Cody Christie

It was hard to know what to expect from Michael Pineda when the Twins signed him prior to the 2018 season. The front-office knew he would miss all of 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but there can be some issues with performance in the first year back on the mound. Pineda certainly hasn’t been perfect, but he might be an upgrade over other fifth starters the Twins have used in recent years.2019 Fifth Starter: Michael Pineda Stats: 5.04 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 69.2 IP, 57 K, 13 BB, 4.85 FIP In the season’s first month, Pineda looked like he was shaking off a little rust from his time missed with Tommy John surgery. He allowed 20 earned runs in 29 innings (6.21 ERA) and opponents were hitting .316/.349/.564 (.913) against him. It was rough and plenty of fans were wondering if Pineda was going to make it in the Twins rotation. Since the calendar has turned to May, Pineda has settled in nicely. His ERA dropped over two runs to 4.20 (19 ER in 40 2/3 IP) and he’s held opponents to a .670 OPS. Also, he has pitched five innings or more in every one of those appearances. Pineda’s velocity has also increased after a trip to the injured list. It’s been a stark turnaround and he has certainly put the Twins in position to win his starts recently. 2018 Fifth Starter: Fernando Romero Stats: 4.69 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 55.2 IP, 45 K, 19 BB, 4.35 FIP Last year was certainly an interesting one for the Twins rotation. Kyle Gibson, Jose Berrios, and Jake Odorizzi all pitched over 160 innings. Lance Lynn tossed over 100 innings before being traded near the deadline. This left Fernando Romero as the starting pitcher with the fifth most starts for the Twins. Romero was once considered the Twins best pitching prospect. Fresh in fans' minds will be his struggles with transitioning to the bullpen this season. He started off strong last season as he posted a 1.88 ERA with 29 strikeouts in his first five starts (28 2/3 IP). His last five starts were a little rough as he allowed 15 earned runs in 25 1/3 innings. He wasn’t a typical number five starter, but he was forced into the role last year. 2017 Fifth Starter: Bartolo Colon Stats: 5.18 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 80.0 IP, 47 K, 15 BB, 5.31 FIP Big Sexy has been quite the cult hero among baseball circle’s and he lived up to that billing with the Twins. Minnesota was on their way to an AL Wild Card Game appearance and Colon helped the club in the second half of the year after being traded from Atlanta. He hit a nice little groove for one month (August 4-September 5) where he posted a 3.30 ERA across seven starts. Things weren’t all flowers and roses as he struggled down the stretch. In his final five appearances, he allowed 19 earned runs in 18 1/3 innings with only nine strikeouts. He allowed more home runs (5) than walks (4) and opponents managed a .995 OPS against him. Minnesota lost four of his final six games with the club. 2016 Fifth Starter: Tommy Milone Stats: 5.71 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 69.1 IP, 49 K, 22 BB, 5.54 FIP Minnesota acquired Tommy Milone back in 2014 at the trade deadline from Oakland for Sam Fuld. It was a unique deal in the fact that Minnesota had claimed Fuld off waivers from Oakland earlier that season. Milone held his own in the Twins rotation in 2015 (3.92 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP), but some struggles would follow him in 2016. Milone was limited to seven games before the calendar turned to July. In those starts, he only pitched into the sixth inning on one occasion and in the rest of the starts he failed to get out of the fifth. Opponents were crushing the ball against him with a .908 OPS thanks in large part to six home runs allowed. He fared better in July as his ERA dropped to 3.99 and batters hit .280/.312/.449 (.761). Milone would finish the season and his Twins tenure pitching out of the bullpen. Fifth starters can be a volatile group as teams, like the Twins, can run out pitchers with quite a wide variety of skills. Journeyman pitchers, young prospects, or players returning from injury can all fill the role of fifth starter. Pineda won’t be starting any playoff games for the Twins this year. He is a fifth starter on a very good Twins team and he certainly stacks up well when compared with other recent fifth starters for the Twins. What have you thought about Pineda’s performance so far? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

The Elizabethton Twins are coming off back-to-back Appalachian League Championships and the club has qualified for the postseason in four of the last five seasons. Hopes are high again in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. With a handful of returning players and a new crop of rookies, can the E-Twins continue their winning ways?The Coaches Ray Smith will enter his 33rd season as a member of the E-Twins coaching staff and his 26th season as manager. On the way to Elizabethton’s eighth Apply League title last season, Smith recorded his 1000th career win. His managerial record sits at 1020-676 for a .601 winning percentage. He has been part of the Twins organization since he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 1977. Hitting coach Jeff Reed has been with Smith for a large chunk of his managerial journey. The 2019 season will be his 18th season as the E-Twins hitting coach. Richard Salazar will be in his first year as the pitching coach. He pitched seven seasons in the Orioles organization and reached as high as Triple-A (2007). From there, he pitched in independent leagues and was on Spain’s roster for the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Takashi Miyoshi will be in his second year as the fourth member of the coaching staff. Prospects to Watch No members of the preseason Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects are on the Elizabethton Twins Opening Day roster. However, we will be updating our list in the coming weeks so things could change, especially with an influx of newly drafted players. One name you won’t see on the list below was just signed by the Twins on Monday and he is on his way to Elizabethton. Matt Walner, a Forest Lake native, was Minnesota’s supplemental first round pick. He’s an outfielder that just finished his collegiate career at Southern Mississippi. He set that school’s career home run mark (58) and won three straight Conference USA home run titles THE ROSTER The Pitchers RHP Tyler Benninghoff (22)- 11th round pick in 2016 from Rockhurst HS in Kansas City, MO LHP Denny Bentley (21)- 33rd round pick in 2018 from Howard College RHP Prelander Berroa (19)- signed July 2, 2016 out of the Dominican Republic LHP Erik Cha (21)- 17th round pick in 2018 from Cal State Fullerton RHP Steven Cruz (20)- signed March 20, 2017 out of the Dominican Republic RHP Osiris German (20)- signed July 2, 2016 out of the Dominica Republic RHP Owen Grifith (21)- 20th round pick in 2019 from Clemson University RHP Ben Gross (22)- 10th round pick in 2019 from Duke University LHP Brent Headrick (21)- 9th round pick in 2019 from Illinois State RHP Cody Laweryson (21)- 14th round pick in 2019 from the University of Maine RHP Andriu Marin (20)- signed November 17, 2014 out of Venezuela LHP J.T. Perez (23)- 29th round pick in 2018 from the University of Cincinnati RHP Ryan Shreve (20)- 16th round pick in 2019 from University of the Pacific RHP Dylan Thomas (22)- 13th round pick in 2019 from the University of Hawaii RHP Louie Varland (21)- 15th round pick in 2019 from Concordia University-St. Paul LHP Ryley Widell (22)- 7th round pick in 2017 from Central Arizona College Prelander Berroa is certainly an arm to keep an eye on after he found some success with the GCL Twins last year. In 10 games (41 2/3 innings), he posed a 2.81 ERA with a 41 to 18 strikeout to walk ratio. Ryley Widell will be back with the E-Twins after making his pro debut with the club in 2018. He struck out 41 batters in 29 2/3 inning and only allowed eight earned runs (2.43 ERA). Tyler Benninghoff will be looking to transition his GCL success (3.89 ERA) to the Appy League. Out of the 2019 draft class, Brent Headrick and Ben Gross are the two highest drafted pitchers on this roster and they will be making their professional debuts. The Catchers Yeremi De La Cruz (21)- signed September 15, 2015 out of the Dominican Republic Alex Isola (20)- 29th round pick in 2019 from Texas Christian University Kidany Salva (20)- 17th round pick in 2016 from Klein Forest HS in Houston, TX Janigson Villalobos (22)- acquired from San Diego for Phil Hughes in 2018 With four catchers on the roster, the E-Twins will probably have each player catch twice a week with the possibility of getting some designated hitter appearances as well. Janigson Villalobos hit well with the GCL Twins last year as he finished with a .310 BA and .393 OPS. However, he was 1.2 years older than the competition in that league. Injuries cost Yeremi De La Cruz all but two games last season with the GCL Twins. The Infielders Seth Gray (21)- 4th round pick in 2019 from Wright State University Trevor Jenson (22)- 24th round pick in 2019 from Tulane University Charlie Mack (19)- 6th round pick in 2018 from Williamsville East HS in East Amherst, NY Daniel Ozoria (18)- acquired from Los Angeles for John Curtiss Anthony Prato (21)- 7th round pick in 2019 from the University of Connecticut Reuben Santana (21)- signed September 15, 2015 out of the Dominican Republic Seth Gray is the highest draft pick on the Opening Day roster, but he will shortly be joined by Walner. In 59 collegiate games this season, Gray hit .351 with 11 home runs and 70 RBI and that was good enough to earn him first-team, All-Horizon league honors. Ozoria is an interesting player since he’s young for the league and he was acquired this year for John Curtiss. In his pro career, he’s hit .222/.293/.263 with 13 extra-base hits in 111 games. The Outfielders Willie Joe Garry Jr. (19)- 9th round in 2018 from Pascagoula HS in Pascagoula, MS Max Smith (22)- 31st round in 2019 from UNLV Tyler Webb (23)- 40th round in 2018 from the University of Memphis Albee Weiss (23)- 23rd round in 2018 from Cal State Northridge Willie Joe Garry Jr. was one of only a few high school players drafted by the Twins in 2018. He struggled with the transition to the professional level, but he adjusted near the end of the season. In the final 14 games, he got on base over 29% of the time. Tyler Webb led the GCL Twins with a .398 on-base percentage. Albee Weiss has some power potential as he combined for 24 home runs between his collegiate (20 HR) and professional (4 HR) seasons last year. There are 30 players listed above and others like Walner are on their way after they sign with the Twins. Six players have previously played in Elizabethton (Widell, Perez, Cha, Berroa, Weiss, and Webb). Thirteen players were drafted by the Twins in 2019 (Grifith, Gross, Headrick, Laweryson, Shreve, Thomas, Varland, Isola, Gray, Jenson, Mack, Prato, and Smith). For more information on the 2019 Twins draft picks, please click here (links at bottom of the article) ------------------- Here are the rest of the minor league notes on Monday (written by Seth) I can’t remember the last time that there were no minor league games, at all, between April and August. However, that’s exactly what happened in the Twins farm system on Monday. Rochester had a scheduled day off.Pensacola and Cedar Rapids began their All-Star breaks.Ft. Myers was just set to start their second half with a home game against Charlotte, but the rains came and they were postponed.But there are still quite a few minor league notes from the day, we here we go: TRANSACTIONS The Twins signed Comp A pick Matt Wallner on Monday. Keep up with the signings of their their 2019 draft picks here.Rochester announced that Trevor Hildenberger was placed on the Injured List with a right flexor mass strain. He had not pitched since June 8th.Pensacola announced that Taylor Grzelakowski is going on the 7-day IL.Also, the Blue Wahoos announced that OF Tanner English and 3B Randy Cesar have been released.On Sunday night, we learned that LHP Zach Neff and 3B Andrew Bechtold have been promoted to FT. Myers.We also heard that Frandy Torres was being sent from Cedar Rapids to Elizabethton.RHP Tyler Palm has been transferred to Cedar Rapids. Jeff Johnson is also reporting that RHP Tanner Howell will also be joining the Kernels.ALL STAR FESTIVITIES At the Southern League All-Star site, they held the Home Run Derby. Blue Wahoos Jaylin Davis and Travis Blankenhorn will participate in the event. A year ago, Blankenhorn won the Florida State League home run derby. TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Columbus (6:05 CST) - TBD Pensacola (6:35 CST) - All Star Break Ft. Myers @ Charlotte (5:30 CST) - TBD Cedar Rapids - All Star Break Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Monday games or any other minor league topics you would like. Click here to view the article

Baseball has many things that are an integral part of game. Unfortunately, chewing tobacco has been tied to baseball for as long as the game has been played. Like most things in baseball, change is slow and grueling. Players can still be seen with a dip in their mouth even though 16 of the 30 MLB stadiums have banned the use of smokeless tobacco. It’s still part of the game and the Twins are no stranger to tobacco use.Slow Change, a Baseball Tradition College baseball banned smokeless tobacco in 1990 and the minor leagues quickly followed suit in 1993. Over the last 26 years, Major League Baseball has only made gradual changes to their chewing tobacco policies. As part of the 2012 collective bargaining agreement, the league banned players from carrying tobacco packages or tin in their pockets at any time when the ballpark was open to fans. They also couldn’t use it as part of pregame or postgame interviews. MLB took it one step further with the 2016 collective bargaining agreement by banning smokeless tobacco for all new major league players. Players already in the big leagues were grandfathered in under this rule so they would still be able to use smokeless tobacco. In 2015, a study found that 37% of MLB players and coaches used smokeless tobacco. This total is almost six times higher than the national average for males (6.4%). Many cities and states across the country have put in place laws to ban smokeless tobacco in public places. As of June, smokeless tobacco is now banned in over half of major-league stadiums. Minnesota is not one of the 16 stadiums to be included in the ban. Download attachment: KTOOP_Graphic_16-teams.png Minnesota’s Clubhouse Almost all current members of the Minnesota Twins were big leaguers in 2016 so they would be grandfathered in under the current collective bargaining agreement. As recently as 2016, legislation in Minnesota was introduced to ban the use of tobacco at Target Field and CHS Field. “In general, Major League Baseball and the Twins are supportive of legislative efforts and any efforts to ban smokeless tobacco,” Twins president Dave St. Peter told the Pioneer Press. “It’s long been baseball’s position that it’s something we’d like to get out of our game.” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been clear on the league’s stance when it comes to chewing tobacco. “For many years we’ve been clear about baseball’s stance on smokeless tobacco,” Manfred said. “It’s banned in the minor leagues. We have proposed on a number of occasions a similar ban at the big-league level. We’ve not been able to negotiate it.” In 2014, Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn tragically passed away at age 54 from salivary-gland cancer. At the time, some players swore off using chewing tobacco for their own health and families. That still hasn’t stopped current players. Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, two players the Twins are supposed to build around, have both been known smokeless tobacco users. There are no doubt other players on the team that have a similar addiction. More cities and states will take action in the years ahead. Fewer players will be grandfathered under the current collective bargaining agreement. Chewing tobacco, a baseball staple, is dying a slow death, but thankfully it might not be part of the baseball world future generations will know. Should baseball do more about chewing tobacco? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

In the years of writing the minor league report, one message has remained true: A winning tradition starts in an organization’s minor leagues. Twins fans are seeing the results of a winning tradition at the big-league level. Multiple players on the big-league roster were parts of winning clubs on their way to Target Field. That winning tradition continued Tuesday night.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 4, Columbus 3 Box Score On Sunday night, I wrote about Willians Astudillo not wanting to be in Rochester. He has been trying to hit his way back to Minnesota. He’s had 11 at-bats in Rochester so far and he has collected eight hits. I’ll let that sink in a little. Tonight, he clocked the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning. Talk about Turtle Power! Jake Cave also continued his hot hitting ways. He reached base three times including his 12th double along with scoring a run. Nick Gordon got the scoring started early with a first inning solo home run. Brent Rooker reached base three times including his ninth double. On the mound, Devin Smeltzer went five strong innings, striking out seven and walking one. He allowed three runs, all of which came off two home runs. Rochester’s bullpen picked up the slack as they allowed one hit in the final four innings. Cody Stashak struck out three in two shutout innings. Gabriel Moya and Fernando Romero combined to strikeout three over the final two innings. BLUE WAHOO BITES Pensacola 0, Biloxi 6 Box Score The Blue Wahoos struggled to find any offense in this game. Travis Blankenhorn and Taylor Grzelakowski had the team’s only hits and both players reached base two times. Pensacola struck out 16 time against Shuckers pitchers. Overall, the club went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base. Andro Cutura started and pitched five innings. He allowed four runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. His seven strikeouts were a season high. Adam Bray took over for Cutura and he tried to make it through the rest of the game. He ran into some trouble in the bottom of the eighth as two men crossed the plate. He lasted 2 2/3 innings while striking out three and walking one. Jordan Gore recorded the last out and allowed one hit. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 6, Tampa 1 (Game 1- 7 Innings) Box Score With the first-half division title on the line, Ryan Jeffers and Giancarlo Stanton got into a home run battle. Spoiler alert… Jeffers comes out on top. In Game 1 of the double-header, Jeffers cracked a pair of two-run home runs to help the Miracle. Trevor Larnach also helped the cause as he went 3-for-3 and scored two runs. Michael Helman added a two-run double to help stretch the lead. Tyler Watson pitched into the fifth inning and held Tampa to one earned run, a home run to Stanton. He struck out four and walked one in 4 2/3 innings. Joe Record pitched 2 1/3 scoreless frames to put the Miracle in position to clinch a first-half title. He struck out two and limited the Tarpons to one hit. Ft. Myers 7, Tampa 2 (Game 2- 7 Innings) Box Score Royce Lewis got things started in the first inning as he singled and moved to second on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. Lewin Diaz moved him to third on a groundout before a wild pitch allowed Lewis to scamper home. Fort Myers kept it going in the second as the first four batters reached base. Mark Contreras singled and Trey Cabbage followed with a walk. Ernie De La Trinidad singled to load the bases and then Ryan Costello stepped to the plate. His sixth double of the season scored two runs to put the Miracle up 3-0. That would be more than enough for Melvi Acosta. He started for the Miracle and tossed five shutout innings. He limited Tampa to four hits while adding three strikeouts. It was his first time making it through five innings since May 5. Alex Phillips allowed two runs during the final two innings, but Fort Myers had more than enough to clinch the first half title. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Wisconsin 1 Box Score Cedar Rapids waited until the fifth inning to get their bats going, but the club was able to push across runs in three consecutive frames to come out on top. Austin Schulfer was in control on the mound. He limited Wisconsin to one hit over six innings. He struck out eight and walked two on the way to his first win since May 22. Carlos Suniaga earned his first hold as he struck out the side in the seventh inning. Derek Molina picked up his eighth save and like many of his other appearances this year, he was asked to get more than three outs. Over two innings, he didn’t allow a hit, struck out two, and walked one. Gabe Snyder provided most of the offensive punch. He went 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs. His three RBIs were the difference in the game. Jared Akins added his seventh home run, a solo shot in the sixth inning. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY TD Pitcher of the Day- Austin Schulfer, Cedar Rapids (6.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 8 K, 3 BB) TD Hitter of the Day- Ryan Jeffers, Fort Myers (2-for-6, 2 HR, 4 RBI, BB, 2 R, K) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 3-8, R, RBI, K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – Injured list #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) – Injured list (shoulder) #4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) – 4-7, 2 R #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4 #6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – 1-2, 2B, R, RBI, 2 BB #7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch #8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – Did not pitch #9 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) – Injured List (Tommy John surgery) #11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 1-4, HR, R, RBI, 2 K #12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – Injured list (elbow) #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) – 2-6, 2 HR, 4 RBI, BB, 2 R, K #14 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) – 0-3, BB, K #15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (thumb) #16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4 #17 - Zack Littell (Rochester) – Did not pitch #18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 1-3, RBI, K #19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) – Did not pitch #20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) – 0-3 WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs. Columbus (6:05 CST) – LHP Lewis Thorpe (3-3, 5.95 ERA) Pensacola vs. Tennessee (6:35 CST) – LHP Bryan Sammons (4-1, 2.29 ERA) Fort Myers @ Tampa (5:30 CST) – TBD Cedar Rapids vs. Wisconsin (12:05 CST) – LHP Kody Funderburk (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday’s games. Click here to view the article

Minnesota missed out on the Craig Kimbrel sweepstakes, but the Twins will certainly have opportunities to add other impact relievers before July’s trade deadline. The Twins have been able to do more than survive with their current bullpen situation. However, bullpen arms and bullpen usage are critical when it comes to winning games in October. Here are 10 relievers who Minnesota could target before the trade deadline.LHP Jake Diekman, Kansas City 2019 Stats: 4.10 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 39 K, 26.1 IP Diekman’s 13.3 K/9 rate seems made for the post-season and some of his other peripheral numbers look better than his high ERA and WHIP. He has a $5.75 million club option for 2020, so he wouldn’t have to be a rental player. He also seems to be healthy after dealing with ulcerative colitis, a chronic disease of the colon. Since Diekman is on an AL Central squad, it could be tough to swing a deal. Does Minnesota want to send prospect that they could end up facing multiple times a season? RHP Ken Giles, Toronto 2019 Stats: 1.08 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 42 K, 25.0 IP Giles has been closing games for Houston and Philadelphia for the last five seasons and he might be amid the best season of his career. He entered the year with a career mark of 11.9 K/9 and he has exploded to 15.1 K/9 this season. Giles has one more year of arbitration as he signed this year for $6.3 million. Back in 2017, he struggled with the Astros on the way to the World Series title. This still doesn’t mean he can’t help a team win in 2019. RHP Mychal Givens, Baltimore 2019 Stats: 5.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 37 K, 27.0 IP Givens might not have the eye-popping numbers of some of the other names on this list but that doesn’t mean he should be ignored. His 12.3 K/9 total is a career high. Over the last three seasons, he has posted a 3.29 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP with 10.3 K/9. This season, he has struggled with the long ball as he has surrendered six home runs in 23 appearances. He is still arbitration eligible and the earliest he can be a free agent is 2022. RHP Shane Greene, Detroit 2019 Stats: 1.04 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 28 K, 26.0 IP Minnesota got a close-up look at Greene this weekend and has an AL leading 19 saves. He’s putting up career numbers, which might seem like a surprise when looking at the last three seasons. Since switching to the bullpen full-time in 2016, he has a 4.47 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP and 9.3 K/9. He will still be arbitration eligible in 2020 as he signed this season for $4 million. He’s a member of another AL Central foe, so Minnesota might look to other options. LHP Brad Hand, Cleveland 2019 Stats: 0.98 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 40 K, 27.2 IP Some of the names on this list would be rental players, but Hand doesn’t fit into that category. He is signed through 2020 with a club option for 2021. This will make him very intriguing to contending clubs. Minnesota needs another lefty to go with Taylor Rogers in the bullpen and Hand could fit that mold. Over the last three seasons, he’s posted a 2.62 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP with a 12.0 K/9. Since he’s with Cleveland, Minnesota might not want to make an in-division trade and Cleveland’s asking price could be high. RHP Greg Holland, Arizona 2019 Stats: 1.31 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 28 K, 20.2 IP Holland is a familiar name to Twins fans as he was Kansas City’s closer for the first half of this decade. Tommy John surgery cost him the 2016 season and this year might be the first time he is back to his pre-surgery form. His 12.2 K/9 rate is his highest total since 2014. He has playoff experience as part of Kansas City’s trip to the 2014 World Series and he pitched in the 2017 NL Wild Card Game with Colorado. He’s a free agent at season’s end, so he could be a cheaper option than some of the other names on this list. RHP Sergio Romo, Miami 2019 Stats: 5.48 ERA, 1.43 ERA, 21 K, 23.0 IP Romo has the most playoff experience of anyone on this list. He was part of three World Series titles in San Francisco and has pitched in 27 playoff games. From 2016-2018, he posted a 3.63 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP and 9.8 K/9. Romo signed a cheap one-year, $2.5 million contract with Miami this off-season so there would be very little financial commitment to him. He also wouldn’t cost a lot to acquire. However, his decreased strikeout rate from 10.0 K/9 to 8.2 K/9 is concerning. LHP Will Smith, San Francisco 2019 Stats: 2.19 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 35 K, 24.2 IP Smith is in his second season back from Tommy John surgery and his performance seems to have seen few ill-effects. Over the last two seasons, he has posted a 2.43 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP with a 12.3 K/9. Even though he’s left-handed, Smith has been successful against righties and lefties as he has held righties to a .487 OPS and lefties to a .399 OPS. Smith will be a free agent this winter so it will be interesting to see what kind of deal the Giants will be able to get for him. LHP Felipe Vazquez, Pittsburgh 2019 Stats: 2.30 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 43 K, 27.1 IP Vazquez might come with one of the highest asking prices on this list. He is potentially under team control through 2023. This means, Pittsburgh would need to be overwhelmed in any kind of offer for their left-handed closer. He took over as the Pirates full-time closer in 2017. During that stretch, he has compiled a 2.19 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP and a 11.5 K/9. Minnesota has some depth in their system, but it seems unlikely for them to deal an elite prospect. LHP Tony Watson, San Francisco 2019 Stats: 2.55 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 21 K, 24.2 IP Watson might be a name that is a little more unfamiliar to Twins fans. He’s pitched his entire career in the NL for the Pirates, Dodgers, and Giants. As a lefty, Watson is more than just a LOOGY. He has averaged over 70 innings pitched from 2013-2018 and he posted a career high 9.8 K/9 last season. His strikeout numbers have dipped a little this season (7.7 K/9) so that might be a cause for concern. Watson has a $2.5 million player option for 2020 or he could test the free agent waters. Who do you think the Twins should target? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Willians Astudillo and Jake Cave both spent time with the Twins this season. It’s also looking more and more like these two are going to try and hit their way back onto the Twins roster. Cave was named the team’s Minor League Hitter of the Week and La Tortuga has been almost impossible to get out since he was sent to Rochester. Would either player help the Red Wings to victory on Sunday?TRANSACTIONS RHP Cody Stashak promoted to Rochester from Pensacola. RHP Randy Dobnak transferred to Pensacola from Rochester. IF Randy Cesar transferred to Pensacola from Rochester. IF Ryan Costello transferred to Fort Myers from Pensacola. LHP J.T. Perez promoted to Cedar Rapids from Elizabethton. RHP Frandy Torres promoted to Cedar Rapids from GCL Twins. RHP Brian Rapp placed on the 7-day IL (lower back strain). IF Hunter Lee transferred to Elizabethton from Fort Myers. RHP Tyler Palm transferred to Elizabethton from Cedar Rapids. AWARDS The Twins announced their weekly Hitter and Pitcher of the Week: Hitter of the Week: Jake Cave, RochesterCave played in eight games for the Red Wings this week, hitting .417 (15-for-36) with seven doubles, two triples, one home run and nine RBI, which included a four-double game on Thursday at Syracuse. Since being optioned from Minnesota in mid-May, Cave has played in 27 games for the Red Wings, hitting .294 (32-for-109) with 11 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 21 RBI and a .861 OPS.Pitcher of the Week: Sean Poppen, RochesterPoppen started two games this week for the Red Wings, going 1-0, 0.75 ERA (12.0 IP, 1 ER) with five walks and 13 strikeouts. Poppen, 25, was selected by the Twins in the 19th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Harvard. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 5, Pawtucket 3 Box Score Rochester fell into an early hole as Chase De Jong allowed a first inning run to the Red Sox. He was able to settle in from there as he didn’t allow another run in his five innings pitched. He struck out one and walked one. The Red Wings offense took a little time to get going. In the third, Drew Maggi singled and Luis Arraez walked to put a runner in scoring position. Willians Astudillo singled to drive in Maggi and Rochester had tied the game at 1-1. Jake Cave wasn’t going to take his award lightly. He cracked his fourth home run of the season in the top of the sixth to put the Red Wings up 2-1. The eighth inning might have been the most important one for the Red Wings and they did all their damage with two outs. Nick Gordon started the damage with a single to right. La Tortuga stepped to the plate and crushed a two-run bomb. Rochester would win by two and this home run was the difference. Jake Reed was credited with his second win after he allowed one run, a home run, in two innings. He stuck out one and walked two. In one inning of work, D.J. Baxendale surrendered one run, a solo home run, but he struck out two. Zack Littell earned his first save with a perfect ninth inning where he struck out two. BLUE WAHOO BITES Pensacola 0, Tennessee 8 Box Score For Jorge Alcala, it was not his day. He allowed four first inning runs as he struggled to make it through three innings of work. Overall, he allowed five runs on five hits with a strikeout and a walk. Anthony Vizcaya took over for Alcala and struggled with his control. He walked three batters in 1 2/3 innings, but he only allowed one hit and he collected a pair of strikeouts. Pensacola had little offense to write home about. The team left eight runners on base and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The team didn’t collect a walk in the entire game and not a single batter was able to register multiple hits. Jimmy Kerrigan had the only extra-base hit, a double. Williams Ramirez allowed one run in 2/3 of an inning. He struck out one and walked one. Zack Weiss was charged with pitching the final 2 2/3 inning of the game. He allowed two runs on five hits with four strike outs and two walks. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 0, Jupiter 8 Box Score Fort Myers struggled to find any offense in this one as the club was held to three hits. Michael Helman had the team’s only extra-base hit, a double. Trevor Larnach and Aaron Whitefield both went 1-for-4. With the hit, Larnach extended his hitting streak to eight games. Overall, the club left seven men on base but had only three opportunities to bat with runners in scoring position. Edwar Colina took the loss but he pitched well. In seven innings, he allowed three runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking one. He continued to reach triple digits with his fastball. Calvin Faucher ran into some issues later in the game. He allowed five runs in his two innings on the mound. Fort Myers currently sits in first place in the Florida State League South Division. The Miracle hold a 1.0 game lead over Bradenton and a 1.5 game lead over Palm Beach. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Peoria 2 (Game 1- 7 Innings) Box Score Cedar Rapids scored six runs in the game’s final three innings to come out victorious. Yeltsin Encarnacion went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Wander Javier reached base three times while scoring a run and driving in a run. Andrew Bechtold had an interesting day. He scored two runs without recording a hit because he walked in all four plate appearances. Andrew Cabezas went five innings and didn’t allow an earned run. He struck out five and walked two. Moises Gomez finished the final two innings. He allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Cedar Rapids 1, Peoria 2 (Game 2- 7 Innings) Box Score The Kernels couldn’t find the big hit in the second game of the double-header. Cedar Rapids went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base. Ricky Del La Torre had the team’s only run, a solo home run in the sixth inning. Peoria quickly answered back with the game-winning run in the bottom of the frame. Zach Neff struck out six batters in five innings of work. He limited Peoria to one run on three hits. Frandy Torres took the loss as he allowed the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth. He walked two and struck out one in his inning of work. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY TD Pitcher of the Day- Zach Neff, Cedar Rapids (5.0 IP, ER, 3 H, 6 K, 0 BB) TD Hitter of the Day- Willians Astudillo, Rochester (3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, R) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 0-4 #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – Injured list #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) – Injured list #4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) – 1-3, BB, K #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 3-6, RBI, R, BB, 2 K #6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – 1-3, BB, K #7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch #8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – Did not pitch #9 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch #10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) – Tommy John surgery, out for the year #11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 1-4, R, 2 K #12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – Injured list #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) – Did not play #14 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) – 0-4, K #15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List #16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, RBI, BB, K #17 - Zack Littell (Rochester) – 1.0 IP, SV, 2 K #18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – 1-4, RBI #19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) – 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, K, BB #20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) – 0-3, 3 K, BB MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester – Scheduled Off-Day Pensacola @ Biloxi (6:35 CST) – RHP Andro Cutura (1-2, 4.45 ERA) Fort Myers @ Tampa (3:30 CST) – TBD Fort Myers @ Tampa (Game 2) – TBD Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (11:05 AM CST) – RHP Kai-Wei Teng (0-0, 4.91 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games. Click here to view the article

Miguel Sano is in his fifth big league season and he has over 1,600 big league plate appearances. He started his professional career already in the limelight because MLB’s investigation into his age. Heck, there was even a movie made about his signing. He looked like a slam dunk big league player, a future superstar. Now, he’s 26-years old and one must wonder if he will ever be able to become the superstar he seemed destined to become.Age Questions Back in 2012, one of the first pieces I wrote for Twins Daily examined the questions surrounding Miguel Sano’s age. MLB completed an investigation into his age, but the results were inconclusive. Sano had to drop his asking price and the Twins were happy to sign the young shortstop for $3.15 million. His family lived in a small dirt floored home in the Dominican, so the influx in money had to be a shock to the system. In that original article, I wrote… “For players from the Dominican, there is plenty of pressure to find some way to lie about their age to escape the poverty they are subject to in their home country. According to Sports Illustrated on average, a 16-year old player brings in about $65,000 with their signing bonus. Add two years to their age and an 18-year old signs for an average of $20,000. That is a big difference in a country where the per capita income is only $8,900. A player who shows any sign of promise is going to try and ‘adjust’ their age to put their family in a better place for the future.” The age issue hasn’t been brought up in recent years and that’s probably a good thing for Twins Territory. His age certainly didn’t take away from his high expectations entering the minor leagues. High Expectations Baseball America had Sano ranked in their top-100 prospects for five consecutive seasons (2010-2014). He ranked as the number nine prospect in 2014 and peaked as the number six overall prospect in 2014. MLB.com had him as the 4th best prospect in 2014 while Baseball Prospectus had him just outside the top-10 (11th). Most of the baseball world expected him to turn into one of baseball’s best players. Sano made his Stateside debut in 2011 and he had a breakout year in Elizabethton. In 66 games, he collected 45 extra-base hits and had a .988 OPS. Out of Appalachian League players (minimum of 45 game), only Eddie Rosario had a higher OPS than Sano. He would head into the off-season as the team’s highest-ranked prospect. Over the next four seasons, Sano continued to pound minor league pitching. He combined for an .893 OPS in 2012, a .992 OPS in 2013, and a .918 OPS in 2015. The only thing that was able to slow him down was Tommy John surgery and that cost him the entire 2014 season. He made his big-league debut in 2015 and there was still potential for him to be a superstar. Big League Career During a strong rookie campaign, Sano burst onto the scene with 36 extra-base hits and a .916 OPS in 80 games. He finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Houston’s Carlos Correa and Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor. In 2016, Sano ran into a little bit of a sophomore slump. He still his 25 home runs and 22 doubles, but his OPS dropped to .781 and he struck out 178 times in 116 games. He was elected to his first All-Star Game in 2017 following a tremendous first half (21 HR and a .906 OPS). He cooled off a little in the second half as he only managed 10 extra-base hits and a .742 OPS in 32 games. MLB had to investigate Sano multiple times in 2018 but this time it wasn’t about his age. He was accused of sexual assault by a Twins photographer. The Office of the Commission of Baseball concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to warrant a suspension. Sano was also driving a car when it ran over a police officer in the Dominican Republic. In traffic court, the police found no intent on his part to hurt the officer. Some of these incidents might have impacted his performance last year. In 71 games, he hit .199/.281/.398 with 27 extra-base hits. Minnesota even sent him down to High-A to try to reset his career. Shifting Expectations Sano is certainly putting up strong numbers this season with a 1.009 OPS in his first 14 games. However, I don’t know if he should be seen in the same light as he was when he was signed as a 16-year old. At that time, he looked like he could be the cornerstone of a franchise, a player to be built around. Now, the perspective has changed. He seems like he could be a good player, but I don’t think he is a player the Twins will build around. Sano had the potential to be a superstar and he could still surprise in the years ahead. That being said, it’s more likely his superstar potential is slowly fading away. Do you think Sano can still be considered a superstar? Would you build future Twins rosters around him? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

The Twins had three picks on the opening day of the MLB Draft. With their first-round pick, the Twins selected SS/3B Keoni Cavaco. During the competitive balance round, the club took Minnesota native Matt Wallner, a college outfielder. With the 54th overall pick in the MLB Draft, Minnesota selected RHP Matt Canterino.The Twins had three picks on the opening day of the MLB Draft. With their first-round pick, the Twins selected SS/3B Keoni Cavaco. During the competitive balance round, the club took Minnesota native Matt Walner, a college outfielder. With the 54th overall pick in the MLB Draft, Minnesota selected RHP Matt Canterino. ***Listen to Across the Meadow's breakdown of the Canterino pick.*** Canterino is a right-handed pitcher out of the Rice University. As a freshman, he led Conference USA with 111 strikeouts in 96 innings. Only two college pitchers have struck out over 100 batters over the last three seasons and he is one of them. He’s been making the rounds as he pitched for the US collegiate national team and he pitched in last year’s Cap Cod League. He even won that league’s All-Star Game. His fastball can reach into the upper-90’s but it typically sits in the low 90s. His slider might be his best pitch as it can reach the mid-80s. He also has a spike curveball with a lot of action. His high strikeout totals show that he can get both righties and lefties out on a consistent basis. The Twins hope he can remain a starter as he transitions to his professional career. Some scouts have been critical of his delivery during his collegiate career. He uses a lot of effort during his delivery and this makes it tough to stick as a starting pitcher. Because of the effectiveness of his other breaking pitches, he hasn’t had to rely on his change-up as much. This could be another thing for him to work on as he moves through the Twins system. Feel free to discuss and check back for more information. Click here to view the article

In Monday night’s first round, the Minnesota Twins had the 13th overall pick and used it to select Keoni Cavaco, a high school third baseman. Minnesota drafted him as a shortstop. He has big power, a great throwing arm, and the ability to stick on the left side of the infield.Minnesota was picking near the middle of the first round so there were plenty of options available. Cavaco turned 18 on Sunday and comes in at 6-feet-0 and 185 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed. He comes from East Lake High School in Chula Vista, California. It's the same high school as former number one overall pick Adrian Gonzalez. He is currently committed to San Diego State but the 13th pick is slotted to receive a $4.2 million bonus. Cavaco wasn’t well known entering this past spring season. He wasn’t invited to many of the summer showcase events. These events allow scouting departments and front office personnel to see top-tier players face some of the best young pitchers. MLB.com ranked him as the 28th best prospect in the draft. In the fall, he was invited to a showcase. At the Angel Elite showcase, he was able to really exhibit some of his power potential. He has the potential to be a five-tool player as he has a very strong arm so this should help him to stick at third or short. He’s athletic, has great hands with a good set-up at the plate. Also, he has shown some speed as he can get home to first out of the box in less than four seconds. Being the 2019 draft season’s biggest riser, means there are some things still to work on. There are some questions surrounding his hit tool, especially since he wasn’t part of the summer showcases. It’s tough to know what he would do against that level of talent, but the Twins believe his power tool will continue to grow. Minnesota drafted him as a shortstop, but many think he might have to end up back at third base. Minnesota could save money on signing Cavaco because of where he was projected to be drafted. This could be used to offer over-slot deals to other picks. Besides the 13th pick, the Twins have a pick in the competitive balance round (39th overall), which is sandwiched between the first and second round. The club’s second round pick is 54th overall. Feel free to discuss and check back as there is more to come… Click here to view the article

Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel are almost done waiting. Two of the biggest names on last year’s free agent market are still unsigned, but that will likely change in the next week. On Monday night, the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft is scheduled, and this means the draft pick compensation tied to these two players will no longer be in effect. Could either of these arms end up in Minnesota?Minnesota’s Changing Perspective Before spring training started, Minnesota wasn’t exactly sure of what this season would bring. The front office was happy with the additions of players like Nelson Cruz, Marwin Gonzalez, CJ Cron, and Martin Perez. However, it was tough to know if the Twins were going to be able to outlast Cleveland in a division the Indians have dominated for the last three seasons. Flash-forward to the present and Minnesota has a very clear view of the division and of their current roster. The Twins entered play on Saturday atop of the AL Central by 10.5 games. Cleveland, the division favorite this spring, sits tied with the White Sox for second place and they are actually closer to the bottom of the division than the top of the division. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have also seen the strengths and weaknesses of the current roster. Minnesota offense is one of the best in the game. There doesn’t seem to be a weak spot from the top to the bottom. On the pitching side, Minnesota’s has outperformed many of the expectations entering the season but Kimbrel or Keuchel would certainly be welcomed in the Twin Cities. Minnesota Rumors Locally, Judd Zulgad of SKOR North said the Twins could be in on one of the pitchers once draft pick compensation was no longer part of the equation. Kimbrel might be a better fit in Minnesota even though he’s coming off a postseason where he had a 5.91 ERA in nine appearances. He has over 330 career saves and an ERA under 2.00. It remains to be seen if Kimbrel would be willing to accept a non-closer role on a playoff contending team. Minnesota hasn’t used a traditional closer this year and they may not want to mess with a good thing. There are also questions about how long it will take for either pitcher to be prepared for pitching in a big-league game. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman also listed the Twins as a possible destination for Keuchel. He also included other teams like the Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Rays and Yankees. Last season in Houston, Keuchel made 34 stars and went 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA. Scouts have been watching Keuchel throw simulated games in the weeks leading up to the draft. Other Rumors As recently as Saturday, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Cubs are showing interest in Kimbrel. One of the difficulties for them is their lack of payroll flexibility, because Chicago wants to stay under the luxury tax thresholds. Other teams might be able to outbid the Cubs or Chicago would need to get creative with Kimbrel’s contract. Jim Bowden of SiriusXM reports that the Braves have legitimate interest in both free agent pitchers. Atlanta currently sits in second place in the AL East and they are tied with San Diego for the second Wild Card spot. Tampa Bay, Minnesota’s opponent this weekend, is also interested in adding Keuchel or Kimbrel. Ken Rosenthal and Josh Tolentino report the Yankees remain interested in Keuchel. The AL East can be a beast especially with the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays all vying to be the king of the hill. Kimbrel is well familiar with the AL East, and he might want a revenge tour against Boston. Tampa is usually a little strapped for cash, so this might not be the best fit. Do you see either pitcher ending up in a Twins uniform this week? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Minnesota is on top of the baseball world. The club has the best record in baseball, expectations are high, and the team should be well represented at the 2019 All-Star Game in Cleveland. It's a golden opportunity to crash their AL Central's rivals' party.Voting Changes Major League Baseball altered their voting process for the 2019 All-Star Game. Two phases of voting will be held, “The Primary” and “The Starters Election.” Fans remain in charge of selecting the All-Star starters, but this new process allows for more fan involvement in an Election Day. All the pitchers and reserve position players will continue to be chosen through Player Ballots and selections from the Commissioner’s Office. “The Primary” round of voting opened earlier this week. For 25 days, fans can vote from a ballot of players submitted by the individual clubs. This round concludes on June 21 at 3 pm CST. The Primary round will determine the top-three vote-getters at every position (including nine outfielders). “The Starters Election” will take the top vote getters from “The Primary” and open an all-out voting war. Starting at 11 am CST on June 26, fans will have 28-hours to vote for the starters. Sorting Through the Candidates Jorge Polanco’s 2019 performance has inserted him in the early MVP discussion. He’s currently tied with Mike Trout for the most WAR among position players. He’s on nearly every American League offensive leaderboard as he ranks in the top-5 in batting average, OBP, hits, total bases, triples, runs created, and extra-base hits. Polanco looks like a smart baseball bet to be one of the club’s representatives. Eddie Rosario is another top candidate and he’s clearly a team leader on and off the field. His 17 home runs and 47 RBIs rank him at the top of AL. Besides that, he’s also in the top-10 for slugging %, runs scored, and total bases. The AL outfield is a little tough to crack with players like Mike Trout, George Springer, and Mookie Betts. To beat out these well-known stars, Rosario is going to have to continue to produce. The team’s other two outfielders, Max Kepler and Byron Buxton, also rank well in the AL. Kepler is coming off AL Player of the Week honors, but he isn’t as well known outside of Twins Territory. Buxton’s name has been in baseball circles since he was a top amateur and he leads the AL in doubles. Both players will run into the same problem as Rosario; casual fans are going to vote for more well-known players. CJ Cron’s 13 home runs are tied for the most among AL first baseman. Defensively, he’s also elevated himself into the Gold Glove conversation. At one point, Mitch Garver looked like the club’s best hitter. However, an ankle injury has him on the DL and he doesn’t appear on the ballot. Jason Castro’s season has also been strong, but Garver looked like Babe Ruth at one point. Even though fans don’t vote for pitchers, Minnesota has some strong candidates. Jake Odorizzi already won AL Player of the Week. He has the league’s best ERA and a microscopic 0.99 WHIP. Jose Berrios, Minnesota’s lone 2018 All-Star, has the AL’s best BB/9 average while ranking highly in other areas. Martin Perez’s journey from cast-off reliever to top starter has been one of the team’s best stories. Minnesota’s bullpen is also full of worthy candidates like Blake Parker, Taylor Rogers, and Ryne Harper. Could Minnesota wind up with four or more All-Star selections for the first time since 1988? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

It’s been quite the journey for Devin Smeltzer. Some of his former teammates were playing in the minors as he was busy tossing six shutout innings in his big-league debut. Those teammates are hoping to follow in his footsteps to baseball’s highest level. Who could be the next one to join him?TRANSACTIONS LHP Devin Smeltzer promoted to Minnesota. OF Jimmy Kerrigan activated from the IL with Pensacola. LHP Jovani Moran placed on IL with Pensacola. C Janigson Villalobos assigned to Elizabethton from Fort Myers. OF Albee Weiss promoted to Fort Myers. 2B Hunter Lee promoted to Fort Myers. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester --, Scranton/WB – (Postponed) Rochester’s game against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was postponed on Tuesday because of severe weather. To make up for the game, the teams will play a doubleheader on Wednesday with the first game scheduled for 4:05 pm CST. This is the seventh postponement of the season already for the Red Wings. BLUE WAHOO BITES Pensacola 7, Mississippi 0 Box Score Bryan Sammons started for the Blue Wahoos and he had an up and down night. On the good side, he limited Mississippi to no runs on three hits with eight strikeouts. On the bad side, he allowed five walks and could only pitch through the fourth inning. Lucky for him, the Blue Wahoo offense was more than enough on this night. Alex Kirilloff started the second inning with his sixth double. He didn’t have to wait long at second as Caleb Hamilton knocked a two-run bomb, his fourth home run of the year. Jimmy Kerrigan added to the lead with a lead-off homer in the sixth. Mitchell Kranson launched his fourth home run of the season in the seventh. It was a two-run shot after Hamilton singled to start the inning. Jordan Gore capped the inning with a home run of his own. Kirilloff wouldn’t be shown-up as he added his first Double-A home run. Adam Bray pitched one shutout inning. He allowed one hit and struck out one. Tom Hackimer earned his first win as he struck out five batters in three perfect frames. Sam Clay completed the shutout with a hitless ninth. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 7, Florida 5 (10 Innings) Box Score Royce Lewis got things started with a bang as he cranked a solo shot in the top of the first inning. It was his second home run of the year. Fort Myers would take an early 1-0 lead, but this game was far from over. Edwar Colina started on the mound and quickly surrendered the run back to Florida. He settled in nicely from there as he lasted six innings. He allowed two earned runs on eight hits while striking out seven and walking one. The Miracle offense really got rolling in the fourth inning. Ryan Jeffers and Jose Miranda both knocked singles before Michael Helman brought them both in with a triple. Aaron Whitefield used a sacrifice fly to score Helman and the Miracle were back up by a score of 4-1. Johan Quezada pitched two very strong innings in relief. He didn’t allow a runner while striking out two. It was his third straight appearance where he pitched two innings and didn’t allow an earned run. Hector Lujan took over for the ninth and ran into a little trouble. After a single to start the inning, catcher David Banuelos allowed a passed ball. Following two ground outs, the runner was at third. Lujan tossed a wild pitch and the game was tied. It was his first blown save. Fort Myers made quick work in extra innings. Lewin Diaz scored on Trevor Larnach’s fourth hit of the night. Ryan Jeffers singled to put runners on the corners. With one out, Helman added another RBI with his second hit. Banuelos made up for his passed ball with an RBI single to cap the extra-inning scoring. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids --, Burlington – (Postponed) Cedar Rapids was scheduled to have a series opener with Burlington, but the weather didn’t cooperate. Inclement weather forced the teams into having a doubleheader on Wednesday. Game one of the series is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm with both games being scheduled for seven innings. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY TD Pitcher of the Day- Tom Hackimer, Pensacola (3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 5 K, 0 BB) TD Hitter of the Day- Trevor Larnach, Fort Myers (4-for-5, 2B, RBI, R) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) – 1-5, HR, R, RBI, 3 K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) – Did not pitch #4 - Trevor Larnach (Ft. Myers) – 4-5, 2B, RBI, R, K #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – No game #6 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – No game #7 - Jhoan Duran (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch #8 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – No game #9 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – No game #10 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) – Injured List #11 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – No game #12 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – No game #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Ft. Myers) – 2-5, 2 R, K #14 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) – Did not play #15 - Yunior Severino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List #16 - Gilberto Celestino (Cedar Rapids) – No game #17 - Zack Littell (Minnesota) – Did not pitch #18 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – No game #19 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) – Did not pitch #20 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) – 1-4, HR, R, RBI, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Scranton/WB (4:05 CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (5-0, 1.81 ERA) Rochester @ Scranton/WB (Game 2) – LHP Lewis Thorpe (3-3, 6.31 ERA) Pensacola vs. Mississippi (6:35 CST) – LHP Charlie Barnes (Double-A Debut) Fort Myers @ Florida (5:00 CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow (High-A Debut) Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (5:00 CST) – RHP Andrew Cabezas (1-3, 3.68 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (Game 2) – RHP Austin Schulfer (4-2, 2.41 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Tuesday’s games. Click here to view the article

Minnesota announced on Tuesday morning that Michael Pineda is being placed on the 10-day injured list due to right knee tendinitis. In a corresponding move, Devin Smeltzer was added to the 40-man roster and he will be scheduled to make his big-league debut on Tuesday night against MilwaukeeMichael Pineda had one bad inning last night, but he rolled through the rest of his innings. He didn’t appear to be in any discomfort last night. It was his four consecutive quality start. He won’t be eligible to come off the DL until June 7. Currently, the Twins have two scheduled off days before June 7. This could mean the team uses a four-man rotation until Pineda is available to return. Pineda has made 11 starts this season and he has a 5.34 ERA. He missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and a torn meniscus, which was also in his right knee. Smeltzer’s start on Tuesday might be a little bit of a surprise. He’s has been dominating in the minor leagues, Martin Perez was scheduled to start on Tuesday. This might be a sign that he isn’t fully healthy either. The Twins have been rolling so far this year and the rotation has exceeded all expectations. At some point, injuries were going to happen and now the club will have to rely on other pieces in the organization. Smeltzer came to the Twins from the Dodgers organization as part of the Brian Dozier trade last year. He dominated in four starts at Double-A to start the year as he went 3-1 with a 0.60 ERA. He struck out 33 in only 30 innings on the mound. Since being promoted to Rochester, he has a 1.82 ERA during four starts. Seth did a Get to Know You episode with Smeltzer last week. He is taking the 40-man roster spot that had been occupied by Austin Adams. You can listen to the 23 minute podcast here: What are your thoughts on the injury situation? Should fans be worried about Perez as well? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article