Nick Nelson

The Twins traded away their top pitcher on Friday, but in return, they might've gotten back a new top prospect. Make no mistake: Austin Martin is a phenomenal talent and one of the best young players in the game. These five facts will help explain why he's a worthy deadline centerpiece. Image courtesy of Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports The Twins traded away their top pitcher on Friday, but in return, they might've gotten back a new top prospect. Make no mistake: Austin Martin is a phenomenal talent and one of the best young players in the game. These five facts will help explain why he's a worthy deadline centerpiece. 1. Some felt Martin was the top player in last year's draft class. The Vanderbilt star ended up going to the Jays fifth overall, but plenty of outsiders (and I would imagine some insiders) viewed him as the best player available in the 2020 draft – both before and after it took place. CBS Sports had Martin ranked No. 1 on their board ahead of the draft, one spot ahead of Arizona State's Spencer Torkelson, who ended up going first overall to Detroit. Months later, when The Athletic's Keith Law put together his preseason top prospect rankings for 2021, he remarked: "The best prospect in the 2020 draft class slipped to the Blue Jays, who picked fifth." This appears to be a fairly common sentiment, and it's not hard to see why analysts and evaluators would be high on Martin's potential. He had a monster collegiate career, marked by standout athleticism, defensive versatility, steadily increasing power, and ridiculous bat-to-ball skills. (In his COVID-shortened junior year, he struck out twice in 69 plate appearances.) "This bat at a skill position is pretty unusual and gives him some MVP upside," said Law in his writeup. 2. Most prominent prospect publications now view him as the Twins' best prospect. In our recently released midseason top 30 prospects update, we had Royce Lewis ranked as Minnesota's top prospect, which reflects the industry consensus now that Alex Kirilloff has graduated. Some outlets still view it that way – MLB Pipeline has Lewis ahead of Martin, though it's close (No. 13 versus No. 16 in the overall top 100 rankings), and FanGraphs has Lewis ranked No. 32 compared to Martin at No. 59. That's one virtual tie, and one outlier. The rest of the big pubs view Martin more favorably than Lewis, and often by significant margins. Law's preseason rankings for The Athletic had Martin at No. 14, and Lewis at No. 46. (Law's updated midseason top 50 saw Martin move up to 12, with Royce not appearing.) Baseball America has Martin ranked 21st, and Lewis ranked 60th. Baseball Prospectus likes them both, but also gives Martin the edge: their preseason rankings had him at No. 22 with Lewis at No. 31, and the midseason top 50 bumped Martin up to 20 with Lewis sliding off. Said BP in their latest blurb on Martin: "There are too many ways he can provide value to a team for abject failure to be a possibility." It's difficult to assess the two in comparison right now. Martin is a 22-year-old getting his first taste of the majors at Double-A, whereas Lewis is out for this whole season and hasn't played since 2019. The bottom line is that they're both really high-caliber prospects and the Twins have a very healthy system with these two at the top. 3. He could end up filling one of several positions of uncertainty for the Twins. One of the most intriguing things about Martin is his defensive fit. Like Lewis, his future in the field is uncertain, but as with Royce, that's not because he's bad with the glove – quite the contrary. Martin can play several different positions well, which is surely something that drew the Twins to him. This year at Double-A, he has split time evenly between shortstop and center field. By the end of his career at Vanderbilt, he was playing primarily third base. Hmm... what are the most glaring positions of uncertainty for the Twins going forward? Well, there's center field, where Byron Buxton is heading into a walk year, and shaping up as an offseason trade candidate. Then there's shortstop, which is essentially unspoken for after Andrelton Simmons wraps his one-year deal. Oh, and let's not forget third base, where 34-year-old Josh Donaldson is a chronic injury risk and also could be shipped out next winter. Perhaps Martin's future is not as a full-timer at any one spot. The Twins love their flexibility, and it's probably not by accident that their top two position prospects embody such a quality. As R.J. Anderson wrote in Martin's pre-draft profile for CBS Sports: "A creative team could maximize his value by having him split time between the infield and the outfield, a la Whit Merrifield and Scott Kingery, among others." 4. He posted a .500 on-base percentage over 76 plate appearances in July for the Class-AA New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Martin's pro career got off to a bit of a slow start, but he's improved with each passing month. May: .265/.378/.353 June: .284/.402/.432 July: .296/.500/.352 Yes, you read that right: Martin reached base in 50% of his plate appearances this past month. Sandwiched in their was an appearance at the 2021 Futures Game, where he batted second and started at shortstop. You'll never guess: he reached base both times up. This speaks to Martin's offensive strengths. He's a natural-born lead-off hitter, with tremendous discipline, solid speed, and a knack for finding knocks. In his July slash line we also see Martin's biggest current shortcoming: the .352 slugging percentage – just one double and one triple in those 76 plate appearances. But the 22-year-old is still growing into his body and most scouts agree that power will come, and on-base skills like this are a lot rarer in today's game than slugging prowess. 5. He's the best minor-league talent the Twins have acquired in decades. I mean, time will tell whether this ACTUALLY proves to be true. But if you look at prospect rankings and available evidence when moves were made, it's hard to find a precedent for the Twins making an acquisition like this. The closest example would have to be Delmon Young, who was viewed as one of the best prospects in baseball before the Twins traded Matt Garza for him, but he'd already played a season and change in the big leagues. (Not a great precedent, obviously, but Martin and Young are polar opposites as players.) Outside of that, who would even qualify in this discussion? Carlos Gomez was the centerpiece of the Johan Santana package, and was highly regarded as a prospect but not on the level of Martin. (Gomez ranked No. 52 according to BA and No. 65 according to BP when the Twins acquired him, and also, he'd already played some in the majors.) How far back do you have to go to find a real comp for Martin? Back before the days of prospect rankings really even being a thing, I would think. The bottom line is, this organization has rarely ever brought in a prospect of this caliber because they've rarely been willing to do what it takes to land one. In Martin, the Twins added a true prize with legitimate franchise-altering potential. Now that's how you sell at the deadline. It doesn't take away the sting of losing a cherished fixture in Berríos, but makes it a whole lot easier to stomach. 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

Twins Daily writers live-streamed and reacted live as Friday afternoon's trade deadline arrived, interacting with fans in real-time as news broke. You can watch the full show below. Twins Daily writers live-streamed and reacted live as Friday afternoon's trade deadline arrived, interacting with fans in real-time as news broke. You can watch the full show below. Nick, Seth and Matthew break down a busy trade deadline, sharing thoughts on the José Berríos, J.A. Happ and Hansel Robles deals. You can catch future live streams by following our YouTube, Twitter and Facebook channels. View full article

Right. It's definitely not a "blank check" situation, and it's possible Buxton's camp is just totally uninterested in a reasonable accord (I did see La Velle tweet "they think the agent is determined to bring him to free agency"). But the reported "improved" offer from the Twins is just so far away from even the parameters you laid out.

Extension talks have fizzled between the Twins and Byron Buxton, and media reports on the matter have a sense of finality to them. It appears Buxton is heading for free agency, if not departing via trade before then. I adamantly believe this is a mistake that will haunt the franchise for years to come. But it's not too late to reverse course. Image courtesy of Jon Durr, USA Today Sports Extension talks have fizzled between the Twins and Byron Buxton, and media reports on the matter have a sense of finality to them. It appears Buxton is heading for free agency, if not departing via trade before then. I adamantly believe this is a mistake that will haunt the franchise for years to come. But it's not too late to reverse course. In Minnesota baseball lore, David Ortiz is the equivalent of Boston's Bambino, or Wrigleyville's billy goat. The very mention of Big Papi causes a visceral shudder for any Twins fan within earshot, surfacing deep feelings of regret and lament. How differently things might have gone for the Twins had Ortiz stayed in Minnesota. (Aaron Gleeman wrote a fun "what if" article about this last year.) Naturally, the Ortiz example is invoked any time a promising Twins player departs unduly – the sports fan's equivalent of a PTSD reaction. Lingering fear of a recurrence envelopes us, clouding our judgment. In most cases, this apprehension proves unwarranted. Nonetheless, the Curse of Papi persists. You all know where I'm going with this: Is Byron Buxton the next David Ortiz?? In some ways, it's a fitting parallel. Ortiz left Minnesota in his late 20s, having shown flashes of standout ability, before immediately blossoming elsewhere. In Boston, he emerged as a perennial MVP contender, postseason legend, and franchise icon. It's all too easy to envision the same path for Buxton, except therein lies the difference: you don't need to imagine it. Buxton already IS that guy. He was the AL Player of the Month in April and has been one of the game's best players on a per-game basis for the last three years. After a long and meandering path, he has finally reached his true potential as a top-shelf elite MLB player. Yes, the injuries have remained a constant. But that's exactly why a long-term extension with Buxton would even be attainable right now for a team like the Twins. If not for the implications and associated risk of his health history, he'd likely be eyeing a deal outside of Minnesota's realistic scope. It might seem odd when you're talking about offering more than $100 million to a player whose track record is as sparse as Buxton's, but the Twins should theoretically be able to secure a relative bargain here due to the circumstances. Alas, the front office seems a tad too ambitious in its hunt for a bargain. The allure of signing Buxton long-term is that he can offer a potential impact on the level of a Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, or Fernando Tatis Jr., but at a fraction of the guaranteed commitment. That said, the clear value needs to be there for Buxton, who knows his level of ability, and it is evidently not. His camp rejected Minnesota's offer, which reportedly elevated from $73 million to $80 million in guaranteed money with a "unique incentive package." Sounds like those incentives were the sticking point. At this juncture we don't what was proposed or countered, so analyzing the negotiation is murky. Then again, it's also difficult to fathom what kind of request or suggested terms from Buxton's agent would make the Twins balk to the point they're giving up on an opportunity to secure this generational talent, at the precipice of true superstardom. A somewhat similar dynamic is at play with José Berríos, who was drafted the same year as Buxton and is also looking ahead to free agency at the end of 2022. One can certainly argue that Berríos is more critical to the Twins' future, given their scarcity of high-quality arms. But in a way, he is the antithesis of Buxton: ultra-reliable with a capped ceiling. Berríos has been one of the most durable and consistent pitchers in the game – steadily very good, just short of great, always available. Meanwhile, Buxton has improved every season in a setback-riddled career that's been full of ups and downs. He's just now reaching his full form, displaying game-changing greatness that is almost unparalleled. Yes, Berríos will be difficult to replace, in that arms like his don't come along often. The Twins certainly haven't proven adept at finding or developing them. But Buxton is irreplaceable in a more absolute sense. Athletes and human beings like him almost NEVER come along. His speed, power, and defense are off-the-charts good. He's one of the most entertaining players I've ever seen. And he's still getting better. I can see the rationale in moving on from Berríos. He's clearly intent on testing free agency and maximizing his earnings. There will be no discount or bonus-contingent contract in play there. And it's awfully hard for a mid-market team to build balanced contending rosters when paying one of their five starting pitchers $25+ million annually. Their everyday center fielder, though? One who's proven to be an MVP-caliber talent while on the field? And who won't even be reaching that salary range unless he's staying on the field enough to trigger incentives? I'm struggling to understand why the Twins aren't stepping up here. Target Field was ostensibly built for the exact purpose of keeping a player like this. From available evidence, it doesn't seem like the team is making a particularly hearty effort to do what it takes to retain him. Whatever Buxton's side is asking for – $30-plus million in annual achievable salary, an early opt-out clause, lower-than-desired bonus thresholds – none of those should be deal-breakers. Maybe there's still a way. Buxton said on Monday "it's not the end," leaving some faint cause for hope. But at this point, the outlook is grim. It's true that signing Buxton long-term would entail some risk. But it pales in comparison to the risk of watching him go elsewhere, shake off the snakebitten injury luck, and emerge as a late-blooming legend while Twins fans spend another decade lamenting the one that got away. In this case, it'd be a much less excusable gaffe than releasing David Ortiz. 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

This lineup -- with no Cruz, Buxton, Kirilloff, or Arraez -- is not good. And the pitching staff is worse. No manager would have this team succeeding.

The Twins lost their best veteran hitter to a trade, and lost their best young hitter to wrist surgery. Now they face the prospect of losing their best all-around player in the near future, following news of failed extension negotiations. Things are decidedly not chill in Twins Territory. Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports The Twins lost their best veteran hitter to a trade, and lost their best young hitter to wrist surgery. Now they face the prospect of losing their best all-around player in the near future, following news of failed extension negotiations. Things are decidedly not chill in Twins Territory. Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 7/19 through Sun, 7/25 *** Record Last Week: 3-5 (Overall: 42-58) Run Differential Last Week: -5 (Overall: -71) Standing: 5th Place in AL Central (17.0 GB) Last Week's Game Recaps: Game 93 | MIN 3, CWS 2: Jax Deals, Twins Steal One in Extras Game 94 | CWS 5, MIN 3: Berrios Goes Deep, Then Sheets Does Game 95 | CWS 9, MIN 5: Bullpen Implodes in Five-Run 8th Inning Game 96 | MIN 7, CWS 2: Polanco, Kepler Power Twins to Split Game 97 | LAA 3, MIN 2: Cruz-less Offense Comes Up Short Game 98 | MIN 5, LAA 4: Aggressive Baserunning Sparks Win Game 99 | LAA 2, MIN 1: Twins Narrowly Avoid Getting No-hit Game 100 | LAA 6, MIN 2: Bats Go Silent Once Again NEWS & NOTES The sell-off has officially begun. Nelson Cruz always ranked No. 1 on the list of Twins players most likely to be traded, and the front office didn't waste time, striking a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays eight days ahead of the deadline. Losing Cruz is painful in the sense that he's a legendary and incredibly likable player, but this is best for all involved. He ends up on a contending team where he makes a huge difference. Tampa reached the World Series last year and Nelly can help propel them back. Meanwhile, the Twin landed a pair of intriguing pitching prospects who are verging on big-league ready. And those prospects now have a much clearer path than in Tampa's crowded pitching pipeline. Naturally, we had plenty of coverage here; I recommend reading the articles below, which include Seth's instant report, Lucas' breakdown of the return package, John's reaction to the deal, and Nash's tribute to Cruz. Twins Trade Nelson Cruz to the Rays for Two AAA Starting Pitchers, by Seth Stohs Twins Minor League Pitching Report: Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman, by Lucas Seehafer Three Things to Like (and Hate) About the Nelson Cruz Trade, by John Bonnes Thank You Nelson Cruz! By Nash Walker We won't be seeing Cruz in a Twins uniform again this year. Nor Alex Kirilloff. The rookie outfielder opted for wrist surgery after reporting that the pain stemming from a torn ligament had intensified recently. His rehab will carry through the rest of the season but he'll have plenty of time to get ready for 2022, which is really all that matters at this point. Kirilloff finishes his first MLB campaign with a .251/.299/.423 slash line and eight home runs in 59 games. Adding to the exodus of high-quality hitters, Luis Arraez hit the Injured List on Saturday after injuring his knee early in the week. Thankfully, his absence looks to be more temporary than the other two, although his continuing knee troubles don't bode well for the 24-year-old. While the Twins suffered some tough losses last week, they did also get some guys back. Mitch Garver returned with a bang on Monday, launching home runs in his first two at-bats. Brent Rooker was recalled after mashing in Triple-A, and should get an extended look at DH in Cruz's stead. Jake Cave was also activated following a two-month stay on IL. HIGHLIGHTS With the trade deadline fast approaching, it's possible we'll see the Twins part with one or more of their foundational building block type players. Jorge Polanco is probably not among them, which is just fine because he's been busy proving he still deserves to be in that class. Polanco struggled last year and throughout the early weeks of 2021. He entered June with a sub-700 OPS but then finally started to find his groove again, swinging with greater authority and driving the ball with more consistency. Finding himself back near the top of the order regularly, Polanco is keying the offense right now; the past week saw him chip in a pair of three-hit games and two home runs, finishing 10-for-25 with six RBIs. Dating back to the start of June he's slashing .297/.346/.506, which is nearly identical to his overall line in 2019 (.295/.356/.485). On Wednesday, Michael Pineda took the mound for the first time in two weeks, and it was a big step in the right direction at a crucial moment. Through five efficient innings, Pineda held the White Sox to one run on four hits, striking out three and walking one. It wasn't a dominating whiff clinic like we saw earlier this year when Big Mike was at his best, but a reassuring performance nonetheless for any interested buyer. Pineda's slated to face the Tigers on Monday – his last turn before the deadline. Whatever Pineda gets back in a trade, it won't be much. To really score a haul, the Twins will need to give up one of their most in-demand pitching assets, and both are doing plenty to stoke their markets. Taylor Rogers tossed a pair of scoreless innings with three strikeouts, while José Berríos was masterful in his Saturday night start, allowing just two unearned runs over seven innings against the Halos. LOWLIGHTS The front office would surely love to unload Andrelton Simmons and the remaining millions he's owed before re-entering free agency at season's end. Problem is, they might be hard-pressed to find a taker. Simmons has been good in the field, but not good enough to offset the complete and total lack of offense. With each passing week, the shortstop slides further and further into futility at the plate. He went 2-for-22 in the most recent one, and is now slashing a woeful .220/.287/.288 with a negative WAR. Is any contending team really going to view him as enough of an upgrade to take on his remaining $4 million or so in salary? Getting back any kind of prospect is out of the question. Another dead-end move from the past offseason for this front office. It's beginning to look like we can place Hansel Robles in that bucket too. The Twins are more likely to find a buyer for him than Simmons, given the lesser money involved and the ubiquitous need for relief pitching, but he's not making himself a prized asset. Robles pitched twice this past week and gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits, including a back-breaking home run against the White Sox on Tuesday. Robles has a 5.32 ERA over his past 24 appearances, with opponents hitting .292/.376/.528 against him. One way or another, Robles will be gone after this year. Alex Colomé too. Rogers is "likely to be dealt" at the deadline according to Ken Rosenthal. Beyond Tyler Duffey there is no continuity built into this bullpen, especially because Jorge Alcala has obliterated all confidence. The right-hander is completely unraveling, and the past week added to his woes with five runs allowed over three innings of work. In his past dozen appearances Alcala has taken three losses, blown two saves, and given up 14 earned runs on 19 hits in 10 ⅓ innings (12.20 ERA). It's not even clear he should be in the majors right now, let alone pitching meaningful innings. You look at this relief corps in its current state, and it's just so immensely difficult to envision the kind of abrupt and drastic turnaround needed for the Twins to return to contention in 2022. Which may partially explain why the front office has seemingly softened its commitment to holding players with control beyond this year. This is starting to look more like a full-on rebuild. TRENDING STORYLINE The biggest storyline trending around the Twins right now is a deeply disheartening one: Byron Buxton reportedly rejected the team's contract extension offer as the two sides sought to find common ground, at perhaps their last opportunity to do so. It sounds like the club's final offer to Buxton was around $80 million plus incentives, which understandably wasn't enough to entice the superstar center fielder's camp as free agency looms. Hitting a wall in extension negotiations will compel the Twins to fully explore Buxton's trade market, but probably not until the offseason. The more immediate names to watch are guys like Berríos, Rogers, and Josh Donaldson, who could all be shipped out this week along with impending free agents. The deadline falls on Friday at 3:00 PM – and it's a hard deadline this time, with no post-waiver avenue available. Buyers need to stock up, nor or never. How different will the Twins' roster, and future, in a week? We should all be bracing ourselves for a major shakeup. LOOKING AHEAD The July 30th trade deadline is, of course, the date to circle. Rumors are sure to be flying throughout the next four days, with all the action building up to Friday afternoon. Berríos is scheduled to pitch for the Twins that night; will he still be here? Or have we already seen him for the last time in a Twins uniform? MONDAY, 7/26: TIGERS @ TWINS – TBD v. RHP Michael Pineda TUESDAY, 7/27: TIGERS @ TWINS – LHP Tyler Alexander v. RHP Kenta Maeda WEDNESDAY, 7/28: TIGERS @ TWINS – RHP Wily Peralta v. LHP J.A. Happ FRIDAY, 7/30: TWINS @ CARDINALS – RHP José Berríos v. LHP Wade LeBlanc SATURDAY, 7/31: TWINS @ CARDINALS – RHP Bailey Ober v. RHP Jake Woodford SUNDAY, 8/1: TWINS @ CARDINALS – RHP Michael Pineda v. RHP Johan Oviedo 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

You all know the story. Two years ago, the Washington Nationals turned around a wayward season in June and became World Series champions. It's a precedent that many Twins fans steadfastly clung to as the current season spiraled. For Minnesota, such a rise was never in the cards this year. For Washington, it could be. Perhaps the Twins front office can take advantage? Image courtesy of Brock Beauchamp, Twins Daily You all know the story. Two years ago, the Washington Nationals turned around a wayward season in June and became World Series champions. It's a precedent that many Twins fans steadfastly clung to as the current season spiraled. For Minnesota, such a rise was never in the cards this year. For Washington, it could be. Perhaps the Twins front office can take advantage? What's Their Situation? The Nationals checked in at the All-Star break with a 42-47 record. They're in fourth place but only six games out of first, precisely where they sat at the break in 2019. Granted, this team is clearly in worse shape overall than that one (which was 47-42 and within closer range of a wild-card spot), but the current Nats squad should be considered a player with intent to add at the deadline. Especially because, as we'll discuss, they've got an aging veteran ace reaching the end of his deal, and a barren farm system. Now is the time to push for one more, and perhaps even add some help for the coming years. What Do They Need? You may recall that when the Nationals made their improbable run two years ago – from 19-31 in May to hoisting a trophy in October – they were fueled by star power: a three-headed monster in the rotation (Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin), plus a lineup powered by MVP candidate Anthony Rendon and rookie phenom Juan Soto. Most of those pieces are still in place (minus Rendon), which is why it seems silly for the Nationals not to make a push. Especially because one of those remaining pieces – Max Scherzer – is at the height of his prowess. He was the All-Star Game starter and is a Cy Young front-runner. He's also 36, so it's not like he's got too many years like this left in him. This is his final year under contract with the Nats. The trouble is that, while Scherzer is the kind of horse who can carry you through a postseason, he needs some help in the rotation if they're gonna get there. Stephen Strasburg's been out almost two months weeks with a neck injury. Patrick Corbin is struggling. Jon Lester has proven to be a J.A. Happ-caliber veteran pickup. A significant outside boost for this rotation would make a world of difference, especially with Strasburg expected back around the deadline. Can a return of that three-headed monster formula in August and September fuel a familiar surge? Of course, the Nationals could also use a boost in the lineup. They rank 11th out of 15 National League teams in runs scored, despite the pre-injury slugging heroics of Kyle Schwarber. The most glaring weakness in their lineup is Rendon's former home, third base, where Starlin Castro produced 0.5 fWAR before going on administrative leave last week amidst domestic abuse allegations. Which Twins Are the Best Fit? If we're making a list of plausible destinations for Josh Donaldson, I'm pretty sure Washington is at the very top. I mean, the Nats were finalists to sign Donaldson two offseasons ago, when he opted for the Twins. They're a free-spending big-market club that could afford to take on a healthy portion of his contract. And the need at third base is crystal clear. A healthy Donaldson delivers a transformative jolt for this team, and going forward, he wouldn't be blocking anyone set to emerge from their ... thin farm system (more on that in a moment). Donaldson is, of course, a considerable risk. Maybe a bigger one than this semi-longshot wants to take on. The real prize in Washington's eyes is likely José Berríos. Adding a durable top-end starter to their rotation alongside Scherzer and Strasburg for the stretch run would give the Nats a huge boost, and Berríos' return in 2022 (at least) would help fill the void of Scherzer's potential departure as a free agent. Who Could The Twins Get Back? Here's the sticking point: Washington is not rich with prospect capital. Coming into this season, their system was ranked as the 30th out of 30 teams by MLB.com. They had only two prospects in the overall Top 100, and one of them – 2019 first-rounder Jackson Rutledge – has been hampered by shoulder issues all year. The real prize would seem to be right-hander Cade Cavalli, who ranked as MLB.com's #77 prospect before the season (two spots ahead of Jhoan Duran) and recently graduated to Double-A, where he's been missing plenty of bats. He would be an excellent get, and perhaps a worthy headliner in a Berríos package, but Cavalli is just one year removed from being drafted in the first round. He's Washington's only bona fide stud prospect and is on track to be ready next year. Are the Nats going to part with such a cost-controlled asset in exchange for the pricy proposition of acquiring and extending Berríos? If they choose to lower their sights and go for someone like Donaldson, there are plenty of interesting pieces in this system for Minnesota to pick from. Seven of Washington's top 10 prospects are pitchers, and the system has several raw young position players that could soften the blow of losing JD in a salary dump. 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

Where was it insinuated that anyone should feel sorry about Sano? All I'm talking about is team strategy and what makes the most sense moving forward. They are committed to him for a lot of money still so they should try to extract some value from it. He ... did get out of his slump? He had a .550 OPS in mid-May and since then it's over .800. I'm not saying he's been a world-beater but he's been hitting pretty well in recent weeks, as noted in the article. In fact, his OPS is 60 points higher than Kirilloff's over the past two months.

The Minnesota Twins enjoyed an extended All-Star break thanks to a rain-out in Detroit on Friday, which also reduced their four-game series against the Tigers to a three-gamer. The Twins managed to pack a lot of ugliness into the short week, starting the second half on a sour note and planting themselves firmly in fourth place. Image courtesy of Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports The Minnesota Twins enjoyed an extended All-Star break thanks to a rain-out in Detroit on Friday, which also reduced their four-game series against the Tigers to a three-gamer. The Twins managed to pack a lot of ugliness into the short week, starting the second half on a sour note and planting themselves firmly in fourth place. Weekly Snapshot: 7/12 through Sun, 7/18 *** Record Last Week: 0-3 (Overall: 39-53) Run Differential Last Week: -9 (Overall: -66) Standing: 4th Place in AL Central (17.0 GB) Last Week's Game Recaps: Game 90 | DET 1, MIN 0: Bats Come Up Empty in Barnes Debut Game 91 | DET 5, MIN 4: Tigers Walk Off Twins on Bloop Single Game 92 | DET 7, MIN 0: Offense Snoozes Again in Sweep-Clinching Rout NEWS & NOTES I wrote last week about key question marks the Twins need to find clarity on in the second half, and Randy Dobnak is near the top of that list. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we're going to see much more of him this year. Dobnak was moved to the 60-day Injured List coming out of the break, indicating that his return from a finger strain is nowhere near. The righty last pitched on June 19th, so he won't be back on the mound for the Twins until at least late August. Devin Smeltzer was also transitioned to the 60-day IL; it sounds like he's hit some bumps on the rehab road and is still a ways off. Filling their spots on the 40-man roster are Charlie Barnes and Juan Minaya. The latter addition supplements a bullpen that's now short-handed again, with Derek Law going on the shelf due to a shoulder impingement. Barnes gives the Twins another rookie to evaluate in the starting rotation, and he had a pretty good showing in his major-league debut, which we'll discuss below. In a welcome bit of good news, it sounds like Mitch Garver's return is imminent. He wrapped up a short rehab stint in St. Paul and is set to join the team in Chicago on Monday. Jake Cave, who also embarked on a rehab assignment with the Saints last week, is not far behind. HIGHLIGHTS He's not one of the top pitching prospects in the organization. He doesn't project as a front-line talent, and maybe not even a full-time MLB starter. But nonetheless Barnes is an interesting and important player for the Twins. Time and time again, we've seen the impact of rotation depth beyond the top five, and Barnes has a real chance to factor into that picture over the next few seasons. A fourth-round draft pick out of Clemson back in 2017, Barnes has risen steadily through the organization, posting a 3.72 ERA in the minors over parts of four seasons. In his Twins debut on Friday, the lefty was as advertised, peppering the zone and keeping hitters off-balance with a quality changeup that paces his repertoire. He gave up a lead-off homer and basically shut the Tigers down after that, finishing with four hits, one walk, and one strikeout in 4 ⅔ innings. Barnes should get plenty more opportunities this year out of necessity. Minnesota's starting depth has been largely eradicated, and may get thinner yet. We noted earlier that Dobnak and Smeltzer won't be back for a while. Lewis Thorpe also remains sidelined. Michael Pineda will likely get traded if he's healthy (and if not, more innings to cover anyway). Bailey Ober's workload will be managed vigilantly. The Twins need to find innings wherever they can get them. Which is why I'm sad to say that J.A. Happ probably is not going anywhere, despite his clunker on Sunday ranking among the weekend's lowlights. There was no shortage of them. LOWLIGHTS The Twins not only lost all three games in Detroit, erasing whatever semblance of momentum they generated with a sweep of this same Tigers team heading into the break. They lost them all in strikingly hideous fashion. In Game 1 it was a shutout fueled primarily by Jose Urena and Daniel Norris, both of whom have ERAs north of six. Game 2 saw Detroit win in a walk-off when a routine pop-up with an expected batting average of .000 dropped between Nick Gordon and Andrelton Simmons in shallow center field. In the finale, Minnesota was flat-out dominated by this lousy Tigers team in a 7-0 trouncing. The Twins went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and Happ coughed up all seven runs. The pitching was customarily ineffective, but the complete lack of offense from the Twins in this series was surprising and disappointing. The Tigers have a bad, bad staff and Minnesota could do nothing to take advantage. Trevor Larnach's slump carried over from before the break. He saw his hitless streak extend to 17 at-bats before delivering a single on Sunday ... and then promptly getting thrown out trying to stretch it at second. Alex Kirilloff went 1-for-11. Max Kepler and Ryan Jeffers combined to produce zero hits in 18 plate appearances. Simmons is batting .158 this month after another hitless game on Sunday, and his OPS is on the verge of dropping below .600. With very few exceptions, the lineup completely sleepwalked through this series, despite the fact that everyone other than Nelson Cruz – who participated in All-Star festivities and appeared briefly in Tuesday night's game – was running on five full days of rest. It was as listless and sloppy a performance as we've seen all year. I long ago gave up on the idea of the Twins playing meaningful baseball in the second half, and I recognize things are sure to get worse once the sell-off is underway, but I'd still like to have a reason to tune in. The offense should be that. It's a talented group and theoretically a foundation to build upon if the Twins want to reassert themselves as contenders in short order. But what we saw over the past three days offered little to like or feel good about. TRENDING STORYLINE What exactly is the plan with Miguel Sanó? He sat in two of the three games in Detroit, further cementing his status as a part-time platoon player. It's not clear how this course of action benefits the Twins in any way at the moment. Firstly, taking Sanó out of the lineup doesn't appear to make it better. The Twins were shut out in both games he was benched for over the weekend, and while I'm not saying he'd have turned the tides, he has been hitting pretty well of late. In his past 25 games, the first baseman is slashing .265/.307/.470 with a 31% K-rate that is well below his norm. In fact, his OPS over the past two months is nearly .800. Meanwhile, it is apparent that Larnach and Kirilloff (among others) could use a few more days off mixed in. Secondly, there is the contractual attachment to Sanó. I realize that many fans would like to be done and wash their hands of the frustrating slugger, but the reality is that they team is on the hook for another $12 million after this year ($9.25M salary in 2022 and $2.75M buyout for 2023 option). The only way out of that commitment, or some portion of it, is trading Sanó. But keeping him on the bench regularly, as Rocco Baldelli has of late, prevents any trade market from taking shape. A classic surge in July could MAYBE raise the eyebrows of a power-needy team at the deadline. Sticking him on the bench every other day doesn't send any good signals. Moreover, the Twins just need to do whatever they can to help Sanó rediscover his game. It might feel like ancient history with all that's happened since, but he is only separated from his stellar 2019 season – 34 home runs, 79 RBIs, and a .923 OPS in 105 games – by less than six months, in baseball terms. He's 28 years old, not 34. To simply give up on him at this point, when it also means eating $12 million in dead salary, makes no sense, unless the front office is completely and utterly convinced he's lost what he once had. The flashes we've seen from him at times this year make that hard to believe. The coming offseason will likely define Sanó's baseball career. He's either going to put in the work, come back next year and re-establish himself, or he may very well end up finding that the best offer for him afterward is to go play ball overseas. You might not feel he's worth betting on. I wouldn't necessarily blame you. But the Twins don't really have much choice. LOOKING AHEAD The Twins have a full, busy week of action ahead, with eight games in seven days, and they will have their work cut out for them. The week opens with a rookie (Griffin Jax) going up against a Cy Young front-runner (Lance Lynn), and ends with another rookie (Ober) going up against an MVP front-runner (Shohei Ohtani). Given what we just saw against Detroit, it's hard to envision things going particularly well for the Twins during this stretch, but team results on the field will be a secondary storyline with the trade deadline now less than two weeks away. From that perspective, the Pineda start on Wednesday looms large. MONDAY, 7/19 (G1): TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP Griffin Jax v. RHP Lance Lynn MONDAY, 7/19 (G2): TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP José Berríos v. TBD TUESDAY, 7/20: TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP Bailey Ober v. LHP Dallas Keuchel WEDNESDAY, 7/21: TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP Michael Pineda v. RHP Dylan Cease THURSDAY, 7/22: ANGELS @ TWINS – LHP Andrew Heaney v. RHP Kenta Maeda FRIDAY, 7/23: ANGELS @ TWINS – RHP Alex Cobb v. LHP J.A. Happ SATURDAY, 7/24: ANGELS @ TWINS – LHP Patrick Sandoval v. RHP Jose Berrios SUNDAY, 7/25: ANGELS @ TWINS – RHP Shohei Ohtani v. RHP Bailey Ober 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

My thought is: stay the course. I pretty much agree with your assessment although I think you're underselling Garver. He looked phenomenal before the latest injury. I'm not sure what to make of Jeffers offensively. Rortvedt has definitely shown me this year he's got a long future as a quality backup MLB catcher at least.

The Minnesota Twins won't be making a pennant push in the second half of the season. That's unfortunate. But it doesn't mean the front office can't operate with a purpose. The remainder of the schedule should be used, in part, to answer these six questions with critical implications for the team's outlook beyond 2021. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson–USA Today The Minnesota Twins won't be making a pennant push in the second half of the season. That's unfortunate. But it doesn't mean the front office can't operate with a purpose. The remainder of the schedule should be used, in part, to answer these six questions with critical implications for the team's outlook beyond 2021. 1. Will Nick Gordon have a role on the 2022 Twins? The former first-round pick has finally found his way to the majors and is getting a chance to show what he's got ... but not much of a chance. Gordon's playing time has been sporadic at best; in the past calendar month, he's appeared in 11 of 24 games, starting only seven. Personally I'm a little skeptical of Gordon having a stong fit on a contending MLB roster, and his production hasn't exactly forced the issue – he's slashing .167/.222/.262 in his last 45 plate appearances – but it hurts nothing to give him an extended look in the second half and see if he can find some traction. There are some intriguing skills here, from the standout speed to the emerging defensive flexibility, but Gordon turns 26 in October and it'll tough to hold onto him anymore as a development project. He needs to prove he can play a valuable role in the immediate future, and the Twins should give him that chance. 2. What's up with Randy Dobnak? Unlike Gordon, Dobnak's spot in the organization is secure. He signed a five-year extension in the spring and while the total money involved is not going to keep the Twins attached to him for the duration, it'll definitely keep him in the mix as a factor next year. So... can he pitch in the majors? The answer seemed to be a resounding yes through his first 15 big-league appearances, when he posted a 1.69 ERA through 58 ⅔ innings. Since then he has allowed 53 earned runs in 60 innings (7.95 ERA) along with 86 hits. He's been tagged with a 2-9 record in 17 outings during that span. Will the real Randy Dobnak please stand up? It bears noting that the right-hander has dealt with challenging circumstances this year, from an uncertain role out of the gates to a fingernail injury to an unrelated finger strain that currently has him on the Injured List. Hopefully the second half will help the Twins get a handle on whether those circumstances are primarily responsible for his drop-off, or if the former undrafted pitcher's magic has simply run out. Their conclusion will dictate whether they can count on him to help fill out a needy rotation in 2022. 3. Can Bailey Ober be penciled into next year's Opening Day rotation? Speaking of filling out a needy rotation, Ober is another potential plug. With a juiced-up fastball that suddenly touches mid-90s, the 6-foot-9 right-hander has quickly shifted from middling prospect to the makings of a legit MLB starter. There are promising signs in his performance as a rookie – especially the 37-to-11 K/BB ratio in 33 innings. But Ober's performance, which includes a 5.45 ERA and nine home runs allowed in eight short starts, hasn't been good enough to assert himself as a clear option for next year's rotation. As I pondered in the latest Week in Review column: "Can he solve the long-ball woes in the second half? And how much opportunity will have to do so, as the Twins carefully manage his workload coming off the lost season?" If the Twins ultimately determine they can count on neither Dobnak or Ober to be one of their five guys out of the gates next year, the front office will face a major uphill climb in filling out the rotation with limited spending power during the offseason. 4. Is Brent Rooker a major-league player? He doesn't have much left to prove in Triple-A, from an offensive standpoint anyway. Rooker has been absolutely crushing for the St. Paul Saints, with a 1.073 OPS in his past 30 games. He launched three home runs on Tuesday night, then added another on Wednesday to move ahead of Nelson Cruz for the organizational lead in home runs on the season, with 19. That's the kind of power you seemingly want to find a spot for ... but the Twins have been unable to do so. Amidst all their injuries and depth issues, Rooker's gotten only 30 MLB plate appearances this year. The biggest barrier is his defense – it's clear the Twins don't trust him anywhere in the field, even first base. That should cease to be an issue by the end of the month. Nelson Cruz will be traded to a contender, opening up the DH spot. From there, Rooker will need to make a case that he's going to hit enough in the majors to be a viable full-time option at the position next year. Or, he'll have to make the most out of whatever chances he gets in the field to show he's at least usable. As a no-glove slugger, the bar for hitting is extremely high for Rooker to be a valuable big-leaguer. His 18-to-1 K/BB ratio with the Twins up to this point doesn't offer much promise on that front. He's got some work to do. 5. What's salvageable in this bullpen? Tyler Duffey, Taylor Rogers (assuming he's not traded) ... what else is there to build on here as Minnesota tries to pick up the pieces from a disastrous relief corps? Caleb Thielbar will likely be in the picture next year, although he's struggling mightily here in July. Jorge Alcala will remain in play, although his home run proneness has severely diminished his shine. The Twins need to take advantage of the outcome-agnostic nature of this second half to take deeper looks at anyone with a hint of intrigue or potential to factor in next year. Keep running out Derek Law and give him some looks in leverage. Call up Beau Burrows and Ian Hamilton for auditions. Hopefully guys like Luke Farrell, Cody Stashak, and Lewis Thorpe get healthy enough that you can give them some run. Maybe even consider promoting legit relief prospects like Yennier Cano and Jovani Moran, if they're deemed ready. Throw it all against the wall and see what sticks. 6. What's the plan for the middle infield? Right now it is anyone's guess. With Andrelton Simmons likely to be shipped out ahead of the deadline, the Twins will have some flexibility to try out different alignments during the second half. Getting Jorge Polanco regular looks at shortstop may help the team assess if they'd be comfortable moving him back there full-time next year. The same goes for Luis Arraez at second. Feeding Gordon a healthy amount of playing time will be instructional as well. Could Rob Refsnyder re-enter the mix once he gets healthy again? The Twins will want to get a firm grasp on what they have in the middle infield so they can make informed plans for the offseason. With Simmons gone and last winter's offseason shakeup reset, they'll basically be back at square one. Let's hear from you. Which questions do you think will be most important for the Twins to answer during the second half of this season? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

I mean, does that need to be stated? I think we all understand that it's possible to find a hidden gem or unlock something in a lesser prospect, but the bottom line is that nobody's going to trade a prospect they think really highly of for 2 months of a 41-year-old DH, not matter how good he is. On the other hand, they'll have to do just that to pry away Berrios or Rogers.

The trade deadline is approaching, and the Minnesota Twins are set to open up shop. But the dirty little secret is that if the front office wants to truly capitalize on a clear "sell" opportunity and bring back high-caliber prospects, it's going to require parting with one (or both) of two beloved players who would be extremely painful to lose. Image courtesy of David Berding and Bruce Kluckhohn, USA Today The trade deadline is approaching, and the Minnesota Twins are set to open up shop. But the dirty little secret is that if the front office wants to truly capitalize on a clear "sell" opportunity and bring back high-caliber prospects, it's going to require parting with one (or both) of two beloved players who would be extremely painful to lose. The Twins, destined for irrelevance this season, have a variety of players they'd be more than happy to ship out. Impending free agents like Andrelton Simmons, Michael Pineda, Hansel Robles and J.A. Happ? Why not? Makes no difference really. Those players will be free for anyone to sign come November, and there's no reason to be clamoring for an extension with any of them. Even players under control beyond this year, like Josh Donaldson and Miguel Sanó, could be dealt with a viable argument their salary allotment is better diverted elsewhere. The problem, of course, is that none of these players are likely to generate significant demand at the deadline. Due either to performance, contracts, injuries, or some combination, they're all burdened by drawbacks that significantly dash their trade value. In any of these cases, the Twins are going to be accepting an underwhelming return. Many trade scenarios would qualify as no more than a salary dump. When it comes to selling high, the front office has three opportunities, and in only two of those cases will they be able to dictate a market and drive up the asking price. Fresh off his All-Star appearance, Nelson Cruz is an elite hitter, and basically the biggest offensive upgrade a team could ask for at the deadline. He's a bona fide difference-maker for a contender, and all but certain to get moved. But as a 41-year-old pure DH with two months left on his deal, Cruz's market is inherently limited. When you narrow down the field of teams that actually have a fit, are willing to pay his remaining salary, and are in contention for a championship, you wind up with a handful at most. Cruz will almost surely be traded, but he's not going to bring back a game-changing prospect. That's the nature of the beast. If the Twins want to sell high and compel another team to overpay at the deadline, they're going to need to trade away either their best starter, José Berríos, or their best reliever, Taylor Rogers. Now this is not an endorsement of that course of action. I feel the same reservations as many people reading this do. In part, the attachment is sentimental. Berríos and Rogers are both extremely likable, as well as extremely familiar. They are among the longest-tenured Twins players – both drafted in 2012 before making major-league debuts in 2016. They've remained constants in the rotation and bullpen while the team has changed drastically around them. Both are models of durability and consistency. But sentimentality aside, the more important factor here is that both Berríos and Rogers are critical if not essential to any hopes of the Twins rebounding and returning to contention in 2022. It's already difficult enough to envision the club fielding a contention-caliber rotation OR bullpen next year, given the sorry current state of both units. But when you remove the top performer (by a wide margin) in each, the task feels insurmountable. Berríos and Rogers should theoretically be centerpieces of a retool-and-reset strategy. They are both under team control at a reasonable rate next year, and each is on top of his game. Berríos ranks seventh among AL starters in fWAR, while Rogers ranks fifth among relievers – a first-time All-Star with career highs in K-rate, swinging-strike rate, and FIP. Of course, these are exactly the reasons they will generate outsized demand. Whereas Cruz has a narrow field of suitors, Berríos and Rogers are attractive to any team that's even THINKING about buying. Which brings us back to the point at hand. I don't like the idea of trading either of these long-time fixtures, especially when you'd be subtracting from a clear area of weakness. But no one can deny that if the Twins want to make a real splash and acquire substantial prospect capital to aid whatever scale of rebuild they are about to undertake ... they really have no other choice. This front office prides itself on being opportunistic, and has never been weighed down by sentimentality. We'll see where they land. 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 terms of team performance, this was probably the most disappointing and soul-crushing first half of a Twin season I've ever endured. And yet I can honestly say that – as a pure baseball fan – I've enjoyed the first half of this season as much as any I can remember. In terms of team performance, this was probably the most disappointing and soul-crushing first half of a Twin season I've ever endured. And yet I can honestly say that – as a pure baseball fan – I've enjoyed the first half of this season as much as any I can remember. I love baseball in all of its dissectible minutiae. I delight in overthinking every at-bat, sweating every intense moment, and debating pointless frivolities. I get a kick out of analyzing and opining on the many twists and turns of a marathon season. And offseason. (If you frequent this site, you might have noticed.) But more than all that, I just love the baseball experience. Removing all of the stats, trends, trades, analytics, and hot takes, I am plain and simply a baseball fan to the core. I feel at peace in the ballpark, or with sounds of the game droning on my TV or radio. When I was a young pup riding the bus down Cedar Avenue to the Metrodome, I didn't care much about Kirby Puckett's OPS or Brad Radke's trade value. I was just happy to be wandering through this majestic Dome, eating a hot dog and staring on at the action alongside thousands of other contented folks. If the game went long, maybe I'd even get to stay out late on a school night. Much has changed since those days, but the fundamental source of my passion has not. And I was reminded of this very starkly in 2020, when a cherished annual summer routine – uninterrupted since I could remember (mind you, I was 9 years old when the '94 strike took place) – fell apart. As the pandemic unfolded two springs ago, I was highly skeptical a season of record could be salvaged. Happily I was wrong. Major League Baseball managed to pull off a shortened 60-game season, and it was entirely fine. Much better than nothing. But it never quite felt authentic, and was over almost as quickly as it began. (The Twins played their 60th game of this season five weeks ago.) Most crucially, like so many diehards across the country, I never got to attend a game. It's an irrelevant footnote in the face of all the tragedy and trauma faced by so many last year, but losing the ballpark experience was a bummer. I promised myself that when we emerged from it all and congregated once again at the stadium, I'd savor the hell out of it. And that I have. I've attended more Twins games at Target Field in the first half of this season than any previous. (And a couple at Kauffman Stadium!) I've run into random friends, heckled opposing outfielders, inhaled messy brats, beat the buzzer on bottom-of-seventh beers, and gazed wordlessly from my seat for indefinite stretches at the beautifully bland cadence of baseball, in all of its calm and rhythmic glory. Lord, did I miss it. I attended two games this past weekend, during a sweep of the Tigers to close out the first half. Let's just say it cemented my deep gratitude for the return of (relative) normalcy in the realm of baseball. On Friday I grabbed bleacher seats with high school friends and felt the electricity of the year's biggest crowd. The place was alive. Sunday, I joined up with a whole gaggle of Twins Daily writers – many of whom I'd scarcely had met before, what with the absence of events for 16 months – and we had a ball milling about on the Gray Duck Deck. Considerable Bomba Juice was consumed. These times are golden. They're what fuel my fandom and love for the sport, through thick and thin. I don't know if this year's Twins season would be described as thick or thin (kinda weird descriptors?), but what matters is we're all trudging through it together, and Sunday was an excellent reminder of that: a perfect punctuation to the best and worst damn first half of Twins baseball ever. The return of baseball as we know and love it would be way more fun, obviously, if our favorite team did not fall flat and completely erase any pretense of contention by the All-Star Game. But them's the breaks. The home team hasn't won much, and it's a shame. Still, those eternal words ring truer than ever: Take me out to the ballgame. Take me out with the crowd. View full article

The Twins are riding a winning streak into the All-Star break, thanks to a four-game sweep over the Tigers at Target Field to close out the first half. The MLB Draft is underway, the trade deadline is bearing down, and plenty of intriguing storylines are unfolding. Let's dig in. Image courtesy of Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports The Twins are riding a winning streak into the All-Star break, thanks to a four-game sweep over the Tigers at Target Field to close out the first half. The MLB Draft is underway, the trade deadline is bearing down, and plenty of intriguing storylines are unfolding. Let's dig in. Weekly Snapshot: 7/5 through Sun, 7/11 *** Record Last Week: 5-2 (Overall: 39-50) Run Differential Last Week: +7 (Overall: -57) Standing: T-4th Place in AL Central (15.0 GB) Last Week's Game Recaps: Game 83 | MIN 8, CWS 5: Ober Picks Up First MLB Win Game 84 | CWS 4, MIN 1: Berríos Gets No Help in Brilliant Outing Game 85 | CWS 6, MIN 1: Bats Have No Answer for Lance Lynn Game 86 | MIN 5, DET 3: Happ and Hitters Go Deep as Twins Top Tigers Game 87 | MIN 4, DET 2: Tides Turn for Twins in 4-Run Sixth Inning Game 88 | MIN 9, DET 4: Late Surge from Offense Lifts Twins Game 89 | MIN 12, DET 9: Polanco Walks Off Detroit in 10th NEWS & NOTES Even after taking four straight from Detroit, improving to 7-2 against them this year, the Twins are still only tied with the Tigers for fourth place in the AL Central standings. That speaks to how badly things were going beforehand – with another series loss against the White Sox earlier in the week, Minnesota had fallen to a season-high 15.5 games out of first place. The Twins head into the All-Star break with several players sidelined, including key cogs like Byron Buxton and Mitch Garver. But the steady stream of injuries has thankfully slowed to a trickle of late, with more additions than subtractions in the past couple weeks. The latest activation was Michael Pineda, who replaced Griffin Jax on the active roster but struggled in his return on Wednesday. It sounds like Garver and Jake Cave could be firing up rehab stints shortly after the break concludes. HIGHLIGHTS Top performers from the past week included: Max Kepler, who has sprung to life after watching his batting average dip below .200 at the end of June. Kepler has raised his OPS by nearly 100 points in July, and the last week helped a lot as he went 9-for-24 with three home runs and seven RBIs. He is a sleeper candidate to be traded this month. José Berríos is less of a sleeper and more of a prime deadline asset for the selling Twins. We'll see if they get an offer that compels them to trade their best starter, but Berríos is doing his part to stoke the market. He went seven innings in both of his two starts this past week, striking out 18 and allowing just four hits. Luis Arraez started six of the seven games and collected hits in each, finishing the week 10-for-26. Since returning from the IL in mid-June, Arraez is batting .329/.376/.459 with five doubles and three triples in 23 games. It was a relatively quiet week for Jorge Polanco, who went 7-for-28 to keep his batting average in the .250 range, but he finished with a bang on Sunday, driving in a career-high five runs and sending the Twins into the break with a walk-off win. LOWLIGHTS Adjustments might be catching up with Trevor Larnach. The rookie outfielder has so impressed manager Rocco Baldelli that he's now hitting third or fourth on a regular basis, but Larnach finds himself in a real funk as the All-Star break arrives. The last week saw him go 4-for-26 with 15 strikeouts in 29 plate appearances, including golden sombreros (4 Ks) on both Saturday and Sunday. Major-league pitchers are finding ways to attack and exploit Larnach, who has a 22-to-3 K/BB ratio this month. Now the impetus is on him to make his own adjustments and get back on track. Given the caliber of hitter he is, that seems likely, and these will be the intriguing sorts of threads to follow in the second half of this wayward season. Another key figure to follow will be Bailey Ober, who struggled against Detroit on Saturday, coughing up four runs over 3 ⅓ innings while laboring through 79 pitches. The big right-hander has an opportunity to more or less lock down a 2022 rotation spot with a good showing this year, but he's gonna need to step it up. Ober has gotten through five innings only twice in eight starts, and lapses like Saturday's have been all too common. He flashes strikeout stuff and his control has been pretty solid, but he's given up nine homers in 33 innings. Can he solve the long-ball woes in the second half? And how much opportunity will have to do so, as the Twins carefully manage his workload coming off the lost season? TRENDING STORYLINE The MLB Draft is officially underway and the Twins made their first two picks on Sunday night, selecting a pair of prep stars with enticing upside. With their first pick, at #26 overall, the Twins took Chase Petty, a right-handed pitcher out of Mainland Regional High School in New Jersey. The hard-throwing hurler is reputed for a fastball that touches triple digits, but he slid to the back of the first round because he has trouble controlling it. If the Twins can harness his command and keep him healthy they may have a gem here. At #36, the Twins used their second pick to take another 18-year-old high schooler, this time going with shortstop Noah Miller out of Ozaukee High School in Wisconsin. He's considered a defensive specialist – which is good because it means he should stick at short – but he has the tools to become a two-way threat. The Twins' first two picks in this draft don't exactly scream "immediate help," and are a departure from this front office's typical tendency to jump on college players in the early rounds. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. We'll see where the organization goes from here. The draft continues on Monday with rounds 2 through 10, and Minnesota's next selection will come at No. 61. Make sure to stay tuned into Twins Daily as we'll be covering the action live. LOOKING AHEAD Nelson Cruz will represent the Twins in the All-Star Game on Tuesday, and then the team gets back to action with a flurry of action on the other side of the break. Friday's double-header against Detroit sparks a span of six games in four days coming out of the break, with a double-header in Chicago against the White Sox awaiting next Monday. We'll see how the Twins situate their roster and rotation to accommodate. As of now, probable starters have not been announced. TUESDAY, 7/13: MLB ALL-STAR GAME FRIDAY, 7/16 (G1): TWINS @ TIGERS FRIDAY, 7/16 (G2): TWINS @ TIGERS SATURDAY, 7/17: TWINS @ TIGERS SUNDAY, 7/18: TWINS @ TIGERS 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