Ted Schwerzler

Neither Kepler or Watkins should be absolved, but it’s at least a little funny that this was a headline earlier in the year…

The player of the week awards were swept by a pair of Wichita Wind Surge talents while the Minnesota Twins rolled out a bunch of their 2024 Major League Baseball Draft selections. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge TRANSACTIONS: RHP Zebby Matthews promoted to Minnesota from St. Paul RHP Matt Bowman released by Minnesota RHP Randy Dobnak optioned to St. Paul DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 10, DSL Rangers Blue 9 (F/10) Box Score Jose Vasquez started and gave up a pair of runs over four innings of work. He struck out four. Unfortunately Fabian Herrera ceded three more and put the Twins in a sizable hole. The Twins responded with a run when Guillermo Sosa scored on a fifth inning wild pitch and they were within three at 5-2. The Rangers added another run in the seventh inning, but the Twins added a pair of their own to make it a 6-4 game. After the Rangers added one in the eighth inning, the Twins responded with a four spot and took their first lead. They gave it back in the top of the ninth inning before tying it in the bottom half. Hernandez lifted a tenth inning sacrifice fly to score Sosa and walk it off. The Twins had 11 hits and drew seven walks. Daiber De Los Santos and Nestor Urbina each had three hits. Hernandez picked up two. Sebastian Pulido got the win, his third. WEEK IN REVIEW Triple-A: St. Paul Saints Overall: 56-57 (2-4 last week) Fifth place in the IL West Overview: The Saints and Twins both played Cleveland teams this past week. Minnesota split while St. Paul dropped the series against the Clippers. Edouard Julien is heating up again and hit a pair of home runs while posting a 1.114 OPS. Anthony Prato played in just four games but went 6-for-13 with a double, triple, and a home run. DaShawn Keirsey Jr.’s .905 OPS was aided by a home run while he batted .273 and played in all six games. Zebby Matthews recorded his best Triple-A start allowing only a single run across five innings. His next turn will be his big league debut. Nick Wittgren led the team in strikeouts as he punched out six across five innings allowing only a single earned run. Aaron Rozek returned from Double-A Wichita and made another strong spot start as he allowed just two runs in six innings. What’s Next: St. Paul travels to Indianapolis for a series against the IL West’s 2nd to last place team. Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge Overall: 47-61 (4-2 last week) Fifth place in the Texas League North Overview: Facing the bottom team in the South, Wichita took a series against Corpus Christi. Tanner Schobel had a great week with four dingers and a team-leading 6 RBI while batting .304 with a 1.186 OPS across six games. Andrew Cossetti played in only two games, but he went deep twice and plated three. Luke Keaschall’s season came to an end as he undergoes a previously scheduled Tommy John surgery. He should be ready for next spring. Cory Lewis delivered a lights out start going six innings with nine strikeouts and no earned runs. Andrew Morris also struck out nine in a seven inning start where he didn’t allow a run and gave up just two hits. Christian MacLeod struck out eight in his start. He worked five innings of one run ball before earning a promotion to Triple-A. What’s Next: The Wind Surge host Arkansas for a six game series. High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Overall: 58-48 (3-3 last week) Second place in the Midwest League West Overview: Splitting a series with Peoria, the Kernels stayed put in the standings. Nick Lucky was promoted to High-A and responded with a home run and .917 OPS over six games last week. Nate Baez batted .353 with a pair of doubles in five games. Kevin Maitan’s four RBI were a team high. Ty Langenberg turned in a great six inning performance allowing no runs on four hits while striking out seven. Mike Paredes made a pair of relief outings and struck out five across 4 1/3 innings. Connor Prielipp walked three in his start, but didn’t give up a hit across 2 2/3 while striking out five. What’s Next: The Kernels host a South Bend team that brings up the rear in the West. Low-A: Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Overall: 56-47 (5-1 last week) Second place in Florida State League West Overview: Fort Myers nearly swept Jupiter despite the opposition being the second team in the East. Brandon Winokur blasted a pair of dingers to lead the team, and compiled an .846 OPS. Kaelen Culpepper made his professional debut and went 5-for-13 with two doubles and a home run. Billy Amick made his professional debut and batted .364 in five games with a double. Kyle DeBarge had a team-high five RBI while also swiping five stolen bases. Derek Bender, Khadim Diaw, Jaime Ferrer, Caden Kendle, and Jay Thomason all made their professional debuts as well. Tanner Hall punched out seven during a seven inning scoreless start. Jack Noble and Devin Kirby both worked a pair of games in relief and struck out seven each. Xander Hamilton picked up saves in each of his appearances striking out four across three scoreless innings. What’s Next: The Mighty Mussels are on the road in Tampa against the worst team in the West. Dominican Summer League: DSL Twins Overall: 25-23 Fourth place in Dominican Summer League South Eduardo Beltre hit another home run and posted a 1.096 OPS across four games. Merphy Hernandez drove in five runs across four games played. PROSPECT SUMMARY #1– Walker Jenkins (Cedar Rapids) – 5-22, 2 R, 3 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, BB, 3 K #2 – Brooks Lee (Minnesota) – 2-7, 2B, RBI, K #4 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 2-13, R, HR, 2 RBI, K #5 – Zebby Matthews (St. Paul) – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K #6 - David Festa (Minnesota) - 8.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 12 K #7 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 4-18, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K #8 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #9 - Kaelen Culpepper (Fort Myers) - 5-13, 3 R, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, K, SB #10 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 3 K #11 - Andrew Morris (Wichita) - 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K #12 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 5-22, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K, SB #13 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K #14 - Yasser Mercedes (Fort Myers) - 2-12, 2 R, 2B, 3 BB, 4 K, SB #16 - Kyle DeBarge (Fort Myers) - 6-22, 4 R, 2B, 3B, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K, 5 SB #17 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 7-23, 6 R, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 SB #19 - C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #20 – Connor Prielipp (Cedar Rapids) – 2.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Week - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 7-23, 6 R, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 SB Pitcher of the Week - Andrew Morris (Wichita) - 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K View full article

Simeon Woods Richardson pitched a gem of a game, but the Twins lineup couldn't come through with key hits. The Cleveland Guardians won a matchup that took less than two hours to complete. A series deciding tilt is on tap for Sunday. Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Simeon Woods Richardson 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K (89 pitches, 62 strikes) Home Runs: N/A Bottom 3 WPA: Matt Wallner (-.136), Max Kepler (-.134), Trevor Larnach (-.114) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Kwan Krushes Early While there was a great celebration for Terry Ryan and Rick Stelmaszek’s induction into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame, the timing of the game was impacted. That’s always a tough situation to manage for the starting pitcher. First pitch was delayed by more than 40 minutes, and Simeon Woods Richardson was tasked with working around his routine. Steven Kwan stepped in and quickly greeted the Minnesota starter with a solo shot. Rocco Baldelli’s starter responded with three quick outs, including a pair of strikeouts. Woods Richardson then responded by shutting the Guardians down. He blanked them in four consecutive innings and racked up six strikeouts during that stretch. Unfortunately for the Minnesota starter, his lineup couldn’t do any damage against Gavin Williams. Bo Naylor took Woods Richardson deep to open the sixth inning and the Twins found themselves down by a pair. Woods Richardson Keeps Minnesota In It There has been arguably no greater level of development for a big league player within the organization than what Woods Richardson has done over the past year. Now touching 96 mph with his fastball and pitching deep into games, he looks like an entirely different starter. Despite giving up a pair of solo shots, he was nothing short of lights out on Saturday. The lineup couldn’t get much going behind his seven innings of work, but Matt Wallner did cash in a sixth inning leadoff double for Willi Castro to make it 2-1. Josh Winder gave the Twins big innings on Wednesday against the Cubs and showed up against on Saturday. Another multi-inning outing, this time two frames, saw him shut down Cleveland and send it to the bottom of the ninth with Minnesota needing a run. Emmanuel Clase toed the rubber for the Guardians. The Twins went down in order against Clase and finished the evening with just four hits. Baldelli’s lineup went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left four on base. Notes The Twins learned that Joe Ryan’s timeline could potentially have him out for the season. David Festa and Zebby Matthews will be tasked with stepping up in a big way. Similar to what they did last season with Dallas Keuchel, they could opt to bring back veteran Rich Hill in order to eat innings. Recently designated reliever Josh Staumont has signed with the Chicago Cubs. He will begin at Triple-A but should be back in the big leagues. Matt Bowman has exercised his opt out with the Twins. The club must promote him to the big leagues by Monday or he will again be a free agent. Justin Topa has been pulled off his rehab assignment. Although he had shown promising results, the velocity hasn’t been where it needs to be. Now the Twins are ending his road back as he deals with arm fatigue. Both Terry Ryan and Rick Stelmaszek were inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame Saturday. The turnout was significant. Remember that through both AL Central series the Twins are offering fee free tickets. What’s Next? Rookie David Festa goes on Sunday afternoon with a series win on the line. He faces Tanner Bibee for Cleveland, and the Twins can get back to within 1.5 games of the AL Central lead with a victory. They will welcome Kansas City to Target Field on Monday. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Minnesota Twins 2024 first round draft pick Kaelen Culpepper made his professional debut on Friday, and he announced his presence with some authority. Marco Raya made another strong start and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. showed up in the box score once again. Check out the rest of the minor league report. Image courtesy of William Parmeter CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 65-50 St. Paul Saints: 56-54 Wichita Wind Surge: 45-61 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 56-48 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 54-47 DSL Twins: 24-23 TRANSACTIONS RHP Scott Blewett contract purchased by Minnesota. INF Kyle Farmer completed a rehab assignment, returned to Minnesota. LHP Aaron Rozek transferred to St. Paul. INF Luke Keaschall will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery for Wichita. UTIL Dalton Shuffield transferred to Wichita. INF Rixon Wingrove promoted to Cedar Rapids. INF Kaelen Culpepper added to Fort Myers. SAINTS SENTINEL Columbus 5, St. Paul 3 (F/10) Box Score Transferred from Wichita on Friday, Aaron Rozek made the start for St. Paul. He worked six innings allowing just a pair of runs on six hits. Rozek walked two and struck out one while giving the Saints a chance to win. Down 2-0 after the top of the second inning, St. Paul responded with a Chris Williams sacrifice fly to score Diego A. Castillo. The sides remained within a run until the seventh inning when the Clippers added another tally to make it a 3-1 game. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. sent his 12th big fly over the fence in the eighth inning to tie things at three. The home run scored Edouard Julien and made it a 3-3 ballgame. Hobie Harris struck out the side and gave the Saints a chance in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Clippers got Harris for a pair of runs (one earned) in the tenth inning, and the Saints had work to do. With runners on first and second, Keirsey Jr. ripped a liner that wound up in a game-ending double play. St. Paul found themselves coming up just short. Julien and Williams both wound up with a pair of hits on the night. WIND SURGE WISDOM Corpus Christi 4, Wichita 1 Box Score Marco Raya was on the mound to start and he went six innings of scoreless baseball. The top prospect allowed only two hits and walked one while striking out three. It was one of his best starts this season. Both sides remained scoreless until the seventh inning. Wichita plated a run when Tanner Schobel scored on a wild pitch. Unfortunately the Hooks responded with a four-spot in the bottom half and Corpus Christi was ahead. Wichita finished 0-for-9 with runners in scoring positions and left six runners on base. Their five hits were scattered evenly with no one recording a pair. None of the base knocks went for extra bases either. KERNELS NUGGETS Peoria 1, Cedar Rapids 0 Box Score It was C.J. Culpepper on the mound for the Kernels. He lasted just three innings but gave up only a single run. Culpepper worked around three hits and didn’t allow a walk while striking out four. Spencer Bengard came on in relief and pitched five scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts. The Chiefs pushed across a run in the third inning to make it 1-0. That was the only tally of the game and Cedar Rapids never was able to come up with an answer. Cedar Rapids recorded just five hits in the game and owned a 7/1 K/BB. Walker Jenkins was the lone batter to reach twice with hits, and one of his tallies was a double. The recently promoted Rixon Wingrove drew the only walk. MUSSEL MATTERS Jupiter 10, Fort Myers 5 Box Score Jose Olivares drew the start and worked 2 2/3 innings while allowing a single run. He gave up three hits and a walk but struck out three. Paulshawn Pasqualotto was done in with six runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Kaelen Culpepper doubled in his first professional at bat and Kyle DeBarge brought him home with a first inning double. Billy Amick then singled to make it a 2-0 game. After Jupiter answered with a run of their own, DeBarge singled again to bring in Byron Chourio and make it 3-1. In the third inning Jaime Ferrer doubled in Khadim Diaw and Derek Bender reached on a fielding error to score Ferrer and make it 5-1. It was downhill from there as Jupiter ripped off nine unanswered and won 10-5. Culpepper made his professional debut with a pair of hits while DeBarge and Amick joined him there. Fort Myers racked up eight strikeouts but walked four times on the evening. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Tigers2 21, DSL Twins 7 Box Score The Twins and Tigers played each other for the second time in consecutive days. The result went the opposite way on Friday with the Tigers grabbing three touchdowns. Enyer Cepeda recorded just a single out while giving up four runs. The TIgers put up a ridiculous 21 runs on 15 hits. Merphy Hernandez and Eduardo Beltra recorded a pair of hits but the Twins couldn’t mount a comeback with their offensive output. The Twins struck out six times while drawing five walks. Irvin Nunez doubled, as did Beltre. Hernandez tripled and homered while Beltre went yard. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Spencer Bengard (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K Hitter of the Day – DaShawn Keirsey (St. Paul) - 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR(12), BB, 2 K PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Thursday. #1– Walker Jenkins (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, 2B K #7 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, 3 K #9 - Kaelen Culpepper (Fort Myers) - 2-4, R, 2B, BB #10 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K #12 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 0-5, K #16 - Kyle DeBarge (Fort Myers) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB #17 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-4, R, K #19 - C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Columbus (6:37 PM CST) – RHP Caleb Boushley (9-4, 4.57 ERA) Wichita @ Corpus Christi (7:05 PM) - RHP Travis Adams (4-7, 4.28 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (7:05 PM CST) – LHP Connor Prielipp (0-1, 5.79 ERA) Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:00 PM CST) – RHP Adrian Bohorquez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! View full article

The Minnesota Twins welcomed the Cleveland Guardians to Target Field for a doubleheader. In the afternoon tilt, Bailey Ober continued his stretch of dominance while his offense provided just enough to get the job done. Image courtesy of © Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Bailey Ober 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K (106 pitches, 70 strikes) Home Runs: Carlos Santana(15), Ryan Jeffers(17) Top 3 WPA: Bailey Ober (.301), Carlos Santana (.085), Griffin Jax (.074) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Manny for MVP Bailey Ober started Game 1 for the Minnesota Twins and made quick work of the Cleveland Guardians. Of course Rocco Baldelli’s team had yet to beat Stephen Vogt’s this year, and the rescheduled rainout would be a great place to change that. Manuel Margot led off, against a lefty, which basically means he’ll play like an All-Star. Stepping in against Joey Cantillo, Margot doubled. Byron Buxton moved him over and Royce Lewis cashed him in. Jose Miranda looked to extend the inning with a single to right center, but a big turn at first base got him thrown out. Carlos Santana found lift-off against his former team in the second inning. He took Cantillo deep for his 15th home run of the season. The solo shot made it a 2-0 game early. Bailey Dominates Ryan Jeffers gave Bailey Ober some additional breathing room when he launched his 17th home run of the season in the fourth inning to make it 3-0 Twins. Minnesota needs to see their star catcher to rake once again and he has shown signs in recent weeks. Ober wrapped up his day going six innings, allowing just two hits, and no runs. He walked a pair and struck out nine. With a myriad of pitching issues currently in play, the start was a necessary one. Brayan Rocchio drove in Andres Gimenez with a seventh inning home run, but that brought Cleveland to within just a single run. Kyle Farmer, who returned to the lineup following a stretch on the injured list, scored Max Kepler with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half to make it a 4-2 game. After Griffin Jax worked his 18th hold of the season, Jhoan Duran came on and grabbed his 16th save while striking out the side. Notes The morning couldn’t have been busier with roster moves. Unfortunately Brock Stewart’s once minor shoulder injury now will require surgery. He is set to undergo that on Tuesday, and will miss the rest of the season. A 5-6 month rehab should have him back for spring training. As expected, Joe Ryan is also going on the injured list with a grade 2 teres major strain. Brooks Lee will join him there. The news for Ryan is crushing as it likely takes him out for the regular season, if not ending his year. Kyle Farmer completed his rehab assignment with St. Paul and rejoined the roster, starting at second base in game one. Lee was originally announced as the game one starter at second base, so hopefully his injury is not serious. Scott Blewett joins the roster and is back in the big leagues for the first time since 2021. He has a 3.66 ERA in more than 50 innings for the Saints this season. It is curious he was the addition to the bullpen rather than Justin Topa. The build up may still be a work in progress though. With the injuries to the bullpen, Griffin Jax’s dominance becomes that much more imperative. He has been one of the best relievers in baseball for a while now. Given his pitch mix, there continues to be chatter about him moving back to the rotation, but that would be an offseason move if considered at all. Remember that through both AL Central series the Twins are offering fee free tickets. What’s Next? Back to just a single game on Saturday, Simeon Woods Richardson gets the pearl for Minnesota. He will be opposed by Gavin Williams with the series on the line. Continued strong starts from the rookie are a must given the latest pitching injuries. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

I think the DSL numbers can be taken with a relative grain of salt. Pitchers and catchers there are relatively incapable of controlling the running game. I wish it was more philosophically included for the Twins though.

This. You probably get one or two chances to do this before it becomes too late.

The Minnesota Twins were off on Thursday before gearing up for a big series against the Cleveland Guardians. The farm system was in full swing though, and it was the pitching performances that stood out across the group. Image courtesy of William Parmeter CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 63-50 St. Paul Saints: 56-54 Wichita Wind Surge: 45-60 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 56-47 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 54-46 DSL Twins: 24-22 TRANSACTIONS RHP Adam Plutko placed on IL by St. Paul with a forearm strain. RHP Louie Varland will be recalled by Minnesota to start on Friday. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 1, Columbus 1 Box Score Zebby Matthews started for the Saints and it appears he has begun to settle in. Matthews worked five innings allowing just a single run on two hits and (gasp) a walk. Matthews also struck out five and continues to look like an arm that Rocco Baldelli may call on for the big league club down the stretch. Columbus scored on a Will Brennan first inning home run before the Saints answered with an Anthony Prato single in the second inning. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. scored and the sides remained even until the ninth inning. With no one out and runners on second and third, Rylan Bannon stepped in. He drew a walk to load the bases. Dalton Shuffield was up looking to drive in the winning run, and St. Paul needed to improve from their ugly 1-for-13 with RISP on the evening. Unfortunately he struck out. Jair Camargo did not though, and his single brought Prato in to walk it off. Rehabbing Twins infielder Kyle Farmer went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Prato also had a pair of hits, while Edouard Julien doubled. Giovanny Gallegos worked a scoreless inning in relief and Matt Bowman got the victory. WIND SURGE WISDOM Corpus Christi 2, Wichita 1 Box Score Cory Lewis was on the bump Thursday night for the Wind Surge and he turned in the best Double-A outing of his career. Lewis threw six innings of one (unearned) run baseball. He allowed just a pair of hits, and though he walked three, he struck out nine. Lewis also threw 56 of his 87 pitches for strikes. Wichita trailed 1-0 into the ninth inning until Tanner Schobel went yard for the eighth time this season to tie things up. Jarret Whorff, who was one of the Twins best minor league relievers in July, got Wichita in position by throwing a pair of perfect innings with three strikeouts. Unfortunately Regi Grace couldn’t get Wichita to the tenth inning and a Hooks run walked them off. Both sides recorded just three hits. Schobel’s was the only extra-base knock for Wichita. He also stole his 11th base of the season, and Aaron Sabato grabbed his seventh. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Peoria 4 Box Score It was bump day for Ricky Castro with the Kernels on Thursday. He worked three innings allowing three runs on five hits and a pair of walks. The Kernels starter struck out a pair. Misael Urbina drove in Nate Baez in the second inning to score the game’s first run. Cedar Rapids then coughed up three in the bottom half. Peoria pushed it to a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning, but the Kernels answered with a run in the eighth inning. Nick Lucky drove in Rubel Cespedes on a single to make it 4-2. Jose Salas then clubbed a bases-loaded double, scoring Agustin Ruiz, Baez, and Lucky to give the Kernels their first lead of the night. Jordan Carr, Juan Mendez, and Rafael Marcano combined to work five innings of relief. The only run allowed was an unearned tally tacked to Carr’s outing. Cedar Rapids tallied seven hits with Cespedes and Kyle Hess grabbing two of them each. Both of Hess’ hits were doubles. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 2, Jupiter 0 Box Score Tanner Hall started for the Mighty Mussels and was nearly perfect. The Fort Myers starter worked seven scoreless innings allowing just a pair of hits while striking out seven. He gave up only a single walk. Brandon Winokur kicked off the scoring early with a solo shot, his ninth, in the first inning. Fort Myers added a second run when Khadim Diaw scored on an error. Winokur’s pair of hits were the only multi-hit effort, and the homer was the only extra-base hit. Fort Myers struck out ten times but drew five walks. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 7, DSL Tigers2 4 Box Score Anderson Chacon started for the Twins and worked 3 1/3 innings allowing a single run (unearned). He did give up three free passes though and didn’t record a strikeout on the day. Aiberson Ventura got the win with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. While the Twins struck out seven times and didn’t draw a walk, they did rack up 11 hits on the day. Merphy Hernandez, Eduardo Beltre, Carlos Silva, and Guillermo Sosa all recorded two-hit games. Silva picked up a double while Hernandez and Daiber De Los Santos both tripled. Hernandez continues to be a menace on the bases and stole his 29th bag. In just 39 games, he has been thrown out only twice this season. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Tanner Hall (Fort Myers) - 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Hitter of the Day – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) - 2-3, R, RBI, HR(9), 2 BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Thursday. #1– Walker Jenkins (Cedar Rapids) – #4 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 0-4 #5 – Zebby Matthews (St. Paul) – 5.0 IP, #7 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, K #12 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 2-3, R, RBI, HR(9), 2 BB, K #13 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K #14 - Yasser Mercedes (Fort Myers) - 1-5, 3 K #16 - Kyle DeBarge (Fort Myers) - 0-4, BB, K #17 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-3, R, RBI, HR(8), BB, K, SB(11) FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Columbus (7:07 PM CST) – TBD Wichita @ Corpus Christi (7:05 PM) - RHP Marco Raya (1-3, 5.54 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (7:05 PM CST) – RHP C.J. Culpepper (2-1, 2.88 ERA) Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30 PM CST) – RHP Jose Olivares (2-1, 2.86 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

2020 wasn't a real season and the wonky numbers across the league reflect that.

The Minnesota Twins picked Willi Castro up off the scrap heap prior to the 2023 season. He had been released by the Detroit Tigers, despite being just 25 years old. Fast-forward two years, and he now looks like an extension candidate. Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports During the 2020 season, Willi Castro posted a 153 OPS+ and finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. The next two seasons, of traditional length, saw him post just a 79 OPS+ across 237 games. Although the Tigers aren’t a juggernaut by any means, they decided his services were no longer needed. Given his performance and their change in leadership right at that time, it's hard to blame them. Castro had a solid first season with Minnesota after signing a minor-league free-agent deal, but 2024 has taken it to another level. Despite the presence of Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, José Miranda, and Carlos Correa on the infield, Castro has been available for whatever role Rocco Baldelli has asked of him. It has resulted in a career-best 112 OPS+ and made him an All-Star for the first time in his career. This season, Castro is being paid just $3.3 million through arbitration. Even with his strong season, that number shouldn’t jump to much more than $6 million next year. Next season is his final year of arbitration eligibility, but it’s also a moment when Minnesota could generate some cost certainty and buy out some of his free agency. Twenty-eight years old in 2025, Castro and the Twins could find a middle ground on a three-year deal that would buy out the first two years of his free agency. He would still hit the market as a young 30-year-old, and his utility may then be enticing for a franchise within sniffing distance of the World Series. For Minnesota, Castro’s presence over the next three years can help to mitigate whatever growing pains some of the less tested talents go through. He is playable both on the dirt and in the outfield. That skillset shouldn’t wane in the short term, and he’s above-average at the plate. His presence doesn’t force anyone out of the picture, and he has proven to be among the most valuable Twins this season. Of course, Castro should want to capitalize on his earning potential, but he doesn’t hit free agency this offseason, and that’s where the opportunity exists for Minnesota. Trading in some future certainty for the sake of additional dollars may be in Castro’s best interest. After all, he has been sent packing before. I’m not sure if three years and $20 million would be enough to get the job done, but $30 million should. Facing self-imposed payroll restrictions, the Twins could push the money to the final two years of the deal, in hopes that the Pohlads have their business ventures figured out at that point. Tacking on an option at the end may be a possibility, as well. Castro has provided tremendous surplus value each of the past two seasons. Rewarding him for that would be fun to see, and it seems to be something that could be beneficial for both sides. Castro appears to have found a level of comfort with the Twins, and his manager has consistently spoken fondly of him as well. We'll see whether the front office is as exuberant. View full article

From the moment the Minnesota Twins made Royce Lewis the first overall pick of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, Twins Territory fell in love. It took him a bit to get to Target Field, but since he’s arrived, no one wants him to leave. What will it take to make that happen? Despite having played just over 100 big league games, there are an infinite number of highlight moments for Royce Lewis. He has hit home runs at a prolific pace during the regular season. He has launched grand slams like he will eventually track down Alex Rodriguez. He has shown up in massive postseason moments. It has been a Joe Mauer or Kirby Puckett ascent towards superstardom. Of course, the caveat for Lewis is that he has been hurt. Playing in just over 100 games through his first three big league seasons, different ailments have cost him significant time. Fluke ACL injuries have been culprits, but so too have soft tissue maladies. The only thing that has stopped Lewis from performing thus far has been his body itself. That’s not new for the Minnesota Twins. Byron Buxton falls in a similar situation, and the franchise appropriately paid the man. Garnering a seven-year deal worth $100 million, both sides took on a certain amount of risk. The franchise is hoping that he stays healthy and outperforms the deal. The player is seeking to earn individual accolades that bump his pay to where health may have allowed it to be. Would Scott Boras allow for something similar to take place with Lewis? Boras is among the most influential agents in Major League Baseball. Despite representing players, his reach permeates into the league itself. He is notable for getting his players the top dollar no matter what that takes, and Lewis is among his most high-profile pre-arbitration clients. That said, Boras has also taken some sizable losses of late. It is because of deals falling apart that Carlos Correa is with the Minnesota Twins at all. Blake Snell and Matt Chapman both sat on the open market forever this past offseason. Of course established veterans are a different beast altogether, but Lewis is going to hit arbitration with, at most, 300 big league games under his belt. What that means is Lewis will be scrutinized through an arbitration system that awards longevity of performance. It doesn’t matter that the Twins youngster has been incredible when he has played, given how sporadically he has played. There is also the possibility of another injury that keeps him further away from any expected payday. Lewis will again make the league minimum next year, and although he got a $6.725 million bonus, it’s this first contract that would represent life-changing money. A full year younger, with better performance, and a clean bill of health, Bobby Witt Jr. landed a seven-year deal worth nearly $150 million this offseason. Lewis won’t see that sort of money, but the parameters for an extension are there. It stands to reason that Minnesota would be against going ten years on a player with a significant injury history. The questions as to how his body ages could be limitless. A six-year deal with options may be the sweet spot. That would take Lewis through his age-31 season. Options could be tacked on to reward health and production on the back end, and it’s still possible he is paid handsomely on the open market should he choose to take his talents elsewhere at that time. Boras would be wise to argue for $20 million per season, but $120 million is probably too rich in the short term for Minnesota ownership. The Twins could counter at $100 million, but a $16.6 million AAV might not be enough to get it done. Minnesota would presumably need to backload the deal rather than adding to a 2025 payroll expected to decline. Still though, this offseason may be the last chance for the front office to get something hammered out that doesn’t break the bank. If Lewis is healthy next season, then he will command a premium during his first year of arbitration. From there, he’ll quickly price himself out of anything the Twins would have initially been able to do. Getting Boras on board is part of the equation. Getting ownership on board is another beast altogether. Similar to what was done for Mauer, Buxton, and Correa, it makes sense for Minnesota to lock in their stars, and Lewis joining that group would be great to see. View full article

Pablo López was on the mound Tuesday night for the Minnesota Twins, but it wasn't a good outing for Rocco Baldelli's ace. He lasted just five innings, and Royce Lewis's longball was wasted as the team's winning streak was snapped. Image courtesy of © David Banks-USA TODAY Sports Box Score Starting Pitcher: Pablo López 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (88 pitches, 55 strikes) Home Runs: Royce Lewis (14), Christian Vázquez (6) Bottom 3 WPA: Pablo López (-.178), Manuel Margot (-.104), Randy Dobnak (-.101) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Paredes Pummels Pablo Pablo López has not been the same ace for this Twins staff that he was a season ago. Plenty of that has been rooted in an inability to keep the ball in the yard. After getting a pair of outs in the first inning Tuesday night, he allowed singles to Seiya Suzuki and Cody Bellinger. A Brooks Lee throwing error put runners on the corners, but it didn’t matter, as they trotted home following an Isaac Paredes dinger to make it 3-0. Paredes got López again in the third inning. This time, it was just a single, but he drove home Inver Grove Heights native Michael Busch on the play. Before Minnesota could get on the board, they found themselves in a 4-0 hole. Royce Rolls Again You pick whatever tagline you’d like. Whether it’s the fact that he doesn’t slump, or there is ice cream in his veins, Royce Lewis continues to be otherworldly. Despite Cubs starter Shota Imanaga rolling for most of the evening, Lewis exacted revenge for a first-inning strikeout. With Carlos Santana on, Lewis blasted a liner to left field for his 14th dinger of the season. The Twins halved the deficit, cutting it to 4-2. After a short start by López, Randy Dobnak took over for the sixth inning. Dansby Swanson swatted a ball to center, and Austin Martin took an ugly route that turned an out into a triple. Paredes scored another run on the play, and a Dobnak wild pitch made it 6-2 Chicago. With the game getting late, Minnesota had work to do again. Into the Bullpen Imanaga stymied the Twins all night. An intriguing offseason target that ultimately went to Chicago showed off just how impressive he is. Minnesota managed just a pair of hits, and struck out a whopping 10 times in seven innings. Craig Counsell turned the game over to his bullpen, and Christian Vázquez responded with relief and exuberance. He clubbed his sixth home run of the year, and the solo shot against Drew Smyly made it 6-3. After getting the first two outs in the eighth inning, Dobnak allowed singles to Nico Hoerner, Swanson, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. That drove in another run for the Cubs and put them back up by a four-spot entering the ninth inning. Minnesota went down in order against Tyson Miller in the ninth inning; there was no comeback to be had. Notes Kyle Farmer is kicking off a rehab assignment with the Saints on Tuesday night. He has been out since Jul. 12. His return could put the status of Lee or Martin in question. Carlos Correa also will be an addition to the infield mix at some point. Giovanny Gallegos was signed to a minor-league deal and assigned to St. Paul. He’s now 32 years old (almost 33) and hasn’t been good since 2022. The cash-strapped Twins are hoping they may be able to resurrect some value down the stretch; all of Gallegos's earnings above a prorated share of the MLB minimum will be covered by the Cardinals, who recently cut him. A handful of Twins 2024 draft picks made their professional debuts on Tuesday with Low-A Fort Myers. Khadim Diaw picked up his first hit in his first plate appearance and came around to score. Caden Kendle, Billy Amick, and Kyle DeBarge all recorded their first extra-base hits. What’s Next? The rubber match for the Twins and Cubs in 2024 is on deck. An afternoon tilt at Wrigley Field will feature Joe Ryan against Javier Assad. It’s a big matchup for Minnesota, as they will look to ride momentum into their massive series against the Cleveland Guardians over the weekend. They've been superb in rubber matches this year. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

The Minnesota Twins failed to make any notable additions at the trade deadline. They could have used a starter, and a left-handed reliever would have made sense. Trevor Richards is a middle relief option with reverse splits, but the actual addition could soon be here. When ownership told Derek Falvey that he had limited funds to work with this offseason, Minnesota’s president of baseball operations had to get creative. That involved moving money around, and one way that came to fruition was the dealing of Jorge Polanco. Targeting Justin Topa and prospect Gabriel Gonzalez, the Twins added immediately to their bullpen. Topa went through a normal spring training, but a nagging knee issue sidelined him to start the year. Instead of pitching at the big league level, through July, he was still dealing with a patellar issue. Known more notably for his desire to collect all of his first baseball card, that could soon change. The Twins have been working Topa back through a rehab process that kicked off on July 23 in Fort Myers. He has since made a pair of appearances for the St. Paul Saints, and has yet to allow a hit through three innings of work. Of course it’s a small sample size, but staying healthy after having been shut down during his first rehab assignment, it looks as though the reliever has turned the corner. It’s fair to call Topa a late-bloomer, and if that brings back fears of Jorge Lopez, so be it. He had pitched just 18 1/3 innings before the 2023 season. For the Mariners though, he worked 69 innings and posted a 2.61 ERA with a 3.15 FIP. Topa isn’t a massive strikeout guy, but his 21.9% strikeout rate is certainly workable. Last season Topa limited hard contact extremely well, and that’s big for a guy who also owned nearly a 60% ground ball rate. Batters weren’t able to square up his pitches, and that often allowed for his fielders to make relatively routine plays. Although Carlos Correa isn’t yet playing shortstop for Minnesota, and infield of Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Willi Castro, and Carlos Santana will like working behind the former Mariners reliever. Rocco Baldelli had to be disappointed watching a still-hurt Brock Stewart work in recent days. The club also DFA’d Josh Staumont to make room for the recently acquired Trevor Richards. To say that Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax could use more help than Cole Sands and Jorge Alcala would be putting it lightly. That said, Topa can be that sort of anchor arm in the middle innings, and that’s all they really need from him. Minnesota has the rotation chugging along. Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober all are reliable right now. Simeon Woods Richardson has continued to get it done all year. David Festa and Randy Dobnak are currently tasked with shoring up the final spot. If the bullpen can do their part, then the pitching staff as a whole doesn’t have to be held back just because the deadline came and went without doing anything of substance. View full article

The Minnesota Twins set out thinking they may have one of the better bullpens in baseball. It took some time to get there, but the group is putting it together. July brought some glimpses of the next wave of solid relief arms rising through the farm, too. Image courtesy of David Malamut (@MWLArchives on X) While starting pitching typically draws the favor of fans, it’s the big bullpen arms who often handle the biggest situations during any given game. Minnesota is currently developing some talented hurlers in relief on the farm, and more than a couple stood out in the last month. Here are the best performances from July: #8 Matt Bowman (St. Paul) - 8 G, 2.79 ERA, 9.2 IP, 1.03 WHIP, .206 BAA, 11/3 K/BB After pitching for Minnesota earlier this season, Bowman made stops in Arizona and Seattle. He’s back in St. Paul now, and had a great July. He’s carrying a 1.72 ERA across 15 2/3 innings with the Saints and may again be a depth reliever to get a look down the stretch. #7 Jeff Brigham (St. Paul) - 7 G, 2.79 ERA, 9.2 IP, 1.34 WHIP, .222 BA, 13/5 K/BB Brigham signed with the Twins this offseason, and has spent the entire year at Triple-A. His 3.91 ERA isn’t dazzling, but he has put together some strong stretches. The Saints reliever owns a solid 11.4 K/9. He has been bitten by the long ball, and has allowed too many walks, but July was a strong month for him. #6 Xander Hamilton (Ft. Myers) 9 G, 2.70 ERA, 13.1 IP, 1.13 WHIP, .235 BAA, 17/3 K/BB The Mighty Mussels have employed Hamilton as their closer at times during the year, and he has picked up five saves. July was a great month for both the strikeout totals and his command. A 2023 draft pick, Hamilton has worked 41 1/3 innings this year at Fort Myers, and he has often been put in high-leverage spots. #5 Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 8 G, 2.61 ERA, 10.1 IP, 1.35 WHIP, .225 BAA, 16/5 K/BB After not reaching the majors last season and being cast off the 40-man roster, Henriquez has worked himself back into the Twins' plans. He has taken a few trips up to the Twins bullpen, and months like the one he put up in July will keep him around longer. Minnesota liked what they saw from Henriquez enough to target him in the Mitch Garver trade. Still just 24 years old, there could be more to unlock. #4 Wilker Reyes (Fort Myers) - 8 G, 2.45 ERA, 14.2 IP, 0.89 WHIP, .180 BAA, 19/4 K/BB A Dominican native, Reyes is having a solid season at Fort Myers. The lefty owns a 3.45 ERA but had a solid July. At just 22 years old, he has 34 strikeouts across 28 2/3 innings. Reyes will need to dial in command a bit more, but could be a candidate to join Cedar Rapids when 2025 starts. #3 Jarret Whorff (Cedar Rapids) - 6 G, 0.63 ERA, 14.1 IP, 0.70 WHIP, .157 BAA, 16/2 K/BB After going undrafted, Whorff signed with the Twins and pitched at Fort Myers last season. This year, he has pitched for both Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita. In High-A during July, Whorff was the best version of himself. On the year, he owns a 2.28 ERA and 9.5 K/9 while limiting walks for the Kernels. He needs to harness that in Wichita, but has shown that the stuff plays. He began August with a promotion to the Wind Surge. #2 Mike Paredes (Cedar Rapids) 4 G, 0.57 ERA, 15.2 IP, 1.09 WHIP, .276 BAA, 14/1 K/BB The Kernels have used Paredes as a long man, with a couple of starts sprinkled in. He worked around some base hits this month, but the 14/1 K/BB jumps off the page. Paredes has a 6.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio at High-A this year, and while he’s not a huge strikeout guy, he keeps himself in good spots by avoiding free passes. Relief Pitcher of the Month - Kyle Bischoff (Cedar Rapids/Wichita) - 8 G, 1.54 ERA, 11.2 IP, .143 BAA, 16/2 K/BB Undrafted out of Michigan State, Bischoff spent time in the United Shore League before signing with the Twins. After pitching in the Complex League last season, the 25-year-old has been at Cedar Rapids this year. He finished the month with a couple of appearances at Double-A Wichita. Bischoff was nearly perfect in July, and confused hitters at both levels. His 16/2 K/BB last month jives with the strong 11.7 K/9 he owns on the season. Bischoff earned a promotion to Double-A, and should be there the rest of the season. He has continued to keep the gaudy strikeout numbers at each stop he has made, and continued development could yet make him a future big-leaguer. View full article