an ERA that’s 15% or better than league average. Houston carries a 3.5 game lead over the Oakland Athletics in the American League West. FanGraphs gives the Astros nearly an 87% chance to take the division and a 96.4% of making the playoffs. With the American League East looking weaker than usual and the White Sox eating up on a poor Central division, it certainly looks like the Astros are in the driver’s seat to take the pennant. What Do They Need? Houston is a very deep and strong club, with few glaring weaknesses. There’s one spot that sticks out, however. The Astros’ bullpen has a 4.09 ERA on the season, good for eighth in the American League. Ryan Pressly has been fantastic, pitching to a 1.42 ERA and 1.38 FIP in 36 games. Outside of Pressly, Houston has very little in the way of lockdown relievers. Cristian Javier has pitched well in a longer-relief role, but the Astros could use at least one more right-handed arm to supplement Pressly and the inconsistent Ryne Stanek. The return of Pedro Báez should help in that regard, though. Even more, the Astros would benefit greatly from a left-handed arm to pair with Pressly in the highest-leverage spots. Which Twins Are The Best Fit? Without question, Taylor Rogers would be the most attractive option for Houston in a deal. Rogers was sporting a 2.45 ERA and a 51-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio before allowing a grand slam in Sunday’s eventual win over Detroit. Rogers is also under contract for 2022, his final year of arbitration before free agency. Although the Astros have a deep and enviable starting rotation, they could be a sleeper for José Berríos. You can never have enough pitching and the Astros may lose Zack Greinke in free agency this winter. Could Houston, an organization that excels at maximizing starting pitching, see some hidden upside in Berríos? Very few centerfielders can match the acumen of George Springer, but Myles Straw has done an admirable job in his wake. Straw is hitting .310/.401/.405 since June 1st and has been worth 1.2 bWAR in 86 games. Even when a spot is good, why not make it great? Enter Byron Buxton, who could turn the Astros into World Series favorites if they aren’t already. A healthy Buxton would make Houston truly impeccable. Who Could The Twins Get Back? The Astros have a poor farm system, a result of graduating so many good major leaguers and losing picks due to the cheating scandal. For the Twins, the focus should be high-upside pitching prospects. RHP Hunter Brown, the Astros’ No. 3 prospect via MLB Pipeline, is an intriguing player. Brown has struck out 37% of hitters at Double-A this season with a fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s and a hammer curveball. Brown is currently a starter but has struggled to throw strikes consistently. RHP Forrest Whitley is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery but has upside to dream on. Whitley has slowly fallen down prospect boards due to injuries and a truly horrific 2019 season. Still, he’s 6-foot-7 with a fastball that reaches 99 and two 60-grade off-speed pitches. OF Colin Barber offers an interesting change of pace from what the Twins may be seeking. He’s a left-handed outfielder who projects as a rightfielder in the big leagues. Barber is only 20 years old and has hit .248/.380/.411 in 44 minor-league games. View full article

The Saints never gave up in Sunday's win, coming back from a 6-2 deficit and ultimately walking it off on a Tomás Telis single in the 10th. TRANSACTIONS LHP Charlie Barnes returned to the St.Paul Saints roster RHP Joe Harvey placed on 7-day injured list (right forearm strain) RHP Luis Rijo returns to the Cedar Rapids Kernels roster from 7-day injured list SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 7, Drillers 6 Box Score Andrew Albers: 5 IP, 9 H, 4 R/ER, 0 BB, 3 K HR: Willians Astudillo (2), Jimmy Kerrigan (9) Multi-hit games: Jake Cave (2-for-4, BB), Astudillo (2-for-4, HR, BB), Kerrigan (2-for-4, HR, BB) Clippers centerfielder Alex Call homered in his first two at-bats and singlehandedly gave his club an early 3-0 lead. Columbus took a 4-0 lead in the fourth, looking to pull away. Willians Astudillo and Jimmy Kerrigan hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning to cut the deficit in half. Columbus looked to have the game in the hand when they took a 6-2 lead in the eighth. The Saints battled back and got to Clippers reliever and Minnesota native Sam Hentges to tie the game in the bottom half. Sherman Johnson roped an RBI single to score Keon Broxton, and the Saints stayed alive. In extras, Nick Vincent pitched around the automatic runner and gave the Saints a chance to walk it off. Tomás Telis did just that. With two outs and a runner on third, Telis ripped a single up the middle to secure the victory. WIND SURGE WISDOM Drillers 9, Surge 1 Box Score Austin Schulfer: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The Surge struggled to get any offense going in Sunday’s loss. They went 3-for-31 with one double while their pitchers gave up seven earned runs. Austin Schulfer started and gave the Surge a chance to win, allowing only two runs in five innings. Tulsa broke through in the sixth inning with three homers, expanding their lead to 9-0 heading into the late innings. Drillers starter Gerardo Carrillo pitched his best game of the year, dazzling for six innings with no earned runs and five strikeouts. Ernie De La Trinidad kept his batting average above .300 with an RBI single in the seventh. De La Trinidad entered the game hitting .325/.417/.590 over his last 22 games and 97 plate appearances. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 13, Cubs 3 Box Score Luis Rijo: 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, K HR: Jair Camargo (12), Edouard Julien (4), Max Smith (4) Multi-hit games: Julien (2-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB), Wander Javier (3-for-6, RBI, R), Camargo (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI), Smith (3-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) Wander Javier got the Kernels going with an RBI single in the first to take a 1-0 lead. Javier recorded three hits and is 12 for his last 40 (.300) with two homers, two doubles and a triple. Edouard Julien belted a grand slam in an eight-run fourth inning, his fourth homer in 17 games with the Kernels. The Kernels walked 10 times in the win. Max Smith had a terrific game, continuing a very strong July. Smith entered Sunday hitting .262/.436/.548 with a .984 OPS and seven extra-base hits over his last 13 games. Speaking of hot streaks, Jair Camargo homered again, his third in the last eight games. Luis Rijo made his second start of the 2021 season and allowed two runs in one-plus innings. Rijo was outstanding for the Kernels in 2019, pitching to a 2.86 ERA and striking out 99 in 107 innings. Ben Gross was terrific in relief, striking out eight over 5 1/3 innings. Gross owns a 1.23 ERA over his last six outings with 32 strikeouts in 29 ⅓ innings. MUSSEL MATTERS Hammerheads 8, Mussels 2 Box Score Zarion Sharpe: 6 IP, 10 H, 5 R/ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Misael Urbina (2-for-4, 2B, R) Zarion Sharpe’s final line isn’t pretty, but he was pretty dang good outside of a disastrous first inning. Jupiter jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead on three RBI singles and a wild pitch. Sharpe allowed just one more run after the first when Dalvy Rosario stole home in the fifth. Misael Urbina looked to have cooled down after a nice 10-game stretch where he hit .293/.354/.488 from July 3rd to 15th. Entering the game 0 for his last 10, Urbina bounced back with two hits, including a double. Yunior Severino added an RBI single in the first, snapping an 0-for-9 stretch. Like Urbina, Severino was fantastic last week, slashing .381/.417/.857 with two homers and four doubles from July 6th to 13th. COMPLEX CHRONICLES NO GAME SCHEDULED Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of The Day - Max Smith (3-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of The Day - Ben Gross (5 ⅓ IP, 4 H, R/ER, 8 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain) #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – DNP #4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain) #5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-for-5 #6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – DNP #7 – Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – DNP #8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – DNP #9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 0-for-3, K #10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids - with FCL Twins on a rehab assignment) – No Game #11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – DNP #13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – DNP #14 – Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 0-for-3, 2 BB #15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 2-for-4, 2B, R #16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-for-4, R #17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 3-for-6, RBI, R #18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury) #19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow) #20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

While the Saints were no-hit in game one of their doubleheader loss, the Mighty Mussels broke out for 13 runs. On a busy Draft Day in the minors: TRANSACTIONS: Wichita Wind Surge add left-handed pitcher and Minnesota native Aaron Rozek. SAINTS SENTINEL Game one/7: Cubs 1, Saints 0 Box Score Beau Burrows: 2 ⅔ IP, 3 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: No hits Game two/7: Cubs 3, Saints 2 Box Score Andrew Albers: 6 IP, 3 H, R/ER, 2 BB, 9 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The Saints had trouble generating any offense Sunday against the Iowa Cubs. St.Paul was no-hit in game one and mustered just three hits in game two. On the day, the Saints went 3-for-45 with one extra-base hit. Beau Burrows and Matt Shoemaker combined to throw 5 ⅔ scoreless innings, giving the Saints a chance to win in the opener. The Cubs had different plans. They didn’t allow a hit and struck out 10 Saints. After falling behind 1-0 in game two, the Saints decided they were done with the no-hitter business. Keon Broxton executed on a sacrifice fly to tie the game before José Miranda singled to take the lead. Unfortunately, the offense once again shut down after that, and the Saints fell in game two. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 5, Naturals 3 Box Score Bryan Sammons: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R/ER, BB, 7 K HR: Aaron Whitefield (5), Andrew Bechtold (10) Multi-hit games: Roy Morales (2-for-4, R), Leobaldo Cabrera (2-for-3, RBI) Bryan Sammons tied his season high with seven strikeouts, but allowed three runs on two homers in five innings Sunday. Sammons left with the Surge down 3-2, and as soon as he left, Andrew Bechtold roped a solo homer to right center to tie the game at three. The Surge wasn’t done. Leobaldo Cabrera singled in the seventh to drive in D.J. Burt, while B.J. Boyd lifted a sacrifice fly to take a two-run lead. Aaron Rozek was fantastic in relief with three scorless innings. Ryan Mason earned his third save of the season. Wichita lost their first four games of the series but bounced back to win the final two, improving to 33-27 on the season. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 2, Chiefs 1 Box Score Tyler Watson: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Wander Javier (2-for-4, 3B) Tyler Watson started and pitched very well, allowing the Kernels to battle for a 2-0 lead on a DeShawn Keirsey sacrifice fly and an Alex Isola RBI single in the fifth. The Kernels held that lead until the top of the ninth, when Moises Castillo singled to pull within one. Kernels reliever Melvi Acosta escaped the jam, striking out Cristhian Longa to finish off the win. Cedar Rapids swept the six-game series with Peoria, scoring 38 runs and allowing only 17. MUSSEL MATTERS Mussels 13, Mets 9 Box Score Miguel Rodriguez: 4 ⅔ IP, 8 H, 5 R/ER, 3 BB, 6 K HR: Misael Urbina (2) Multi-hit games: Keoni Cavaco (3-for-5, 2B, BB), Jeferson Morales (2-for-3, 3 R, 3 BB) The Mussels enjoyed an offensive explosion in Sunday’s win. Top prospect Keoni Cavaco recorded three hits with a double and a walk. Cavaco entered Sunday hitting .278 with a .435 on-base percentage in five games with the Mussels since returning from a concussion. Fort Myers had a phenomenal fifth inning, scoring six runs on an Aaron Sabato double, a Will Holland single, a Nick Anderson single, an RBI groundout from Misael Urbina and an RBI single from Keoni Cavaco. Did you track all that?! St.Lucie battled all the way back and took a 9-8 lead in the sixth inning. The Mussels responded with four more runs in the seventh and closed the game with a 13-9 win. Fort Myers improved to 34-26 on the season COMPLEX CHRONICLES NO GAME. THE FCL TWINS WILL RETURN MONDAY VERSUS THE FCL BRAVES. Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Keoni Cavaco (3-for-5, 2B, BB) Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Matt Shoemaker (3 IP, H, 0 R/ER, 2 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL) #2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain) #3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain) #5 – José Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-for-7, RBI #6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 3-for-5, 2B, BB #7 – Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Did not play #8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Futures Game - ⅓ IP, H, R/ER, K #9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 1-for-5, 2B, BB, RBI #10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (hamate bone surgery) #11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery) #12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not pitch #13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Injured List. #14 – Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 1-for-6, BB #15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 1-for-6, HR, 4 RBI #16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-for-4, K #17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-4, 3B #18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury) #19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow) #20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

I think there will always be a robust market for someone like Berríos. This year especially, with teams like the Yankees, Mets, Braves and others facing pressure to win/turn it around, there may be more desperation on the market.

The next segment of our midseason rankings highlights a breakout arm, a stout defender, multiple first round picks, and a hometown slugger. KEEP IN MIND: Alex Kirilloff, Ben Rortvedt, Nick Gordon, Ryan Jeffers and Trevor Larnach have or will soon graduate from prospect status. 10. OF Matt Wallner (bats L, throws R) Age: 23 ETA: 2023 2021 stats: 17 G, .333/.384/.621 (165 wRC+), 4 HR, 3 2B, 2 3B, 38% K, 6.8% BB 2021 preseason ranking: 13 Wallner’s history already made him a prospect to watch when the Twins selected him with the 39th overall pick in the 2019 draft. He grew up a Twins fan and starred at Forest Lake High School before committing to Southern Mississippi, where he hit a robust .337/.461/.652 in three seasons. Wallner smashed 58 homers and 39 doubles in 189 games for the Golden Eagles, flashing his immense power from the left side. Wallner, listed at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, has already become a fear bat as a professional. He produced 31 extra-base hits in 65 games with a .357 on-base percentage in 2019 and was crushing before a wrist injury halted his season this summer. Wallner oozes raw pop, but his ability to hit for a high average and draw walks has raised his ceiling as a prospect. He’s hitting .274/.363/.487 in 82 minor-league games. Spending most of his time in right field, Wallner projects as a middle-of-the-order corner outfielder, perhaps joining his counterparts Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach in the heart of Minnesota’s lineup. Healing from the wrist injury that has held him out since late May is in order first, but if he can return healthy and hitting, Wallner could easily work himself to Wichita (or even St.Paul) by season’s end. Minnesotans take a certain amount of pride in homegrown players. It remains true that the top six Minnesota-born bWAR leaders since 1961 all played for the Twins at some point. Hopefully Wallner follows that lead! 9. 1B Aaron Sabato (bats R, throws R) Age: 22 ETA: 2023 2021 stats: 53 G, .184/.373/.291 (101 wRC+), 10 2B, 3 HR, 21% BB, 31% K 2021 preseason ranking: 8 Sabato fell to the Twins at pick No. 27 in the 2020 draft, perhaps due to questions about his defensive home. The Twins went slightly over slot to land the slugging first baseman, who hit .332/.459/.698 with 25 homers in 83 games at North Carolina. He walked in over 16% of his plate appearances and struck out under 20% of the time for the Heels, solidifying himself as one of the best pure hitters in college baseball. The Twins certainly have their type: large, powerful, excelling college bats are their M.O., and Sabato fits the bill. The 22-year-old hasn’t lived up to the first-round moxie just yet, as he’s hitting a paltry .184 with a .291 slugging percentage through 53 games for the Mighty Mussels. It’s hard to get excited about a slugging percentage below .300 in Low-A for such a coveted power bat, but Sabato has shown signs of a breakout. He’s incredible at controlling the strike-zone, evidenced by a tremendous .409 on-base percentage over his last 22 games. Sabato has walked 50 times this season, the most in the Low-A Southeast, tied with teammate Edouard Julien. Patience is the key here. Sabato is adjusting to professional baseball and everything that comes with it. His walk rate is encouraging and proves he has a strong idea of what to swing at. When he starts hitting those pitches in the zone, look out. Sabato has raw power for days. 8. RHP Josh Winder Age: 24 ETA: 2021 2021 stats: 11 GS, 60 ⅓ IP, 1.94 ERA, 0.895 WHIP, 32% K, 5% BB 2021 preseason ranking: N/R Winder could be the first, long-awaited product of the the Falvine pitching pipeline. Already displaying elite command through the minors, Winder added significant velocity to his fastball. Now throwing 95-97 with his heater and spotting up a great curveball and a developing changeup, Winder has become a legitimate starting pitching prospect. Winder was outstanding for Cedar Rapids in 2019 with a 2.65 ERA in 21 starts. The difference: a strikeout rate of 24%. The walk rate was remained similarly low, but Winder’s strikeout numbers have soared. He’s punching out 32% of batters at the highest levels in the minors. Winder was the best pitcher in the Double-A Central before his promotion to St.Paul, where he carried a no-hitter into the sixth in his first start. There’s not much more Winder can do to impress. His ERA is sub-2, his strikeout rate is elite and he’s walked just 12 of 228 batters. He’s completely broken out in an extremely exciting way. This is how they drew it up. Finding starters with already-great command and helping to increase their velocity is the ticket to building a pipeline of impact pitching. Winder put in the work and is being rewarded in a huge way. There’s a very good chance he’ll get the opportunity to pitch for the Twins later this summer and solidify himself into their plans for 2022. Giddy up. 7. OF Gilberto Celestino (bats R, throws L) Age: 22 ETA: Arrived 2021 stats: 15 G w/MIN: .163/.200/.349 (46 wRC+), 2 HR, 18% K, 4% BB 2021 preseason ranking: 11 Uniquely, Celestino has moved up our prospect board despite looking mostly overmatched for the Twins. His defense in center is evidently solid-to-elite and his bat has shown signals of life. Celestino is sporting a .963 OPS over his last 19 plate appearances. His promotion was undoubtedly premature, but Celly has steadily improved since getting the call. Celestino’s right-handed swing packs a lot of punch. He generates power with a large but controlled leg kick, and the ball flys when he makes contact. His upside offensively lies in that deceptive power and a low strikeout rate through the minors. There’s hope that a .265/.325/.400 hitter lies within for Celestino, which would make him a quality regular with great defense in center. Byron Buxton has treated Twins fans by flashing his unbelievable tools and world-best defense in centerfield for years. Celestino likely won’t reach those heights, but there’s reason to be excited about Celly and his future for the Twins in center and at the plate. 6. SS Keoni Cavaco (bats R, throws R) Age: 20 ETA: 2024 2021 stats: 30 G, .259/.331/.339 (90 wRC+), 4 2B, 3B, HR, 8.9% BB, 27% K 2021 preseason ranking: 7 Cavaco has begun a rehab assignment with the FCL Twins after missing nearly a month with a concussion. Cavaco was starting to heat up, hitting .344/.400/.438 with a double and a triple in nine games before the injury. Drafted out of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, California in 2019, Cavaco was touted as a high-upside shortstop with tools for days. He struggled in his first taste of pro ball, hitting just .172 with a .470 OPS in 92 plate appearances with the FCL Twins. Cavaco just turned 20, is incredibly athletic and stands at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds. He’s what you would describe as a “raw” prospect, one that clearly has the attributes to grow into a star. The Twins bought into the tools when they took him with the 13th overall pick. After Royce Lewis, another first-round high school shortstop, there may not be another player in this system with more upside than Cavaco. Other Rankings: Top prospects 1`6-20 Top prospects 11-15 CHECK BACK FOR THE TOP 5! View full article

Thank you for reading! I think Moran should be up very soon, like shortly after the All-Star break. He's 24 and with the big league bullpen woes, the Twins should at least get a look at him across town. Funderburk looks lined up for Sunday. I am jealous you'll get to see that offense! some electric names in there. Still waiting on specific injury updates for Wallner and Canterino, although I heard Canterino was starting to ramp back up. Wallner's wrist injury seemed significant at the time, hope he's back in July at some point.

The system pulled off three wins on the Fourth of July with some memorable performances (and a record set)! TRANSACTIONS: NONE SAINTS SENTINEL Omaha Storm Chasers 10, Saints 6 Box Score Chandler Shepherd: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 3 K HR: Drew Maggi (6), Keon Broxton (3) Multi-hit games: Maggi (2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI), Mark Contreras (2-for-5, 2B, R, RBI), Jimmy Kerrigan (3-for-4, RBI), Broxton (2-for-4, HR) The Saints and Storm Chasers treated their Fourth of July fans to 16 runs in an Omaha victory. Chandler Shepherd started for the Saints and pitched very well, bouncing back from allowing eight runs over his last two starts and 10 innings. Drew Maggi made Saints history with a homer in the first inning, his fourth straight game with a jack. Jimmy Kerrigan added on with a two-run single in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead, but the Storm Chasers had other plans for their holiday evening. Omaha scored seven runs in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly and three homers. Keon Broxton and Brent Rooker homered and tripled to try and claw the Saints back in, but the comeback fell just short. With the Saints down two in the eighth, José Miranda came up with runners on second and third and two outs and struck out swinging. WIND SURGE WISDOM Surge 3, Amarillo Sod Poodles 2 Box Score Jason García: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 8 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Trey Cabbage (2-for-4, R) Jason García entered today with a 7.59 ERA in his last three starts. He put it all behind him and delivered the fireworks Sunday. García dealt, striking out eight over six innings of one-run ball. García left the game in the knick of time to earn the win, as the Wind Surge broke through on an error and a Peter Mooney RBI triple in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead. Standout lefty Jovani Moran entered and allowed one run on a home run in two innings of relief. The Wind Surge will need guys like García and Cabbage to step up after losing Josh Winder and Miranda to promotion. Things have been steady so far, with Wichita splitting the six-game set with Amarillo. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 9, Quad Cities River Bandits 3 Box Score Jon Olsen: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 2 K HR: Edouard Julien (2), Michael Helman (8) Multi-hit games: Helman (2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI), Kyle Schmidt (2-for-3, 2 BB), Max Smith (2-for-5, 2B), Daniel Ozoria (2-for-4, 2B) The Kernels’ offense has enhanced since adding Edouard Julien, who walked three times and homered with two stolen bases in the win. Julien, 22, owns a .994 OPS in six games with Cedar Rapids. He hit a robust .299/.490/.456 with 21 steals in 23 attempts for Fort Myers before the promotion. Jon Olsen was fantastic once again for the Kernels, twirling five innings of scoreless ball. Olsen hasn’t allowed a run in two straight starts and 10 innings. Erik Manoah Jr. added another scoreless inning to what has been an outstanding debut in the organization. Manoah Jr. has allowed just one run in 12 innings with 16 strikeouts across two levels. It’s not often you see all 12 runs in a game scored after the sixth inning. The Kernels scored their first seven runs in the seventh inning on an Ozoria single, a Julien homer and a DeShawn Keirsey two-run triple. Michael Helman added on with a solo homer in the ninth. MUSSEL MATTERS Mighty Mussels 6, Bradenton Marauders 5 Box Score Bobby Milacki: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 R/ER, 0 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Misael Urbina (2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI) A back-and-forth affair ended in a walk-off win for Fort Myers in their Independence Day victory. The Mussels jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third, thanks to an RBI single from Urbina and RBI doubles from Aaron Sabato and Will Holland. Bradenton took them all back and then some in the next half, however, with four runs of their own. Fort Myers snagged another run on a throwing error in the seventh and the game remain tied into extra innings. The Marauders scored on a sacrifice fly to take a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th, but the Mussels didn’t stop fighting. Urbina doubled in a 3-1 count to score Jeferson Morales in the bottom half before being thrown out at home on a Sabato fielder’s choice. Still, the Mussels fought. Yunior Severino sharply singled to move Sabato to third, and then Holland was drilled with a pitch. With one out and the bases loaded, Willie Joe Garry Jr. hit a fly ball deep enough to score the winning run. COMPLEX CHRONICLES The FCL Twins were not in action Sunday. They will return Monday. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE DAY: Jason García: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 8 K TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE HITTER OF THE DAY: Edouard Julien: 1-for-3, HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 3 RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 1-for-5, HR #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 2-for-5, 2 RBI #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 0-for-3, BB #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – IL (elbow strain) #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – Did not play #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – IL (right elbow strain) #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – IL (Tommy John surgery) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Did not play #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 1-for-3, 3B, RBI, BB #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – IL (wrist sprain) #14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Did not play #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - José Miranda (St. Paul) – 0-for-4, BB, R #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not pitch MORE FROM TWINS DAILY: — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email — Follow Nash Walker on Twitter here View full article

The Wind Surge and Kernels combined for three wins Sunday behind incredibly strong pitching performances. TRANSACTIONS NONE SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 6, Clippers 8 Box Score Chandler Shepherd: 4 ⅓ IP, 9 H, 5 R/ER, BB, K Home runs: Damek Tomscha (6) Multi-hit games: Tomscha (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) The Twins defeated Cleveland today at Target Field, but the Saints were beaten by two of their major league regulars on rehab assignments. Franmil Reyes homered for the Clippers to tie the game at one and Roberto Pérez added an RBI single in the fifth. Willians Astudillo and Mark Contreras notched back-to-back RBI singles in the third before Cleveland top prospect Nolan Jones blasted a three-run homer to break the game open in the fifth. Or was it a home run? Astudillo was later ejected for arguing balls and strikes. WIND SURGE WISDOM Game one: Surge 3, RockHounds 0 Box Score Game two: Surge 10, RockHounds 4 Box Score Chris Vallimont: 5 ⅔ IP, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 9 K Home runs: Wilbis Santiago (1), Aaron Whitefield (3), Andrew Bechtold (6), José Miranda (13), Jermaine Palacios (9) Multi-hit games: Whitefield (G1: 2-for-4, HR, G2: 2-for-4, 2 RBI), Santiago (2-for-3, HR), Peter Mooney (2-for-3), Miranda (2-for-4, HR), BJ Boyd (3-for-4, 2 RBI) Chris Vallimont absolutely dealt for the Surge in game one of the doubleheader Sunday. Vallimont was part of the deal that brought Sergio Romo to Minnesota in 2019, and looks to be much more than just a PTBNL. With a rotation of Vallimont, Jordan Balazovic, Josh Winder, Austin Schulfer and Cole Sands (injured list), the Surge should be tough to hit. In game two, Schulfer threw five scoreless innings. José Miranda homered and singled before being lifted for a pinch runner in the seventh. Aaron Whitefield had himself a day, notching four hits in the two games with a homer. Wichita has a really good ball club. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 6, Lugnuts 0 Box Score Kody Funderburk: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 6 BB, 4 K Home runs: DaShawn Keirsey (1), Jair Camargo (9) Multi-hit games: Trey Cabbage (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Keirsey (2-for-3, HR, 2B) Kody Funderburk started for the first time since June 15th and didn’t allow a hit over four innings. Funderburk worked around six walks and struck out four. The Kernels’ bullpen was fantastic in relief, pitching five scoreless innings to shutout the Lugnuts. Trey Cabbage got the scoring going in the first with a two-run single before DaShawn Keirsey hit an inside-the-park homer to take a 5-0 lead. It was a great day for the Kernels as the offense continues to impress, even without standout slugger Matt Wallner. MUSSEL MATTERS Cardinals 9, Mussels 8 Box Score Louie Varland: 4 ⅔ IP, 7 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 5 K Home runs: None Multi-hit games: Will Holland (2-for-3, 2 2B, BB), Justin Washington (2-for-3, 2B, 4 RBI, BB) Louie Varland, a St.Paul native and 15th round pick in 2019, lowered his ERA to 1.98 on the season with another great performance. Varland was throwing 100 MPH in videos of his bullpen sessions during the offseason. He’s striking out Low-A hitters at a 37% clip. The Mussels’ bullpen didn’t fare as well as Varland, allowing seven runs in 3 ⅔ innings. The Mussels held an 8-4 lead into the ninth before Palm Beach rallied for five runs to steal the game. Fort Myers is 28-20 on the season, and like Wichita, continue to score runs without a middle-of-the-order bat in 2019 first-round pick Keoni Cavaco. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) - 5 ⅔ IP, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 9 K Hitter of the Day – Aaron Whitefield (4-for-8, HR, 3 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – Did not play #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 1-for-3, RBI, BB #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 0-for-2, 2 BB #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – 7-day IL (elbow strain) #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – IL (Concussion) #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-5 #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – IL (elbow) #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – IL (Tommy John surgery) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 0-for-4 #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 0-for-3, BB #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – IL (hamate bone) #14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-4, BB #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – 7-day IL (undisclosed) #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Did not play #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 2-for-8, HR, 3 RBI #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not play MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or email View full article

The Twins' system blasted nine homers Sunday, including two more from breakout star José Miranda. TRANSACTIONS: St.Paul Saints RHP Jhoan Duran placed on the 7-day injured list (elbow strain) St.Paul Saints add RHP Kyle Barraclough SAINTS SENTINEL Cubs 3, Saints 3 (game suspended in fifth inning due to rain) Box Score Griffin Jax: 2 ⅔ IP, 3 H, 3 R/ER, 5 BB, 2 K HR: Brent Rooker (11) Multi-hit games: Rooker (2-for-2, HR) Rain in St.Paul halted the series finale Sunday between the Saints and the Iowa Cubs. Griffin Jax had trouble finding his command and walked five in a short outing. Brent Rooker blasted an opposite-field homer in the fourth, his 11th of the year for St.Paul. The game will resume August 17th. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 7, Cardinals 8 Box Score Jordan Balazovic: 4 ⅓ IP, 10 H, 6 R/ER, BB, 3 K HR: José Miranda 2 (11), Jermaine Palacios (8), Nick Garland (1), Ernie De La Trinidad (5) Multi-hit games: Miranda (3-for-4, 2 HR), De La Trinidad (2-for-3, HR), Palacios (2-for-4, HR) The Wind Surge were down 8-1 after 5 ½ innings with Jordan Balazovic struggling to contain the Springfield offense. Balazovic entered the game with a 3.72 ERA in three starts. As has been the case all season, José Miranda provided the spark with a solo homer in the sixth, his second of the game. Miranda is hitting .323 with a .948 OPS, continuing his miraculous breakout season. Jermaine Palacios, who’s also been excellent this summer, followed that up with a two-run homer to cut the deficit to four. Nick Garland and Ernie De La Trinidad added on with two more homers an inning later, bringing the Surge within just one run. Unfortunately, the Surge went down in order in both the eighth and ninth to fall just short. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 9, Cubs 2 Box Score Tyler Beck: 3 IP, 3 H, R/ER, 3 BB, 7 K HR: Trey Cabbage (7), Seth Gray (5) Multi-hit games: Spencer Steer (3-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Seth Gray (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI), Alex Isola (2-for-4) Tyler Beck has pitched in a “hybrid” role for the Kernels this season, both starting and relieving in short stints. Beck started Sunday and continued his strong season, striking out seven over three solid innings of work. Trey Cabbage blasted a two-run homer to right in the bottom of the first to give Cedar Rapids an early 2-0 lead. Spencer Steer smacked a two-run single to center in the second and Seth Gray added on with a two-run shot in the fifth. Steer is hitting .273 with a .932 OPS on the season. The Kernels are weathering the storm without one of their best hitters in Matt Wallner (wrist). Steer, Gray, Wander Javier and Cabbage have helped to carry the load, providing the team with much needed offense and power on this five-game winning streak. Notably, Kernels manager Brian Dinkelman earned his 100th victory with the club. MUSSEL MATTERS Mussels 3, Flying Tigers 1 Box Score Sawyer Gipson-Long: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R/ER, 3 BB, 6 K HR: Jeferson Morales (5) Multi-hit games: Aaron Sabato (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) Sawyer Gipson-Long turned in one of his best starts of the season Sunday. He worked five scoreless innings, striking out six and earning the victory. The Mussels’ offense scored three runs and went just 6-for-30 (.200) with left 16 aboard. Jeferson Morales helped the Mussels to an early 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the first. Aaron Sabato, who came into the game with a .913 OPS over his last 39 plate appearances, roped a two-run double to center in the third. The Mussels bent but didn’t break, allowing an RBI single in the sixth. Erik Manoah Jr. earned his second save for Fort Myers and has now struck out eight over 5 ⅓ scoreless innings. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Sawyer Gipson-Long Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – José Miranda PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 0-for-5, 2 K #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 3-for-5, R #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – Did not play #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – 7-day injured list (elbow strain) #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – 4 ⅓ IP, 10 H, 6 R/ER, BB, 3 K #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – IL (concussion) #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – IL (right elbow strain) #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – IL (Tommy John surgery) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – Did not play #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – IL (wrist sprain) #14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-4, K #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – 0-for-4, K #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not pitch MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

The system split their four games Sunday as José Miranda and Josh Winder excelled once again for the Wind Surge. TRANSACTIONS: OF Max Kepler joins Triple-A St.Paul on a rehab assignment SAINTS SENTINEL Storm Chasers 15, Saints 4 Box Score Charlie Barnes: 3 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 4 K HR: Damek Tomscha (4) Multi-hit games: Mark Contreras (3-for-4, 2B, R, RBI) Charlie Barnes entered Sunday with a sterling 2.20 ERA in 32 ⅔ innings for the Saints this year. He’d allowed just two runs in his previous 19 innings spanning across three starts. That trend changed Sunday as Barnes allowed four homers and six runs in his shortest outing of the young season. Andrew Vasquez and Ian Gibaut each allowed three runs in relief. In the first game of his rehab assignment, Max Kepler went 0-for-4. Mark Contreras, who had been struggling since moving up to Triple-A, had a great day at the plate with three hits, including a double. The Saints won two of their six games against the Storm Chasers this week, falling to 17-19 on the season. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 7, Drillers 1 Box Score Josh Winder: 6 IP, 3 H, R/ER, 0 BB, 7 K HR: José Miranda (8) Multi-hit games: Miranda (3-for-5, HR, BB), Aaron Whitefield (2-for-3, RBI, 2 BB), Roy Morales (2-for-4, RBI, R, BB) Josh Winder has now struck out 50 of the 158 batters he’s faced this season. He lowered his ERA to 2.16 after another great start Sunday. Winder is thriving with increased velocity on his fastball and exceptional command. Winder was walked only eight batters in 41 ⅔ innings. The righty retired 14 in a row to complete his outing Sunday. Also excelling for the Wind Surge is José Miranda, who entered today hitting .296/.370/.496 with a miniscule 11% strikeout rate. Miranda busted out of a brief June slump with three hits and a homer in the win. Right-handed reliever Yennier Cano continued to dominate with two perfect innings. Cano has allowed just three runs in 18 ⅓ innings (1.47 ERA) while striking out nearly 35% of the batters he’s faced. Cano and Jovani Moran have been lights-out for the Surge. KERNELS NUGGETS Snappers 8, Kernels 5 Box Score Luis Rijo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 2 K HR: Wander Javier (5) Multi-hit games: Javier (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI), Gabe Snyder (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB), Luis Rijo made his first start of the 2021 season and struck out two in one scoreless inning. Rijo was fantastic for the Kernels in 2019, pitching to a 2.86 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 107 innings as a starter. Wander Javier is officially on fire. The former top prospect came into the game hitting .295/.340/.636 in June. That was before he recorded two more hits and a homer in the loss. https://twitter.com/tlschwerz/status/1404207298700926977?s=20 Unfortunately Javier and Gabe Snyder’s offensive efforts were not enough to mask an ugly performance from the Cedar Rapids bullpen. The Kernels fell to 17-19 on the season. MUSSEL MATTERS Mussels 4, Hammerheads 3 Box Score Casey Legumina: 1 IP, 0 BB, 0 H, 0 R/ER, K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The Mussels went 3-for-32 but scored four runs Sunday. They walked eight times, including three from Aaron Sabato, who entered the game with a 21% walk rate on the season. Sabato walked in a run in the fifth and watched ball four get away from the catcher in the first, scoring the Mussels’ first run of the game. Yunior Severino made it 4-0 with an RBI single to center in the fifth. The Mussels had some terrific performances out of the bullpen en route to victory. Blue Jays rookie Alek Manoah has a 3.14 ERA in three starts for Toronto this year while his older brother, Erik Manoah Jr., was added to the Mussels’ roster this week. Manoah was fantastic Sunday, striking out three in 1 ⅓ innings of perfect ball. He threw 10 strikes on 16 pitches in a strong first impression. The Mussels are 20-16. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Josh Winder Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: José Miranda PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – Did not play #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 2-for-4, 2B #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 1-for-3, HR #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – Did not play #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-2, 3 BB #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured list (elbow) #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Injured list (elbow) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 0-for-3 #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – Did not play #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured list (wrist) #14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-4, BB #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) –0-for-1 #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 3-for-5, HR, BB #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) - Did not pitch View full article

Love this Jamie

Twins fans are watching the 2021 season slip away before it really even gets started. Here are five numbers that help describe the spiral. 1. 9 The Twins’ offense has a 25 wRC+ (75% below average) in the ninth inning and beyond. That’s the lowest mark in baseball, by far. And while the bats have been colder than ice in these spots, the pitching staff has been equally as bad. The Twins have an A.L. worst 4.70 ERA to boot, and that number may not include the overwhelming number of crippling errors committed in the field. 2. .660 The Twins are hitting .180/.265/.295 in situations that FanGraphs deems as “high leverage.” That’s good for a .660 OPS, the lowest in the American League when the at-bats matter most. Your eyes have not deceived you: the Twins have been awful this year in situations where they desperately need a hit to break open or get back into a game. 3. 105 That’s the win-pace the Twins have played at when Byron Buxton is on the field since 2019. The Twins are 97-53 when Buxton plays and 64-68 when he doesn’t. Undeniably, Buxton’s lack of durability has hurt the team. It’s also true that the team is infinitely better with him in the lineup and roaming centerfield. He single-handedly changes games. 4. 48 Through Tuesday, the Twins have hit at least one home run in 48 of their 60 games this year. Stunningly, they’ve won only 21 of those games. A major factor in that: 53 of the Twins’ 83 homers this year have come with the bases empty. That ranks first in the majors. 5. 10.16 Conversely to their offense, Twins pitchers are getting blasted in high leverage situations with runners on base. The pitching staff owns a 10.16 ERA in those spots, the highest mark in the American League. For as bad as J.A. Happ and Matt Shoemaker have been, with additional poor results from Kenta Maeda, It’s always more than one thing. The Twins are floundering to score and prevent runs in high-leverage situations. Had they gotten just a few more hits, homers and outs in important spots, the script of this season may be different. For now, they just continue to find ways to lose. View full article

The Kernels, with a big sixth inning and a huge game from Spencer Steer, helped the organization avoid a clean sweep Sunday. TRANSACTIONS: NONE SAINTS SENTINEL Bats 6, Saints 1 Box Score Robinson Leyer: 3 IP, H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 2 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The Saints took a 1-0 lead in the third when Tomás Telis drove in Keon Broxton. Unfortunately, Reds’ regulars Aristides Aquino and Joey Votto were both in Louisville’s lineup today on rehab assignments. Aquino homered to tie the game at one while Votto walked in the second run. The Bats scored three runs as Tom Hackimer walked six in the fourth. The Bats scored another, a solo homer against Derek Law in the fifth. The Saints went 3-for-29 with just one walk in a bullpen game for Louisville. St.Paul fell to 15-15, winning just two of their six games in the series. WIND SURGE WISDOM Travelers 9, Wind Surge 0 Box Score Chris Vallimont: 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R/ER, 2 BB, 6 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Ernie De La Trinidad (2-for-3, 2B), Aaron Whitefield (2-for-3) Chris Vallimont struggled in his outing Sunday, surrendering four runs on four hits, including two home runs. Vallimont threw 35 strikes on 65 pitches and raised his ERA to 5.63 on the season. The Wind Surge offense had trouble stringing together hits against Travelers starter Tyler Herb. Ernie De La Trinidad had two hits with a double, while no one else had an extra-base hit. Wichita had an otherwise strong week, winning four of their six games and improving to 18-12. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 11, Tin Caps 3 Box Score Ben Gross: 4 ⅓ IP, 8 H, 3 R/ER, BB, 7 K HR: Spencer Steer 2 (3, 4) Multi-hit games: Steer (3-for-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB), Wander Javier (2-for-5, 2B, RBI), Jair Camargo (2-for-5, RBI, R), Michael Helman (2-for-4, 2B, BB), Alex Isola (2-for-5, 2B), Max Smith (2-for-4, 2 RBI) The Kernels enjoyed a massive day at the plate. Spencer Steer was the catalyst, leading off the game with a homer and recording three hits on the afternoon. Steer saw his OPS rise over .800. Listed as a versatile infielder, Steer was drafted in the third round out of Oregon in 2019. The Kernels trailed 3-1 after five before breaking out for six runs in the sixth. Michael Helman roped a two-run double to center to take the lead. Max Smith followed that up with a single and Steer capped it off with a two-run homer, his second of the day. Cedar Rapids added on three more runs in the eighth on a Seth Gray sacrifice fly, a Wander Javier RBI single and a Trey Cabbage RBI groundout. The bats were certainly awake as the Kernels forced a split in the six-game series with Fort Wayne. MUSSEL MATTERS Mets 2, Mussels 0 Box Score Brent Headrick: 5 IP, 2 H, R/ER, 2 BB, 11 K HR: None Multi-hit games: None The Mussels surely would’ve come back to win if not for the rain ending this game in the sixth. Brent Headrick was fantastic and has now struck out 30 of the 95 batters he’s faced this season (31.6%). Headrick, 23, was selected in the ninth round of the 2019 draft out of Illinois State University. The lefty lowered his ERA to 3.74 on the season. The Mussels went 1-for-15 with their lone single coming from Edouard Julien to lead off the fourth inning. Keoni Cavaco then grounded into a double play and the Mussels saw their lone threat end harmlessly. Fort Myers went 5-1 this week against St.Lucie and improved to 16-14 in the series. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Spencer Steer Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Brent Headrick PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 1-for-4, BB #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 1-for-3, RBI HBP #4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 0-for-4, K #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-2 #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-2, K #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured list (elbow) #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Injured list (elbow) #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Did not play #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 0-for-4, 3 K #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured list (wrist) #14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – Did not play #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (St.Paul) – Did not play #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 1-for-4 #20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) - 4 IP, 5 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 4 K MORE FROM TWINS DAILY: — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Creating holes at both SS and 3B should not be the objective if this team wants to compete in 2022. Re-tool, not rebuild.