Sherry Cerny

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Zebby Matthews - 6 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (84 pitches, 55 strikes (65%)) Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Justin Topa (-0.641), James Outman (-0.163), Luke Keaschall (-0.145) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Zebby Matthews pitched last against San Diego, and had probably one of his best outings of the season. Matthews was locked in early against the White Sox, setting them down 1-2-3. On the other side, the bats for the Twins have been swinging back into form, with 25 runs in the last five games. Alas, in this series in particular, the White Sox had already twice found ways to make that not matter. The team's best hope was to split the four-game series. Trevor Larnach created momentum in the first inning with a single to center field and waited patiently for his turn to go. With a 3-2 count on Luke Keaschall, he was off with the pitch, and a Keaschall double that reached the left-field wall scored him easily from first. Matt Wallner then singled to right, and Keaschall scampered home when the ball was misplayed by a charging Brooks Baldwin. The White Sox answered with a second-inning solo homer by Edgar Quero, but Matthews then put it in cruise control. The score held at 2-1 until the sixth, despite a leadoff triple by Byron Buxton in the fifth. He was cut down on a Keaschall dribbler to the pitcher, trying to score. Matt Wallner stranded Keaschall at first by popping out. He was heard later in the game on the hot field mic, saying, "I'm not that good right now" to the umpire—before taking a swing at a ball he thought was low and in the zone, but was a strike that sent him packing. Matthews departed after six frames, having allowed just the one run and needing only 84 pitches. Before any reliever could even toe the rubber, the offense gave their starter a bit more run support. Ryan Jeffers collected his third hit of the night. Brooks Lee moved him into scoring position on a groundout, to set up Royce Lewis. Lewis, in turn, notched a third hit of his own, scoring Jeffers to bump the lead to 3-1. Lewis also stole two bases, and continues a recent surge in all facets of the game. Cole Sands came on in the seventh, and knocked out the White Sox hitters in fast and accurate fashion. Sands has been throwing harder lately, and is turning around his season in its final several weeks. He mowed down Chicago to the tune of two innings, no baserunners and four strikeouts. Kody Funderburk got the nod to start the ninth inning, looking to secure the game against a left-leaning pocket of the White Sox lineup. Funderburk got Colson Montgomery to start his outing, but put the tying run on base by yielding a single to Quero. He battled with Benintendi at the plate, working up a full count, but he ultimately walked him. The Twins moved on to Justin Topa, who has a great ground-ball rate. Although the tying run was aboard, a double play would get the Twins out of the inning and secure the win. But two outs can be awfully hard to find, sometimes. Topa fanned Curtis Mead, but a broken-bat flare over the head of Keaschall off the bat of Baldwin brought home pinch-runner Korey Lee to halve the lead. Maki came out to calm down Topa, and whatever he said, Topa got Michael A. Taylor to chase the first two pitches, both sweepers. Ahead 0-2, though, he kept trying that sweeper out of the zone. Taylor watched two go by, during which time Baldwin stole second to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Topa's fifth straight sweeper hung on the inner half of the plate, and Taylor crushed it—down the line and hooking, but fair, scoring Benintendi and Baldwin for the White Sox lead 4-3. The Twins had one more chance to make a go at the win, with Buxton up first. He cracked a double to left, and Larnach followed with a hard-won walk. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. came in to pinch-run for Larnach, and just like that, the Twins had great speed on the bases representing both the tying and the winning runs. Keaschall, though, hit a routine fly to Benintendi for the first out, and Outman sliced an equally harmless ball to the same man. Jeffers stood in as the last chance, but instead of heroics, he could produce only a routine ground ball for the final out of the game. The Twins have lost the season series to the White Sox for the first time since 2021. What’s Next? The Twins finish out the series with the White Sox before heading to the Kansas City Royals. Taj Bradley (6-7; 4.83 ERA) will be taking the mound against Shane Smith (4-7; 3.81 ERA) at 6:40 PM CST, Thursday. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Mick Abel 3IP, 7H, 6ER, 2BB, 2K (63 pitches, 42 strikes (65%)) Home Runs: Kody Clemens (14), Matt Wallner (17), Royce Lewis(8) Bottom 3 WPA: Mick Abel (-.413); Byron Buxton (-.074); Matt Wallner (-.063) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Mick Abel made his Twins debut on Saturday in Chicago, just weeks after being acquired from the Phillies in the Jhoan Duran deal at the deadline. The 2020 first-round draft pick has spent most of his 2025 season in the minor leagues. He made six starts for Philadelphia with his MLB debut on May 18th. The Twins started the game with a walk from Trevor Larnach and single from Luke Keaschall, before Matt Wallner hit into a double play to end the inning. Abel’s first inning with the Twins began with a routine pop-out, but the sun was wreaking havoc on any ball hit in the air in the outfield. Miguel Vargas hit a sun double. Colson Montgomery followed by hitting the ball back at Abel, hitting him in the thigh, and got another single. However, Abel responded well, by recording a double play which ended the inning. Abel only threw 11 pitches, avoided injury (thank goodness!) and kept the White Sox off the board. In the top of the second inning, a two-out solo home run by the-one-and-only Kody Clemens put the Twins on the board first. Abel’s second inning was a struggle. He got his second strike-out of the game but allowed three singles, the third was a Chase Meidroth single to center which drove in Andrew Benintendi and evened up the score 1-1. Runners were still on the corners with two outs after former Minnesota Twins outfielder Michael A. Taylor struck out. Abel got ahead of Kyle Teel walked him on seven pitches to load the bases. Abel’s biggest struggle was getting behind in the count, struggling to find the strike zone and racking up his pitch count with foul balls and walks. The second walk from Abel gave the White Sox the lead 2-1. Star rookie Colson Montgomery came up and launched a grand slam which pushed the lead 6-1. Davis Martin had the Twins hitters on the ropes the second inning, a three-up, three-down inning, got the defense back out and Abel joined them. Perhaps a redemption inning. Abel gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the third frame, but it led to no runs. Abel seemed to come out that inning with a little more command, and a lot more control. He got out of the game after a "confidence inning" and a handshake with manager Rocco Baldelli. Matt Wallner knocked a solo home run in the top of the fourth, to make it 6-2. Thomas Hatch came out to the mound to replace Abel and was again very good. He began by tossing four shutout innings and needed just over 30 pitches to do that. He tired in the ninth and gave up a solo homer to Luis Robert, but that was the only run he allowed. He gave up just three hits, walked none and had five strikeouts. Most important, he allowed the Twins to get through the game with just two pitchers. With uncertainty (and youth and injury concerns, etc.) throughout the pitching staff, innings eaten are quite valuable. It was Hatch's second consecutive "team-saving" outing. The Twins put a little pressure on Martin top of the fifth. A leadoff single from Clemens got things started. Clemens took an aggressive lead on first, making Martin attempt to pick him off and divide his focus, resulting in hitting Outman with a pitch. Two runners on base, but nothing to show for it. The White Sox brought in lefty Tyler Alexander into the game for the top of the sixth. He tossed a scoreless inning. Then with one out in the top of the seventh, he gave up a solo home run to Royce Lewis to cut the team's deficit to 6-3. What are your thoughts on Thomas Hatch? He has had a couple of solid outings of late. Who do you think have been the best waiver claims by the Twins in 2025? The Twins couldn't come back in the last inning, falling 7-3, but have a chance to claim the series with a win on Sunday. What’s Next? The Twins finish out the series with the White Sox before heading into Canada to take on the Blue Jays. The Twins will avoid Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, and Shane Bieber, but they will face Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt, and Eric Lauer Monday through Wednesday. But first, the Twins will finish out this series with the White Sox on the south side of Chicago. The Twins will try to figure out Yoendrys Gomez starting at noon central time on Sunday, The Twins haven't announced their Sunday starter yet, at least not officially. However, we know that Taj Bradley and Simeon Woods Richardson are with the Twins in Chicago. We could see one or both of them. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Bailey Ober - 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (82 pitches, 53 strikes (65%)) Home Runs: no one Bottom 3 WPA: Royce Lewis (-.254), Byron Buxton (-.210), Génesis Cabrera (-.190) Win Probability Chart (per FanGraphs) Bailey Ober made his fourth start since returning from the hip injury that sidelined him this summer. His velocity remains a concern—strong in his first two outings, but leveling off in his most recent. The team has also dropped his last three starts, with Ober responsible for all but one of the runs surrendered in those appearances. Tonight was one of his better appearances, despite the dearth of velocity. Ober's back was tight in pregame warmups, but he said it loosened up as the outing progressed, and he felt he had unusually good feel for each of his pitches. The Athletics struck first in the top of the second. Tyler Soderstrom led off with a double, and Darell Hernaiz followed with a sac fly to center. Byron Buxton tracked it deep to the wall and made the catch with ease, despite facing into the sun. The run scored, but that was all Oakland managed, taking a 1–0 lead. In the bottom of the third, James Outman collected his second hit as a Twin—a double—to open the inning. Ryan Fitzgerald, his new “twin” in the lineup, followed with a single of his own. On an airy throw into the infield by right fielder JJ Bleday, Fitzgerald alertly took second base, putting both runners in scoring position after aggressive baserunning. Buxton then hit a sharp grounder to third baseman Brett Harris, however, and Harris's sure-handed pick and peg home nailed Outman to kill the would-be tying tally. Once again, the Twins failed to cash in with runners aboard. Like so many innings before, the threat ended in a double play—this time off Trevor Larnach’s bat. No matter the opponent, the Twins hit into double plays, as if rehearsed. Ober entered the fourth inning at 51 pitches. On his second batter, second pitch, he surrendered a solo shot to Soderstrom—just clearing the center-field wall and out of Buxton’s reach. Ober regrouped to strike out Hernaiz, and the Athletics finished the inning up 2-0. Both pitchers allowed their share of hits, but the defenses held firm on both sides. The Twins stayed aggressive on the bases, yet Oakland’s defense matched their energy. Luke Keaschall provided another spark with the team's second extra-base hit of the game—and his seventh of the year. He then stole third during Kody Clemens’s at-bat, barely beating the tag. Clemens couldn't bring him home, however. With two outs, Ryan Jeffers drew the first walk issued by Athletics pitching all night, bringing up Matt Wallner with a chance to tie it. But Wallner’s at-bat ended quickly on a routine fly to right. The crack of the bat drew a collective breath from fans, but instead of cheers, only a groan of continued frustration followed. The fifth inning was the turning point for the Twins lineup. Instead of dying after one out, they rebounded. Outman clubbed another double to start the frame. Even after what looked like a home run (or at least another double) from Fitzgerald was snatched in center field, followed by Buxton striking out for the fateful second out, the rally wasn't quite extinguished. Larnach came through and hit a single off a sinker. The line drive to left field gave Outman the chance to run home and get the Twins on the board, 2-1. Brooks Lee then hit a liner to right-center that center fielder Lawrence Butler (better cast in right) couldn't catch, and Larnach came all the way around as the ball went to the wall. After a walk to Keaschall, the Athletics went to the bullpen early. In response, Rocco Baldelli pinch-hit Royce Lewis for Clemens, but before he could even swing, a misread from Lee leaving second base ended the inning; catcher Shea Langeliers threw him out at third. Ober started the sixth inning, but was replaced by Kody Funderburk with two outs, to face Soderstrom. Funderburk walked Soderstrom, but Keaschall and new first baseman(!) Fitzgerald combined on a putout to escape the miniature jam. Lewis singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth, but was caught stealing during Ryan Jeffers's at-bat. The Twins were caught twice out of the four times attempting to steal bases against the Athletics tonight. The decision to be aggressive on the bases is a conscious one, Baldelli affirmed after the game, and it will continue—but it comes with some pain. Cole Sands worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning. The game remained tied 2-2 through seven. Justin Topa came in to work the eighth, and immediately put himself in danger against the teeth of the Sacramento lineup. With two on and nobody out, Langeliers registered the first out. A short flyout from Brent Rooker held the runners and got the second out. Soderstrom was intentionally walked, and what happened next was the stuff baseball is made of. With the bases loaded and two outs, Topa struck out Colby Thomas on three pitches to end the inning. Leading off the bottom half of the frame, Lee got his third hit of the night, a single to left field that fell just short of Soderstrom. Austin Martin pinch-ran for Lee. Lewis and Jeffers each flied out to center without allowing Martin to advance, though. A's manager Mark Kotsay made another pitching change, bringing in Hogan Harris to face Wallner, who struggles to hit lefties. Wallner fought through a full count, but grounded out to end the mild threat. Brooks Kriske came out in the ninth. Edouard Julien came in play to first base and Fitzgerald moved to the shortstop spot vacated by Lee. In the shuffle, Outman had move to right field, where he immediately made what could have been a fatal mistake, falling down beneath a routine fly ball that became a gift double. A walk ended up bringing Nick Kurtz to the plate with two outs and two on. Baldelli called upon Génesis Cabrera to face Kurtz, who also struggles against lefties. Cabrera got him out with no incident, moving the game to the bottom of the ninth and shifting the pressure to the visitors. With the game on the line, Fitzgerald drew a one-out walk. Byron Buxton hit a long fly ball to center field that had the crowd loud and hopeful, but it died in the outfielder's glove. In another two-out situation, with the winning run at first, Larnach pulled through with a single to right field, advancing Fitzgerald to third. Martin, however, couldn't bring him the rest of the way, flying out to send the game to extra frames. Cabrera came back out to start the 10th. Kurtz started on second for the Athletics. As he did Tuesday night, however, Langeliers made the telling difference, crushing a two-run home run to give Sacramento a two-run edge. He has the most homers in the league since the All-Star break. (grumblegrumble) Good for him. The next three outs came quickly, but the damage had been done. The Twins would have to pull something magical to pull off the win. Inexplicably, on a flyout by Lewis to begin the 10th, Martin tagged up and went to third. He was safe—but barely, and he should feel lucky, because his run meant relatively little in that situation. Jeffers drew a two-out walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Mickey Gasper, while Julien made his first hitting appearance of the evening. The light was snuffed out, though, with a grounder hit to the second baseman to end the game. The Twins battled at the plate and were aggressive on the bases, Ghost-Runner strikes again. What’s Next? The Twins finish out the series with the Athletics Thursday, before heading into the third divisional series of the month with the Kansas City Royals at home. José Ureña (0-0, 4.06 ERA) takes the ball for the Twins, opposite righty Jack Perkins (2-2, 4.28) for the A's. First pitch is at 12:10 PM CT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Image courtesy of © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Pierson Ohl - 2 2/3 IP, 4H, 4ER, 0BB, 3K (61 pitches, 41 strikes (71%)) Home Runs: Brooks Lee (11); Austin Martin (1); Alan Roden (2) Top 3 WPA: Luke Keaschall (.248); Brooks Lee (.178); Thomas Hatch (.175) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Since the trade deadline, the Twins have surprised many. Despite major roster shake-ups, the team is playing with grit and intensity. Wins haven’t come easily, but the effort is there. There has been timely hitting, aggressive baserunning, and pitching that’s keeping them in games. It’s a shift few expected this late in back-to-back series. The Twins got things going early with a leadoff single from Alan Roden off Jack Flaherty. Matt Wallner followed with a fly ball misplayed by the Tigers’ defense, pushing Roden to second. Though Ryan Jeffers and Kody Clemens struck out, they drove Flaherty’s pitch count up. Then came Luke Keaschall who ripped a gapper to center. Another Detroit miscue allowed Roden and Wallner to score, giving the Twins a 2–0 lead. It’s not just the bats showing urgency. The defense has been adapting on the fly, especially after Trevor Larnach exited with an injury. Clemens shifted to the outfield, Julien moved to first base, Brooks Lee took over at short, and Keaschall slotted in at second base, The reshuffle highlighted everyone's versatility, which has quickly become an asset. Before the game, Clemens acknowledged the fans’ frustration but emphasized that the team is locked in and giving its all. That determination is starting to show. Pierson Ohl opened with a sharp, efficient first inning—no hits, one strikeout, and just 12 pitches. The Twins' pitching staff has quietly been steady lately, consistently working through five or six innings, with the bullpen holding its own aside from a few rough outings. Overall, the rotation has been surprisingly solid. In the second, Brooks Lee’s first at-bat ended with a ball off Flaherty’s glute, followed by a dropped ball that allowed Lee to reach first. Flaherty was clearly off his game. A line drive by Edouard Julien zipped past him, putting runners on base, and a wild pitch during Alan Roden’s at-bat brought Lee home to make it 3–1, Twins. One of Lee’s underrated strengths is his baserunning IQ—he knows he’s not fast, but he's smart and aggressive when it counts. Ohl gave up a solo homer to open the bottom of the second, a frustratingly familiar sight for Twins fans, but limited the damage. He ran up his pitch count slightly but escaped with just one run allowed, stranding two and finishing two innings with only 35 pitches. By comparison, Flaherty had already faced 11 batters, while Ohl had seen just seven. Early on, this looked like a game the Twins were firmly in control of. Kody Clemens continued to showcase his versatility, shifting from right to left field in the third inning. On a routine play turned highlight reel, he nearly robbed Zach McKinstry of a home run—gloving the ball at the wall before losing it on the way down. McKinstry's homer cut the Twins’ lead to 3–2. Still, Clemens’ athleticism has been on full display, both in this game and over the past five. Pierson Ohl ran into trouble in the third, pushing his pitch count to 61 and surrendering a two-run homer to Kerry Carpenter with two outs, giving the Tigers a 4–3 lead. With Thomas Hatch warming in the bullpen, a slow mound visit bought time. Hatch, recently claimed from the Royals after spending most of the season with AAA Omaha, was set to make his Twins debut. The Tigers' lead didn’t last long. Brooks Lee jumped on the first pitch of the fourth inning and crushed a 430-foot homer to right-center—his 11th of the season and longest of his career, leaving the bat at 105.2 MPH to tie the game at 4–4. Matt Wallner followed with a single that was mishandled at second, allowing him to reach safely. Ryan Jeffers then dropped a bloop into center, and Wallner turned on the jets, scoring all the way from first to give the Twins a 5–4 lead. As he crossed home, Wallner made a gesture mimicking opening a book—a symbolic nod to the team starting a “new chapter” after the trade deadline. It was a meaningful moment for a clubhouse still processing the recent shake-up. Luke Keaschall added to the momentum in the fifth with his fifth double of the season and third RBI of the game, driving in Jeffers to put the Twins up 6–4. That would end Flaherty’s day, with Tyler Holton coming in for the Tigers. In the sixth, Austin Martin replaced Edouard Julien and made an immediate impact—launching a first-pitch home run to left, padding the lead to 7–4. Martin is still finding his place within the organization, and with limited opportunities left, performances like this are crucial. It was his first homer of the season with the Twins. The Twins weren’t done. Alan Roden joined the home run party with his second of the season—and first in a Twins uniform—pushing the lead to 8–4. Hatch continued the sixth inning, and continued a great appearance for his Twins debut. Both innings, 1-2-3 innings. The seventh inning Detroits pitcher Tommy Kahnle was behind the count consistently and had two on base and one out, and walked Martin to load the bases. Pitching change ensued and the Twins scored Royce Lewis on an RBI ground out from Mickey Gasper to first a 9-4 lead. Hatch stayed through the start of the eighth inning until the lefty hitter Ibanez came in and Kody Funderburk came into the game to face him. Funderburk is another pitcher in relief position who has had a rocky season bouncing back and fourth four times, but has really been locked in these last two series. Ibanez has struggled against sinkers and Funderburk, the match up made a lot of sense, and Funderburk eliminated Ibanez with the first out. The Tigers got runners on the corners and a quick breather, and Funderburk pitched pinch-runner Jahmai Jones into a double play to secure the lead and eliminate damage on the way out. For their final act, the Twins brought out reliever RHP Brooks Kriskie to finish out the game and the ninth inning. Kriskie comes from the Cubs off of waivers. Kriskie worked his way through the first three hitters, striking out two and only one on base. His next pitch, found the barrel of the bat, but was fielded by none other than Keaschall to end the game, and the series. What’s Next? The Twins get a day off on Thursday, before heading into the third divisional series of the month with the Kansas City Royals at home. Joe Ryan (10-5; 2.83ERA) will be taking the mound against a pitcher to be named later at 7:10PM CST, Friday. Postgame Interviews Coming Soon. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

To be fair, no one has a chance of being on this roster outside of maybe, FIVE players. This team isn't safe for anyone.

Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-Imagn Images For many, these final two months of the 2025 season are nothing short of an audition: a chance to prove they belong or risk being left out of the club’s future plans. Three such players—José Miranda, Edouard Julien , and Austin Martin—have all spent time at the major league level. But instead of earning a recall, the Twins turned to external additions like Ty France, Harrison Bader, and most recently, Kody Clemens. The message? It’s now or never. José Miranda: Time Running Out Once considered a cornerstone of the Twins' rebuild, José Miranda hasn’t played at Target Field since April. After a breakout debut in 2022, Miranda struggled to sustain success. His inconsistencies earned him multiple demotions, and by 2024, he was no longer part of the Twins’ regular plans. Now 27, Miranda has spent most of 2025 with Triple-A St. Paul, where his numbers have been far from inspiring. As of August 1, he's hitting just .203 with a 585 OPS in 61 games. Once praised for his compact swing and gap power, Miranda has lost his offensive identity. He still has one minor league option left and boasts a solid minor league track record, hitting .272 AVG with 77 HR over 2,500 plate appearances—but his future hinges on quickly rediscovering that form. Watching his colleagues get called up around him while he is still struggling in AAA-St.Paul must be difficult to watch. If he can raise his OBP toward .320 and regain confidence at the plate, Miranda could still carve out a bench or utility role for 2026. But if his struggles continue, a DFA seems inevitable. Édouard Julien: A Star Dimmed Two years ago, Édouard Julien was being penciled into Minnesota’s future infield. With elite plate discipline and a natural fit at second base, he seemed like a sure bet. But his 2024 & 2025 campaigns have derailed that narrative. Julien made the Opening Day roster but was optioned to Triple-A on May 5 after a lackluster start. He posted a 198/.288/.319 slash line and his difficulty handling fastballs and breaking balls carried over from 2024. Once demoted, Julien initially continued to struggle at St. Paul. But in late June, he found his rhythm, batting .343 with five home runs over a 19-game stretch, including a walk-off hit on June 28 that hinted at renewed confidence. As of August 1, his Triple-A numbers are among the best in the system. In 67 games, he's hitting .275 with a .414 OBP and a 880 OPS. He's slugged 11 home runs with 34 RBI. This weekend, Julien struggled, making a poor judgment during a defensive play that allowed runners to advance. In Saturday's game, down by a run in the ninth inning, he watched what he thought was a game-tying home run, only to watch it bounce off the top of the wall, earning himself a double but probably costing him a leadoff triple. He never scored that tying run. Austin Martin: Battling Time and Injuries Of the three, Austin Martin may have the toughest road ahead, largely due to injuries. Once a top-50 MLB prospect, Martin entered 2025 eager to stake his claim, but hamstring strains in April and May derailed his season early. He didn’t return to consistent playing time until mid-June. Yet, when healthy, Martin flashed the tools that once made him such a coveted talent. As of early August, he was hitting .306 with a .379 OBP and a 782 OPS, albeit in 124 AB. He also had three stolen bases. Martin’s athleticism could earn him a utility role, and at age 26, he still has time on his side—but not much. The Twins need healthy, available players who can contribute across multiple positions. His injury history, combined with limited production earlier in the year, puts him in a precarious position. He can’t afford another injury setback. These final weeks are critical if Martin wants to stay in the picture for 2026. If he keeps up the plate discipline and fielding, he may very well secure that spot. What Comes Next The Twins made it clear through their trade deadline activity: performance matters, and the window of opportunity is small. With new names stepping in and others stepping up, Miranda, Julien, and Martin are all playing for more than stats—they’re playing for their jobs. By season’s end, Minnesota’s front office will decide who stays, who gets DFA’d, and who—if anyone—can still be part of the Twins’ long-term blueprint. For these three, the clock is ticking. View full article

He really wants to be as well! Time will tell, but the comeback and year 14 is pretty solid! Thank you! I'm better at the human stories at times, because we forget that they are human at times.

like everyone else in the bullpen is amazing? dude, I didn't write it saying he was Duran, I was telling his story, which at year 14 is pretty amazing.

Image courtesy of © Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images After a major payroll and roster purge, the Twins have opened the door for players from the lower levels of the organization to make their mark. For some, this is a crucial chance to show they belong in the major leagues. One of those players will be veteran reliever Erasmo Ramirez. Ramirez was picked up by the Twins in the offseason, signing on February 15th. A veteran with 14 years of big league experience, he has pitched for six teams, most recently for the Tampa Bay Rays, which is no shock; the Twins share a lot of pitching philosophies with the Rays. Ramirez went 3-0 with a 4.35 ERA, 1.065 WHIP, 6.5 strikeouts per nine innings and a -0.2 WAR across 13 appearances early last season with the Rays. He was sent down to the Durham Bulls and made 37 appearances in posting a 3-4 record, 3.23 ERA, 1.226 WHIP and 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings. The 34-year-old joined the Twins for the big league spring training camp as a non-roster invitee, but suffered an injury after only pitching one spring training game. On March 9th, it was announced that he had a severe shoulder strain and would undergo a rehab assignment in Florida. That rehab lasted all summer before finally getting a chance in June to test out his arm. Ramirez worked hard in Florida before getting to the team, and began a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League on June 20. After three appearances, Ramirez proved his health and was moved up to St. Paul on July 1st. Ramirez has pitched in seven games and has a 1-1 with a 6.55 ERA, a 1.55 WHIP, 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings and -0.6 WAR in those 11 innings, but those subpar numbers are a little deceiving. In his last outing, on Saturday against Toledo, his ERA soared from 2.55 to 6.55. Ramirez knows that those days are going to happen, but he also knows that means he has to lock in and do more work. Ramirez recently told Theo Tolefson of Zone Coverage: “Well, everything’s been amazing, almost like the body has come back to normal,” said Ramirez. “The recovery of my arm and like when I was the younger version of me, like I pitched today, tomorrow, almost feels like I didn’t pitch at all.” That’s a great start and surely a testament to the pitching staff and how they help the Twins pitchers work through injury and get ready to return to the big leagues. Ramirez also told Tollefson that he is aware of his presence as a veteran and knows that his hard work directly affects the others on the team who look up to him. A humble man off the field, he and his wife Rhea have created Tiktok accounts to help understand the baseball life from each one’s perspective. Ramirez's account shares his journey of healing and recovery. Open to criticism and praise, he takes the good with the bad, because his goal is to help people understand what goes on behind the scenes. That includes the support he gets from people behind the scenes. Twins Daily spoke with his wife Rhea Ramirez, who was elated that he was on the big league bus on his way over to Cleveland’s Progressive Field with six of his teammates on Thursday night. She knows the heavy burden that being a player can be and trades are hard on everyone, but also, they give other players a chance to shine. When asked whether there was anything that she wanted people to know, she said, “Just that he has worked so hard to make it this far. This is his 14th big league season and he’s almost reached 10 years [of service time] and he’s ready”. The Twins' shakeup left a lot of heartache and anger in its wake, but for players like Ramirez, it’s a chance to show that he is ready to return to the big leagues and to be a contributor to the team to finish out this season and hopefully be back for 2026. View full article

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Zebby Matthews 4.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (74 pitches, 52 strikes (70%)) Home Runs: Matt Wallner (13) Both 3 WPA: Zebby Matthews (-.243); Brooks Lee (-.115); Ryan Jeffers (-.077) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Zebby Matthews's return from the shoulder strain that sidelined him in early June has been a mixed bag, so far. He had a rough first start coming out of the All-Star break, but that was in the challenging pitching environment of Coors Field. He looked terrific against the Nationals over the weekend, so there was cause for some hope entering this start against the Red Sox. He did work a clean first inning, although Trevor Story led off the second with an absolutely scalded solo home run to put Boston ahead. The Twins offense did attempt to keep things close and had the chance to get on tbe board first in the bottom of the first inning after a two-out walk on Kody Clemens, followed by a sharp single from Ryan Jeffers. Clemens was rounding second, and slowing down to stop at third as the ball was fielded in a relay from left fielder Roman Anthony to Ceddane Raefela—only to be waved home by third base coach Tommy Watkins. He was unable to beat the final part of the relay from the cutoff to catcher Connor Wong. With Byron Buxton out, the offense does have to work a little harder, and one slugger who has really stepped forward is Matt Wallner, the Minnesota Moose. Wallner has had a good last five games, getting a hit in each game and two home runs that have been a great help to the team. The Twins initially tied up the game in the bottom of the second with a Wallner home run, making it 1-1. It was his 13th of the season, and his first oppo taco. We love seeing Matt Wallner back in action! Matthews, like Pierson Ohl, has not faced the Boston lineup before, but it didn’t take Sox long to figure out either pitcher. Matthews tried to work through the order for the second time in the third inning, but immediate traffic on the bases caught up to him. Wong was able to get a double to start the third inning, on a flare Wallner couldn't catch in right field. There was no relief throughout the game from this point on; the defense was unable to make plays, and the offense was unable to create runs. Matthews and Abraham Toro battled through 10 pitches, Toro patiently fouling off pitches. Toro finally caught up to Matthews and the 10th pitch ended in a sacrifice fly, scoring Wong to make it 2-1 Boston. A few of the Twins' defensive bobbles have been frustrating the past two days, especially with Boston’s players in scoring position, giving them the advantage. A dropped third strike kept the fourth inning alive with two outs, Jeffers dropped the ‘dropped’ third strike, letting Wong get to first base instead of a solid out. Matthews had thrown 66 pitches through four innings and came back out for the fifth, and Boston continued to shell him. Wong singled, followed by a double to Wallner, who threw to Willi Castro and Castro held on the relay. That held Wong at third, until the next play. It was a line drive to Harrison Bader, who bobbled two yesterday and dropped another. Two runs scored, giving Boston a 4-1 lead. The mistakes weren’t all recorded as errors, but for the team, they are simply egregious and are the things that lose games. The Twins simply needed a double play to end the inning, Justin Topa came out to relieve Matthews, but Boston kept the pressure on. Topa walked two, loading the bases. A ground ball from Masataka Yoshida snuck through the infield and two more runs scored, widening the gap 6-1. The fifth inning finally ended with a strikeout, but the damage had absolutely been done. The Twins offense couldn’t give any member of the pitching staff more than a five-minute break throughout the game. As quickly as they went out to hit, they came back to the dugout. Noah Davis came out for the Twins today. Who is Noah Davis? Good question. He came from the Dodgers on July 17. The 28-year-old is a career minor-leaguer, spending most of his time in Triple-A, but made appearances in the majors starting in 2022. The Twins had what looked like a small glimmer of hope in the 7th. Wallner and Bader got on to create a big chance, only for DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Trevor Larnach to strike out. A 1-2-3 inning ensued in the eighth. The ninth inning got interesting, with Willi Castro coming off the field and hugging everyone in the dugout, leading Twitter to believe in a trade—just like "hug-gate" with Johan Duran Tuesday night. It was just a hamfisted attempt to get him a final ovation from the crowd, though. The ninth inning was a complete disaster. Griffin Jax came out and threw 12 pitches, recording zero outs. It was 9-1 when Rocco Baldelli lifted Jax in favor of position player Clemens, who allowed another four runs, pushing the total for Boston to 13-1 on a home run by Romy Gonzalez. The Twins had absolutely no life by the end of the game, and had a 1-2-3 inning to end the game and series and (for sure, this time) the season. What’s Next? The Twins get a day off on Thursday, much-needed, before they head into six games of divisional competition, starting with the Guardians. Joe Ryan (10-5; 2.82 ERA) will be taking the mound against Gavin Williams (6-4; 3.51 ERA) at 6:10 PM CST, Friday... unless Ryan is dealt first. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Major League Baseball placed Emmanuel Clase on administrative leave until at least the end of August Monday, as they investigate Clase's connections to the same suspicious betting activity that previously led to the same steps being taken with fellow Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis L. Ortiz. It's impossible to know how this will end, but a world in which Clase is permanently banned from the sport for involvement in betting on baseball certainly exists. In a moment, rumors of trade interest in Clase fell shockingly silent. He's not gping anywhere. With Clase unavailable, the Twins now hold two of the most coveted late-inning arms potentially in play. Both Jhoan Duran (the established closer, with an elite ground-ball rate and overpowering raw stuff) and Griffin Jax (two of the game's nastiest individual pitches and an extraordinary differential between his strikeout and walk rates) could attract premium offers from contenders desperate to stabilize their bullpens. If the front office is open to a mini-retool or reallocation of resources, they could capitalize on this scarcity. It's rare that any reliever with control beyond the season in question hits the trade market at the level of performance Duran and Jax have established. Clase was a rare exception. Now, the Twins are the only team shopping a reliever of this caliber—and they have two of them available. That increases the chances not only of an offer coming in that the team likes enough to make a move, but of their being able to play suitors off one another—or even to force them to decide between two different asking prices for the two relief aces. The Twins could ask for top prospects or young MLB-ready talent, especially from teams who envision making multiple runs into October, of which Duran or Jax could be vital parts. The last time a seller had this kind of leverage in the reliever market was in 2016, when the Yankees had both Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller. They ultimately traded Chapman for Gleyber Torres, Adam Warren, Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford, and Miller for J.P. Feyereisen, Clint Frazier, Ben Heller and Justus Sheffield. Of that group, only Torres went on to become an impact player, but those returns infused the Yankees system with so much depth that it benefited them for years—especially once Torres emerged as an All-Star-caliber infielder. That's what's possible for the Twins in the next two days. They might still believe in themselves enough to want to retain one or both of these pitchers to maintain their bullpen dominance for the next two-plus years. If they're listening on them, though—and we know they are, based on reports throughout the league—they're in a great negotiating position. View full article

Box Score Starting Pitcher: Chris Paddack - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K (78 pitches, 56 strikes (71%)) Home Runs: Royce Lewis (5) Bottom 3 WPA: Griffin Jax -.803; Willi Castro -.178; Louis Varland -.106 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Chris Paddack had struggled over his last six starts, with high pitch counts and a failure to string together zeroes, but today he had a chance to help the team end a bad road trip on a good note. A PitchCom issue started Paddack’s day with a violation, but he got out Mookie Betts. Paddack served up a hittable 0-2 pitch to Shohei Ohtani, though, and Ohtani swatted a solo home run, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. The Twins answered fairly quickly, with a homer from Royce Lewis tying the score—his third long ball in four short games. Lewis has been fighting back from injury and a very visible slump, but in the month of July, he has a batting average of .273 and has been making more contact as the month goes on. Paddack had a much better showdown against the Dodgers as the innings went on, even striking out Ohtani in his second and third at-bats. With the trade deadline looming, many fans want to see Paddack traded. The only problem with that is the continued pain of injuries that continue to plague the rotation. (To wit: David Festa landed on the injured list earlier Wednesday.) After his frustrating appearance after the All-Star break, this game was what the fans and the Sheriff needed, with his velocity trending up and a little more control from the release. Through six, Paddack only threw 78 pitches, with no walks and eight strikeouts. He managed the game much better after that first inning. Paddack gave the offense the much-needed chance to get ahead on the board. Tyler Glasnow was able to manage the game just as well from his side, though. Even though the Twins were able to run up the pitch count to 79 by the beginning of inning six, Glasnow kept everyone chasing. Lewis was the only one who seemed able to figure him out; a big strike zone did not help matters. Unfortunately, after Lewis's double, Byron Buxton struck out to extinguish the rally. Buxton has been chasing the ball a little more the past two games down and away, after taking Ohtani yard on Monday, definitely an adjustment from his first few games back. Danny Columbe came out to replace Paddack and struggled, starting with a double to Freddie Freeman and walking two with no outs, giving the Dodgers a golden opportunity to put more runs on the board. Twins pitching coach Pete Maki came out to give Coulombe a breather with Will Smith coming to the plate. Smith was out on a flyball to Buxton, but after just 16 pitches and one out, Rocco Baldelli pulled Coulumbe and replaced him with Louis Varland, who has been on the mound three days in a row. While many don’t like Paddack, there was an argument for him coming out to start the seventh inning. Alas. The Dodgers took the lead 2-1, on a Tommy Edman single, scoring Freddie Freeman, and still only had one out. But the Twins stopped the bleeding there. Only one run scored, leaving the Twins able to (hopefully) answer again. The eighth inning started a fun Twins rally. Pitcher Kirby Yates walked Lewis, who was replaced by DeShawn Keirsey Jr. The pinch-runner promptly stole second, and walks of Brooks Lee and Buxton loaded the bases. Willi Castro hit a chopper ending in a double play from Betts, to Miguel Rojas to Freeman, but it scored Keirsey, tying the game 2-2. Harrison Bader came in to replace Trevor Larnach and put the ball in play on the third pitch, bouncing over the head of the pitcher, to Rojas again—who missed the play, allowing Bader to reach and Lee to score and giving the Twins a 3-2 advantage. Brock Stewart relieved Varland, but the bottom of the eighth inning seemed to drag. With two on two out, Smith was intentionally walked to load the bases. It worked perfectly. Rojas hit a pop-out to first. Crisis averted. Ugh. Make that crisis delayed. Griffin Jax struggled in the bottom of the ninth inning. Jax got the first out, easy peasy, and it looked like it was going to be a good inning. But a missed check-swing strike call, an infield single from Betts, and two walks loaded the bases with two outs. Freeman hit a sinking liner to left field, and despite Bader's best efforts, the ball found grass. That gave the Dodgers a walk-off win and the series win against the Twins. It sucked. What’s Next? The Twins get a day off on Thursday, as they fly home to play the Nationals and the Red Sox. The Nationals continue to struggle, and the Red Sox are doing their best to continue the streak they are on in the month of July. Zebby Matthews (1-2; 6.26 ERA) will be taking the mound against MacKenzie Gore (4-9; 3.59 ERA) at 7:10 PM CT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Box Score SP: David Festa 5.1 IP, 3H, 2ER, 2BB, 3K (72 pitches, 49 strikes (59%)) Home Runs: Matt Wallner (9); Top 3 WPA: Wallner .113; Festa .100; Brock Stewart .70 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) David Festa took the mound Wednesday night. Festa has bounced back and forth in his appearances this season, between two runs on a good day and eight in a rough appearance. The team has been consistent in their praise of his progress, though, especially as he improves at filling up the zone and finds comfort with his third and fourth pitches, the changeup and sinker. Leadoff man Ian Happ hit the first pitch hard, for a threatening foul ball, but that was the most danger Festa faced in the first. He struck out Happ and (one batter later) Seiya Suzuki. Cade Horton took the mound for the Cubs and let his third pitch go high and inside, hitting Byron Buxton in the hand guard—and, unfortunately, the hand itself caught a partial blow. During a review (the play was initially called a foul ball, but Buxton got first after the replay), he talked at length with Rocco Baldelli and the training staff. He stayed in the game initially, though. He took a long lead during Trevor Larnach’s at-bat and stole his 17th base of the season. Ryan Jeffers added to the RBIs he’s been racking up lately, on a two-out single to left field to score Buxton to get the Twins on the board. Carlos Correa followed that with a scalded double to the wall in right-center, on which the Twins' burly catcher managed to come all the way around and score—albeit on a close play. Matt Wallner, back? It’s possible. Wallner is another one who has had trouble this season at the plate, but he has continued to make adjustments and moving him down in the lineup may have been a good choice. Wallner waffled a ball down the right-field line, utterly whomped but so close to the foul line (and so high) that everyone had to wait a moment to see which way the winds might send it. It stayed fair, and carried out. Brooks Lee was brought in at the bottom of the second to pinch-hit for Buxton, who reportedly has a contusion to his left hand. Twins Daily will keep an eye on the situation. For now, Buxton is day-to-day. Festa really lost command early on in the fourth inning, and took a while to get it back. The Cubs couldn't touch him with a scoreboard-flipping blow, but after Festa created traffic with some wildness, Dansby Swanson managed an RBI infield single and Nico Hoerner beat out an RBI fielder's choice. That narrowed the Twins' lead to one run, at 3-2. Festa’s fifth inning was much cleaner. He sat down each hitter, 1-2-3, quicker than he went through the first hitter in the fourth. His recovery and ability to give the Twins four more outs after his near-meltdown inning were hugely important. Royce Lewis got his sixth double this season in the bottom of the fourth. In a good sign of how far he’s come since his return, Lewis hustled for that double, then stole home in a double-steal maneuver with Wallner with the two at each corner base. The Twins manufactured three of their four runs Wednesday with aggressive baserunning. It was uncharacteristic, but welcome. Festa returned for the sixth, but only got in one pitch and an out on a drive to left field. He was replaced by Danny Coulombe, to pitch to left-handed sluggers Pete Crow Armstrong and Michael Busch. Without trouble, Coulombe finished out the inning. Brock Stewart and Louis Varland came in the seventh and eighth innings, eliminating any threat of the Cubs crawling back, with only 18 pitches between them. Couldn't ask for anything better. After a busy night of warmups and four innings pitched from five hurlers Tuesday night, the quick work from all three of those (plus closer Jhoan Duran) was great to see. What’s Next? The Twins finish out the series with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday in an early game, before the Pittsburgh Pirates come to town before the All-Star break. Chris Paddack (3-7; 4.64 ERA) will be taking the mound against Colin Rea (6-3; 4.13 ERA) at 12:10 PM CT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet SAT SUN MON TUE WED TOT Adams 68 0 0 0 0 68 Jax 12 13 0 22 0 47 Coulombe 14 0 0 17 13 44 Durán 34 0 0 0 8 42 Stewart 0 12 0 12 7 31 Sands 19 0 0 6 0 25 Varland 0 9 0 0 11 20 Misiewicz 0 0 0 0 0 0 Topa 0 15 0 0 0 15 View full article

Image courtesy of © Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Simeon Woods Richardson 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (75 pitches, 50 strikes (67%)) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Simeon Woods Richardson (.192); Griffin Jax (.144); Danny Coulombe (.131) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) After a loss Tuesday against the Marlins, the Twins entered Wednesday 1-3 on their road trip and in need of a win. Byron Buxton started things the right way, with a single. Miami pitcher Janson Junk threw a wild pitch to Trevor Larnach and Buxton took advantage to advance to second. Willi Castro singled to advance Buxton to third—so hard that Buxton couldn't score, but extending the threat. Brooks Lee took the first pitch to right field for a sacrifice fly to cash in Buxton. Carlos Correa struck out swinging, but last night the Twins couldn’t even get one run on the board, and tonight, they started out ahead. Would that be a sign of things to come? Both offense and defense put in the work like their lives (or at least their futures in Minnesota, four weeks shy of the trade deadline) depended on it. The Twins' situational hitting was bleak in the month of June, but it’s a new month, a new day, a new chance to get things back above .500. Simeon Woods Richardson had a good start to the game. He continued to look more confident and attacked the plate with each hitter. His fastball and slider got hitters to chase throughout the at-bats, and retired the first four batters he saw. Alas, Kyle Stowers (him again) caught hold of a slider inside and yanked it out of the park down the right-field line, tying the game 1-1. The umpire seemed to have an interesting strike zone, but Woods Richardson recovered after the Stowers shot and sailed. Castro has been on fire since coming back from injury. An All-Star last season, he’s started coming back around to looking like one. In his second at-bat, he hit a line drive to right field to secure his 13th double of the season. With a lead on the bases, waiting to be cashed in, singles by Lee and Correa brought Castro around. The inning ended on a double play, but with the Twins back out in front 2-1. Brock Stewart relieved Woods Richardson in the sixth inning, and once again, the Marlins looked to get a run in with two outs, just like they have 34 times before since June 22nd, with a line drive from Stowers. However, in a fun turn of events, the ball hit the umpire in the infield, killing the ball and the play, and the run that made it in had to come back. With Stowers stationed at first and Jesús Sánchez recalled to third, Stewart got Eric Wagaman swinging, and there were no runs to end the inning; the Twins still led 2-1. That was a much-needed reprieve for the Twins, and their nine straight losses of one-run games. They needed a break, and finally caught one. Royce Lewis and Ty France came in to pinch-hit for Matt Wallner and Kody Clemens, but a Lewis walk was stifled when France hit into a double play. No insurance runs materialized, and in the seventh, they rolled with Louis Varland on the mound. The Marlins put a little pressure on Varland, whom Pete Maki decided to visit only 11 pitches in, but had a one-out, two-on situation and a chance to tie up the game. Harrison Bader had been all over the outfield tonight, making insanely aggressive plays keeping the Marlins from scoring. On a line-drive single by Xavier Edwards, Connor Norby tried to score from second, but Bader fired a strike to the plate to nab him. The Marlins challenged the play that would give the Marlins a tying run (again) for interference. They lost the call and their challenge, the Twins still led 2-1. The Marlins had bases loaded and tried one more time, but a fly ball to Bader (shocker) ended the inning. Griffin Jax came out to relieve Danny Coulombe, and got out of the inning with a very fresh arm in 14 pitches. This week is some of the best Twins pitching fans have seen in weeks, and the offense finally showed up just enough. Jhoan Duran shut the door handily in the ninth, giving the Twins a chance for a .500 road trip with a win Thursday. What’s Next? The Twins finish out the series with the Marlins, with a getaway game before heading back home for their longest homestand this season, before the All-Star Break. David Festa (2-2; 5.40 ERA) will be taking the mound against Eury Pérez (0-2; 6.19ERA) at 11:10 AM CST. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article