Steven Trefz

The Twins travel east in the middle of May in hopes of keeping the Guardians and Nationals down at the depths of their divisions. With sights and scenes abounding for fans, this road trip looks like a highlight of the season for the Twins traveler. What awaits those who care to venture to Cleveland and Washington, D.C? Image courtesy of © Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports Cleveland Guardians – May 17-19 Progressive Field – Capacity 34,830 2023 Attendance: 1,834,068, up from 1,295,869 in 2022 (Averaged 22,643, ranked 10th out of 15 AL parks, 23rd overall MLB) Baseball in Cleveland began in 1894. This trip takes me to the most current iteration of Cleveland baseball, Progressive Field. I grew up memorizing Major League and even parts of Major League 2 (no shame). This stadium isn’t Municipal Stadium, but it’s been around a while nonetheless. 1994 saw the building of the current iteration of the ballpark, and 2019 brought an extensive concourse renovation at the 200 level with entertainment and open walkways. Built downtown, with plenty of surrounding neighborhood options for food and drink and a consistently winning team, Progressive Field strikes me as a ballpark that should have more fans in attendance. 2023 saw an increase in attendance, but a drop in victories. After an extensive re-brand in 2022, the Guardians look to rebuild their squad now. One unique attribute to see is John Adam’s Drum. This dedicated fan brought the “thump” to every game since 1973 but passed away in 2023. This continuing tradition carries a new note now, and it will be interesting to see how things like this continue as the rebrand continues. Sights around town include the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, East 4th St., and the House of Blues. Need a unique place to stay? How about the actual “A Christmas Story House.” Seriously. Leg lamp and all. Cleveland rocks, but hopefully their rebuild will continue to roll along at a snails pace. After wrapping up the three game series against a divisional foe, the Twins continue east for a 370 mile journey to the nation’s capital for the first time since 2016 to face the Nationals. Washington Nationals – May 20-22 Nationals Park – Capacity 41,339 2023 Attendance: 1,865,832, down from 2,026,401 in 2022 (Averaged 23,035, ranked 13th out of 15 NL parks, 22nd overall MLB) In 2004, the Montreal Expos’ story ended, and the Washington Nationals’ story began. After Major League Baseball took over the Expos, they brokered the move for baseball to return to Washington, D.C., after the town birthed and lost the Senators…twice. The Twins and Rangers can thank the city for their franchises, but the Nationals haven’t had much to be thankful for since 2019 saw them rise to the pinnacle and bring home the World Series. The days of Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg and Juan Soto are long gone. 2024 sees the beginning of the Joey Gallo age! Most towns on the MLB circuit can provide a weekend of sights and sounds, but Washington, D.C., could easily take a week or more of a tourist’s time. May is a beautiful time to visit the city’s national monuments and museums, political landmarks, and coastal sights. After the team languished at RFK Stadium for its first four years, Nationals Park opened in 2008 with much fanfare and little flair. There isn’t a distinguishing component of the stadium, but it serves as a great venue to watch baseball along the Anacostia River. With its walkable open-air outfield concourse, and its clean lines, Nationals Park focuses the attention on the actual game. With a drop in play and in attendance, will the Nationals need to re-think this strategy to attract fans? Or will this stadium continue to be a road teams’ heaven? The Nationals have had a losing record at home since that 2019 run, and Twins fans hope that momentum continues at least until mid-May! The Twins will be traveling 2,225 miles for six games, zero off days, and ____ wins? How do you think the Twins will fare on this eastern trek? Anyone planning to go to Cleveland or Washington, D.C.? Any favorite watering holes or tourist traps? Baseball is almost here Twins Territory…let’s get talking! Let's Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins' 13 road trips during the 2024 season. I will focus on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities. Potential pitfalls and roadblocks get considered, and travel considerations get mentioned. My handy-dandy Baseball Road Trips by Timothy Malcolm and Moon travel guides will be a go-to for this conversation. View full article

For a few years, COVID was a tremendous damper on the annual Toronto road trip for fans and for players, but normalcy has returned. This first rematch of the Twins' playoff series win will carry plenty of intrigue. Image courtesy of © Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports For years, now, it's felt like the fortunes of the Twins and Jays were oddly intertwined. This May series will be a way for them each to check in on each other. Toronto Blue Jays – May 10-12 Rogers Centre: Capacity 45,517 2023 Attendance: 3,021,904, up from 2,653,837 in 2022 (Averaged 37.307, ranked 3rd out of 15 AL teams, 8th overall MLB) When Toronto got their MLB franchise in 1977, they started out in a retrofitted football field called Exhibition Stadium. The SkyDome (renamed Rogers Centre in 2005) opened to great fanfare in 1989, and soon gained classic replay status as the setting of Joe Carter’s World Series winner and the Jays' back-to-back championships. In the 2010s, the Blue Jays boasted the highest attendance in the American League. Rogers Centre was the first stadium in the world with a fully retractable motorized roof. It hosts a hotel with rooms that look out onto the field, and rests within the Old Downtown neighborhood of the fourth-largest city in North America. The field itself is a bit cookie-cutter in form, but the recent renovations and new outfield dimensions provide variety, and they offer excellent food and tourist vibes throughout the concourses. The Twins’ history with Rogers Centre includes the American League Championship Series--three road game victories that propelled them to the 1991 World Series. They've had 50-50 success over the past four seasons, and there's been a small dose of COVID vaccine controversy. With travel restrictions lifted, and a Blue Jays squad with World Series aspirations, this should make for a fun mid-season matchup. The sounds, tastes, and sights of Toronto are pretty epic. The CN Tower observation deck, Lake Ontario beaches and waterfront, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and an actual “distillery district” all exist within a few blocks of the ballpark. With the increased attendance in 2023, and the Blue Jays being a young team on the rise, finding a seat at the games should still be easy enough, but be prepared for increased "anti-Twins" vibes after last season. The Blue Jays have been busy this winter, though more in terms of quantity of transactions than in terms of obvious impact. Will Austin Martin be called up in time to return to Toronto to face the team that dealt him away, and even face his trade counterpart José Berríos? The potential storylines make this a one-stop series worth paying attention to. The Twins will be traveling 2,960 miles for 3 games, 0 off days, and ____ wins? The highlight of the past two decades of Twins fandom comes back into focus in this playoff rematch. Will the Blue Jays get revenge, or will the Twins continue their winning ways? How do you think the Twins will fare north of the border (though south of home)? Anyone planning to go to Toronto? Any favorite watering holes or tourist traps? Baseball is almost here Twins Territory…let’s get talking! Let's Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins' 13 road trips during the 2024 season. I will focus on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities. Potential pitfalls and roadblocks get considered, and travel considerations get mentioned. My handy-dandy Baseball Road Trips by Timothy Malcolm and Moon travel guides will be a go-to for this conversation. View full article

By the third road trip of the season, the Twins will have had 17 games against AL Central opponents. Their first trip West is followed immediately by another three games in Chicago against the rival White Sox. Image courtesy of © Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports Why fly to the Pacific Ocean just to turn around and head to Lake Michigan without an off day in between? Doesn't matter. It has to happen, and it has to go well if the Twins want to stay on top. Los Angeles Angels – April 26-28 Angel Stadium: Capacity 45,517 2023 Attendance: 2,640,575, up from 2,457,261 in 2022 (Averaged 32,599, ranked 6th out of 15 AL teams, 13th overall MLB) To say that Angel Stadium exists because Disney exists isn’t an overstatement. The birth of Disneyland in 1955 led to the pursuit of community development in the Anaheim area. In 1966, that development took the form of a baseball stadium, then known as Anaheim Stadium. The 1980s brought a change in architecture, as the NFL's Rams filled in the outfield seating area to increase capacity. In 1998, though, the Angels returned to the open-concept outfield, as the Disney corporation placed its imprint upon the setting and installed the “Outfield Extravaganza” rock pile in left-center field. Mike Trout hits baseballs there for a living. Shohei Ohtani used to do so, too--no small feat for a left-handed batter, but part of the show until Ohtani departed for the real city of Los Angeles this winter. Attendance remains high, despite the club's losing ways, but the loss of Ohtani is going to hurt. Most of the Angels fans in attendance at the Twins series there last April were sporting Ohtani jerseys and living and dying on every sighting. Now its all Trout, and while he's been a generational talent, he's also been injured quite often. Will Miguel Sanó or Aaron Hicks be there to greet the Twins when they come calling this season? Only time will tell. Chilly nights in the early and late parts of the season make it advisable to layer up if you choose to attend. While the days are Chamber of Commerce beautiful and mid-70s, the nights will remind Twins fans of home. Angel Stadium contains some connection to Twins lore, as it was the ballpark that stole Torii Hunter from us, and the site of the beginning of our playoff futility in 2002 (technically, the futility started in Game 2 at the Metrodome, but I’m gonna go ahead and blame Angel Stadium since the Dome is no longer around to defend itself). In 2019, the Bomba Squad launched eight homers during a game at Anaheim en route to their record-breaking season. The Twins dropped two of three last year in Anaheim, as injuries and bullpen woes took a toll. Having a car is the name of the game when traveling around Angel Stadium. With Disneyland right around the corner, there is no shortage of hotel options in. Trying to join the Twins for the whole road trip gets expensive and extensive, however, because as soon as Sunday afternoon's game is over, its "wheels up" and 2,008 miles to a Monday night affair in the Windy City! Chicago White Sox – April 29-May 1 Guaranteed Rate Field: Capacity 40,615 2023 Attendance: 1,669,628, down from 1,936,798 in 2022 (Averaged 21,405, ranked 11th out of 15 AL teams, 24th overall MLB) The artist formerly known as New Comiskey Park & The “Cell” has been around since 1991, but South Side Chicago baseball has been cooking since 1910. While the new stadium resides in a residential area, it carries a “big” stadium vibe compared to its North Side counterpart. Sharing an owner allows you to also buy Bulls gear at the ballpark, which works for me. The White Sox are posturing for a new stadium further north, in the city's South Loop, but with the Bears also jockeying for priority and financing, it's not clear when or if new digs will come to fruition. They saw decreased attendance last year, and if that trend continues with more poor play in 2024, the stadium is in no position to draw in fans on its own. The upper deck of Guaranteed Rate Field leans into the “upper” definition, while the bleachers get hot…but probably not in April. In the 2000s, a person could shower on the outfield walkway. I’m not sure who thought that was a great idea, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t try it out one blistering August afternoon. Specific memories and tastes call out to me from my time in Chicago: Giordano's pizza, the NU library (nerd out zone), Lake Michigan, Soldier Field and the Museum campus, Sears Tower (to blend in, resist the temptation to call it by its new corporate name), and the Magnificent Mile. The smell of the L-Train platforms wafting in the Lake Shore breeze. The early-season angst of White Sox fans. With this being a Monday-Wednesday series in late April, I’m guessing there should be quite a few good seats available. Just remember that getting a lower-level ticket is worth the extra price! Who will actually be playing for Chicago by the time the Twins arrive? Your guess is as good as mine. Will Dylan Cease be traded by the start of the season? Will Luis Robert or Eloy Jiménez still be healthy? Who will be the new bullpen stars, now that Liam Hendricks is in different colored Sox? The Twins will be traveling 4,336 miles for 6 games, 0 off days, and ____ wins? The Twins have a chance to head into May having put the White Sox in their place, and having padded their stats against the Angels' transitional team. But at over 4,300 total miles in six days, this trip also has a chance to sabotage any early momentum. How do you think the Twins will fare on this quick boomerang trip? Anyone planning to go to either series? Any favorite watering holes or tourist traps? Baseball is almost here Twins Territory…let’s get talking! Let's Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins' 13 road trips during the 2024 season. I will focus on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities. Potential pitfalls and roadblocks get considered, and travel considerations get mentioned. My handy-dandy Baseball Road Trips by Timothy Malcolm and Moon travel guides will be a go-to for this conversation. View full article

Nothing beats a baseball road trip. Twins fans and friends of the Eastern time zone can look forward to this mid-April tangle with the Tigers and Orioles. Here's a look at the stadiums, local attractions, and key storylines for avid Twins travelers. Image courtesy of © Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports Detroit Tigers – April 11-14 Comerica Park: Capacity 41,083 2023 Attendance: 1,612,876, up from 1,551,149 in 2022 (Averaged 20,946, ranked 12th out of 15 AL teams, 25th overall MLB) The not-quite-new home of Tigers baseball launched in 2000, as Comerica Park attempted to replace a jewel box ballpark icon in Tiger Stadium. How did they do it? Well, for starters, they built a bunch of giant Tiger statues. Then they made the dimensions of the outfield astronomical in nature. The walls were so far back that they realized they messed up and brought them in a bit in 2003. Players’ stats continue to take a hit from the dimensions, and they brought the walls in again (in right-center and center field, this time) in the last couple seasons. Comerica Park hasn’t been hospitable to the Twins for the past four seasons. Despite Detroit being in the dumps, they have been 18-12 against the Twins at home since 2020, including a 4-3 mark last season. As the Tigers look to a young stable of starting pitching, questions remain about their ability to score enough runs to compete in the post-Miguel Cabrera era. Located just a few blocks from the Detroit River and Canadian Border, Comerica Park sits in the downtown district, with plenty of entertainment and eatery options. There is a Motown Museum, The Corner Ballpark (a recreation of Tiger Stadium), the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Henry Ford Museum just down the road. In-Stadium attractions include a carousel, Ferris Wheel, and the Tigers Hall of Fame. The Twins won’t have much time to celebrate or lick their wounds, as they must journey 528 miles east without an off day to face the high-flying Orioles. Baltimore Orioles – April 15-17 Oriole Park at Camden Yards: Capacity 44,970 2023 Attendance: 1,936,798, up from 1,368,367 in 2022 (ranked 9th out of 15 AL teams, 21st overall MLB) Baltimore excelled in 2023, cruising to the top record in the American League with 101 wins. The eventual World Series champion Rangers sent them home early in the playoffs, however, and this sparked changes both in roster and ownership. The team was sold on the heels of a renewal of the lease on their retro classic home, and Corbin Burnes was brought in to push the rotation into “playoff-caliber” status. The Twins got swept at home by the Orioles last July, but managed to win two of three in Baltimore later that same month. Oriole Park at Camden Yards will forever be tied with Ken Griffey Jr. in my mind. Not because of anything that transpired there, but because the Ken Griffey Jr. Super Nintendo game was the first time I saw the ballpark. Built in 1992, Camden Yards changed aesthetic templates for Major League ballparks. (Also, eventually, Griffey hit a ball over Eutaw Street, creating a tangible, non-digital connection between visitor and venue.) The warehouse in right-center frames a beautiful backdrop for baseball and batter’s dreams. The seats are designed for viewing baseball, but the third-base line is the way to go. Legends Park holds statues of Orioles greats, the walkways bustle with food and fun, and the city itself carries a history of the birthplace of baseball immortality, Babe Ruth. The Inner Harbor and National Aquarium are tourist destinations that boast ships straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean, and over 17,000 animals. Locals have been pursuing a Loch Ness-type creature named “Chessie” since the 1930s. Ok, interesting. My friends in the area don’t describe Baltimore as a vacation hotspot, but it sounds like a great 2.5 days to me! The Twins will be traveling 2327 miles for 7 games, 0 off days, and ____ wins? How do you think the Twins will fare on their opening road trip? Anyone planning to go to either series? Any favorite watering holes or tourist traps? Baseball is almost here Twins Territory…let’s get talking! Let's Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins' 16 road trips during the 2023 season. I will focus on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities. Potential pitfalls and roadblocks get considered, and travel considerations get mentioned. My handy-dandy Baseball Road Trips by Timothy Malcolm and Moon travel guides will be a go-to for this conversation. View full article

Nothing beats a baseball road trip, and the Twins' 2024 season offers 13 different road trips and 22 destinations from which to choose. When the season opens in late March, Twins fans can catch the AL Central champions in the two closest places on the baseball map: Kansas City and Milwaukee! Here's a look at the stadiums, local attractions, and key storylines for avid Twins travelers. Image courtesy of Mike De Sisti - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - USA TODAY NETWORK As familiar as these parts of the baseball world might feel, you might be surprised by a couple of things. Let's take a closer look. Kansas City Royals – March 28, 30, 31 Kauffman Stadium: Capacity 37,903 2023 Attendance: 1,307,052, up from 1,277,686 in 2022 (averaged 16,136, ranked 14th out of 15 AL teams, 28th overall) For the second year in a row, the Twins begin the season in Kansas City. Last season started with a three-game sweep to launch the Twins on their playoff campaign, but at the end of July, the young and streaking Royals returned the favor with a three-game sweep of their own the next time the Twins visited Kauffman Stadium. With Bobby Witt Jr. locked up for the long term, the Royals look to make a statement against the reigning division champs. The Royals’ home park’s first season of use was 1973 (under the name Royals Stadium) with artificial turf. It was renamed Kauffman Stadium in 1994 after the team's first owner, Ewing Kauffman. Kentucky bluegrass replaced the turf in 1995. Folks hoping to check this one off their bucket list better hurry up, though, as they are proposing a Target Field-style move to downtown, fresh with its own propaganda website. Kauffman has an open bowl format and is southeast of Kansas City, in a complex with the Kansas City Chiefs stadium. Visiting fans have excellent access to the players during batting practice, and other than Opening Day (which should be an overpriced sellout), they can also get great seats for low prices. The outfield concourse reminds me of the Twins’ Fort Myers facility, with its open boardwalk vibe, and is similar to Dodger Stadium regarding the geometric alignment of the field and seating. Kauffman resides outside of Kansas City's pace, so tour guides send a journeyer into town for BBQ and nightlife. There are a few hotels across the highway if you want to walk to the stadium, but there is plenty of parking there as well. The difference between premier and regular parking is about the time it takes to load up a ticket-buying app, so it is not necessarily worth the extra cost. Hopefully, once the series is over, the Twins will be firmly set in their winning ways and ready to head 568 miles northeast to tackle their Upper Midwestern rivals, the Brew Crew. Milwaukee Brewers – April 2-3 American Family Field: Capacity 41,900 2023 Attendance: 2,551,317, up from 2,412,420 in 2022 (average 31,497 per game, ranked 9th out of 15 NL teams, 15th in MLB) The annual rivalry interleague matchup with the Brewers will only take up about 24 hours, and hopefully, it goes better than the 0-2 trip to Milwaukee last year. Carlos Santana will be wearing the away jersey this time and looks to mash in his former team’s home park. With Corbin Burnes now hurling for the Orioles, the Brewers will be looking to prove that they still have what it takes to compete. American Family Field began as Miller Park in 2001. The offseason prior to 2020 brought new cash inflow and a new name. This retractable-roof complex looks like a combination of an airplane hangar, a Metrodome, and an advertisement convention. Yet, when the Brewers got it going, the place also brought out an energy that could deliver electric baseball. The food options in the stadium revolve around sausage and don’t stray far from there, but like Kansas City, the parking lot is Tailgate Central. The Twins and Brewers have been rivals since Milwaukee dwelled in the American League. When MLB instituted interleague play, the league designated certain pairs of teams to play annually. As they say, familiarity breeds contempt. The local fanbases have learned to love the home and away series every season, and they have learned to hate each other. Word on the street is that American Family Field is one of the least friendly places to wear a Twins jersey--or the best, depending on where your ticket seats you. The Brewers isn’t just a fun name; it’s a destination reality. Local and global-level breweries make this city a beer connoisseur's playground. The Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, and Lake Michigan coastline provide alternative travel stops for various tastes. Once inside the ballpark, the immortal “sausage race” offers a beloved in-game diversion. Bud Selig and Bob Uecker have statues and museums, and you can circumnavigate the entire stadium and experience it in an inning or two. The Twins will be traveling 1332 miles for 5 games, 2 off days, and ____ wins? How do you think the Twins will fare on their opening road trip? Anyone planning to go to either series? Any favorite watering holes or tourist traps? Baseball is almost here, Twins Territory…let’s get talking! ____________________________________________________ Let's Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins' 13 road trips during the 2023 season. I will focus on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities. Potential pitfalls and roadblocks get considered, and travel considerations get mentioned. My handy-dandy Baseball Road Trips by Timothy Malcolm and Moon travel guides will be a go-to for this conversation. View full article

The Twins' season-opening road trip in 2023 included statement games, exciting promise, debut performances, and trending disappointments. What can the first week of 2023 teach us about how the Twins aim to approach 2024? Image courtesy of © Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports When the Twins' 2023 campaign opened at Kauffman Stadium on a chilly Thursday, Mar. 30, expectations were tempered. The Cleveland Guardians entered the season with a slight edge in the AL Central odds race, with the Chicago White Sox also in the mix. The Twins were right there in the conversation, but on Opening Day, a playoff run was not a foregone conclusion for the squad. A look back at the lineup and bullpen usage might surprise you. Max Kepler led off, Carlos Correa batted second, while Byron Buxton was batting third to kick off his designated hitter plan for the season. The clean-up hitter, Trevor Larnach, was followed by José Miranda in the fifth spot. Next was the second baseman, looking to build upon his solid 2022 campaign… Nick Gordon. A trio of new guys rounded out the Opening Day lineup, with Joey Gallo hitting seventh, Christian Vazquez batting eighth, and Michael A. Taylor holding down the ninth spot. The other new Twins entered the game as pinch-hitters when Zack Greinke was replaced by a lefty in the sixth inning. Kyle Farmer took Gordon’s spot, and Donovan Solano took over at first for Gallo. Pablo López got the start for his new team, and he threw 5 1/3 innings of two-hit baseball. What followed was an ensemble relief performance of hitless excellence, with Caleb Thielbar, Jorge López, Griffin Jax, and Jhoan Durán closing the door on a 2-0 victory. The lineup stayed relatively consistent as the Twins opened the season with a fanbase-simmering 4-0 start on the road. In fact, Ryan Jeffers getting a turn at catcher in the series finale in Kansas City was the only difference in the starting lineup through the first four games. Then, injury struck. Kepler pulled up while running to first base during game four in Miami, and the outfield shifted around for game five of the season. Willi Castro took left field, Larnach moved to right field, and the lineup went without Buxton for the first time due to “planned rest.” What followed was a punchless 1-0 shutout loss to 2022 Cy Young winner Sandy Alcántara; a wasted stellar return from Kenta Maeda; and the start of a lineup fluctuation that never really stopped in 2023. All of this occurred while Twins fans tried to make peace with their inner “Carew,” while watching Luis Arráez raise his 2022 Silver Slugger Award in another uniform and swing his way to the start of a second consecutive batting title. Buxton returned to claim the leadoff spot for game six, and Solano got his first taste of the third spot as we began to see how the Twins would approach lefty starters like Jesús Luzardo during the season. Hot-hitting Larnach was dropped to eighth, and notched the team's only RBI for the afternoon. Pablo Day was back in effect, as he only surrendered one run over seven innings, but Dylan Floro got the win in relief for the Marlins, as the Twins' relief combination of Thielbar and Jax imploded to hand Miami the series victory and bring Twins Territory crashing back to reality and a 4-2 record. This was good enough to lead the division, but ultimately provided a glimpse of the reality that this quality squad was going to fall just shy of “what could be” in 2023. What can we glean from the first six road games of 2023? Here are my Top 5 Takeaways from the opening week of last season, as we begin to dream in earnest about Opening Day, 2024, coming up on Mar. 28. (The Twins will open at Kauffman Stadium once again, for yet another season-opening road trip.) There was an “intention” of lineup consistency that never made its way to week two. Throughout most of the season, the lineup varied by the day, with Correa moving up and down the list, and the other infield spots alternating according to the vagaries injury and splits. This year should start with more of the same intentionality, with a core nine rising to the top early. Surely, injuries and slumps will determine how long that lasts, but we should remember that it was the original goal. What roles will key incumbent Opening Day starters Gordon, Larnach, and Miranda have when the 2024 edition rolls around? Seen as vital cogs to the 2023 playoff machine last spring, they became afterthoughts before June finished. Larnach carried the offense through the first two months, but injuries again derailed his opportunities. He experienced a late-season resurgence, but got left out of the playoff rotation. Does this trio still have a place on the roster, with the emergence of Edouard Julien and Royce Lewis in the infield, and Matt Wallner in the outfield? Some of the quiet offseason that Twins fans are bemoaning now probably reflects the reality that Gordon, Larnach, and Miranda are looking to rebound in 2024. How many Opening Day starters are available as free agents right now who are worth the price of an upgrade over these young Twins? The Twins bullpen alternated between lights-out and close-your-eyes from the very beginning. The inconsistency of the “next tier” of Jovani Moran, Cole Sands, Emilio Pagán, and Jorge Alcalá showed warning signs right from the get-go, despite the 4-2 start. Also, Thielbar, Jorge López, and Jax all showed the ability to lose their grip in a heartbeat. Pagán recovered, but is now gone, while the lesser Lopez continued to struggle and left under a cloud after the All-Star break--in exchange for Floro, who vanquished them in that early road contest. Moran was non-tendered after the season, then re-signed to a minor-league deal. Sands, Alcalá, Thielbar and Jax all remain, and will no doubt factor into the bullpen conversation relatively early. Brock Stewart became a “find” mid-season, and looks to return to a prominent role alongside Durán. Who takes control and finds a “role” in the Opening Day bullpen next to them? If the start of 2023 taught us anything, it's that you can never have enough arms waiting in the wings. Pablo López was “him” from the very start of his Twins career. He won the playoff game that ended the curse, and he returned to bring the only Twins victory against Houston in the next round. While his ERA crept up in the middle months of the season, it bodes well that he showed up ready to roll from game one, and López should be ready once again to start strong in 2024. Last, but not least, we remember that when Byron Buxton is healthy and in the lineup, he is amazing. The Twins jumped out to their 4-0 start because Buxton willed them to offensively. After game four, he was batting .375 with a 1.000 OPS. From his shoes to his demeanor, he looked electric. Then, before the Twins could even make it back home, he wasn’t anymore. It was clear that something was wrong, and once the travel and games began to stack up, his knee and demeanor buckled. He fought valiantly through the pain, but if we can believe the reports coming out this offseason about a “pain-free knee” and a plan to return to center field, 2024 could be the year for our starcrossed All-Star. Hindsight truly is 20/20, but its all we have to work with in the midst of this frozen cold stove. What do you remember about the Twins' 4-0 start to 2023? What surprises you when you compare the Opening Day lineup to the playoff version? Who will emerge in the bullpen rotation once the season kicks off? What do you expect, from Pablo Days to Buck Trucks, in 2024? Let the prognostication begin! View full article

The Twins entered Tuesday's matchup expecting a pitcher's dual. They were half right. Cristian Javier delivered while Sonny Gray and a collection of Twins starters struggled out of the bullpen, and the Twins now must win two straight to keep their season alive. Here's how the loss came to pass. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson, USA Today Box Score Starting Pitcher: Sonny Gray - 4 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (83 Pitches, 57 Strikes, 69%) Home Runs: None Bottom WPA: Gray (-.302), Royce Lewis (-.152), Ryan Jeffers (-.038) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The Twins came into Tuesday's Game 3 riding high after bringing the home field advantage back to Target Field. With a sell-out crowd awaiting them, the former stars were shining. Johan Santana tossed the first pitch to Joe Mauer (who made an excellent scoop!), and Pablo Lopez was shocked to see his fellow Venezualan hero Santana sporting a #49 Lopez jersey. It turns out that was the highlight of the game for Twins fans, because once the actual pitching started, the Astros started teeing off. Sunny Skies = Astros Runs Gray had yet to surrender a run in the 2023 postseason, but by the time he left the mound in the first inning the Astros sported a 4-0 lead. The afternoon shadows had not yet crept in, and the Astros hitters were more than ready for Gray's offspeed pitches. Jose Altuve led off the game with yet another hit, this time a single. Yordan Alvarez was initially awarded with a double to right, but that was later changed to an Alex Kirilloff error on a play that loomed large early. With runners now at second and third, Kyle Tucker finally scraped across an RBI single. Gray looked to get out of the danger, but Jose Abreu is danger. Target Field was not yet silenced, but the game now carried a sense of urgency and angst. In the bottom half of the first, Javier struck out Edouard Julien to start off the frame, but Jorge Polanco worked a walk, and Max Kepler boomed a double to put the Twins back in business with runners at second and third with only one out. Now in the shade at home plate, Royce Lewis echoed shades of Game 1's beginnings, by reaching on three straight pitches and leaving runners in scoring position. October Correa was up next, but he too could not time Javier in the shadows, and was the third strike out of the inning. October Javier is Real The Astros have another playoff ace, and his name is Cristian Javier. The talk entering today's game revolved around the extra two runs per game that Javier gave up this season compared to 2022. His K-rate was down from 33% to 20%. The more important statistic was his 11 innings of one-hit baseball in the 2022 postseason, and the fact that it definately carried into today's contest. Javier scattered five walks alongside the one hit, but his nine strikeouts continually came at the right time. The Twins left runners in scoring position in the first, third, and fifth against Javier, and he completed five scoreless yet again. Alex Bregman Still Has "It" Alex Bregman finally delivered in this series, blasting a lead off home run in the top of the fifth. After allowing another double to Alvarez, and a walk to Tucker, Gray left the game and Emilio Pagan came in with cluttered bases, and he left them cluttered to send the Twins to the bottom of the fifth down 5-0. Kenta Maeda got the call for the sixth inning, and it was Bregman who again built the Astro lead. This time he delivered a single that plated Jeremy Pena with one out to make it 6-0. Twins Finally Break Through, and Then Break Down Yet Again Once Javier left the game in the top of the sixth, the Twins and their packed stadium gathered some hope for a rally. Correa led off with a single, and Matt Wallner worked a walk to put Correa into scoring position. Willi Castro was looking to give the fans something to finally cheer about, and he delivered the first run of the game with a single to right. With the fans on their feet yet again, Ryan Jeffers stepped up to the plate and promptly hit a hard ground ball to the wrong man. Pena dove, flipped and the Astros completed the 6-4-3 to strand yet another runner in scoring position. Bailey Ober came in and pitched a scoreless eighth inning, but the ninth was not as kind to him. Alvarez launched his fourth home run of the series to up the score to 7-1. Ober walked Tucker, and then gave up a moon shot to Abreu for his second of the night. 9-1 Astros. The Twins crowd tried their best, but they started streaming out before the game ended thanks to the endless Astro assault. Griffin Jax came in to finish off the ninth inning, and the Twins bats stayed silent to end the game. The Twins need to turn the page on today, and deliver tomorrow to send us to one more Pablo Day on Friday. What's Next Game 4 pits Twins RHP Joe Ryan (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 11-10, 4.51 ERA in regular season) against Astros RHP Jose Urquidy (0-0, 0.00, 3-3, 5.29 ERA in regular season). First pitch changed due to the Rangers sweeping the Orioles Tuesday night. The Twins will now have their first pitch at 6:07pm CDT at Target Field on Wednesday evening. Postgame: Bullpen Usage Chart: FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Maeda 0 43 0 0 25 68 Ober 0 0 0 0 38 38 Pagán 0 14 0 0 14 28 Stewart 0 0 22 0 0 22 Paddack 0 19 0 0 0 19 Thielbar 0 18 0 0 0 18 Jax 0 0 0 0 9 9 Durán 0 0 7 0 0 7 Varland 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

I prefer to run my demons until they pass out... Good catch! Thanks!

Pablo Lopez broke "The Streak" last week. Tonight, he was tasked with breaking the serve of the defending champions on their home turf. It was just another Pablo Day in paradise, as the Twins delivered the runs early and often. Here's how the series-evening victory went down. Image courtesy of Erik Williams, USA Today Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Pablo Lopez - 7 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (105 Pitches, 69 Strikes, 66%) Home Runs: Kyle Farmer (1) Top WPA: Lopez (.261), Carlos Correa (.192), Kyle Farmer (.118) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The Twins came into Sunday evening's matchup with the defending World Series Champion Astros looking to end the next steak: a nine-game road playoff losing skid dating back to 2004 at Yankee Stadium. The right man for the job was on the mound in streak-breaker Pablo Lopez. The Twins' resurgent offensive attack against left-handed pitching was locked and loaded, with Carlos Correa feasting on lefties in his post-season career (.937 OPS career) Kyle Farmer (1.240 OPS against lefties over the past 20 games) in particular licking their chops with Framber Valdez on the mound for the Astros Cashing In Early...and Often! The crowd at Minute Maid Park was looking to get rocking yet again Sunday night, but due to an MLB decision the roof was open and there would be no resonating echoes this evening. If that didn't dampen the crowd's excitement, the Twins offense soon did. Valdez was all over the zone to start the top of the first inning, and Donovan Solano and Royce Lewis couldn't make solid contact. Luckily Jorge Polanco let Valdez's wildness garner him a walk, and Carlos Correa sat on a curveball to give the Twins their first lead of the series at 1-0. In Game 1, Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez controlled the game offensively. Tonight, Pablo Lopez took the early lead and endured a first inning that featured a lead-off bunt single by Jose Altuve and a "I thought it was gone!" fly out to right field by Yordan Alvarez. After one inning it was still 1-0 Twins. In the top of the second inning, Willi Castro ripped a single up the middle under the legs of Valdez. With the speedy Castro at first, Valdez should have paid more attention to the batter in the box, Kyle Farmer. Farmer took a first pitch sinker that didn't sink, and launched it up where fielders don't exist for a 2-run shot! 3-0 Twins! Things Settle Down, and Quiet Down Both starting pitchers won their battles in the third and fourth innings. Brilliant defense from Jeremy Pena snuffed out a potential Polanco hit, and a slick double play by Farmer and the Twins helped to keep the respective offenses at bay in the third. The Astros drew a walk and got a two-out single from Michael Brantley in the fourth to get runners at the corners and Chas McCormick up as the tying run. After getting squeezed on the strike zone throughout the inning. Lopez decided that a swinging strike three would be indisputable. Time to Blow This Game Wide Open The top of the fifth inning started with Valdez pitching to Michael A. Taylor. After he blooped his way to first base, Solano went opposite field for another single. Polanco dropped a bunt to advance the ducks on the pond, and Royce Lewis walked to load the bases with one out. Correa came to the plate with a chance to exorcise a season's worth of bases-loaded demons. And he delivered! That two-run single chased Valdez from the game, and the Astros brought in right-hander Phil Maton. On Maton's first pitch, Ryan Jeffers attempted a safety squeeze bunt. The curveball caused Jeffers to pull the bunt, Lewis was caught off third base in no man's land, and Twins Territory freaked out with every twist and turn that he took as he attempted to elude the pickle of his own making. Lewis got tagged out at home, appeared to stave off more injury to insult, and the Twins failed to score again as Farmer missed that same curveball for a swinging strike out on a full count with the bases loaded. Hopefully cashing in a few runs, but not all of the runs, wouldn't come back to bite the Twins. The Astros Have a Good Shortstop Too, but it's Pablo Day The reason the Astros allowed Correa to walk into free agency last season has a name and it's World Series MVP Jeremy Pena. Pena led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a rocket off of the top of the wall in left-center for a double. Lopez found great joy in the fact that Martin Maldonado was up next, and he retired him without allowing Pena to advance. Altuve popped up weakly to Polanco at second, and Alex Bregman swung and missed to send a pumped Pablo and the Twins into the late innings. In fact, Lopez took his shutout through seven full innings, silencing the most potent offense since the All-Star break and setting up the Twins for victory. Lewis Flies, Correa Rakes, and the Twins Add Runs No lead feels safe in Houston, and the Twins didn't let off the gas or the pinch-hitting pressure in the late innings. Correa continued to clobber the ball, driving another shot off of the wall to move Lewis to third with a double in the top of the seventh inning. After Jeffers took one for the team, Castro struck out looking at what he and most of the Twins dugout considered to be a ball. With two outs, Edouard Julien pinch hit for Farmer, and the rookie delivered with a single to right which plated Lewis, but got Correa caught out at home on a laser throw from Kyle Tucker. 6-0 Twins. Time to Bring this Series Home The Twins players and coaching staff stated over and over how much the Target Field environment helped lead them to victory in the Wild Card round. Heading home tied 1-1 in the ALDS was the goal, and it was up to Brock Stewart to take care of business in the eighth. Unfortunately for Stewart, Alvarez is a beast, and he delivered a two-run opposite-field home run to tighten the score to 6-2. This forced Rocco Baldelli's hand in the ninth, and he put in Jhoan Duran to leave no doubt that the Twins would leave Houston victorious. 1, 2, 3, ballgame. Twins Win! They head back to Target Field with a chance to win the series at home, and *Twins Territory plans to do their best to make it so. What's Next Game 3 pits Twins RHP Sonny Gray (1-0, 0.00 ERA) against Astros RHP Cristian Javier (0-0, 0.00; 10-5, 4.56 ERA in regular season). First pitch is scheduled for 3:07pm CDT for the next greatest sporting event in Twins history. Postgame: Bullpen Usage Chart: WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT Maeda 0 0 0 43 0 43 Stewart 13 0 0 0 22 35 Thielbar 4 0 0 18 0 22 Durán 13 0 0 0 7 20 Paddack 0 0 0 19 0 19 Varland 17 0 0 0 0 17 Jax 15 0 0 0 0 15 Pagán 0 0 0 14 0 14 Funderburk 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

When a team gets next to no offensive production from its main superstars and still wins the division, somebody must have exceeded expectations and delivered in the clutch. Here are the 2023 winner of the Twins Daily "Most Improved Twin" award. Before we begin, a word of caution to this year’s winners. Last year's winners didn't find much success in 2023. Griffin Jax saw his advanced stats drop across the board after receiving honorable mention in 2022. Luis Arraez got traded after being mentioned. Gilberto Celestino barely made it back to the major league squad and just got designated for assignment. Nick Gordon won the honor in 2022 and then fractured his leg in Dodgers Stadium mid-May and has yet to return to the Twins. Usually you win an award such as “Most Improved” by struggling at some point, so regression might be inevitable. For now, let’s enjoy this celebration of improvement, and we’ll worry about next year…next year! 2023 Honorable Mentions Willi Castro: .257/.339/.411, .750 OPS, 8.3% BB rate, 24.2% K rate, 2.7 bWAR, 2.5 fWAR When the Twins signed Castro to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training before the 2023 season, expectations were low. It’s not often that a Detroit Tiger castaway finds success elsewhere, and the signing was viewed as a low-risk insurance policy on spring training injuries. In April, Castro found his way into the lineup, and it didn’t go well. His .176/.300/.324 line actually looks better than it felt in real time. But as Greggory Masterson pointed out in August, the misfortune and timing of teammates’ injuries allowed Castro to remain in the big leagues and he began to find his niche in the offensive and defensive game plans for the club. Perhaps most importantly, Castro single-handedly forced the Twins to start stealing bases again. His 33 swipes paced the club (team total was only 86), and it was his relentless pursuit of taking an extra base in May that put the strategy back on the map for a reluctant coaching staff. As Hunter McCall noted in July, Castro went from castaway to part of the long-term mix due to his utility and speed. Not many infielders could make this play a reality. And not many outfielders could make this play a reality. Castro made both plays, and then some. Therefore, we have honorably mentioned him. Emilio Pagan: 69.1 IP, 2.99 ERA, 23.8% K rate, 7.7% BB rate, 1.4 bWAR, 1.1 fWAR, 0.952 WHIP In a Week 3 game in Boston, Emilio Pagan surrendered six runs to the Red Sox, raising his ERA to 7.88 over six appearances, and all but guaranteeing a raging fan base and a relegation to low-pressure relief outings for the remainder of his disappointing Twins career. As the Twins head into the playoffs, Pagan found a way into the most crucial moments of the stretch run, lowered his OPS from .776 to .553 from 2022 to 2023, and limited his opponents to five home runs over the course of the entire season, down from 12 in 2022. The turn-around was everything that Twins management had expected, Twins fans had scoffed at, and the team desperately needed in a season where key bullpen arms continued to find their way to the IL or struggled in key situations. Lou Hennessy named the “Paganaissance” in July, and Matthew Taylor offered apologies on behalf of Twins Territory for our lack of faith. If the Twins finally break their postseason curse, Pagan will be a key reason why. Ryan Jeffers: .276/.369/.490, .858 OPS, 9/9% BB rate, 27.8% K rate, 3.3 bWAR, 2.7 fWAR Ted Schwerzler pointed out at the end of July that Jeffers was starting to figure out what everyone suspected he was capable of. The “breakout” tempered somewhat in September, but Jeffers’ power did come alive as the season ended (nine of his 14 home runs were hit in August/September). He found himself pinch hitting and being thought of as an offensive threat again as the year went on. Defensively, Jeffers improved behind the plate by throwing out 25% of runners, his highest rate in four seasons. He registered positive runs above average across the major defensive advanced stat metrics, and managed to stay consistently sharp despite platooning 50/50 with Christian Vazquez all season. How that ratio changes in the postseason remains to be seen, but since the Twins are undefeated in the games Jeffers has homered in his ability to contribute to playoff success as a game changer both at and behind the plate is obvious. 2023 Most Improved Twin! Max Kepler: .260/.332/.484, .816 OPS, 9.2% BB rate, 21.6% K rate, 2.9 bWAR, 2.6 fWAR At the Eating Crow diner, the number one spot on the menu is reserved for the Kepler-burger. Hopes were high for the long-time Twin with the removal of the shift and with his health finally operating at full speed. April couldn’t have gone worse for the Twins right fielder, or so we thought, but he proved us wrong with an even worse May performance. Kepler entered June with a slash line of .195/.273/.398 (.671), and yet the Twins held fast to their desire to send him out into the outfield day in and day out. Their resolve and belief paid off, and Twins Territory happily ate their Kepler-burgers. August’s line of .314/.392/.616 (1.008) couldn’t have come at a more necessary time, and his 24 home runs and 66 RBI paced the club. Most important for the Twins playoff hopes, Kepler came through in the clutch more often than any other Twin in history. Kepler’s rise from “bench him!/trade him!/cut him!” pariah to gold glove candidate with Team MVP potential has been well documented on Twins Daily. See Matt Braun’s or Greggory Masterson’s articles to ride the rollercoaster that was Kepler’s season. So it is with great jubilation and much satisfaction that we award Max Kepler with the Twins Daily 2023 Most Improved Player Award. He was the clear choice, and this redemption story couldn’t have found a better young man to star in it. Will the Twins pick up his option for 2024 and continue the story? Kepler’s ability to keep this feel-good season rolling through the playoffs will go a long ways towards answering that question. For now, let’s just enjoy the season that was before we turn our eyes towards World Series dreams. What are your thoughts on selecting Max Kepler as the Twins Most Improved Player? How about the other candidates? Anybody that you would remove or add to the list? View full article

I think with Varland it was a good place to get a taste, with room to come back if needed. So that the next time, in a one out needed one run game, he would have that taste.

The Twins ended the longest losing streak in postseason history. End story. Here's how it happened. Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Pablo Lopez - 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (93 Pitches, 62 Strikes, 67%) Home Runs: Royce Lewis 2 (2) Top WPA: Lewis (.243), Lopex (.165), Griffin Jax & Jhoan Duran (.074) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The Twins and Blue Jays split their season series this year, and both teams came into the playoffs with something to prove. Could the Twins erase the "streak" and start afresh with aces and rookies to guide them? Could the 2nd-generation MLB All-Stars from Toronto write a story of their own in this postseason? A packed Target Field showed up to find out, while the rest of Twins Territory got absolutely nothing done at their jobs this afternoon. After Tom Kelly threw the ceremonial first pitch to Kent Hrbek, it was time to play ball! The Game Begins One of the byproducts of Royce Lewis' uncertain return to the lineup as a DH involved finding a third baseman for this afternoon's pivotal contest. Jorge Polanco had played nine games there during the regular season, amassing a -29 Total Fielding Runs in the process. That skillset was on display in the very first at-bat, as George Springer sent an easy grounder to Polanco and he promptly threw the ball low and into the runnery. Alex Kirilloff caught the ball but Springer spiked his glove to start a somersault and to dislodge the ball. The questionable defense continued when Edouard Julien chose to get the second out at first instead of getting the lead runner Springer at second base. Lopez escaped the inning without allowing a run, but the tension level in Twins Territory remained high as the Twins came up to bat. Royce Lewis Removes All Tension, For All Time, Always Lewis wasn't sure he was going to play when asked yesterday. After Julien worked a magnificent lead-off walk, Polanco flew out to bring up Lewis. Lewis worked the count full on Gausman, and then he showed Gausman what he does with 3-2 fastballs. Target Field erupted, Lewis put on the fishing vest, and 19 years of collective angst appeared to get released. The defense in the top of the second inning tightened up and layed out. Michael A. Taylor made a sensational diving catch in center field. In the top of the third inning Polanco charged a Kevin Kiermaier chopper and whiffed, but Carlos Correa was on the spot to back up his teammate with a sensational play to nab a streaking Bo Bichette at home. Royce Lewis, Still Amazing After All These At-Bats Lewis led off the third inning, and Gausman fell behind in the count 3-1. He chose to throw another fastball for a strike, and Lewis decided to place the ball violently off of the second deck in right-center field to extend the Twins lead to 3-0, and to extend his heroic resume to another level. Two playoff at-bats, two home runs. Epic. Mid-Game Storyline: Managers Begin to Participate Both starting pitchers reached mid-70's in pitch count in the fifth inning. Gausman was relieved by LHP Erik Swanson in the bottom of the fifth after walking Lewis. Rocco Baldelli pinch-hit Donovan Solano for Kirilloff with two on and two out, Twins fans now knew that the same offensive replacement strategy that was employed throughout 2023 would not change for the playoffs. Solano flew out to end the threat. Lopez continued into the top of the sixth inning, and he got the first two outs of the inning while allowing a single to Bichette. Those were the last outs that he would achieve, as the umpire squeezed Lopez on an Alejandro Kirk walk. Kiermaier took Lopez to the opposite field for a line drive single to score Bichette, and Lopez exited the game ahead 3-1. First man up out of the bullpen for the Twins was rookie fireballer Louie Varland. Batter Matt Chapman blasted a ball deep to the right field gap, Target Field let out an audible gasp, and Taylor loped over to the wall to make a casually amazing leaping catch to end the threat. Which Bullpen Blinks First? In the bottom of the eighth, Griffin Jax got the call and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. blasted the first pitch to the wall in right field for a lead-off double. But before the anxiety could reach a fever pitch, Jax struck out Bichette and Cavan Biggio, and swept Kirk into a ground out to send the Twins into the ninth still ahead 3-1. One of the newest Blue Jays, Jordan Hicks, got the call for the bottom of the eighth, and two walks sandwiched a Correa single to load the bases with two outs. Willi Castro had entered the game in the seventh as a defensive substitution for Matt Wallner. Castro now was the man in the box with a chance to put the game away early. Hicks delivered the heat and struck out Castro looking on a tough, backdown slider. Time to turn out the lights and enter Duran. Closing Out History, and Starting a New Chapter The Twins turned to their best pitcher to collect three outs, and in so doing end 19 years of misery for an entire region and fanbase. From his first pitch bender that started his strike out of Kiermaier, to his curveball that caught Chapman looking for strike three, Duran looked to be in absolute control. Against Twin-killer Whit Merrifield, however, Duran struggled to command his fastball and Merrifield wouldn't bite on the splinker. Tension began to rise yet again, ESPN started showing highlights of sadness past, and Duran looked in to face playoff legend George Springer. One pitch. One miraculous dive by first baseman Solano. Ballgame. Streak that. Postgame: Bullpen Usage Chart: FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Funderburk 28 0 16 0 0 44 Paddack 0 39 0 0 0 39 Stewart 25 0 5 0 0 30 Jax 0 19 0 0 8 27 Durán 0 11 0 0 14 25 Pagán 9 15 0 0 0 24 Thielbar 3 9 0 0 10 22 Varland 0 0 0 0 2 2 Maeda 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

Because I cut and pasted, and apparently didn’t cut enough and pasted too little 😂

The Twins looked to survive Sunday's season finale injury-free and with some positive momentum as they awaited news of their Wild Card series opponent on Tuesday. Bailey Ober dominated, the Twins lineup regulars hit the showers early, and Jorge Alcala made his first appearance since May. Here's what went down Sunday afternoon. Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski - USA Today Box Score: Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober - 6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K (96 Pitches, 66 Strikes, 69%) Home Runs: None Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): The main question coming out of Sunday afternoon's completion of the regular season was "Who will the Twins face at Target Field on Tuesday?" As the Twins and Bailey Ober went about their business, the answer to that question emerged, and the Twins looked sharp throughout most of their final tune-up for the Wild Card series. Ober Hopes for a Division Series Opportunity As the late-season pitching auditions continued, Bailey Ober made his case for becoming the Game 1 ALDS starter. Ober started the game looking to build on a September of succes, having gone 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA over his three Fall starts. Through the first four innings, Ober struck out five and only surrendered one hit to Nolan Jones. Unfortunately that hit traveled 458 feet. Oppo-rific Second Inning The Twins carried a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning mainly because their offense got opposite-field happy in the top of the second. Four straight singles to where the defense wasn't by Max Kepler, Ryan Jeffers, Edouard Julien, and Alex Kirilloff plated two runs and gave Twins fans hopes of playoff offensive success. The offense went on snooze control from there, however, and the regulars began getting pinch hit for in the sixth inning. Seriously, Who Do We Play on Tuesday? Every game on the final Sunday started at 2pm CDT so that no one could unnecessarily tank. The Twins were locked and loaded to play either Houston or Toronto in their opening round, and by the time the sixth inning rolled around it looked fairly obvious that the Canadians would be invading Target Field on Tuesday. The Astros were taking care of the Diamondbacks, and the Rangers were losing to the Mariners. Twins fans were lamenting the Blue Jays' decision to skip Kevin Gausman for today's start implied that Toronto was setting themselves up for a loss today. Jose Berrios at Target Field on Wednesday doesn't sound wonderful either. Conspiracy theorists really took off once the Rays lit Wes Parsons (who definitely isn't Gausman) for seven runs in the second inning. Stay tuned... Intriguing Side-Story Part 2 The other Twins-worthy item of note involved the 2019 Bomba Squad home run record and the 2023 juggernaut Atlanta Braves. The Braves entered the day with 305 long balls, just three shy of the Twins' record 307. Marcell Ozuna took one deep in the third inning, putting them at 306 in their matchup with the Washington Nationals with Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson having been removed from the game in the fifth inning. Back to Coors Field for a Game Still Being Played Ober kept dealing through the middle innings. The Twins offense kept sputtering. But the highlight of the game in what might be the final appearance of Twins baseball on TV as we've known it, Justin Morneau and Trevor Plouffe caught Dick Bremer off-guard with a cake and some bourbon in honor of Bremer's 40th season of bringing Twins baseball to the midwest and beyond. The future is uncertain for all parties, but clearly Bremer has made an impact with former players and staff, as well as the Blyleven fill-in's. Bremer teared up, and I forgave him for causing me pain with his premature home run calls all season. A bunt single led to Solano chucking the ball to goodness knows where, but the Rockies couldn't cash the run in and it was still 2-1 after six. Roster News Earlier in the day, the Twins called up Jorge Alcala and sent Dallas Keuchel to the IL after he apparently pitched injured to eat up innings for his squad yesterday. This answers the "Will Dallas be on the Wild Card roster?" question, but we already knew that. The bigger news might have been Gilberto Celestino being designated for assignment as a corresponding move. Celestino went from being a most-improved and unsung hero last season to an afterthought on the roster this season. We wish him well wherever he lands. Side-Story Updates As the games reached their seventh innings, the results stayed the same. Blue Jay fans were aggressively monitoring SeatGeak for a Tuesday and Wednesday run to Target Field. Houston looks to sit atop the AL West after all thanks to an indifferent Diamondbacks playoff team and a Rangers almost epic full collapse in Seattle. Houston will enjoy the week off as the #2 seed alongside #1 Baltimore. The Twins will host the Blue Jays (at 3:38 CT) and the Rays will host the Rangers on Tuesday. The Braves are still sitting at 305 home runs as they head to the eighth inning. Things Turn Bitter at Coors Alcala got the call for the Twins in the eighth inning, and he got the first two outs without issue. After running up the count 3-1 on pinch-hitting right hander Sean Bouchard, Alcala got away with a cookie to run the count full, and lost a cookie to the left field bleachers on the next pitch to tie the game at two apiece, and add uncertainty to his ability to be called upon when the games really really really matter over the next few weeks. After allowing three home runs in just over five innings of work in May, Alcala needed to show that his long ball issues were behind him. That didn't happen. Alcala returned in the ninth inning and well, and got the first two outs again easily before being squeezed early in the count by the home plate umpire into a 3-0 count and an eventual walk where Morneau was quick to claim that all five pitches were actually strikes. Kris Bryant came up with a hero moment, and an attempt to send the 100+ loss Rockies faithful home happy. With Christian Vazquez manning second base, Jones took second base while Vazquez whiffed twice at the tag. Bryant walked. Kudos to Alcala, who took all of that misfortune in his first game back since May and got Ryan McMahon to dribble out to third to end the threat. Hope lingers a bit more in young Alcala than it did an inning ago. One Last Dance with Ghost Runners! The "runner at second" in extra innings goes away once we reach the postseason, so Sunday afternoon offered one last chance for fans to discuss how much they love or hate this rule that's here to stay in the regular season at least. The 10th inning came and went without a run. In the 11th, the Twins loaded the bases only to have Jordan Luplow strike out. Luplow's punishment was to go to the mound to pitch the bottom half of the inning in a full-surrender scenario. He enticed a pop fly to right to start the inning, but with the ghost runner Brenton Doyle streaking for third, Vazquez (now catching) missed the pitch allowing Doyle to scamper home to end this meaningless ballgame 3-2. To add another gloomy cloud to this afternoon, in Atlanta, the lone starter left in the lineup, Ozuna, went deep yet again for number 307, tying the Bomba Squad for the all-time season record for most home runs. It's better than 308, but it still stings. What’s Next: Twins RHP Pablo Lopez (11-8, 3.66 ERA in regular season) will lead the Twins into the most anticipated Twins playoff games in recent history. He will most likely face the above-mentioned Blue Jay RHP Gausman (12-9, 3.16 ERA in the regular season). The game will take place at 3:38pm CDT on Tuesday, October 3rd. Stay tuned to Twins Daily for the details that matter during the Wild Card Round! Postgame Interviews: Bullpen Usage Chart: WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT Maeda 0 62 0 0 0 62 Funderburk 0 0 28 0 16 44 Pagán 18 0 9 15 0 42 Paddack 0 0 0 39 0 39 Alcala 0 0 0 0 39 39 Stewart 0 0 25 0 5 30 Thielbar 18 0 3 9 0 30 Jax 8 0 0 19 0 27 Durán 14 0 0 11 0 25 Varland 0 19 0 0 0 19 View full article