Nash Walker

The organization's starting pitchers combined for a 2.33 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings Sunday in a near sweep of competition. TRANSACTIONS INF Nick Gordon recalled to the Minnesota Twins INF Tzu-Wei Lin removed from 7-day IL RHP Jonathan Cheshire transferred to Double-A Wichita INF Daniel Ozoria transferred to High-A Cedar Rapids RHP Sean Mooney reinstated from 7-day IL, rejoins Mighty Mussels SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 5, Indianapolis 4 Box Score Griffin Jax: 6 IP, 7 H, R/ER, BB, 8 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Ben Rortvedt (2-for-4, 2 R) Griffin Jax weasled his way out of a jam or two and put together a very strong start. Jax struck out eight over six strong innings. Ben Rortvedt made his Saints debut and was heavily involved offensively. A harmless grounder in his first AB resulted in an error and two runs for St.Paul. Rortvedt tacked on two more hits, including a double. Ryan Jeffers reached base three times on two walks and a double. Right-handed reliever Ian Gibaut entered the game allowing nine runs over his last two outings. Gibaut struck out the side in the seventh and then ran into more damage an inning later. Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who finished sixth for National League Rookie of the Year in 2020, hit a two-run homer off Gibaut in the eighth. Unfortunate timing for a rehab assignment. The Saints held on as Tom Hackimer struck out the side in the ninth and secured the win. St.Paul improved to 7-11 on the season. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 3, Drillers 0 Box Score Austin Schulfer: 6 ⅔ IP, H, 0 R/ER, BB, 6 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Ernie De La Trinidad (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Jermaine Palacios (3-for-3, 2B) RHP Austin Schulfer was excellent, allowing just one hit in over six innings of work. Schulfer, a 19th-round pick in the 2018 draft, had been struggling through his first three starts. With the gem Sunday, he dropped his ERA from 12.00 to 6.32. Ernie De La Trinidad had another nice day, notching two hits and raising his season average to .292. Jermaine Palacios, who was hitting just .200/.273/.200 over his last five games, bounced back with a three-hit day. The Wind Surge have enjoyed excellent starting pitching and improved to 11-7 after Saturday’s win. They’ll host the Springfield Cardinals starting Tuesday. KERNELS NUGGETS Snappers 10, Kernels 5 Box Score Ben Gross: 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R/ER, BB, 5 K HR: Seth Gray (2), Jair Camargo (3) Multi-hit games: Trey Cabbage (2-for-4, RBI, R), Jair Camargo (2-for-4, HR), Alex Isola (2-for-3), Michael Helman (2-for-4, 2 RBI) Cedar Rapids was without its best hitter as Matt Wallner remains out of the lineup with a wrist injury. That didn’t completely sap their left-handed power. Seth Gray smashed a two-run homer to tie the game at four in the fourth. That tie would hold until the seventh when reliever Tyler Palm allowed three runs. Spencer Steer recorded another hit, this time a double in the loss. Steer, 23, hit .280/.385/.424 across two minor-league levels in 2019. Steer is listed as a utility infielder, a part of the big league roster that lacks depth. Cabbage, Camargo, Isola and Helman all recorded two hits. Melvi Acosta allowed three runs on four hits and a walk in 2 ⅓ innings of relief. Jair Camargo hit a galactic blast in the eighth, his third of the season. The Kernels won just two out of six games this week against the Beloit Snappers. MUSSEL MATTERS Mussels 9, Tarpons 3 Box Score Sean Mooney: 2 IP, 3 H, R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Kyle Schmidt (3-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB) The Mussels came to play Sunday, posting eight runs over their first four innings. Aaron Sabato roped a two-run ground-rule double to break the game open in the second. Fellow first-round-pick Keoni Cavaco followed that up with a two-run single to center. Cavaco was lifted in the third inning for an unspecified reason. Right-hander Sean Mooney was activated from the injured list and worked around three walks and three hits in two innings. The Tarpons forced Mooney to throw 49 pitches but scored just one unearned run. Casey Legumina entered the game with a 7.50 ERA in six innings for the Mussels. He lowered that considerably after his outing. Legumina struck out eight over 4 ⅓ innings in relief of Mooney, allowing just one hit on a solo homer. Catcher Kyle Schmidt had a big game with three hits and a walk. Schmidt, 23, is hitting .324 with an .837 OPS on the season. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Austin Schulfer Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Kyle Schmidt 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) – 0-for-4, BB #4 - Ryan Jeffers (St. Paul) – 1-for-2, 2 BB, R #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Did not pitch #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Injured List (back) #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-2, 2 RBI, left game (unspecified) #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) –1-for-4, 2-run 2B, BB #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Wichita) – 0-for-4, BB, K #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – Did not play (unspecified) #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play (wrist) #14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 1-for-3, 2 RBI #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (St.Paul) – 2-for-4, 2 R #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 1-for-4, 2 R, BB #20 - Bailey Ober (St. Paul) – 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

In a battle of the bullpens, Cleveland outlasted the Twins as César Hernández lined a two-run walk-off homer in the 10th. Box Score Kenta Maeda: 5 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, 6 K Home Runs: Miguel Sanó (8) Bottom 3 WPA: Miguel Sanó (-0.338), Alexander Colomé (-0.184), Josh Donaldson (-0.147) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs? The Twins faced more injury peril in the first inning of Saturday’s game. Luis Arraez was thrown out trying to steal second and immediately winced in pain. Arraez gripped his shoulder and walked off the field gingerly. Fortunately, Arraez stayed in the game and laced another single up the middle in the third. Franmil Reyes continued his recent dominance of Kenta Maeda with a two-run opposite field blast in the first, giving Cleveland an early 2-0 lead. Austin Hedges poked a Maeda slider into right in the second to score Cleveland’s third run and give Shane Bieber more breathing room. From that point on, Maeda found his splitter grip and rolled through three straight scoreless innings with four strikeouts. He was removed after five innings and just 73 pitches. Rob Refsnyder singled and scored on a Josh Donaldson sacrifice fly in the third. Miguel Sanó crushed a Bieber fastball to pull within one run in the fourth. Sanó has now homered six times in his last nine games. Bieber seemed to battle his command throughout the afternoon, frequently spiking curveballs and sailing fastballs a foot above the zone. The Twins started to break through in the sixth when Max Kepler roped a leadoff triple off the wall. Alex Kirilloff singled in Kepler two batters later and Bieber was removed from a 3-3 tie. The Twins loaded the bags against rookie reliever Nick Sandlin before Andrelton Simmons struck out on a full count. The next-best scoring chance for either team came in the bottom of the 9th when Hansel Robles loaded the bases with two outs and Hedges at the plate. Hedges worked a full count before popping out to Andrelton Simmons. The Twins continued their ineptitude in extra-innings and failed to score Luis Arraez from second base. Alexander Colomé gave up his second walk-off homer in the 10th. Cleveland’s bullpen, headlined by James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase, was absolutely dominant. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Rogers 27 0 22 0 9 58 Robles 17 0 14 0 27 58 Stashak 35 0 19 0 0 54 Duffey 5 0 25 0 13 43 Farrell 0 0 0 38 0 38 Colomé 19 15 0 0 2 36 Alcala 0 7 0 10 17 34 Thielbar 0 10 0 0 0 10 View full article

Just the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels found a way to win Sunday, but plenty of Twins minor leaguers played well across the system. TRANSACTIONS - RHP Chris Vallimont transferred to Low-A Fort Myers on minor league rehab SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 8, St.Paul 3 Box Score Randy Dobnak: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R/ER, 1 BB, 5 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Nick Gordon (2-for-3, BB, R) Randy Dobnak started Sunday afternoon’s game for the Saints after a walk-off win last night. Dobnak entered the game with a 5.40 ERA in two starts. Dobber pitched well Sunday, striking out five over five scoreless innings. Ryan Jeffers notched an RBI double in the first inning before a Damek Tomscha RBI single and a Keon Broxton sacrifice fly. Lewis Thorpe followed Dobnak with two scoreless innings of his own and Andrew Vasquez struck out the side in the eighth. The Saints held a 3-0 lead until the 9th inning when Ian Gibaut allowed three singles, a HBP, two walks, and two doubles. Iowa took a resounding 8-3 lead and stole the series finale. WIND SURGE WISDOM Amarillo 7, Wind Surge 4 Box Score Cole Sands: 4 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K HR: Miranda (4) Multi-hit games: José Miranda (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI), Gilberto Celestino (2-for-4, 2B) José Miranda has absolutely mashed out of the gate. He homered again Sunday in the third inning, increasing his OPS to 1.052 on the young season. Miranda now has four homers in just 50 plate appearances. Gilberto Celestino, who has struggled offensively thus far, recorded two hits in the loss. Celestino ranks 11th on Twins Daily’s top prospects list, primarily because of his stellar defense but also a developing right-handed swing. Wind Surge starter Cole Sands battled his command and issued five walks in what was undoubtedly his shakiest start of the season. Sands was drafted in the fifth round out of Florida State in 2018 and entered Sunday with a 2.90 ERA in 20 minor league starts. Ernie De La Trinidad pulled the Surge within one in the eighth before Miranda drove him in with an RBI single. Following the trend of the organization today, Wichita allowed two runs to score on a fielding error in the 9th inning. José Herrera followed that up with a single and Amarillo took a 7-4 lead & win. KERNELS NUGGETS Quad Cities 3, Cedar Rapids 2 Box Score Andrew Cabezas: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 K HR: Gabe Snyder (4) Multi-hit games: Wander Javier (2-for-4) RHP Andrew Cabezas was outstanding Sunday and now owns a 1.00 ERA and eight strikeouts over his first nine innings. His efforts weren’t enough to overcome an equally great start from Quad Cities’ Angel Zerpa. First baseman Gabe Snyder got the scoring going with a solo home run in the fourth inning. Snyder, a 26-year-old 21st round pick from 2018, is hitting .297/.409/.730 with four home runs on the season. Vinnie Pasquantino answered with a solo homer of his own to tie the game at one in the fifth. A half-inning later, Michael Helman drove in Snyder and gave the Kernels a 2-1 lead. Again, Pasquantino took it back, this time on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth. Kernels reliever Jon Olsen entered a 2-2 tie in the 8th and gave up back-to-back singles from Michael Massey and Pasquantino before chucking a wild pitch. Quad Cities went up 3-2 and didn’t look back. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 5, Clearwater 2 Box Score Chris Vallimont: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 K HR: Wander Valdez Multi-hit games: Misael Urbina (2-for-3, BB, RBI) Chris Vallimont, who came over from Miami in the 2019 trade for Sergio Romo, was reinstated and made his first start of the year Sunday. Vallimont pitched at both A-levels in 2019 and posted a 3.24 ERA with a 30% strikeout rate. Vallimont’s excellence was on full display as he struck out six over three scoreless innings. Louie Varland relieved and struck out seven over four scoreless innings of his own. Varland, a St.Paul native, has been fantastic this season, striking out 17 over 8 ⅔ innings with a 2.16 ERA. Misael Urbina went 2-for-3 with an RBI single and watched his OPS rise to .829. 3B Wander Valdez drove in three runs, including a two-run homer. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Andrew Cabezas 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) – Injured List (wrist) #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 3-for-5, 2 K #4 - Ryan Jeffers (St. Paul) – 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Injured List (back) #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – 0-for-3, BB, 2 K #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) –0-for-4, K #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – DNP #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – DNP #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Wichita) – 2-for-4, K #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – DNP #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, 3 K #14 - Misael Urbina (Ft. Myers) – 2-for-3, RBI, BB #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – 4 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – 1-for-1 #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, K #20 - Bailey Ober (St. Paul) – DNP View full article

The Twins brought the same tired effort to Chicago that had already swamped them versus much lesser teams. They were rightfully embarrassed and now sit 10 games behind the White Sox with a horrific 12-23 record. At some point it’s no longer a tough start. It’s no longer something that’s bound to turn around. This is a bad baseball team; one that entered the season with the expectation of a third straight division crown and (finally) postseason success. Much like Cleveland in 2019, these Twins have seemingly taken their competitors for granted. They look the part of a team that expected to sleepwalk through the regular season en route to their fourth playoff berth in five years. Instead, the White Sox, a club that is without two of its best players, just exposed and embarrassed the Twins on the South Side. What you saw in what was a massive series and opportunity for the Twins was the same story: losing baseball. The Twins have forgotten how to win on this treacherous 7-21 stretch. They are performing like it’s the playoffs, although in that case they’d be 0-28. The Twins’ front office opted to sign Andrelton Simmons ($10.5 million), Alexander Colomé ($6.25 million), and Matt Shoemaker ($2 million) for a combined $18.75 million. Those three have combined for exactly 0.0 Wins Above Replacement through 35 games. Shortstop Marcus Semien, whom the Twins were interested in all offseason but elected not to pay up for, is hitting .271/.333/.472 (125 wRC+) and has produced 1.3 fWAR. OK … I admit that’s a petty gripe and a premature one at best. Andrelton Simmons has been more league average than bad at the plate and leads American League shortstops with five Outs Above Average. Plus, the Twins’ offense finished off their series in Chicago with the sixth highest wRC+ in all of baseball (107). Only three offenses (White Sox, Astros, Dodgers) had produced more fWAR than the Twins after Thursday’s brutal loss. That doesn’t tell the whole story though. In situations that FanGraphs deems as “high leverage,” the Twins entered Thursday hitting a remarkably awful .140/.200/.243 (28 wRC+). In terms of OPS, the next worst team in high leverage spots is the Cubs, 128 points away. The difference between the Cubs and Twins is more than the difference between the Cubs and the 18th-ranked Mets (.683). The Twins’ bullpen has been a bottom five unit by almost every metric, ranking 26th in ERA (5.09), 27th in FIP (4.75) and T-27th in fWAR (-0.6). The rotation ranks 19th in ERA (4.31), 25th in FIP (4.50), and T-24th in fWAR (1.3). So what happened to the Twins? Well, they’re not hitting in the clutch (at all), the bullpen stinks and the rotation ranks near the bottom of the league in most categories. Add in the horrific 0-11 record in extra-innings games and doubleheaders and It’s not hard to see why we’ve been so awful. Now there’s the 10 game deficit and a tough 11 game stretch: vs. Oakland (3), vs. White Sox (3), @ Angels (DH), @ Cleveland (3). It’s been all bad. Can they just change that to “all mediocre” for a while? 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

There were six different games played in the system Sunday. We got a walk-off win, a few strong starts, and much more. Let’s get you caught up. SPLITZKY FOR ST.PAUL GAME ONE: Saints 8, Storm Chasers 2 Game one Box Score HR: Roberto Peña (1) Multi-hit games: Ryan Jeffers (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Peña (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI) GAME TWO/7: Saints 1, Storm Chasers 6 Game two Box Score HR: None Multi-hit games: Brent Rooker (2-for-3, RBI) The St.Paul Saints resumed play after Saturday night’s game was suspended in the 5th inning. The Saints had an 8-1 lead over the Omaha Storm Chasers heading into Sunday. They would surrender just one more run by way of a bases-loaded walk induced by Robinson Leyer. Shaun Anderson and Luke Farrell, two right-handed relief additions from this offseason, combined to throw four scoreless innings with six strikeouts and just two hits allowed. Bailey Ober started Saturday and allowed one run on three hits and two walks. Ober, who owns a 2.38 ERA and a 32% strikeout rate in over 180 minor league innings, struck out three in his outing. Ryan Jeffers went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Roberto Peña launched a two-run homer in the second inning as the Saints recorded eight hits and 10 walks in the winning effort. Game two wasn’t as breezy. Ian Gibaut started and allowed two runs on two hits and a walk. Andrew Albers relieved for Gibaut and allowed two more runs on eight hits. Brent Rooker had two hits while Rob Refsnyder stayed hot with a double. Rooker also made a great catch in left field. Albers was forced to bat for the Saints after their DH, Drew Maggi, left the game with an injury. Keon Broxton was moved to second base for the first time in his career and Tomás Telis moved to third for just the sixth time in 1,100 pro games. WIND SURGE WHISTLE PAST CARDINALS FINAL: Wind Surge 3, Cardinals 2 Box Score Josh Winder: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Aaron Whitefield (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI), Jermaine Palacios (2-for-4) Josh Winder made headlines this winter after Keith Law reported that he touched 97 MPH with his fastball in instructs. Winder was strong in his debut Tuesday, allowing zero runs and striking out six in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out another five in his start Sunday while allowing two runs on six hits and two walks. Winder’s ERA rose to 1.86. José Miranda doubled in the first, furthering his outstanding start to the season. The Surge had trouble driving in runs and left a staggering 17 men on base before Aaron Whitefield blasted a two-run homer to take the lead in the seventh. The Wind Surge bullpen was fantastic in holding the 3-2 lead, a trend we haven't seen in Minnesota this year. Alex Phillips and Josh Mitchell combined for four scoreless innings. KERNELS MAKE HAY OVER PEORIA IN DOUBLE HEADER GAME ONE/7: Kernels 3, Chiefs 0 Box Score Matt Canterino: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 R/ER, 6 K, 41 of 63 pitches for strikes (65%) HR: None Multi-hit games: None GAME TWO/7: Kernels 3, Chiefs 2 Box Score Jon Olsen: 4 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 R/ER, 5 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Matt Wallner (2-for-4, RBI) Canterino turned heads this offseason after ticking his fastball to the upper 90s. Twins Daily ranked him as the No. 9 prospect in a deep system, noting the velocity increase as a main factor. His first start of 2021 went well. Canterino worked around a couple hits and walks, ultimately flashing his plus-stuff with six strikeouts in three innings. Canterino was known at Rice University as a command-first starter, hence why there’s excitement that his stuff has greatly improved with it. Speaking of Rice, Canterino was pushed hard there and the Twins have been conservative with his usage. The right-hander threw just 63 pitches Sunday. Two-way pitcher and shortstop Jordan Gore struck out three in two innings of work. Left-hander Kody Funderburk recorded the save. Funderburk has struck out six in five innings of scoreless work this season. Shortstop Wander Javier drove in a run with a double in game one and picked up another hit in game two. His OPS is approaching the .700 mark. Matt Wallner continued his excellent start in game two by driving in a run to put the Kernels up 1-0 in the first. The former Forest Lake star is hitting .381 with a 1.271 OPS. The Chiefs quickly responded and tied the game at one in the bottom half. Olsen, making his first career minor league start, allowed just one run in four innings. With the game knotted at two in an extra eighth inning, Yeltsin Encarnacion singled to left to drive in the walk-off run. The Kernels won five of their six games over the Chiefs this week. MIGHTY MUSSELS STEAMED BY MARAUDERS FINAL: Mighty Mussels 9, Marauders 18 Box Score Sawyer Gipson-Long: 0.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R/ER, K HR: Yunior Severino (1), Jeferson Morales (1) Multi-hit games: Severino (3-for-5, HR, 2B, 5 RBI), Anthony Prato (2-for-2, R) This game was over before it really started for Fort Myers. The Mussels went down 9-0 in the first inning and 17-1 through the fifth. Gipson-Long recorded one out in a tough outing. The Mussels bullpen combined to allow 10 runs in relief. On a brighter note, the Mussels battled back and outscored the Marauders 7-0 in the final three innings, thanks to a six run seventh inning. Severino blasted a three-run homer and drove in five runs on the day. 2020 first-round pick Aaron Sabato walked twice and tacked on a hit. 2019 first-round pick Keoni Cavaco was replaced by Anthony Prato in the fifth after going 0-for-3. Cavaco is still hitting .304 with a .407 on-base percentage on the year. Infielder Daniel Ozoria pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings for the Mussels in a valiant effort. The Mussels split the six-game series with the Brandenton. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – INF Daniel Ozoria Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Yunior Severino PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – Injured List (wrist) #2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL) #3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – DNP #4 - Ryan Jeffers (St. Paul) – 2-5, 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBI #5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – DNP #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Injured List (back) #7 - Keoni Cavaco (Ft. Myers) – 0-3, K #8 - Aaron Sabato (Ft. Myers) – 1-3, RBI, 2 BB #9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – 3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 R/ER, 6 K #10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – DNP #11 - Gilberto Celestino (Wichita) – 0-4, K #12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 2-5, RBI, 3 BB #13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-6, RBI, BB, 4 K #14 - Misael Urbina (Complex) – N/A #15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – DNP #16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow) #17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Off-Day #18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A #19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 1-4, 2B #20 - Bailey Ober (St. Paul) – 3 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 1 R/ER, 3 K THERE ARE NO MINOR LEAGUE GAMES ON MONDAY. View full article

The 2021 Twins are 11-19 and hopes for a turnaround are waning every day. The 1963 Twins were looking at a similar fate ... until they weren’t. Just 59 short years ago, the 1962 Twins went 91-71 in their second season in Minnesota. Harmon Killebrew blasted 48 home runs and Jim Kaat and Camilo Pascual combined for a 3.23 ERA in over 520 innings. Bob Allison had a career year, hitting .266/.370/.511 with an OPS that was 31% above MLB average. Only one team in the AL (guess who) scored more runs per game than the Twins (4.9). Back in those days, the second best record out of 10 American League teams kept you out of the postseason. The Yankees represented the AL in the World Series with 96 wins, a prolific offense, and the MVP, a 30-year-old Mickey Mantle. The Yankees went on to beat the Giants in the Fall Classic in seven games. Hope was not lost in Minnesota. The Twins were here, winning 21 more games than they did in the inaugural 1961 season. Allison, Killebrew, Pascual and Kaat returned, along with Earl Battey, Rich Rollins and a promising rookie outfielder, Jimmie Hall. Expectations were undoubtedly high after a breakout 1962 season. The outstanding '62 offense looked like a shell early in 1963. Killebrew was hampered by a knee injury and played in just 12 of the team’s first 30 games. He was hitting .133 with a .462 OPS when the Twins fell to 11-20 on May 15. After an All-Star campaign in 1962, Rollins was nowhere to be found. He hit just .217/.270/.304 over the team’s first 31 games. Hall was even worse with an average well below the Mendoza Line (.176). Battey’s average dropped from .280 to .230 as a heap of formerly impact hitters showed little signs of life. The Twins were in dead last in the American League standings and hitting .214/.280/.325 as a team. From May 1 until the 15, the Twins lost 10 of their 12 games. To this day, only five of 61 teams in Twins history have lost more than the ‘63 Twins through that point in the season. 1963 was shaping up to be a massive step back … until it wasn’t. After a 4-3 loss to the Yankees in the Bronx dropped the Twins nine games below .500 in mid-May, they ripped off 12 wins over their final 14 games of the month, outscoring their opponents 89-42. Killebrew bounced back from a treacherous start to hit .321 with a 1.147 OPS and 21 extra-base hits in June. Allison posted a 1.013 OPS while Battey slugged .505. Pascual made four starts totaling 24 innings and allowed just two runs (0.75 ERA). Hall hit .322/.410/.632 with six doubles, five homers and three triples. The offense averaged over five runs per game after averaging barely over four during their first 45 games. Killebrew went on to hit 45 homers, Allison 35, Hall 33 and Battey 26. Rollins finished the season with an excellent .307/.359/.444 slash line. Hall was the Rookie of the Year and had a freshman season topped in Twins history by only Tony Oliva one year later. The Twins finished with the best offense (4.8 runs per game) and the third best record in the AL (91-70). It was a turnaround that, just by looking at the numbers, seemed out of reach. Let’s hope for similar magic in 2021. 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 Twins made a flurry of moves Thursday in preparation for this weekend’s series with the Royals. Let’s break them down.RYAN JEFFERS OPTIONED TO ST.PAUL The Twins entered 2021 with perhaps the best catching duo in baseball. Jeffers was coming off a strong, albeit abbreviated, 2020 season. He hit .273/.355/.436 with three homers in 26 games. Jeffers is an excellent pitch framer and provides immense value behind the plate. Even then, his ineptitude at the dish in April has resulted in a net negative. Jeffers is 5-for-34 (.147) with 18 strikeouts and only three walks. He’s looked overmatched, frequently swinging through fastballs and failing to make consistent contact. Jeffers’ future remains bright, but he’ll need to tune up his bat in St.Paul. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? The Twins obviously have a ton of faith in Jeffers and rightly so. He’s hit .296/.383/.453 with 33 doubles and 21 homers in 167 minor-league games. He was a bat-first player in college and has now adapted into one of the best pitch framers in the game. He’s part of the long-term future at catcher. Mitch Garver will seemingly get an increased workload for the time being. Garver is having his own problems offensively but blasted two homers in a 10-2 win over Cleveland Wednesday. At least for now, Willians Astudillo is the only other catcher on the 26-man roster. Keep an eye on the left-handed defensive stalwart Ben Rortvedt, as he could get the call. Tomás Telis, a career .297/.335/.408 in 12 minor-league seasons, makes some sense as a switch-hitting option too. UPDATE: Ben Rortvedt has been recalled and will be making his major-league debut tonight (Friday) against the Royals. He is batting ninth and catching. MAX KEPLER, KYLE GARLICK RE-INSTATED FROM COVID-19 IL It’s great to see Kepler and Garlick activated after a long week-plus on the COVID list. Kepler’s defense is greatly missed in the outfield, and the Twins can always use another lefty-masher like Garlick. Kepler was hitting just .234/.315/.362 before the positive test but the Twins current desperation for left-handed competency makes this a huge reinstatement. Garlick is 5-for-15 (.333) with a double against left-handed pitching so far this season. He’s done his job in a very specific role: crush southpaws. Expect Garlick to re-enter the lineup Saturday when LHP Danny Duffy takes the mound for Kansas City. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Well, it should mean less Jake Cave. Although he’s played better baseball lately, Cave is 12-for-66 (.182) in 73 plate appearances. Cave has the fourth most at-bats on the team and has struck out more than anyone (28). The outfield against righties should consist of Luis Arraez, Byron Buxton and Kepler, with Alex Kirilloff likely to man first base until Miguel Sanó returns. That’s much more stable than some of the groups the Twins have sent out over the past week. BRENT ROOKER OPTIONED TO ST.PAUL Rooker was thrust into a more regular role without Kepler and Garlick and responded by going 2-for-18 (.111) with seven strikeouts. He did blast a homer off Zach Plesac, showing off the power that lies within the former Mississippi State star. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Rooker will continue to get opportunities as one of the lone right-handed outfield options on the 40-man roster. The Twins have chosen the more-seasoned Garlick numerous times in the early going, though, and Rooker will have to produce more consistently when he gets his next call. He should hit in the middle of the Saints lineup once their season gets underway next week. TZU-WEI LIN, JT RIDDLE DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT The Twins were stretched to the brink in the middle infield after Riddle and Simmons went to the COVID list. Lin was called up and didn’t register an at-bat, subbing in defensively in the 5-3 walk-off loss to Cleveland Monday. Nick Gordon also got the call but didn’t make an appearance WHAT DOES IT MEAN? The Twins are banking on Lin and Riddle passing through waivers so they can be optioned to St.Paul. With only Simmons and Polanco capable of playing short, these two will be needed again at some point over this six-month campaign. The Saints likely got deeper today, which should result in some nice May wins for the new Triple-A club. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Twins entered this season with a roster built on depth, one that they hoped would help sustain success when things went sideways. Well, things have gone sideways and that depth is absent.The Twins bullied their way to 101 wins behind an MLB-record 307 home runs in 2019. To hit 307 blasts, one would think you need multiple 40-homer contributors. The Twins had just one. Nelson Cruz was tied for seventh in baseball with 41, and Max Kepler was the next closest with 36 (T-18th in MLB). As great as Cruz was, the 2019 Twins succeeded equally because of lineup depth. They had an MLB-record *eight* players hit 20 or more home runs. Famously, the Twins had a staggering *five* players hit more than 30. The Twins led baseball with *nine* players posting an average or better OPS in at least 300 plate appearances. When Luis Arraez burst onto the scene, Jonathan Schoop assumed a bench role and helped the Twins mash lefties (.917 OPS) all year. Marwin González posted a respectable .736 OPS (95 OPS+) and hit 15 homers of his own. Ehire Adrianza had a career year off the bench, hitting .272/.349/.416 with 16 extra-base hits in 202 at-bats. Mitch Garver, Jason Castro and Willians Astudillo set the record for the most home runs by a team's catching group in baseball history (44). The Twins had 15 pitchers throw at least 20 innings with an ERA at or below league average. Only the Rays had more (16). The baseball world took notice of the Twins and their propensity to build around depth. After signing Josh Donaldson, no team had a deeper lineup according to Steamer projections. The Twins finished an otherwise disappointing offensive campaign with eight players posting at least a league average OPS in 40 or more plate appearances. That tied them with the White Sox and Athletics for fourth most in the American League. The pitching staff was the deepest in baseball. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have made it clear: they see the season as a war of attrition. Part of their philosophy is of course due to personnel. Byron Buxton and Josh Donaldson, the two best all-around players on the team, require more injury insurance than most star players. Signing Andrelton Simmons was a calculated depth move. It allowed the Twins to push Luis Arraez into the Marwin role, one Arraez is way too qualified for. That’s the point, though. They prioritize placing overqualified players into reduced roles. That creates a depth advantage over 162 games. So far in 2021, the depth hasn't produced a lick. Jake Cave, a previously valuable fourth outfielder, is 6-for-49 (.122). Ryan Jeffers is 5-for-28 (.179) with 14 strikeouts. Brent Rooker is 2-for-21 (.095) with 11 strikeouts and one walk. Alex Colomé, part of a seemingly deep bullpen, has struggled, to say the least. Matt Shoemaker and J.A. Happ have combined for a 5.09 ERA in 23 innings. Not only is the depth not contributing, the group is massively hurting the team as they work through injuries and roster adversity. It’s true that the season is long. It’s true that depth has a way of showing up later in the summer, when teams are really fighting for innings and quality bats. That will be especially true after the shortened 2020 season. It’s still possible, if not likely that the Twins will end up getting production from the fringes of the roster, but they’ll continue to struggle mightily if they don’t. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

You are evil for this opinion

What season-long questions have emerged from the American League Central after two weeks of games?1. Is Cleveland’s offense really this bad? Cleveland is hitting .198/.275/.369 (78 wRC+) over their first 12 games. José Ramírez has been exactly average with a 100 wRC+ while Eddie Rosario (113) and Franmil Reyes (122) are carrying the weight. Cleveland ranks dead last in the American League in OBP (.275) and fWAR (0.2). The first three spots in their batting order rank last in MLB in wRC+ (72). It’s unlikely a lineup with Ramírez, Rosario and Reyes will be this bad, but they clearly lack depth. 2. Will Shane Bieber win back-to-back Cy Young awards? Despite their offensive struggles, Cleveland still has a 7-5 record, thanks in no small part to one of the best pitchers in the world. Bieber dismantled the White Sox Tuesday en route to a nine inning, 11-strikeout gem. The 25-year-old right-hander owns a 2.11 ERA and 42% strikeout rate after three starts. His command is immaculate, his aura is mesmerizing and his arm is special. Bieber will be a tough matchup all year. 3. Are the White Sox a pitching team now? The White Sox took a major blow when they lost Eloy Jiménez (torn pectoral) before Opening Day. Jiménez was projected by ZiPS to lead the team in OPS and home runs. The offense has a respectable 105 wRC+ thus far, slightly above league average. The pitching staff has been fantastic. Chicago ranks first in MLB in fWAR (2.9) and FIP (2.92). This team could threaten in an unexpected way: by shutting you down. 4. Could Detroit be more than just a pushover? The A.J. Hinch-led Tigers are showing some fight early. Top pitching prospect Casey Mize put together a tremendous start this week, assisting the Tigers in a sweep of the Astros in Houston. Akil Baddoo is slugging .839 and the team is enjoying strong starts from Jeimer Candelario (145 wRC+) and Wilson Ramos (180). They could be pesky, based on early returns. 5. Will the Twins ever be healthy? One of the main weaknesses of the Twins’ roster is the abundance of players with long injury histories. Byron Buxton, Josh Donaldson, Luis Arraez, and Nelson Cruz have all had varying aliments through the first two weeks of the season. Will this lineup ever be full strength for a prolonged period? What are the implications if the answer is no? 6. Are the Royals back? Kansas City was a popular pick to break out this year and for decent reason. The lineup is headlined by Salvador Pérez, Whit Merrifield, and Jorge Soler. The rotation has had some positive early returns, as Brady Singer is humming upper-90s heat and Jakob Junis has been pristine. Questions remain about depth and the bullpen, but this team hasn’t disappointed the believers thus far. 7. Could Byron Buxton make an MVP case? Buxton entered play Friday leading the AL in fWAR (1.2) despite missing the last three games (tight hamstring). Buxton’s immense talent has been on full display and it’s hard not to see him as one of the most prolific power hitters in baseball at the moment. He’s slugging .575 since 2019 and looks more comfortable than ever at the plate. Refer to question five if wondering what could hold him back. 8. Was 2019 an outlier for Yoán Moncada? The White Sox third baseman was great two seasons ago, slashing .315/.367/.548 with 25 homers and 34 doubles in 132 games. Even with that fantastic season, Moncada’s career OPS sits at .777, 10% above league average. He’s hitting .219 with a .680 OPS over his last 285 plate appearances. His real identity is key to how high the Sox fly in 2021 and beyond. 9. Which bullpen reigns supreme in the division? The AL Central is loaded with great relievers. Josh Staumont throws 102 mph in Kansas City, Michael Kopech isn’t far behind in Chicago and Emmanuel Clase and James Karinchak in Cleveland may be the best relief duo in the league. There have been a few explosions here and there, but this is a special crop of bullpens. 10. How many teams will be in the hunt? And for how long? Many view the AL Central as a two-horse race between Chicago and Minnesota, but what if it’s really a three-team race? Or four for a while? It’ll be interesting to see how Kansas City and Cleveland match up and which club emerges. There’s no shortage of intrigue in what was once an incredibly boring division. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Miguel Sanó has shown over the last two seasons that his starts are far from a foreshadow.The date was June 28, 2019. Miguel Sanó was in the middle of one of his vintage slumps. He’d hit just .147 with a .544 OPS and 35 strikeouts over his last 74 plate appearances. The stretch was illuminated by a horrendous extra-innings loss to Tampa Bay, a game in which Sanó went 0-for-7. I’m sure Twins Twitter™ was ablaze with calls to release the slugging third baseman. Sanó is certainly one of the more divisive players in Twins history. Warranted questions about his integrity, character and work ethic have loomed since his debut in 2015. The former top prospect’s rise has been anything but linear. After a largely forgettable 2018 season, Sanó’s future in Minnesota was murky at best. He was struggling, already joining the starting nine late due to a fluke foot injury during the offseason. One day after that 0-for-7 debacle, Sanó smacked two homers and walked in a 6-4 loss to the White Sox in Chicago. He never looked back. Sanó posted a 156 wRC+ from June 28 on, good for eighth in the American League. He blasted 25 home runs, third to only Nelson Cruz (28) and Jorge Soler (27). Sanó walked in 13.4% of his plate appearances, also top ten in the A.L. His .994 OPS outpaced George Springer (.931) and Aaron Judge (.927). Sanó’s incredible finish earned him a contract extension from the Twins that offseason, giving them the option to keep him through 2023. For a streaky, three-true-outcomes slugger like Sanó, a 60-game shortened season can result in one of a few scenarios. He could continue his surge from 2019 and bash all year or he could continue his trend of slow starts, which hurts much more in a limited season. Sanó tested positive for COVID-19 before Opening Day, setting back his schedule and contributing to that oh-so-similar putrid start. Sanó hit just .148/.246/.393 over his first 19 games. The process, though, was encouraging. Nelson was right. Sanó hit .277/.346/.628 (.974 OPS) with eight homers and nine doubles over his next 26 games. Him and Nelson Cruz carried what was an otherwise ice cold offense. Sanó’s struggles in his final eight games (.097/.125/.319) was such a large part of the sample that it skewed his numbers. For the most part, he was productive in the bizarre 2020 season. So far in this (very early) year, Sanó’s numbers look a lot like they did at the beginning of the last two years. The process, though, is what we need to analyze. He’s chasing balls less than ever, contributing to a 14.8% walk rate, his highest since 2015. He’s seeing the ball well but isn’t making consistent contact. Sanó is primed to mash as soon as his timing clicks. We should be used to the slow starts, however discouraging they look to be. In my humble opinion, the past has shown us that Sanó is setting himself up to produce in a big way again this summer. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Your favorite writers predict the fate of the American League in 2021.AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST Houston Astros - 11 (48%) Oakland Athletics - 6 (26%) Los Angeles Angels - 6 (26%) Houston enters this year with the same talented core minus a few key parts. The infield is still as solid as any in the American League with Alex Bregman, José Altuve, Carlos Correa and Yuli Gurriel. 2019 A.L. Rookie of the Year Yordan Álvarez is returning after double knee surgery and could provide another great left-handed bat with 2020-breakout Kyle Tucker. Jake Odorizzi, Zack Greinke, Lance McCullers Jr. and José Urquidy make up a solidly above-average rotation. The Athletics lost so many key pieces this offseason that it’s hard to see how they’d compete. That’s the magic of Billy Beane. The A’s still have an awesome corner infield duo in Matt Chapman and Matt Olson, and Ramon Laureano is underrated in centerfield. Jesús Luzardo is an electric young lefty and Chris Bassitt has a 3.35 ERA over his last 207 innings. Six staffers seemingly drooled over the upside of the Angels, a team with two of the top four or five players in the league. Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon can’t pitch. There is one bopper on this team who can: Shohei Ohtani. The two-way phenom has a chance to bolster a (perhaps average?) rotation with Dylan Bundy. Staffers overwhelmingly see the West as the largest toss-up in the AL. AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST New York Yankees - 21 (91%) Tampa Bay Rays - 2 (9%) The Yankees got creative in making up for the losses of Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, and J.A. Happ. They added Corey Kluber on a one-year, $11 million deal and traded for Jameson Taillon. Neither has pitched more than an inning since 2019. Gerrit Cole hopes to be joined by Luis Severino soon, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. There is quite a bit of volatility in this rotation. Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu make up the best right-handed quartet in baseball. A rebound from Gary Sánchez would make up for the inevitable IL stints for Stanton and/or Judge. It’s not often the defending AL Champion is as disrespected as the Rays. Don’t blame the staffers, though. The Rays traded Blake Snell and lost Charlie Morton to free agency while adding very little to help the 2021 club. There's a method to the madness in Tampa. Don't sleep. The Blue Jays failing to receive a single vote is interesting. George Springer and Marcus Semien are high-quality additions to a core with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio. The staff is far too thin, though, with Hyun-Jin Ryu as the only projected starter to post an ERA under 4.00 in 2021, per ZiPS. AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL Minnesota Twins - 21 (91%) Chicago White Sox - 2 (9%) The impact of losing Eloy Jiménez for 5-6 months (torn pectoral) is massive for the White Sox. The 24-year-old Silver Slugger winner was projected by ZiPS to lead the team in home runs (34) and OPS+ (132). That’s quite the blow for a team with more high-end talent than depth. The Jiménez injury shouldn’t completely diminish Chicago’s hopes, however. Talent still oozes from this roster. Yoán Moncada struggled through COVID-related symptoms in the shortened season after a monstrous 2019. José Abreu was the 2020 A.L. MVP. Luis Robert finished second for A.L. Rookie of the Year. The top three in the rotation (Giolito, Keuchel, Lynn) is among the best in the league. All is not lost on the South Side. Healthy seasons from Byron Buxton and Josh Donaldson with steps forward from José Berríos and Miguel Sanó would put the Twins in winning position. The Sox now have little margin for error or injuries. Twins Daily staffers predictably see the Twins as the team to beat. THE WILD CARDS White Sox (90%), Blue Jays (35%), Rays (35%), Astros (17%), Twins (9%), A’s (9%), Angels (4%), Mariners (4%), Yankees (4%) Staffers see the A.L. Central as a case of the haves and the have nots. Despite offseason hype, not one chose the Royals as a playoff team. Most have both the Twins and White Sox in the playoffs, further showing how exciting this race should be. The Mariners have some fun young talent and one staffer thinks they’ll sneak into the postseason. All 23 staffers think the Twins will qualify for October. THE A.L. CHAMPIONS New York Yankees - 11 (48%) Minnesota Twins - 6 (26%) Chicago White Sox - 3 (13%) Tampa Bay Rays - 2 (9%) Los Angeles Angels - 1 (4%) The Yankees haven’t hung the pennant since winning the World Series in 2009. That’s a long, long time for a fanbase that expects constant postseason success. The heat is on in 2021 after a game seven ALDS loss to the baby-payroll Rays in 2020. The Twins haven’t won a playoff game since 2004 but hope springs eternal. Six staffers think they’ll win at least seven playoff games, advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1991. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Jorge Polanco, after his second ankle surgery in as many offseasons, is finally healthy and ready to do damage with the 2021 season approaching.Rocco Baldelli spoke with relief and optimism Monday regarding Polanco’s status. “It’s fantastic to see him be able to take the field on a regular basis and not be hampered with things,” he said, “man it’s great to see him out there.” Polanco struggled mightily to plant his right foot during the shortened 2020 season. His left-handed swing was noticeably weak and baseless. He hit just .227/.287/.318 as a lefty in 169 plate appearances. The right-handed heavy Twins lineup is in need of a boost from another lefty. Polanco’s 121 wRC+ versus righties from 2017 to 2019 ranked in the top-20 among American League players with at least 1,000 plate appearances. He tied for sixth among lefties. “We really saw it [the ankle issue] in his left-handed swing,” Baldelli said of Polanco’s injury-related plummet in 2020. Baldelli said Polanco’s health is a big part of why things are going so well for him this spring. The 27-year-old is hitting .310/.429/.448 (.877 OPS) with a home run and a double in 35 plate appearances. The process matches the results. Polanco looks strong, especially from the left side. His spring swing looks grounded and forceful, as it did in 2019. ZiPS projects Polanco to slash .279/.333/.440 this year. That’s a valuable line for a second baseman, a position that’s produced just a .720 OPS since 2018. That’s well below the .752 OPS provided by shortstops. ZiPS thinks Polanco will be 15% better offensively than second basemen of the last three seasons. If Polanco was still at short, he’d project as only 8% better. Polanco has made some dazzling plays at second base so far this spring, instilling confidence that he’ll adjust well to his “new” position. Polanco hit third for the Twins last Opening Day, splitting up Josh Donaldson and Nelson Cruz in an explosive lineup. The offense didn’t play out that way and Polanco started to see his name slip down the order. This spring, he’s primarily hitting cleanup when playing alongside the regulars. He primarily hit second for the record-setting Twins in 2019, a catalyst and the team’s leader in bWAR (4.8). “Polo is a really good player,” Baldelli said, “he does so many different things to help you win a ballgame but a lot of those things were taken away from him at different points.” Finally healthy, Polanco is poised for a resurgent 2021. More from Twins Daily Twins 2021 Position Analysis: Relief Pitcher Ranking the Twins Top-5 Slider Prospects José Berríos is On Top of Things Click here to view the article