Jamie Cameron

Jon Morosi reported the Twins and Yankees have had trade discussions about Max Kepler. Who else might be interested? What might the Twins be able to get in return? This week, there has been mounting speculation that Max Kepler could be a popular target at the trade deadline. While Twins fans may have become a little jaded on Kepler after the promise of his incredible 2019 season, there’s an awful lot to like. Kepler slugged his 13th home run of the season in a losing effort against the Angels on Sunday and is slugging .538 in his last 15 games. While he had a slow start to the season, Kepler’s wRC+ is up to 108, ahead of his 2020 numbers. Kepler also boasts strong defensive play, positional versatility, and excellent baserunning skills. Does this look like the Baseball Savant profile of an underrated player? Kepler is also signed to an extremely affordable contract which has him under team control for an additional two seasons beyond 2021, with a club option for 2024. Kepler will be paid a little over $15 million in his age 30 and age 31 seasons. He’s on track to be worth about $20 million in 2021 alone. While this is only one rough metric, Kepler’s performance has been very steady year over year, with the exception of his outstanding 2019 season. Who is Interested? Plenty of teams should be interested in a solid, affordable outfielder, but there are two more obvious fits. The Atlanta Braves could use an outfield upgrade, specifically in left field. While they are a logical candidate, Atlanta already added Joc Pederson to their outfield and may not be buyers with another bad week. The real Kepler steam has come from the possibility of the New York Yankees as a trade partner. The Yankees are known to seek a left-handed bat at the deadline. Despite being nine games behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East, the Yankees are only 3.5 games back in a competitive wild card race. What Could the Twins Get Back? Cody Christie wrote up a more detailed overview of the Yankees as a prospective Twins trade partner. The Yankees do not have the same depth to their farm system that the Padres or Dodgers do. In spite of this, they have plenty of intriguing names which fit the Twins’ needs. Top prospect Jasson Dominguez is an unrealistic expectation, but there are several names Kepler could fetch in a return. Oswald Peraza The Yankees signed Peraza in the international free agent class of 2016. Peraza is an outstanding prospect, ranked #98 overall by MLB. He has excellent bat-to-ball skills, controls the strike zone well, and should be good for 15-20 home runs as he gets stronger and fills out. Peraza is fast and a capable base stealer. Additionally, he offers a 60-grade arm and is 60 grade in the field, offering everything but outstanding power. He is slugging .498 with 25 stolen bases in 2021 and is currently at AA. Luis Gil A name who haunts the dreams of Twins fans who are in the weeds with prospects. The Twins signed Gil for just $90,000 before trading him for Jake Cave in 2018. Gil has a 75-grade fastball which sits 95-98 which he uses up in the zone. Gil also offers a slider and a hard changeup which sits around 90 mph. Gil has to refine his control and command but has made his way to AAA, where he has struck out a whopping 86 batter in 59 2021 innings. Luis Medina Medina is another high-octane right-handed pitcher out of the Dominican Republic. Originally signed as a 16-year old, Medina was already throwing 100mph. Medina can now top out at 102 mph with cut and offers a plus curveball. There’s a massive variance in outcomes for Medina, which runs the gamete from front-line ace to late-inning reliever (if he doesn’t develop the consistency to throw enough strikes). Still, the potential is staggering. Potential Trade: Yankees acquire: OF Max Kepler Twins acquire: SS Oswald Peraza, RHP Luis Medina What do you think the chances are Max Kepler gets traded? What do you think is a fair return? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

I agree with this. Proposal #2 is definitely a light return. I don't consider him a throw in for #1 but I agree they would probably try and get a Padres top 5 guy in #2.

Derek Falvey recently hinted the Twins are considering packaging MLB talent to maximize return value in a trade. What would a trade like this look like? What could the Twins get back? In an interview with SiriusXM on Sunday, Minnesota Twins CBO Derek Falvey told Jon Morosi that trading a package of MLB players is ‘something we have talked about.’ With the news also breaking Sunday that Byron Buxton rejected the Twins’ long-term contract offer, the possibility that Minnesota engages in more extensive re-tooling seems to increase with each passing day. Buxton seems increasingly likely to be dealt this off-season given his currently IL status. Outstanding lefty Taylor Rogers seems likely to be dealt in the landscape of a thin relief market. José Berríos, the club’s lone recent success story in developing starting pitching seems determined to test free agency and would fetch a steep trade price. Finally, there are the rentals, with Andrelton Simmons, Michael Pineda, and Hansel Robles all strong trade possibilities ahead of Friday’s deadline. So what would a Twins ‘packaging’ of MLB players look like? What kind of return might they get? Trade 1: Twins and Blue Jays Jays Receive: RHP José Berríos and LHP Taylor Rogers Twins Receive: SS Jordan Groshans (32), RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (68), MI Miguel Hiraldo This is a certified blockbuster. It’s no secret the Jays are seeking pitching in a tight AL East and an extremely competitive AL Wild Card race. Losing Berríos and Rogers would sting, but the return is exciting. Groshans is the #32 prospect on baseball. Currently at AA, he has the tools to become a plus hitter with plus power. While the home run power hasn’t fully developed, Groshans is slugging .461 at AA in 2021. Standing at 6’3 with strong defensive instincts and an excellent arm, he may eventually be an MLB 3B. Woods Richardson is the #68 prospect in baseball. 6’5 RHP a fastball which sits 91-95 mph, solid command, two decent breaking balls (a curve and a slider), and a changeup which is regarded as the best in the system. Richardson is thought to have a high floor for a prep pitching draftee and should develop into a number two or three starter. Hiraldo is a 20-year-old MI, the number 17 prospect in the 17-18 international free agent class. Hiraldo has excellent bat speed which should develop into solid power. He has a strong throwing arm which allows him to play all infield positions. At worst, he should develop into a strong utility infielder. Trade 2: Twins and Padres Padres Receive: LHP Taylor Rogers and RHP Michael Pineda Twins Receive: RHP Mason Thompson and RHP Steven Wilson Beyond Tyler Duffey (assuming Rogers is traded) who do you feel confident about in the Twins bullpen in 2022? A second-half audition for the likes of Ian Hamilton, Jovani Moran, and Yennier Cano is surely around the corner. All that said, the Twins badly need bullpen reinforcements. In Rogers, the Padres get an outstanding back-end piece for their bullpen, and in Pineda, a starter who can offer them solid innings down the stretch. Mason Thompson was the 85th overall pick in 2016 (Padres #10 prospect). His early pro career was marred by injuries. He was finally healthy for the first time during the Padres instructional camp in 2020. Standing at 6’7, Thompson possesses a 60 grade, upper 90s fastball, and a power slider, both of which are good enough to miss bats. Thompson was added to the Padres 40 man roster in November to not expose him to the Rule 5 Draft. He projects as a late-inning reliever. Steven Wilson checks in as the Padres #16 prospect. Currently, at AAA, Wilson has a 2.03 ERA in limited 2021 action, with 23 Ks in just 13 innings. Wilson is another prototypical reliever with a power fastball/slider mix. Wilson needs to continue to refine his command, but profiles as a seventh-inning reliever at the MLB level. Trade 3: Twins and Mets Mets Receive: RHP José Berríos and SS Andrelton Simmons Twins Receive: 3B Brett Baty (73), OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, and RHP J.T. Ginn The Mets, for once, are in a strong position. With a four-game lead atop the NL East, they need to fortify their roster to make a strong post-season run. The Mets have been heavily linked with Berríos for some time. Their off-season blockbuster acquisition, Francisco Lindor, recently went on the IL with a grade 2 oblique strain. Adding Andrelton Simmons would provide meaningful defensive coverage for Lindor until he returns, and trim some 2020 payroll for the Twins. The Mets have a strong farm system and are a suitable trade partner for the Twins. In Brett Baty, the Twins acquire the #73 overall prospect in baseball. Currently, at AA, Baty is sporting a .382 OBP in over 200 ABs at Binghamton. He is on his way. Baty has gap to gap power, including opposite-field home run power. Though not an outstanding defender, Baty has the defensive capability to stick at 3B at the MLB level. Crow-Armstrong is the Mets #5 prospect and the 19th overall pick in 2020. His progress has been significantly hampered by a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. Crow-Armstrong has plus speed and was rated as the best defender in the 2020 draft class. He has solid gap to gap power and a solid to strong hit tool. He profiles as a prototypical high average, high on-base leadoff hitter. J.T. Ginn is the Mets #6 prospect, currently at A+. Ginn had Tommy John surgery as a Sophmore in college, dropping his draft stock slightly. Ginn has a fastball that sits 91-95 mph which tops out at 97. He also possesses a promising slider and changeup. In 44 innings pitched in 2021, Ginn has a 2.44 ERA and 41Ks, to go with a cool 0.92 WHIP. Ginn profiles as a mid-rotation starting pitcher if he continues to develop after his surgery. Note: I considered Matt Allan for this trade. He recently had Tommy John surgery, making him a more murky trade asset. Would you pull the trigger on any of these trades? Which Twins players do see as most likely to be packaged together in a potential trade? MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

The Twins have already completed one big trade with the Rays, sending them Nelson Cruz for two AAA pitching prospects. That was the obvious deal, but more possibilities could remain. However, the unwritten maxim of ‘don’t do business with the Rays unless you want to look foolish’ still holds. They have, perhaps, the sharpest front office in the game. So, let’s make a trade. What could go wrong? What’s Their Situation? As usual, the Rays are exceptional. As of July 22nd, their record stands at 57-39, 7th best in baseball, with the fifth-best run differential. The reigning AL champions will have their eyes set on another deep playoff run after being beaten by the Dodgers at the final hurdle in 2020. The Rays currently sit a game behind the surprising Boston Red Sox in a log-jammed AL East. The Blue Jays and Yankees are comfortably behind them but within a good week of breathing down their neck at the top of the division. At the time of writing, Tampa Bay has a 73% chance to make the playoffs, according to Fangraphs, comfortably fourth-best in the AL, behind the Red Sox, White Sox, and Astros. The Rays have a 2021 payroll of just over $69 million (makes you think), a whopping $59 million below league average. They can add and add creatively, but don’t expect them to take on any massive contracts. That’s not what they do. What Do They Need? Like most great teams, the Rays don’t have a lot of holes. By fWAR, they boast the 6th best offense and 9th best pitching staff in MLB. Their bullpen is solid (3rd best in MLB), while their starting pitching is less robust (16th). While their offense is potent, it’s aided by solid defense and excellent baserunning. Their 100 team wRC+ is good for 12th in baseball, even behind the eighth-place Twins (103). Which Twins are the Best Fit? Nelson Cruz was the primary Twins' trade target linked to the Rays, and for good reason. The Rays were keen to sign Cruz before he initially landed in Minnesota and could use a power boost to a robust and deep lineup which Cruz could provide. The Rays don’t have a glaring hole at DH, with the excellent Austin Meadows (122 wRC+) getting plenty of at-bats there. Still, Cruz is the type of luxury item you purchase in a season in which you want to return to and win your first World Series, particularly when you would only need to pay a prorated portion of his 2021 salary. Starting pitching is the other area the Rays could strengthen. While he’s a fit in that he’s excellent, it’s hard to see the Rays pursuing Jose Berríos when they have Tyler Glasnow on the shelf and a stable of outstanding pitching talent close to MLB ready. Michael Pineda is a more logical fit to provide solid innings through the remainder of the season, which offers little respite in the AL East. Like Cruz, Pineda would be a rental. He would also be relatively cheap, compared to Cruz. Who Could the Twins Get Back? Examining the Rays top 30 prospects is genuinely a pleasure. Behind all that incredible MLB talent, they have a deeply stocked pantry of prospecty goodness. In choosing potential Twins targets, I’ll admit to being ambitious. Each of the Rays top five prospects are consensus top 100 MLB prospects, so I stuck to more projectable prospects in the 6-15 range, acknowledging that due to the strength of the Rays farm system, their 6-15 is better than most. Here are three prospects the Twins would likely covet from the Rays system. Greg Jones, SS, A+ Jones and Ryan Jeffers have UNC Wilmington in common, the former being a supplemental first-rounder in 2019. As a prospect, Jones is an incredible athlete, showcasing 70-grade speed. He is a solid hitter who generates good bat speed and makes solid contact from both sides of the plate. Jones showcases the ability, athleticism, and defensive chops to stick at SS or move to 2B. However, some see it as likely he will eventually transition to CF at the MLB level. Cole Wilcox, RHP, A The Padres drafted Wilcox as the 80th overall pick in 2020. He was promptly shipped to Tampa Bay as part of the Blake Snell trade. Wilcox has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s, which he uses consistently up in the zone, a strong slider, and an emerging changeup. Some believe Wilcox will eventually transition to a bullpen role. In 44 IP at High A so far this year, he sports a 2.03 ERA with 52 Ks. Seth Johnson, RHP, A The Rays took Johnson as the 40th overall pick in the 2019 draft. He has a big fastball which tops out at 98 mph but usually sits 92-95 mph. Johnson also showcases an outstanding swing and miss slider and a loopy curveball. Johnson may end up as a reliever given his reliance on his fastball/slider combination but has the tools and athleticism to develop into an MLB starter if he continues to develop his third pitch successfully. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

The Twins lost 9-5 to the White Sox on Tuesday. Despite a solid offensive performance, the bullpen blew the lead late to fall 18 games behind the AL Central leaders. Box Score Starting Pitcher: Ober 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO Homeruns: Kepler (11), Donaldson (15), Polanco (13) Bottom 3 WPA: Alcala -.363, Robles -.315, Ober -.195 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Small problems often become big problems. This tenet quickly embodied the Twins latest waxing at the hands of the White Sox. Amid a hot streak, Tim Anderson led off the top of the first inning. He had a scorching line drive beautifully picked by Jorge Polanco, only for Miguel Sanó to fail to get in position quickly enough. Polanco’s throw bounced off the heel of Sanó’s glove. Three hits later, the Twins were down 2-0. Bailey Ober recovered to escape further damage. Tonight marked Ober’s fourth start against the White Sox in just his ninth MLB start. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end of the pool. Ober’s last outing against Chicago, on July 5th, was the best of his young career. He shoved, pitching five innings of shutout baseball, striking out seven. Tonight was more of a struggle. While Ober’s stuff was good, his early command lacked. In the top of the second inning, Max Kepler hit a long home run to right field off Dallas Keuchel to trim the lead to 2-1. Yoán Moncada launched a two-run home run to center field to extend the lead to 4-1 in the third inning, following a Jos Abreu triple. Worse still, Luis Arraez appeared to injure himself on the Abreu hit and was removed from the game in the fourth inning. Arraez’s injury is less a comment on an injury-riddled season and more on a team that has never been able to establish consistency in 2021. One player gets healthy, and another gets hurts. The team put together a strong series, and they follow it up by laying an egg. The sheer inevitability of this team stringing their woes and hardships together is as impressive as it is depressing. The Twins gained ground in the top of the fourth inning. Miguel Sanó hit a ground-rule double to lead off. Gilberto Celestino walked, and Andrelton Simmons singled to cut the lead to 4-2 with no outs. The Twins, as has so often been the case in 2021, could not capitalize, making three straight outs to end the inning. Ober completed a scoreless bottom of the fifth for the Twins. In each start, he has shown enough to keep Twins fans coming back. Tonight, he faced the White Sox for the fourth time in his nine career MLB starts. After a shaky start, he kept the Twins in the game. In the last month, he has pitched with more stuff, poise, and effectiveness than J.A. Happ or Matt Shoemaker did throughout the season for the Twins. The future is bright for Bailey Ober. The Twins cut the lead to one run in the top of the sixth inning. Josh Donaldson turned impressively on a fastball inside from 18th Century dispatch rider Michael Kopech, depositing it into the left-field seats for his 15th home run of the season. Caleb Thielbar relieved Ober in the sixth inning and promptly loaded the bases. Alexander Colomé made a strong fielding play on a weak infield dribbler to get Seby Zavala out at first base to end the threat. The Twins failed to cash in either of their two baserunners in the seventh inning, despite making Kopech work considerably throughout his outing. Alexander Colomé returned for the seventh inning. He quickly induced two ground balls, one of which was bobbled by Polanco, increasing the stress of the inning. Colomé escaped with a scoreless appearance, building on his 3.00 ERA in his previous six outings. In the top of the eighth inning, the Twins delivered the breakthrough their grind deserved. After a Josh Donaldson single, Jorge Polanco ripped a 95 mph fastball from Ryan Burr into the right-field seats for his 13th home run of the season, giving the Twins a 5-4 lead. Jorge Alcala entered for the Twins in the bottom of the eighth inning. He threw ten strikes in his first 22 pitches to put runners on first and second. Andrew Vaughn immediately singled to score Adam Engel, which tied the game at 5-5. Alcala left with one out in the bottom of the eighth, men on first and second, having already surrendered the tying run. Hansel Robles relieved Alcala and struck out Tim Anderson. Billy Hamilton then singled to give the White Sox a 6-5 lead. As is so often the case with the 2021 Twins, a least one phase of the team capitulated to catapult the team to a loss. After giving up the go-ahead single, Robles gave up a three-run home run to Jos Abreu, giving the Sox a 9-5 lead. The 2021 Minnesota Twins are a house of cards that falls almost every night; Tuesday was no exception. Liam Hendriks pitched the ninth for Chicago, putting the Twins 18 games back of the sure 2021 AL Central champions. Bullpen Usage Chart FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Alcala 0 0 0 23 24 47 Robles 0 18 0 19 7 44 Rogers 0 21 0 19 0 40 Colomé 0 0 0 0 26 26 Thielbar 0 0 0 0 17 17 Duffey 0 0 0 16 0 16 Minaya 0 0 13 0 0 13 Coulombe 0 0 0 0 5 5 Next Up The Twins send Michael Pineda to the mound on Wednesday to face Dylan Cease. First pitch is at 7:10 CT. View full article

With the 36th overall pick, the Minnesota Twins select SS Noah Miller, Ozaukee HS (WI). With the 36th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, the Minnesota Twins Selected Noah Miller, SS, Ozaukee HS (WI). The Twins selected New Jersey RHP Chase Petty with the 26th overall pick. You can read more on the high risk, high reward, high school pitcher with the electric fastball from Andrew Thares here. With their compensatory first round pick, the Twins selected Wisconsin prep SS Noah Miller. HT: 6’0 WT: 180 B/T: B-R Commitment: Alabama Age: 18 Overall Grade: 50 Hit: 45 Power: 40 Run: 50 Field: 60 Arm: 55 The Twins significantly broke from their draft tendencies in the Falvey Levine era, drafting two high school prospects with their first two picks. It’s also notable that they addressed their two biggest deficits with their first two picks, drafting a starting pitcher and a middle infielder. In addition to adding Chase Petty with the 26th overall pick, the Twins elected WI prep SS Noah Miller with the 36th overall pick. Noah Miller is a switch hitting shortstop whose brother recently made his MLB debut in the Cleveland organization. The 18 year old is an impressive athlete and outstanding defensive SS with a strong sense of anticipation and reading of the game. Despite his defense being his most impressive tool, Miller also shows strong offensive skills. Miller is the top ranked prospect from Wisconsin and showcases a short, simple swing with effective bat to ball skills. Miller shows gap to gap line drive power from the left side but better pull power from the right hand side of the plate. Despite facing limited competition, Miller has dealt with opposing pitching successfully, consistently showcasing the ability to drive the ball the other way. While Miller doesn’t have any one truly stand out tool, he has a high offensive and defensive floor which should allow him to stick at SS and be an impactful hitter at the MLB level. View full article

The MLB draft kicks off on Sunday. Here are profiles of six players the Twins may target with the 26th overall pick in the first round. The 2021 MLB draft begins Sunday. Off the back of a strong 2020 season (those were fun times), the Twins first pick is at 26. The Twins also have the 36th pick as a competitive balance pick given to smaller market teams. Pick 26 slot value: $2,653, 400 Pick 36 slot value: $2,045,400 Since their first draft with the Twins, the Falvey/Levine regime has established a clear pattern in their drafting. The majority of the players they have targeted with early picks have been high floor, college bats. Royce Lewis, Landon Leach, Blayne Enlow, and Keoni Cavaco are the notable early round high school exceptions. With the late position of the Twins first round pick, it’s overwhelmingly likely they will target a college player again, probably a hitter. Drafting late in round one is a lottery, and it’s incredibly difficult to predict who the Twins might take. Here are brief profiles of six names to watch on Sunday that the Twins have been linked to through draft position, scouting, or mock drafts. Joe Mack, C, Williamsville East HS (NY) HT: 6’0 Weight: 200 B/T: L/R Age: 18 If the name Mack is familiar, it’s because Joe’s brother Charles is already in the Twins system. Joe is a better prospect than his brother and while he was linked with the Twins early in the process, he may come off the board sooner than 26. Mack is seen as a strong hitter who has a chance to hit for good power. Unsurprisingly, Mack isn’t a finished product defensively but made strong progress in 2020 giving him a good chance to stick behind the plate long term with a plus bat. Adrian Del Castillo, C, Miami HT: 5’11 Weight: 210 B/T: L/R Age: 21 Del Castillo was first drafted by the White Sox in the 2018 draft as a then top 200 prospect. He is now one of the better college bats in the entire draft class. Castillo hit .284/.388/.411 through 51 games this season with Miami with 3 HR, 24 walks, and 28 strikeouts. There are concerns Del Castillo will not stick long term at catcher, requiring more of his power tool. Del Castillo trained this spring with Royals catcher Salvador Perez. The Twins have a proven track record of significantly improving catcher defense (see Jeffers and Garver), so if Del Castillo can recover his power stroke from his first two seasons at Miami, he may move quickly through the organization. Ethan Wilson, OF, South Alabama HT: 6’1 Weight: 210 B/T: L/L Age: 21 Wilson catapulted himself into the spotlight when he .345/.453/.686 with 17 home runs in his 2019 season, although against mediocre competition. He was impeded by an ankle injury in the first half of 2021 and started slowly. In his second half, he recovered, hitting .319/.450/.530 with eight home runs. Wilson can drive the ball to all fields and has good control of the strike zone with strong raw power. Wilson has a lot of attributes the Twins look for in college bats, and could be a solid contender for the 26th pick. Jud Fabian OF, Florida HT: 6’2 Weight: 195 B/T: R/L Age: 20 Fabian is young draftee for a college hitter and played CF for Florida, showing outstanding defense. This spring, his bat came to life as he hit 20 home runs in 57 games which was tied for sixth in college baseball. Fabian strikes out a lot, particularly against breaking pitches, and will have to make adjustments to his swing to avoid an incredibly high K% as a professional hitter. He’s a mostly pull-side hitter with good power who will profile as a strong defensive outfielder. If he can develop his approach at the plate and control of the strike zone, Fabian could be a steal at 26. Gavin Williams, SP, East Carolina HT: 6’6 Weight: 255 B/T: L/R Age: 22 Williams is a unit at 6’6, 255lbs. The East Carolina SP is the lone college pitcher the Twins have been consistently linked to in the pre-draft process. Williams sits comfortably in the mid 90s with his fastball and can reach triple digits. He has struggled with injuries and control throughout his college career until the spring of 2021. In his first ten starts this season, he managed a 1.46 ERA and 108 Ks through 68 innings with just 18 walks (yes, you read that correctly). Williams also offers a strong curveball, a slider, and a changeup. Trey Sweeney, SS, Eastern Illinois HT: 6’4 Weight: 185 B/T: L/R Age: 21 Sweeney is a strong college bat who may end up as a corner infielder. This season he hit .382/.522/.712 with 14 home runs in 48 games. Sweeney has a big leg kick to his swing (similar to early Royce Lewis) that some feel he will need to adjust to have sustained success against professional pitching. Despite playing against mostly weaker competition, Sweeney performed well against the better pitchers he faced this spring. Sweeney has been one of the most steady and consistent options the Twins have been linked with throughout his college career. Honorable mentions: Connor Norby, East Carolina 2B, Tyler Black, Wright State, 2B Which of these prospects excites you the most? What are you interested in seeing the Twins do at 26? View full article

A sloppy fielding display and a lack of timely hitting spoiled a gem by José Berríos, who was dominant as the Twins fell 4-1 to the White Sox. Box Score Berríos: 7.0 IP 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 10 SO Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Celestino -.172, Colomé -.169, Jeffers -.149 Win Probability Chart (via Fangraphs) Night two of Welcome Back Week was Pride Night at Target Field. A blustery, rainy Minneapolis day set the scene for a drab and dreary Twins performance Tuesday night, as the team dropped the second game of their three game series against the White Sox 4-1. Nelson Cruz returned to the Twins lineup Tuesday from a stiff neck and chest cold while Josh Donaldson was still absent with hamstring tightness. José Berríos started for the Twins Tuesday, in his penultimate start before the All-Star game in an outing sure to whet the appetite of pitching needy teams ahead of the trade deadline. Similarly to Bailey Ober on Monday, Berríos came out dealing on Tuesday night. Berríos struck out the side on three different pitches in the first, and looked like a pitcher with something to prove through the rest of his outing. His lone issue came in the second inning, where back to back walks to Leury Garcia and Brian Goodwin came around to score on a Zack Collins single to give the White Sox a 2-0 lead with notable assists to Ryan Jeffers and Miguel Sano, who both contributed errors. Collins’ single was the lone hit Berríos gave up in seven dominant innings. The Twins ace walked three and struck out ten in an impressive start which included ten swings and misses with contending teams looking on. Unfortunately for the Twins, White Sox ace Carlos Rodón was on the mound for Chicago. The former number 3 overall pick may be the most surprising factor in the White Sox dominance in 2021, with few predicting the monumental breakout he would have in a rotation which was strong with Lynn, Keuchel, and Giolito but has become formidable with the addition of the triple digit throwing lefty. Through five innings, the Twins scattered five hits but didn’t manage to cash in. In the sixth inning, with Rodón approaching 100 pitches, they finally broke through. Luis Arraez, Nelson Cruz, and Alex Kirilloff all singled to trim the lead to 2-1, before Rodón struck out Ryan Jeffers and Max Kepler (who has previously hit a double) to end the threat and preserve the White Sox slim lead. Berríos was clearly in the mood Tuesday, as he emerged approaching 100 pitches to continue the game in the seventh. After two quick ground outs, Berrios struck out Andrew Vaughn on a breaking pitch for his 10th strikeout of the night, slamming his fist into his glove three times as he walked off the mound after a dominant outing. Michael Kopech came in to relieve Rodón in the seventh. After a Miguel Sano single and a Trevor Larnach groundout, Sano made a baserunning error to get caught in a rundown between second and third on an Andrelton Simmons groundout. A Luis Arraez flyout to center field ended the inning. Alexander Colomé entered in the top of the eighth for the Twins and immediately served up a center cut meatball which Zack Collins deposited for a double off the right center field wall. Collins scored on an Adam Eaton single, before Simmons botched a routine ground ball from Yoan Moncada. At the end of the eighth, the Twins had outhit the White Sox 8-3 but had three errors to their name, and trailed 4-1. Liam Hendriks came in and threw two scoreless innings to close the game for the White Sox, wasting an outstanding start from Berrios. Enjoy them while you can Twins fans. Bullpen Usage Chart FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Jax 0 88 0 0 0 88 Rogers 22 0 20 31 0 73 Coulombe 16 7 0 0 12 35 Law 0 34 0 0 0 34 Robles 0 0 19 12 0 31 Colomé 17 0 0 0 14 31 Duffey 13 0 0 17 0 30 Thielbar 0 0 0 29 0 29 Alcala 0 0 18 0 0 18 What’s Next? On Wednesday, the Twins will conclude their three game set against the White Sox. Michael Pineda will return from the IL to take on Lance Lynn. First pitch is at 12:10 CST. View full article

The best start of Bailey Ober's young major league career paced the Minnesota Twins to a 8-5 win over the White Sox on Monday, just their second in ten tries against Chicago this season. Box Score Ober: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K Home Runs: Kepler 2 (9) Top 3 WPA: Ober .252, Rogers .226, Kepler .185 Win Probability Chart (via Fangraphs) A sweltering Minneapolis evening was the scene of the tenth matchup of the season between the Twins and White Sox. It was Lynx night at Target Field, the Twins rose to the occasion of being in the presence of a successful Minnesota sports team. Entering Monday’s contest, the Twins were a hapless 1-8 against the Sox in 2021. As has become custom in any 2021 Twins game, a review of the lineup was in order. The Twins entered Monday missing Josh Donaldson, who is still dealing with hamstring soreness and recently 41 year old Nelson Cruz, struggling with a bad chest cough which led to a stiff neck (insert old person jokes here). The only thing hotter than the oppressive Minneapolis temperatures Monday night was Bailey Ober, who came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders. With the earlier start time leading to tougher conditions for hitters seeing the ball out of the pitcher’s hand, Ober struck out five White Sox hitters looking in his first two innings. Ober, resembling an enormous, austere bird of prey on the mound, continues to show the stuff, the temperament, and plenty of flashes of excellent upside which should give Twins fans reason for optimism on a pitching staff which has dramatically lacked it in the first half of the season. Meanwhile, White Sox starter Dylan Cease was less impressive: In the top of the second inning, Alex Kirilloff crushed a ground rule double to center field. Max Kepler immediately followed up with a 107 mph, 396 foot home run to right field, his eighth of the season, giving the Twins a 2-0 lead. The Twins added on in the third, a Trevor Larnach single scoring Andrelton Simmons. Minnesota will have been disappointed however, not to add to their lead, with runners on the corners, one run in and nobody out. They headed to the fourth inning with a 3-0 lead. Ober ran into trouble and began to run out of gas in the fifth. After two quick outs, a walk and a single gave the White Sox runners at the corners. Ober got Yoan Moncada to line out to right field to end the threat and put him in position for his first major league win. Caleb Thielbar relieved Ober in the top of the sixth and immediately surrendered a monstrous solo home run to Jose Abreu, cutting the Twins lead to 3-1. Thielbar, however, recovered to strike out the side and preserve the Twins lead. In the bottom of the sixth, the Twins led off with a hit batter (Kirilloff), a wild pitch, and a walk, leaving Kirilloff and Kepler on first and second with none out. Nick Gordon smoked a two run triple to the right center field gap, increasing the lead to 5-1 and knocking Cease out of the game. Gordon scored on a wild pitch to increase the lead to 6-1. Surely a safe lead, right? Wrong. Thielbar struggled in the bottom of the seventh, giving up two doubles and a single back to back to trim the Twins lead to 6-3. Thielbar was replaced by Tyler Duffey. Duffey surrendered a two run triple to Yoan Moncada, cutting the lead to 6-5. The Twins bullpen, handed a 6-1 lead, again capitulated, again allowed every inherited runner to score in what has become a tiresome, never ending game to game groundhog day. Taylor Rogers relieved Duffey and struck out the next two batters, preserving a razor thin Twins lead at 6-5. Rogers was back out for the eighth, and finished with four strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched, lowering his ERA to 2.52. How isn’t this man an All Star? The Twins added to their lead in the eighth, Kepler hit his second home run of the night and Sano scored, stretching the lead to 8-5. Hansel Robles came in to close the game in the 9th, ending the game on a Billy Hamilton double play, giving the Twins just their second victory of Chicago this season. Finally, a challenge for the creative readers and writers of Twins Daily! Drop your suggestions for nicknames for the Kirilloff/Larnach duo in the comments. Bullpen Usage Chart THU FRI SAT SUN MON TOT Jax 0 0 88 0 0 88 Rogers 0 22 0 20 31 73 Law 32 0 34 0 0 66 Robles 34 0 0 19 12 65 Alcala 19 0 0 18 0 37 Duffey 0 13 0 0 17 30 Thielbar 0 0 0 0 29 29 Coulombe 0 16 7 0 0 23 Colomé 0 17 0 0 0 17 What’s Next? On Tuesday, the Twins will continue their three game set against the White Sox. José Berríos will take on Carlos Rodón. First pitch is at 7:10 CST. View full article

The Twins fell 10-7 to the Reds Tuesday afternoon. A thrilling five-run comeback saw the Twins light up Cincinnati's bullpen, before the Reds pulled away in the ninth inning to snap the Twins winning streak at five. Box Score Ober: 4.1 IP 6 H 4 R 4 ER 2 BB 2 SO Home Runs: Jeffers (5), Kepler (6), Larnach (5) Bottom 3 WPA: Robles -.456, Ober -.273, Colome -.117 Win Probability Chart (via Fangraphs) Seeking a two-game sweep of Cincinnati and looking to extend their season-high winning streak to six, the Twins sent promising starter Bailey Ober to the mound Tuesday to face Reds lefty Wade Miley. Gilberto Celestino was recalled from St. Paul to take the place of Byron Buxton, now returning to the IL after fracturing his hand in Monday’s marathon game. Ober continued his strong start, working efficiently in the first inning. He worked around a one out walk to retire the Reds on 19 pitches, including an up-in-the-zone fastball strikeout which has been important in his early success. Tuesday also offered a look at Alex Kirilloff at first base, which quickly yielded impressive results. Despite surrendering the lead on a solo home run to Tucker Barnhart in the 3rd inning, Ober was again strong early with his combination of quick work, sharp breaking ball, strong command, and high fastball continuing to be effective. He was aided by some excellent defense from newly-recalled Gilberto Celestino. The Twins took the lead in the fourth inning. Iron man Ryan Jeffers, who caught 12 innings last night and returned to start today’s matinee, crushed a home run to left field, giving Minnesota a 2-1 lead. A Jesse Winker double allowed the Reds to retake the lead in the fifth inning after Ober loaded the bases with no outs. Tyler Duffey relieved Ober with men on 2nd and 3rd and one out. Duffey struck out Tyler Stephenson, before walking Tyler Naquin to load the bases and bring up Eugenio Suarez. Suarez singled to left, scoring a run before Winker was thrown out comfortably at home by Trevor Larnach. The Twins hit in the fifth inning trailing 4-2. The 4-2 score held until the eighth inning. Alexander Colomé entered in relief for the Twins. Bad things immediately happened. Colomé immediately gave up a single to Tyler Naquin and walked Eugenio Suarez. Kyle Farmer reached second base after an error by Miguel Sanó. A Tucker Barnhart single, which looked like it shouldn’t have made its way through the infield, scored two more runs, stretching the Reds lead to 7-2 and perhaps extinguishing any hopes of a Twins comeback. Colomé induced a double play to end the inning, leaving the Twins with a five-run deficit. Max Kepler trimmed the lead to 7-4 after a two run shot in the bottom of the eighth. Trevor Larnach followed up Kepler’s home run with a 112 mph, 434 foot blast of his own, his fifth of the season, cutting the lead to 7-5. After a Ryan Jeffers single, Miguel Sanó hit a 112.2 mph laser to left field which clipped the top of the padding on the outfield wall. It was ruled a double, and Kirilloff up with a chance to tie the game. Kirilloff came through, crushing the first pitch from Teejay Antone to right center field to score two runners and tie the game at seven. After crushing the Reds bullpen, the Twins brought in Hansel Robles in the ninth inning. He gave up a double, hit a batter then surrendered a three-run home run to Tyler Naquin to put the Reds up 10-7 and surely put the game beyond the Twins reach, for the second time. Amir Garrett closed out the game for the Reds, snapping the Twins win streak at five. Bullpen Usage Chart WED FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Thielbar 38 0 12 0 19 12 81 Colomé 20 0 15 0 7 30 72 Alcalá 10 18 0 18 20 0 66 Rogers 15 12 13 0 16 0 56 Robles 0 20 14 0 0 21 55 Duffey 0 20 0 21 0 11 52 Farrell 0 0 0 0 19 25 44 Shoemaker 0 0 0 0 32 0 32 Dobnak 0 0 start 0 0 0 0 What’s Next? After an off day Wednesday, the Twins will send José Berríos to the mound to face Cleveland. The Cleveland starter has not yet been announced. First pitch is at 7:10 CST. View full article

The Twins' exhausting season dragged on Tuesday, as they lost their second game of a six game road trip and dropped their sixth game in their last eight. Box Score Happ: 4 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Happ -.322, Kirilloff -.046, Polanco -.044 Win Probability Chart (via Fangraphs) As the summer heatwave continued to blast Minneapolis, the Twins continued their frigid play in Seattle Tuesday night, dropping game two of their three game set to the Mariners 10-0. The Twins had mixed injury news Tuesday. Luis Arraez returned to the lineup from a shoulder injury which kept him out for several weeks. Meanwhile, the Twins continued to be without their talismanic center-fielder Byron Buxton, who, is still not 100% to return from a hip injury, leaving Nick Gordon to man center field as the Twins continue to MacGyver outfield solutions. The action on the field was stale and the game got late, early from a Twins perspective. J.A. Happ gave up a home run to J.P. Crawford on the first pitch of the game, a center cut fastball which was swatted into the right field seats. The pitch, the outcome, and the speed of its departure were all emblematic of the Twins 2021 season. Good planning and intentions, horrendous execution, horrible outcome. The game was ostensibly over by the second inning, which unfolded as follows; walk, single, single, 3 run triple, ground out, passed ball, strike out, hit by pitch, pop out. An increasingly disenfranchised looking and ineffective Happ left the mound after two innings with his team in a 5-0 hole. The Mariners added to a lead they never looked like they were going to surrender in the 4th, adding a run on three singles and generating the third mound visit of the night for Happ during what was to be his last inning. The Mariners added solo home runs in the 7th inning from Luis Torrens, and the 8th from Ty France. The France home run took the game to 10-0, in which Griffin Jax became the sacrificial lamb, throwing four innings on 93 pitches, albeit slightly more effectively than Happ. Offensively, the Twins offered little to nothing in what was one of their flattest performances in 2021. Singles from Cruz, Arraez, and two from Kirilloff were the lone offerings on an evening when Chris Flexen pitched eight innings of shutout baseball, striking out eight. What else is there to say? Mauer Charity Drive In happier Twins news, Joe Mauer’s home run derby raised $347,838 for Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare. Any of the old boys want to come out of retirement to help the 2021 squad? Bleacher Tweets On my recap days, I’m going to throw in a crowd sourced statistic, joke, story, or complaint to get more voices into the recap. Tonight's Bleacher Tweet is courtesy of Andrew Luedtke. But what happens when everyone is terrible, Andrew? Bullpen Usage Chart THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Jax 0 0 0 0 0 93 93 Shoemaker 0 35 0 43 0 0 78 Duffey 20 22 0 0 10 0 52 Farrell 23 0 0 0 24 0 47 Robles 11 0 15 0 17 0 43 Alcalá 7 15 0 0 19 0 41 Dobnak 0 0 0 40 0 0 40 Colomé 0 0 0 24 0 0 24 Rogers 0 3 9 0 0 0 12 What’s Next? On Wednesday, the Twins will send Bailey Ober to the hill against Justus Sheffield. First pitch is at 9:10 CT. View full article

I agree with most of your points. However, if this year has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t have enough depth (now that the Twins are on their 7th CF). I specifically targeted a INF because the Twins have very little depth in that department prospect wise.

I think I agree Mike! I wrote previously about whether to trade or extend him. I think there’s a really compelling case for a 2 year $24 million extension to help lengthen the rotation and retool next year. This article was more predicated on a more extensive rebuild if the organization came to the conclusion that they won’t be good in 2022. Thanks for reading and commenting as always.

With the Twins out of playoff contention, Michael Pineda is a candidate for a strong return at the trade deadline. Here are 3 destinations and 3 trade packages Pineda could net the Twins. I recently wrote about the Twins’ conundrum in dealing with Michael Pineda. The Twins rotation faces uncertainty beyond 2021. Kenta Maeda has regressed significantly since his Cy Young contention in a shortened 2020. José Berríos is only under team control through 2022. Randy Dobnak, recently, has looked like no sure thing to be a major league staple. This leaves Pineda. Opinion was fairly divided about exactly what to do with Pineda in the comments of my previous piece, less so now. Today, I’ll look at 3 possible destinations and packages for Pineda if the Twins decide to trade him. The Good Pineda has been a standout for the Twins since he joined them in 2017. In that time, he has accrued their highest ever winning percentage by a starting pitcher, ahead of Johan Santana. Pineda has been a model of consistency in a rotation which has not typically been a strength of the Twins. He has the stuff to start a playoff game for a team with a poorer rotation, heightening his value and worth. The Bad Pineda is a free agent after the 2021 season, diminishing his value. Additionally, he missed time due to a PED suspension in 2020 and has an extensive injury history. With all that in mind, what are some potential destinations and packages for Pineda? A note on trades: I made each of these hypothetical trades a 1:1 swap. As opposed to going into the minutiae of exact prospects and packages, I picked a prospect the Twins might be interested in who is part of each organization. Think of each trade as ‘Pineda plus’ and each return as ‘listed prospect plus’. Destination 1 - Toronto Blue Jays After an aggressive offseason, the Blue Jays sit tantalizingly at 31-29 in a tough AL East (albeit in 4th). The Blue Jays starting pitching has been rancid in 2021, ranking 26th in fWAR (one spot ahead of the Twins), with a combined output of 1.7 fWAR. After Hyun-Jin Ryu (1.1 fWAR) and Steven Matz (0.7 fWAR) their rotation has offered little. Pineda would slot in as their #3 starter after the return of Nate Pearson, who has been shelved all year due to injury. The Trade: Jays receive RHP Michael Pineda Twins receive: SS Orelvis Martinez With the injury to Royce Lewis, the Twins farm system is short on solid upside infield prospects. Martinez is the Jays #6 prospect and signed for $3.5 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. Martinez's primary tool is power, with a stocky frame and solid defensive skills which should allow him to stick at SS. Martinez has slugged .449 in 2021 at High A Dunedin but could take a leap forward in his first full season in pro ball. Destination 2 - Atlanta Atlanta has struggled in 2021. They currently sit 3rd in a weak AL East at 29-31. They worked aggressively and early to address their rotation in the offseason, to no avail. Atlanta currently has the 19th best rotation in MLB at 3.3 fWAR. Atlanta has a strong 1-2 punch between Ian Anderson and Charlie Morton, but little beyond that with Huascar Ynoa on the 60 day IL and Max Fried having an inconsistent year. Pineda would give Atlanta another solid starter to help them make a run at a highly winnable division. The Trade: Atlanta receive: RHP Michael Pineda Twins receive: LHP Jasseel De La Cruz This package would likely be De La Cruz plus for the Twins. Signed for just $55,000 in 2015. De La Cruz has the questionable distinction of two MLB call ups without making an appearance. De La Cruz may be headed for a relief role long term. His fastball sits 97-98 mph and tops out at 100 mph. His 55 grade slider may be enough for him to be a devastating weapon at the back of the bullpen if he can continue to reduce his BB%. The Twins bullpen needs a major retooling after a horrendous 2021. De La Cruz would give them a high upside bullpen arm for the next several years. Destination 3 - Chicago Cubs After being lambasted for doing literally nothing in the offseason, the Cubs find themselves in a strong position in a poor NL Central. The Cubs starting pitching has been worse than the Twins in 2021, wow. Chicago ranks 29th in MLB with a 0.9 fWAR contribution from their starting pitching group. Woof. Pineda would slot right into the 2nd or 3rd behind Kyle Hendricks. The Trade: Cubs receive: RHP Michael Pineda Twins receive: RHP Kohl Franklin Franklin is the nephew of former All-Star Ryan Franklin and was a 6th round pick out of Oklahoma in 2018. Franklin is developing quickly, adding velocity which will have him eventually sitting 93-96 mph with an excellent changeup. Franklin projects as a solid mid rotation starter for an organization which, like the Twins, has struggled to develop its own starting pitching. Honorable mention destinations: New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox. What do you think are the best team fits for a Pineda trade? What type of prospects and return would you be aiming for? View full article