Ted Schwerzler

The 2024 Minnesota Twins couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start. With bats that came out of the gate cold and a starting rotation that was nowhere near what it was a season ago, they bumbled their way to 7-13. Then, like something out of a Disney baseball movie, a mysterious, mystical piece of meat made its way into the dugout. Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports Last season, Cloverdale Foods partnered with Twins infielder Kyle Farmer for a promotional deal. While they may not be the household name Sheboygan has become (thanks to renditions of their jingle by Trevor Plouffe and Byron Buxton) or a synergistic partner on par with the in-stadium Kramarczuk’s, the Mandan, North Dakota company has had a sizable presence for years. It wasn’t until catcher Ryan Jeffers decided that an Original Tangy Summer Sausage was going to be part of a Twins run-scoring celebration, though, that the company found themselves taking a whole new part of the limelight. Riding baseball’s best winning streak (one the organization hasn’t seen since a World Series-winning 1991), the Twins made summer sausage cool again. The perspectives of players in the dugout and manager Rocco Baldelli have already been dissected. How do the folks at Cloverdale feel about all of this newfound attention, though? Vice president of marketing Leigh Milander was ready to unwrap those questions. Twins Daily: How did the partnership with Kyle Farmer come about last season? Leigh Milander: As a part of our partnership with the Twins organization and their account teams, we worked with Kyle Farmer last year to create a Cloverdale Bacon Breakfast Sandwich featuring his sweet family. As a fourth-generation, family-run company, one of our core values is “Family”. Earlier this year, we sent Kyle a little Cloverdale bacon bits onesie to celebrate the birth of his second son. The year prior, we were honored to work with Hall of Famer Tony Oliva for a Cloverdale Bacon BLT. He was incredible to work with, and a true bacon lover. Stay tuned to see whom we work with later this year to bring our Twins partnership to life! TD: What has Cloverdale’s connection to the Twins been like in previous years? LM: Cloverdale is proud to be the Official Bacon of the Minnesota Twins and Target Field. TD: How has the home run sausage and the winning streak invigorated the brand and its recognition? LM: We are shocked and thrilled that our Tangy summer sausage somehow accidentally made it into the clubhouse, the dugout, around the bases, and even on road trips and beyond. As huge baseball fans ourselves, we truly understand and respect the elements of superstition and luck. The belief that this stick of sausage is somehow magically influencing hits is a huge honor. TD: With Twins Territory going crazy over a piece of meat for the first time since Brian Dozier left town, what has the uptick in interest, purchasing, and connectivity looked like? LM: It’s been overwhelming, in the best possible way. As a 100-year-old family-run company, we have never seen anything like this, and are humbled and grateful to be a part of it. TD: The Twins are rocking with the tangy summer sausage, but what other offerings should fans be aware of, in case they're slightly averse to tang? LM: We make incredible bacon. [Cloverdale is proud to be the Official Bacon of the Minnesota Twins and Target Field.] But we’re well-known throughout the Midwest for our Tangy summer sausage and other traditional favorites. In fact, our Tangy is so popular that we recently launched Tangy Snackers® meat sticks so that folks can bring our summer sausage on the go. TD: Lastly, images of the summer sausage have been present in multiple dugout angles. Is there a point in which the team should switch out the original sausage? How about someone taking a bite when this is all said and done? LM: No comment. 😉 Don’t fear either, the Twins are keeping the original meat masterpiece around as well. Lean into the meat sensation and grab yourself some Cloverdale products this summer. Maybe it'll be the catalyst for the Twins winning ways continuing. View full article

Austin Martin's misplay at the wall was huge. That's definitely a reflection of lack of awareness for a field, and Willi Castro not being a traditional centerfielder. His hustle single was big, but you can't give up a triple like that.

I don't know that I agree with that, but tonight wasn't good.

The Twins sent Bailey Ober to the bump Tuesday night, looking to secure at least a split with the visiting Mariners. While Ober was sharp for five innings, a bullpen meltdown did the Twins in. Image courtesy of © Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports Box Score Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (84 pitches, 58 strikes, 13 whiffs) Home Runs: Ryan Jeffers(7) Bottom 3 WPA: Steven Okert -0.443, Jorge Alcalá -0.432, Carlos Correa -0.185 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Ober Gets Behind Bailey Ober started Tuesday night for the Twins and was going up against a Mariners lineup that Simeon Woods Richardson and friends held to a single run on Monday. The first inning saw both sides go down in order, but Seattle didn’t take the field until after Carlos Correa made a slick play on a Jorge Polanco ground ball back up the middle. Coming back for the second inning, Mitch Haniger swung at a fastball up in the zone and got all of it. His big fly was deposited into the left-field seats, and Seattle led for the first time in the series. After Ober plunked Luis Urias with two outs, Dylan Moore made it hurt with a double to drive in the second Seattle run. Two-Out Excitement Jose Miranda lined a ball to right field with two down in the 3rd inning to give the Twins their first base hit and baserunner against Emerson Hancock. Edouard Julien then took a walk before Trevor Larnach stepped in. The hot-hitting lefty ripped a line drive to right field, allowing Miranda to score Minnesota’s first run and push Julien to third base. Ryan Jeffers stepped in against Hancock, and he of the sausage master designation, earned a toss with a big three-run blast into the left field seats. The big homer was his seventh of the season, and continued a run of good fortune since the Twins returned their home run sausage to the dugout during the 5th inning of last night’s game. Max Kepler did replenish the bodies on the bases with a double, but Correa grounded out to end the inning. Ober came back out and immediately responded to the lineup’s impressive showing. Striking out two in the 4th inning, he made quick work of the Mariners and got Seattle to sit down in order. Minnesota mounted another threat in the bottom of the 5th inning, but couldn’t push Kyle Farmer and Jeffers beyond first and second base. Up 4-2, Rocco Baldelli started with the platoon changes bringing in both Manuel Margot and the aforementioned Farmer to hit for Julien and Larnach. Ober to the Bullpen With 84 pitches through five innings, Baldelli turned the game over to the bullpen and gave Ober the rest of the evening off. Cole Sands continues to be great in relief this season and worked a quick 1-2-3 inning complete with a strikeout of Polanco. After Minnesota went down quietly in their half, it was Jay Jackson who got the 7th inning. Mitch Garver singled to lead off the inning before Jackson struck out Ty France. Urias then singled to left field and the Mariners had a threat with runners in the corners. Moore popped up a foul ball behind the plate, but Jeffers never saw it and the ball bounced harmlessly. On the next pitch, Jackson nearly plunked Moore, and he took a walk to load the bases. Steven Okert came on, and Mariners manager Scott Servais went to Cal Raleigh looking to even the game. Getting a hanger from Okert on a 3-2 pitch, the Big Dumper punished a ball and cleared the bases for a grand slam. Minnesota found themselves trailing 6-4 in the 7th inning. Minnesota Doubles Down Looking to immediately answer, Jose Miranda stepped in and just missed a home run, instead doubling off the right field wall. Farmer followed him with a double of his own, and that brought the Twins back within a run at a 6-5 deficit. Margot stepped in and grounded out to third on a second pitch that was out of the zone. Failing to move Farmer over, it was yet another wasted at bat. Farmer attempted to steal third on a Jeffers strikeout, and while he was initially called out, the Twins challenged the play only to have that result confirmed. Picking up where they left off in the 7th inning, Kepler doubled to open the 8th inning and immediately put the tying run in scoring position. Austin Martin pinch hit for Alex Kirilloff and grounded into the shift at first base. He hustled down the line though, and slid into first base safely. Unfortunately, pitcher Tayler Saucedo was injured while covering first base and slipping on the bat had him going down in a head. The ball laid on the dirt and Kepler alertly scampered home to tie the game. Saucedo eventually walked off under his own power, but it was clear he had gotten substantially injured. More Mariners Damage Returning for a second inning of work, Alcala was back out to kick off the 9th inning. A misplayed fly ball at the wall by Martin gave Moore a leadoff triple, and he came around to score before Minnesota recorded an out. Seattle loaded the bases, and while the Twins got Polanco to punch out again, a sacrifice fly from Haniger pushed the lead to 8-6. A wild pitch made it 9-6, France singled home Julio Rodriguez to make it 10-6 and this one was all but over. Minnesota went down in order during the bottom of the 9th inning and they’ll look to start a new win streak again tomorrow. Notes Josh Winder, who has been rehabbing from injury since spring training, is beginning a major league rehab assignment with the St. Paul Saints. He had pitched in games with Fort Myers already. As the Twins, Comcast, and Bally Sports all continue to pass the buck around, it was Diamond Sports Group’s business that decided to place the blame elsewhere today. It’s certainly an interesting stance considering they are dealing with bankruptcy. It was Dollar Dog Night. The 9x9x9 challenge took place. It was completed, and will never be attempted (by me, personally) again. While it didn’t seem to be overly aggressive while competing, it certainly is something that creeps up on you as time goes on. What’s Next? Chris Paddack was solid throughout the Twins' winning streak and he’ll look to continue that production against the Seattle Mariners. Working against starter George Kirby, Rocco Baldelli will be hoping for another strong performance from his back-of-the-rotation starter. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Despite being the favorites to win another AL Central division title when the season began, the Minnesota Twins got off to a brutal start. Fueled by magical sausage and a sudden reconnection with their considerable talent, they ripped off a 12-game winning streak. What did it all look like? Image courtesy of © Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports The Twins' 7-13 start was explicable, but it shouldn't have been as bad as it was. Sure, they were without key pieces like Jhoan Durán, Caleb Thielbar, and Justin Topa, but the lineup failed to launch, too--and Royce Lewis immediately went on the injured list. Carlos Correa missed time. The problems piled up. Then, Ryan Jeffers took over a meaty package for Kyle Farmer, and the squad went on a 12-game winning streak. Beating the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota partied like it was 1991, racking up more wins in a row than in any season since the one in which they last won a World Series. So who contributed, and how much? No one was better during the streak than utility man Willi Castro, as he posted a 1.1 fWAR. That becomes imperative with both Lewis and Correa missing time, and Byron Buxton ultimately ending up injured as well. Castro posted a 1.148 OPS while playing in all 12 games and scoring a team-high 10 runs. Jeffers was second during the span with a 0.9 fWAR, thanks in part to a 1.108 OPS. His two home runs trailed Edouard Julien’s three and Carlos Santana’s four. He's emerged as one of the league's best catchers, though he's still not one of its most famous (yet). While Trevor Larnach was not involved for the entirety of the streak, he did play in seven games and got 28 plate appearances. Making the most of his opportunities, he turned that action into a 1.125 OPS, with a home run. Taking over for Matt Wallner following a delayed start due to injury, he has done nothing to suggest he’s unworthy of a long-term roster spot. It hasn’t been a pretty start for either Carlos Santana or Kyle Farmer, but each have flashed signs of life, and their resurgences, too, powered the streak. José Miranda was also called upon, and he looks hale and healthy, in a way he hasn't since his rookie season two years ago. A clean bill of health makes him an exciting option both at the dish and the hot corner. Starting three games during the winning streak, Chris Paddack was the Twins' best starter for the fortnight. His 0.6 fWAR paced the staff, and he tallied an 18/2 K/BB with a 2.00 ERA. It’s been an interesting start to the season for ace Pablo López, but his 22 strikeouts were more than any other pitcher had during the winning streak. He’ll need to dial things in quite a bit if he’s going to compete for a Cy Young Award, but notching a pair of well-earned victories was nice to see. Simeon Woods Richardson worked through consecutive starts against the Chicago White Sox; seeing an opponent twice that way is never easy to do. The second turn was less impressive than the first, but he held his own and earned a roster spot for the foreseeable future. With Duran shelved, Griffin Jax held down the fort alongside Brock Stewart and Caleb Thielbar in relief. The Twins might have the best bullpen in baseball when all is said and done, but their depth continues to be tested, with Stewart landing on the injured list being the latest example. Minnesota has turned the page on their sausage streak, but they can grab another meat confection and have the group work toward taking over the top of the division. A loss was always going to happen, but this team is now battle-tested for the future. Maybe Monday night was the start of a new string. View full article

That's what they're doing with Vazquez...

Ehh, this is a bit overstated. Boras got worked this offseason on his free agents, and the Twins have worked with him well recently on Correa too. Market shift incoming.

The Twins have done a good job with later round arms of late. Would be nice to see Zebby substantiate that as well. The command will come into focus as he moves up and has to attack the zone differently.

I loved what Helman and Prato did last year at Triple-A. If either of them can replicate it, that would be a great outcome.

Glad to see C.J. is being activated too

Minnesota Twins affiliates were in full swing this past week, and they were joined by the Complex League team kicking off their schedule. The first short-season league joining the action means minor-league baseball is all systems go. Image courtesy of Seth Stohs, Twins Daily Minnesota’s Florida Complex League team has some notable names on both sides of the roster. Recently signed Adam Plutko is ramping up in Fort Myers. Having pitched in the KBO last year, and not having a spring training, he’ll need some time before being reassigned. Another pitcher of note is 2023 draft pick Dylan Questad. On the hitting side of things, the names that will jump off the page include Bryan Acuña, the brother of Ronald Acuña Jr. He’s also joined by substantial international free-agent signing Hendry Chivilli . Ariel Castro was another notable international free agent who will be in the outfield, and Yasser Mercedes is starting there, as well. A notable promotion occurred on Monday, when Cedar Rapids starter Zebby Matthews earned a ticket to Double-A Wichita. After throwing over 60 innings at the High-A level last season, he came out of the gate firing this year. His 1.59 ERA across four starts was impressive, but the 28/0 K/BB was especially exciting. He'll likely finish the season playing for the Wind Surge. Taking his spot on the roster, Cedar Rapids activated C.J. Culpepper. Former first-round pick Aaron Sabato also completed a rehab assignment and has been transferred to Wichita. Left-handed pitcher Wilker Reyes has been added to Fort Myers from the Complex League squad. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Pirates 4, FCL Twins 1 Box Score Eider Machuca was on the bump to make his 2024 debut (and his first start Stateside) after spending the past two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. Across 2 2/3 innings, Machuca gave up a pair of runs on three hits but struck out five. Bryan Acuña doubled in the first Twins run in the third inning, to score Dameury Pena and bring the deficit to just one. The Twins gave up another pair of runs the rest of the way and couldn't find a way to push anything else across. The team finished with just three hits on the day; Acuña was the only player to record an extra-base hit. He also drew two walks. Ezequiel Ventura struck out five while allowing just a single hit across 3 1/3 innings of relief work. WEEK IN REVIEW Triple-A: St. Paul Saints Overall: 13-18 (3-3 last week) Ninth place in the IL West Overview: The Saints didn’t make up much ground in the standings last week, but did move into 9th place. A .500 record on the week had them treading water. 🔥Diego A. Castillo had a crazy 1.064 OPS across five games last week. A big amount of that was walk-aided; he drew six of them. 🔥Michael Helman had a team-high three doubles while posting a 1.017 OPS in his five games. 🔥Jordan Balazovic continues to strike out a ton of batters. He worked 3 1/3 innings this week, with five strikeouts. 🔥Matt Wallner clubbed three home runs en route to a .961 OPS 😏Justin Topa continues to work back toward a Twins debut. He worked three innings this week, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits. 🥶Anthony Prato continues to draw walks, but went just 4-for-19 at the dish. 🥶Joe Gunkel continues to struggle on the bump. He turned in just 2 2/3 innings during his lone start and gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits. What’s Next: Heading to Ohio, the Saints will play the second-best team in the IL West, squaring off with 19-14 Toledo. Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge Overall: 9-17 (2-3 last week) Fifth place in the Texas League North Overview: Rain washed out the final game of the series, but Wichita took a pair while in NW Arkansas 🔥Kala’i Rosario paced the Wichita lineup with a .944 OPS in four games this week. His three doubles were a team high. 🔥Aaron Rozek worked a piggyback start going five scoreless innings with a 4/2 K/BB giving up just a single hit. 😏Emmanuel Rodriguez continues to be an on-base machine. His .859 OPS was solid, and he owned an even 5/5 K/BB. 🥶Ben Ross played in all five games during the week but he posted just a 2-for-18 (.111) tally with the bright spot being a double. 🥶A.J. Alexy and Mike Paredes both gave up six runs in their lone outing of the week. What’s Next: Headed home to host Arkansas, the Wind Surge will be looking to knock off the second-best team in the Texas League North. High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Overall: 15-11 (5-1 last week) Fourth place in the Midwest League West Overview: Playing six games against Peoria, the Kernels came up just a single win shy of a series sweep. 🔥Danny De Andrade hit a team-best two home runs this week while playing in all six games. 🔥Darren Bowen was lights-out, working 5 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing just a single hit and striking out eight. 😏Andrew Morris had to work around seven hits during his six-inning start, but he struck out nine. 😏Misael Urbina had just five hits on the week, but four were doubles. 🥶Juan Mendez was roughed up for five runs (two earned) on eight hits. His two appearances spanned 1 1/3 innings. What’s Next: Traveling to South Bend for a road series, the Kernels face the fifth-place Midwest League West team. Low-A: Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Overall: 9-18 (1-5 last week) Fourth place in Florida State League West Overview: After a few 2-4 weeks of late, the Mighty Mussels fell further with an ugly road trip winning just one game to avoid the sweep. 🔥Poncho Ruiz posted a .941 OPS across five games this week while recording a pair of doubles and four walks. 🔥Cesar Lares worked a scoreless six inning start. He struck out just two but allowed no hits. 🔥Spencer Bengard paced the Mighty Mussels pitching staff with seven strikeouts in 3 1/3 of relief work. 😏Rayne Doncon had just four hits in six games this week, but two of them were of the big fly variety. 🥶Ty Langenberg struggled in his start turning in five innings but allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits. 🥶Maddux Houghton struggled going 4-for-24 with a 7/2 K/BB in six games. 🥶Charlee Soto turned in his worst professional start allowing eight runs (six earned) on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. What’s Next: Returning home against Dunedin, the Mighty Mussels will square off against a Blue Jays team that’s third in the Florida State League West PROSPECT SUMMARY #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 3-13, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 5 BB, 5 K #5 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K #6 – David Festa (St. Paul) – 8.1 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 18 K #7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 4-10, 2 2B, RBI, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 SB #9 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 3.1 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 5-22, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 4 K #11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 4-18, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 5 K #12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 6-22, 2 2B, RBI, 4 BB, 4 K, 2 SB #13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 4-14, 3 2B, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K #15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 5-22, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 5-22, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 10 K #19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 4-17, HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K #20 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Minnesota) – 3.2, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K Hitter of the Week - Michael Helman (St. Paul) - 6-20, 3 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 8 K, SB Pitcher of the Week - Darren Bowen (Cedar Rapids) - 5.2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K View full article

The Saints got out to an early lead and completed things with another big homer. Darren Bowen shoved for Cedar Rapids and led them to a victory. A full day on the farm had plenty of big performances. TRANSACTIONS None to report SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 9, Louisville 6 Box Score Ryan Jensen worked as the opener for the Saints before giving way to Randy Dobnak on Saturday. After recording the first three outs, St. Paul made sure their starter had some breathing room with a seven run first inning. Playing in the Charlie Brown inspired Peanuts uniform, Dobnak worked five innings allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out seven. Matt Wallner drove in DaShawn Keirsey Jr. with a sacrifice fly before a bases-loaded walk of Yunior Severino allowed Anthony Prato to come home. Chris Williams followed with a walk scoring Michael Helman, and Diego A. Castillo walked to score Tony Kemp. A wild pitch then brought home Severino before Keirsey singled home Williams and Castillo. After the Bats got a run back in the 2nd inning, Michael Helman doubled home Anthony Prato to make it an 8-1 game in the 4th inning. Louisville answered again with three runs in the 5th inning, but St. Paul had a lead to keep them with comfortable breathing room. By the 8th inning Louisville had pulled near-even making it an 8-6 ballgame. Matt Wallner homered again, this time his fourth, to make it a 9-6 score that would hold for the final. Castillo was 3-for-3 while Helman, Wallner, and Keirsey Jr. all had a pair of hits each. It was Wallner’s second straight day with a homer, and Diego Castillo picked up the save in consecutive days as well. He now owns a 1.50 ERA and has 13 strikeouts in 12 innings. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 8, NW Arkansas 7 Box Score The Wind Surge turned to Nick Wittgren as an opener on Saturday night. He worked two innings of scoreless baseball allowing just two hits before giving way to Aaron Rozek. Kala’i Rosario kicked off the scoring with his 8th double in the 1st inning to make it 1-0 as Emmanuel Rodriguez came around to score. Jeferson Morales doubled in the 2nd inning to clear the bases with Kyler Fedko, Jorel Ortega, and Alerick Soularie all touching home. Now up 4-0, the Wind Surge had breathing room. In the 3rd inning Ben Ross drew a walk on a wild pitch and Carson McCusker scampered home. Ortega then lofted a sacrifice fly that scored Jake Rucker and made it a 6-0 game. Adding again, it was an Ortega 5th inning single that brought Ross home and put Wichita up 7-0. McCusker doubled home Rodriguez in the 8th inning to make it 8-0, but Northwest Arkansas made things interesting in the bottom half by bringing home six of their own. Adding another in the 9th inning the Naturals made it a one-run game, but that was as close as they could get before Wichita closed things out. McCusker and Ortega were the only hitters to record multi-hit games on the evening. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Peoria 4 Box Score It was a full on D-Bo show tonight for the Kernels with Darren Bowen shoving on the bump. Working 5 2/3 innings, Bowen allowed only a single hit and didn’t give up any runs. He walked a pair but struck out eight. The Kernels gave their starter some immediate run support with a pair of runs in the 1st inning. Danny De Andrade singled home Luke Keaschall, and then Jose Salas brought home Ricardo Olivar on a ground out. Adding again in the 2nd inning, Keaschall singled and brought Misael Urbina home in the process. In the 6th inning Cedar Rapids added again. A pair of wild pitches gave both Salas and Urbina opportunities to cross the plate and the Kernels found themselves up 5-0. Agustin Ruiz then homered in the 7th inning, with his two-run shot making it a 7-0 game as Salas came in on the big fly as well. The 8th inning saw the Chiefs crack the scoreboard, and they did so in a big way adding four runs. Cedar Rapids maintained a lead, but it had been halved and then some in just a single frame. That’s where things ended on Saturday night and Keaschall was joined with a pair of hits by Olivar and Urbina. Gabriel Yanez recorded his first save of the season. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 10, Fort Myers 3 Box Score It was Ty Langenberg on the bump tonight for Fort Myers. Allowing nine hits, Langenberg gave up six runs (five earned), while walking just one and striking out five. A three-run homer in the 1st inning put the Mighty Mussels up against it out of the gate. Maddux Houghton got them on the board with an RBI single to score Rafael Cruz in the 2nd inning, but another pair from Bradenton in the bottom half made it a 5-1 game. The Marauders stretched their lead to 10-1 by the 7th inning, and the Mighty Mussels were up against a big deficit. Rayne Doncon launched a solo shot in the 8th inning, his third of the season, to make it a 10-2 game. In the 9th inning, Byron Chourio singled home Houghton in his first game back from the injured list to make it 10-3. That was as close as Fort Myers got though, and that’s where the final tally wound up. Both Chourio and Houghton recorded a pair of hits on the evening. Rehabbing Josh Winder worked two innings of relief work. He gave up a pair of runs on three hits. Winder didn’t walk anyone and struck out four. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Darren Bowen (Cedar Rapids) - 5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR(4), 2 K PROSPECT SUMMARY #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 0-2, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K #7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 1-2, K #12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 2-5, R, 2B, RBI #13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 1-4, 2B, RBI, BB, K #15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, RBI, BB, 2 K #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-4, R, RBI, BB, 2 K #17 – Matt Canterino (IL) – Shoulder injury #18 – Connor Prielipp (IL) – UCL Surgery #19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, R, BB SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Louisville (2:07 PM CST) – RHP David Festa (0-0, 2.18 ERA) Wichita @ NW Arkansas (2:05 PM CST) –RHP Travis Adams (1-2, 6.55 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs Peoria (1:05 PM CST) – TBD Fort Myers @ Bradenton (11:00 AM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Saturday’s games! 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Seeking a win to push the winning streak to 12 games, the Twins watched Pablo Lopez turn in his best start of the year during his first official Pablo Day. Max Kepler and Willi Castro provided the offense and Rocco Baldelli watched his team draw closer to the 1991 record. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Pablo Lopez 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K (99 pitches, 60 strikes, 19 whiffs) Home Runs: Max Kepler(2) Top 3 WPA: Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Where Art Thou Pablo? The Twins desperately need Pablo Lopez to find the form that has eluded him to start the year. There have been glimpses of Cy Young caliber stuff, but they have largely been hidden beneath mediocrity. Starting for his first Pablo Day promotion, the Red Sox broke through early. After getting a pair of quick outs, Tyler O’Neill doubled to put Boston’s first runner on the basepaths. Connor Wong slapped a single the other way on a fought-off swing to plate the game’s first run. Lopez labored to put batters away and ultimately needed 25 pitches to make it through the 1st inning. A better pitcher in warmer weather, Mother Nature certainly wasn’t going to be on Lopez’s side Saturday with gloomy skies and just 52 degrees at first pitch. Working against opener Brennan Bernardino, Minnesota needed an early answer. Jose Miranda got plunked before Willi Castro singled and a wild pitch moved them to second and third base. Carlos Correa’s groundout scored the run and evened things at one through the first frame. A 1-2-3 second inning complete with a Garrett Cooper strikeout made for much smoother sailing. Kepler Keeps the Lefties Relevant Minnesota knew Bernardino would work as an opener, leaving the lineup in flux for Rocco Baldelli’s platoon situation. Keeping both Max Kepler and Edouard Julien in the starting lineup, the Twins had a couple of lefties that could be expected to do damage. Launching a solo shot off former Minnesota prospect Cam Booser gave the Twins their first lead of the afternoon. Through five innings, Lopez had worked past his first inning to put up a dominant showing. Scattering five hits, he had allowed just a single run and one walk while striking out six. Needing a start that combined both his velocity and stuff in a way that turned into a solid showing, Minnesota needed to see this outing. Working six innings in total, Lopez punched out eight and worked 99 pitches on the afternoon. Pushing the ERA down and turning in an outing that could set some positive momentum, everything about Saturday’s start was a great showing. In the bottom of the 6th inning, Castro led off with a single before a pair of wild pitches pushed him to third base. Correa then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Twins an insurance run to make it 3-1. While the Twins shortstop’s batted ball didn’t do damage, the 105 mph exit velocity produced a liner that had an .890 expected hit average. Duran on Early The Minnesota Twins found themselves in a situation where Griffin Jax and others could work in high-leverage spots with Jhoan Duran out to start the season. That would allow Baldelli different bullpen strings to pull late in games if he opted to do so. With Boston’s 3-4-5 hitters due up in the 8th inning, the Twins countered with their closer. Although Wilyer Abreu singled, Duran struck out a pair and got a fly ball to end the inning. The outing was his first back-to-back of the year. Cole Sands took over in the 9th inning and was looking to grab his second save of the season. Having pitched well all year, he's earned these sorts of opportunities. Cooper quickly grounded out, and Sands punched out David Hamilton before Reese McGuire lined out to end the game. Notes Brock Stewart, who was placed on the injured list before last night's game, has some positive momentum when it comes to a future activation. While the Twins did an MRI, the thoguht is that Minnesota is simply being cautious. With a desire to avoid further injury down the road, they quickly got him off the roster as he deals with shoulder tendinitis. What’s Next? Joe Ryan takes the hill on Sunday afternoon as Minnesota looks to take the series from the Red Sox and Cooper Criswell. Arguably the Twins' best starter this season, Ryan will be looking at another opportunity to pile up strikeouts and lower his ERA. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

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The catching position has evolved over the years, and there are very few players that contribute to it at a high level on both offense and in the field. For the Minnesota Twins, Ryan Jeffers has become that type of player, and he’s doing it while flying completely under the radar. As a catcher in the Minnesota Twins organization there are high standards in every facility you step foot in. Littered with Joe Mauer accolades and memorabilia, the Hall of Famer set the gold standard at the position, and the recency of his retirement keeps his presence feeling fresh. Mitch Garver took over for the Twins a handful of seasons ago and quickly became one of the most consistent power threats in baseball. While he struggled to stay healthy, his offensive production was virtually unmatched at the catching position. Although he wasn’t a defensive stalwart by any means, his framing abilities were lauded and earned him roles in key situations. When Derek Falvey decided to trade Garver to the Texas Rangers for Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ronny Henriquez , the decision was made because Ryan Jeffers also existed. The former second round pick, once seen as something of a reach by the Twins, had begun to blossom. The heights that he is now reaching may just be the surface being scratched. In the draft Jeffers was seen as a bat-only prospect that should have gone multiple rounds later. He has transformed himself into an all-around talent behind the plate, and made receiving, blocking, and even nabbing baserunners as positives to his game. The bat he was expected to bring to the table has been there and then some. A nice showing as a rookie in a brief cameo translated into two down seasons before the Twins backstop took center stage a year ago. Christian Vazquez was signed to a three-year deal and the veteran threatened to take away a bulk of the catching duties. Rather than allow that to come to fruition. Jeffers posted a 135 OPS+ with career high marks across his slash line, and tying his 14 home run total from 2021. Fast forward to where we are in 2024, and it’s without question that Jeffers has been Rocco Baldelli’s best hitter out of the gate. He once again has a career-high OPS, this time well over 160 OPS+, and he blasted five home runs in his first 27 games. Despite the Twins rigid plan to rotate their catchers on a daily basis, it has been Jeffers getting regular starts at designated hitter to keep his bat in the lineup, and a pinch hit home run truly encapsulated how good he has been at answering the call. It’s not as though Jeffers is just good for the Twins though either. Already generating a 1.1 fWAR, Minnesota’s catcher is tied for third-best in baseball, trailing only Will Smith and William Contreras. Among American League catchers, he’s at the top of the leaderboard, even with Kansas City’s Salvador Perez. He has also been allowed to contribute defensively less than all of those counterparts. Going back to 2023, only Yainer Diaz and Contreras have a better OPS from the position and Jeffers’ 144 wRC+ comes in second. Seeing his name so high up on the leaderboard both offensively, and as an evaluation of his game as a whole, probably isn’t a surprise to Twins fans. This slow burn has been happening for a while now. Across the league though, it’s Perez, J.T. Realmuto, Contreras, and others that are often given national recognition. Jeffers’ greatest amount of time in the spotlight recently may have been a spot talking about the Twins homer sausage. Maybe that’s a good thing as Jeffers doesn’t seem like the type searching for a consistent amount of praise. It doesn’t change how impressive his development has been though, and how much of a force he has become for the Twins. Game-planning for hitters like Edouard Julien, Carlos Correa, and a healthy Byron Buxton might be where teams start, but if they aren’t watching out for Jeffers he’ll continue to punish them like he has done each of the past two seasons. At this point there is no argument to be made against it. Ryan Jeffers is one of baseball’s best catchers, and he’s arguably the most underrated as well. View full article

With a couple of starting pitchers dominating from the get go, the Twins farm system found themselves in a position to do damage across the board on Friday evening. TRANSACTIONS RHP Adam Plutko signed to minor league contract by Minnesota Util Austin Martin recalled by Minnesota RHP Jorge Alcala recalled by Minnesota INF Dalton Shuffield transferred to St. Paul from Wichita RHP Cory Lewis transferred from the 7 to 60 day IL by Wichita OF Byron Chourio reinstated from the 7 day IL by Fort Myers OF Gregory Duran placed on the 7 day IL by Fort Myers with a lumbar spine strain SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 4, Louisville 0 Box Score Louie Varland was on the bump Friday night for the Saints and he was nothing short of exceptional. Working seven scoreless innings, the Minnesota native punched out eight while walking none and giving up just three hits. Looking to work his way back into the Twins favor, starts like this one are the way to do it. The sides remained scoreless through the first five innings of the game before St. Paul broke through in the 6th inning. Anthony Prato’s sacrifice fly drove in Yoyner Fajardo before a passed ball allowed DaShawn Keirsey Jr. to score. Matt Wallner then homered for the third time on the year, and the second consecutive night, to make it a 3-0 game. Tony Kemp’s 7th inning ground out drove in Yunior Severino and gave the Saints their eventual game-winning 4-0 tally. With just five hits on the evening, Wallner recorded two of them. WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 7, Wichita 6 Box Score Pitching prospect Marco Raya was on the bump for the Wind Surge tonight and he turned in 3 1/3 innings of work. Allowing two runs on three hits he walked a pair and struck out five on the evening. Down 2-0 into the 6th inning, Wichita finally got on the board. Kala’i Rosario doubled for the sixth time this season and scored Noah Cardenas and Carson McCusker in the process. Alerick Soularie then launched his first home run, a two run shot, to make it a 4-2 ballgame. Another Rosario double, this time in the 7th inning, brought home Emmanuel Rodriguez and McCusker to make it a 6-2 game. Wichita was comfortably in the lead while entering the late innings. The Wind Surge gave up a pair in the 7th inning and then allowed a trio in the 8th inning. The five runs in the late frames were enough to do Wichita in. Of the six hits on the night, only Rosario recorded more than one with a pair of his own. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 1, Peoria 0 Box Score Zebby Matthews was Friday night’s starter for the Kernels and he was little short of perfection. Allowing three hits during seven innings of work, he struck out nine while giving up no runs or walks. It was truly a dominant start for the Cedar Rapids pitcher. The sides remained scoreless until the 9th inning when Misael Urbina reached on a fielding error that allowed Danny De Andrade to score and walk it off for the good guys. Cedar Rapids grabbed just four hits on the night, but it was enough to come up victorious. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 4, Fort Myers 0 Box Score Paulshawn Pasqualotto was on the bump Friday for the Mighty Mussels and he started hot out of the gate. With five strikeouts through his first two innings it looked like Fort Myers was going to be in good hands. Unfortunately he got beat in the 4th and 5th innings to finish with three runs on eight hits. He struck out six and allowed a walk. Fort Myers managed just four hits, and with no runs crossing the plate, the four they gave up did them in. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Louie Varland (St. Paul) - 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 2-3, R, 4 RBI, 2 2B, BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 1-3, R, 2 BB, K #5 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K #7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 0-1, R, K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 0-4, K #11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 0-4, 2 K #12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, 2 K #13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 2-3, R, 4 RBI, 2 2B, BB, K #15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, R, K #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 1-3, R, 3B, 2K #17 – Matt Canterino (IL) – Shoulder injury #18 – Connor Prielipp (IL) – UCL Surgery #19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4 SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Louisville (2:07 PM CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (1-3, 5.96 ERA) Wichita @ NW Arkansas (6:05 PM CST) –RHP Aaron Rozek (0-1, 0.75 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs Peoria (6:35 PM CST) – RHP Darren Bowen (1-2, 5.84 ERA) Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 PM CST) – RHP Ty Langenberg (0-2, 4.70 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! View full article