Ted Schwerzler

The Minnesota Twins have one of the best bullpens in Major League Baseball, and while it may be their closer who gets most of the accolades, it’s a setup man who came out of nowhere who’s been the greatest success story. What Brock Stewart has done in a Twins uniform is hard to fathom, and harder to hit. Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports Since taking over as leader of the Minnesota Twins front office, Derek Falvey has largely pieced together bullpens for manager Rocco Baldelli. Focusing on players with upside, and those considered to be on the fringes, Falvey has rarely spent heavily on relief pitching. Maybe that’s because the one time he did, with Addison Reed, it went sideways. Maybe it’s because he’s had such a strong record of success in identifying players who could provide just a bit more. On Nov. 7, 2021, Brock Stewart elected free agency, rather than sticking with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization that made him a sixth-round pick back in 2014. Stewart had been a collegiate starter out of Illinois State, and it took a bit for him to find his groove. By 2016, however, he was turning heads at Triple-A, and he made his big league debut later that season. Pitching sporadically at the major-league level for the next four seasons, he struggled to find consistent success. In the pandemic chaos of 2020, Stewart was never called upon. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021. That combination effected a long lacuna in his pro track record, but there was still something there. On Jul. 14, 2022, the Twins signed Stewart while he was rehabbing from surgery and assigned him to their Complex League team. Seeing something they thought was moldable, Minnesota opted to oversee his recovery and find out what they had to work with. Stewart wound up pitching 14 innings in the Twins system in 2022, and while he showed signs of good strikeout stuff while limiting walks as a reliever, he was tagged for four home runs. According to conventional wisdom, command is one of the last things to return post-Tommy John surgery, and that seemed to coincide with pitch placement for Stewart. With the Dodgers, Stewart leaned heavily on a fastball that sat in the low 90s. He had a slider that he didn’t use much, and then he would turn to a changeup that was largely a get-me-over pitch. The Twins tweaked that arsenal and (as they have often done for pitchers) added velocity. Once they had him pumping 97 mph fastballs (albeit a bit less often), they scrapped the changeup and added in a cutter. The slider still exists, but is a better pitch now with more sweeper-like action, and the cutter is thrown harder than the old fastball was. As a whole, the new Stewart arsenal constitutes an absolute weapon out of the bullpen. In 41 innings for Minnesota over the past two seasons, Stewart has struck out a ridiculous 56 hitters while allowing a total of three runs. In 2024, he has generated a career-best chase rate, and his whiff rate remains dazzling. He’s filling up the zone and getting ahead more than ever, and he has become an imposing part of one of baseball's best bullpen triumvirates. What Stewart is doing is not normal. Not only has he become the best version of himself after leaving affiliated baseball and undergoing major surgery, but it isn’t just a reinvention or quirky delivery that’s getting him by. He has put in the work to become an overpowering arm who gets on opposing batters and imposes his will on them. His four-seamer really doesn't have great shape, by modern stuff metrics, but it's hard enough to set up the sweeper, the cutter, and an exceptionally heavy sinker. There’s no doubt Rocco Baldelli feels comfortable with Jhoan Durán closing down games, but we have seen plenty of evidence that Griffin Jax and Stewart are on an equal plane. It’s not often that the number-two or -three leverage guys grab the accolades throughout the season, and a guy nicknamed Beef Stew probably isn’t looking for them, anyway. Regardless, the quality of Minnesota’s bullpen is as much about the top arms as it is the depth. They have guys who can get outs throughout the group, and there should almost never be a reason to fear while Stewart is here. For a guy signed to a minor-league deal, and who is not a free agent until the 2028 season, the Twins may never had this much juice from a squeeze ever before. View full article

With all four Twins affiliates in action on Thursday night, it was only the Cedar Rapids Kernels that secured a Win. A particular outfielder remained in action for St. Paul, and a top prospect had a tough start for Fort Myers. Image courtesy of Seth Stohs, Twins Daily TRANSACTIONS Recently DFA’d Matt Bowman traded to Arizona for cash considerations. Caleb Boushley was optioned back to the Saints and made his regularly-scheduled start. SAINTS SENTINEL Louisville 8, St. Paul 4 Box Score It was an eventful 30 or so hours for Caleb Boushley who was promoted to the Twins, traveled to Chicago, did not pitch, and returned to start for St. Paul on Thursday night. He worked 4 2/3 innings allowing a pair of runs on five hits. Boushley walked one and struck out no one. Alex Isola kicked off the scoring with a sacrifice fly that scored Austin Martin. The Twins outfield prospect playing in this game, especially following a rainy day, seems to be a decent suggestion as to how Minnesota center fielder Byron Buxton’s knee is responding. The Saints put up a pair of solid defensive plays to highlight the early action as well with DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Michael Helman contributing. In the 3rd inning, Keirsey Jr. cracked a solo shot for his fourth big fly of the season. A two-run homer in the 5th inning evened things up, and Louisville knocked Boushley out of the game while taking the lead and scoring two more in the frame. The Saints didn’t allow the lead to bombard them though as Keirsey drove in Martin to bring them within one during the bottom half, and with the bases empty, Matt Wallner launched his second Triple-A homer to tie it. Ronny Henriquez worked himself into trouble during the 6th inning, and the Bats made him pay, adding a pair of runs to make it a 6-4 game. Still looking to debut with the Twins, Josh Staumont turned in a solid first inning of relief while striking out a pair. Back out to make it a multi-inning night, he got former Saints utility man Hernan Perez on strikes before giving up a solo shot and walking the next batter. Going 3-2 to Rece Hinds, Staumont picked up his fourth strikeout of the night. Getting a fly ball from the next batter, he ended the inning. Needing a late inning comeback the Saints went down in order before Hobie Harris came on for the 9th inning. He gave up another run and the St. Paul hole grew. Martin stepped in as the final out but drew a walk before Keirsey went down on strikes. Only Keirsey finished with a multi-hit game for the Saints. WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 12, Wichita 3 Box Score Veteran A.J. Alexy started Thursday night, and it was all downhill from the jump. Getting just four outs, Alexy gave up six runs on five hits and a trio of walks. He struck out one. Hunter McMahon came on in relief and allowed another three runs on three hits spanning 1 2/3 innings of work. Down 9-0 after just three innings of action, the Wind Surge were up against it early on Thursday night. Continuing the onslaught against Wichita pitching, the Travelers added three more runs against Rafael Marcano in the 5th inning to make it a 12-0 game. Tanner Schobel put the good guys on the board for the first time in the 6th inning when his first home run of the season brought home Emmanuel Rodriguez. It was Schobel again in the 7th inning, this time ripping a single to score Jorel Ortega and their third run of the game. That's where the scoring stood the rest of the way, and Wichita dropped a game with a nine-run deficit. Schobel was joined by Carson McCusker as the lone Wind Surge hitters to record a pair of hits on the evening. Both Taylor Floyd and Jared Solomon worked scoreless relief outings for Wichita. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Peoria 1 Box Score Threatened by rain throughout the day, the tarp came off and this one was underway. Miguelangel Boadas took the ball for the Kernels on Thursday night and turned in 4 2/3 innings of solid work. Giving up just one run on two hits and a pair of walks, the Cedar Rapids starter also struck out seven. Rubel Cespedes opened up the scoring with a 3rd inning ground out that scored Willie Joe Garry Jr. Peoria was able to tie things at one in the 5th inning, but Cedar Rapids went back to work in the 6th inning. Jose Salas hit his first home run of the year to regain the lead before Misael Urbina doubled home Agustin Ruiz. In the 7th inning the Kernels tacked on again when Ricardo Olivar launched a solo shot, his third of the year, to make it a 4-1 game. Jacob Wosinski stayed in for a six-out save and was able to get the job done, closing out the victory for Cedar Rapids. The seven hits were split between seven different players and only Danny De Andrade failed to reach base. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 8, Fort Myers 0 Box Score Two of the bottom teams in the Florida State League West squared off on Thursday night and it was all Bradenton. Pitching prospect Charlee Soto was on the mound for Fort Myers, but it was a night he’d rather forget. Working 3 1/3 innings, Soto allowed eight runs (six earned) on eight hits. He did avoid any free passes while striking out four. Four runs in both the 2nd and 4th inning by the Marauders were enough to carry them to victory. Fort Myers managed just a single hit all evening, and they struck out 11 times. Leadoff batter Maddux Houghton was the only Mighty Mussels player to get in the hit column. Ruiz recorded three of the four walks with Brandon Winokur taking the other. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Miguelangel Boadas (Cedar Rapids) - 4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K Hitter of the Day – DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (St. Paul) - 2-4, R, HR(4), 2 RBI, K PROSPECT SUMMARY #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 1-3, R, BB, K #7 – Austin Martin (St. Paul) – 1-2, 2 R, 3 BB #9 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 3.1 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 0-3, BB #11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 2-4, R, 3 RBI, HR(1) #12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, BB #15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4 #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-4, 2 K #17 – Matt Canterino (IL) – Shoulder injury #18 – Connor Prielipp (IL) – UCL Surgery #19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, R, HR(3), RBI, K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Louisville (6:37 PM CST) – RHP Louie Varland (0-0, 1.80 ERA) Wichita @ NW Arkansas (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Marco Raya (0-0, 2.38 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs Peoria (6:35 PM CST) – RHP Zebby Matthews (3-0, 2.30 ERA) Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 PM CST) – RHP Paulshawn Pasqualotto (0-1, 3.00 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! 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But a .691 OPS is.

It's been great to see Kepler producing (even if against bad teams) since coming back from the IL. He was off to such a horrid start, you so badly want to just see it be a byproduct of injury.

He's been incredible. The sample size was cause for pause.

Bailey Ober was on the mound and the Twins were on the rampage. On a day made a bit less giddy by the disruption of service for many would-be TV viewers and by an injury to Byron Buxton, the team kept the good vibes going, anyway. The sausage streak is now at 10. Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Bailey Ober 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (82 pitches, 58 strikes 7 whiffs) Home Runs: Alex Kirilloff (2) Top 3 WPA: Willi Castro (.326), José Miranda (.157), Max Kepler (.156) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) White Sox Make Noise First The Minnesota Twins stepped up to the plate first as the away team, but their bats didn’t make any noise during the first inning. Instead, former Minnesota backstop Drew Butera (now a coach for the White Sox) got the heave-ho from home plate umpire James Hoye. There wasn’t much to complain about in an otherwise uneventful half-inning, but Butera found a way to get into the box score. During the bottom half, with the Twins sending Bailey Ober to the bump, it was another former Minnesota player, Robbie Grossman, starting the game with a leadoff double. Tommy Pham, making another start for his new team, followed with a double of his own to put Chicago on the board. After Ober got Gavin Sheets on a groundout, Andrew Vaughn singled home Pham, making it a 2-0 game with just one out recorded. Edouard Julien made a nice defensive play to kick off an inning-ending double play, but the Twins had work to do early. Byron Buxton, Hurt, Again This season the Twins have benefitted by having their star center fielder play in 28 of their first 30 games. He has routinely been available in the outfield, and while his process has been a bit amiss at the plate, he has found a way to make a significant contribution in the form of an early 0.6 fWAR. After singling off Chris Flexen, a pitcher whom he has owned for some time, Buxton made two steal attempts with Trevor Larnach at the plate. On a third, following a strikeout of the batter, Buxton pulled up going to second and was thrown out by multiple feet. He gingerly walked off the field and was met by head trainer Nick Paparesta. Starting the bottom of the 2nd inning, José Miranda came in at the hot corner, with Willi Castro replacing the center fielder. If there was any hope that it was a soft tissue injury or something less ominous, that was dashed when the Twins announced Buxton left the game with right knee soreness. That's the same knee on which he had what was deemed a successful surgery to alleviate pain this offseason. Ober turned the corner in the second inning by sandwiching strikeouts of Danny Mendick and Paul DeJong around an exceptional diving stop and throw from Miranda. Having just entered the game, the ball quickly found Miranda, whose role only seems to be growing. Although the Twins needed to challenge the call, his defensive highlight was rewarded with a correct out call. Twins Daily's winning "Make It Official!" game recaps are sponsored by Official Fried Chicken, which you can find in center field of Target Field. With a name like "Official," we know we have to be the best in the game every day, and from your first bite, you'll know that's a promise we make good on. Twins Break Through Needing some good vibes to get his team going, Castro led off against Flexen with a triple--his second of the year, and second in as many games, Minnesota had their first run just 90 feet away. A Christian Vazquez ground out brought him in and halved the White Sox lead at 2-1. Unfortunately for Minnesota, their run was immediately met by a response from Pham. His second hit of the day left the yard, and the solo shot made it a 3-1 lead. He has hit the ball hard against the Twins since stepping into this series and quickly has emerged as the lone Chicago hitter to fear throughout their lineup. After a diving catch in the field to rob Mendick of a base hit and end the 4th inning, Alex Kirilloff came up in the 5th inning with his sights set on drawing closer. He was among Rocco Baldelli's best hitters during April, and on May Day, sent a bomb over the left field fence to bring the Twins back within one. Always An Answer Chicago got ahead early, but the Twins and White Sox continued to respond to one another throughout the matinee affair. After Kirilloff's home run brought Minnesota back within one, it was Chicago's turn to provide distance again. After DeJong reached on an infield single to Carlos Correa, Grossman recorded his second double of the game and brought the run home. Pedro Grifol's club had again extended their lead, 4-2, and he turned the ball over to reliever Steven Wilson for the 6th inning. Wilson quickly got Correa on a groundout, and then walked Kepler. Miranda lined a ball to left field for an out, but then Wilson walked Larnach and Carlos Santana to load the bases with two outs. Dominic Leone got hot in a hurry for Chicago, and it was his presence being summoned to face Castro and avoid major damage. He proceeded to throw three straight balls to Castro before flipping over a middle-middle fastball. Rolling over a changeup to shortstop DeJong, the White Sox infielder booted it allowing both Kepler and Larnach to score and tie the game. Once again, Minnesota had new life. At just over 70 pitches entering the bottom of the 6th inning, Ober was back out for another frame. He got the White Sox in order and gave Baldelli a quick inning in the process. Kepler Comes Up Clutch Having driven in the go-ahead runs each of the past two games, Kepler stepped in with an opportunity to do it again. Following a few more Leone walks, Minnesota had Kirilloff at second base with Correa at first. Facing Tim Hill, who he doubled off of last week, Kepler singled to right field and brought home Kirilloff to grab the Twins first lead. Miranda, who came on early after the Buxton injury, picked up his second base hit of the ballgame with Correa scoring a run to make it 6-4. Brock Stewart came on in relief for Ober, and for a guy who hasn't given up a run in eons, it was a shock to see White Sox catcher Korey Lee take him deep. It was a wind-aided home run, but it brought Chicago back within one at 6-5. He bounced back and closed out the 7th inning before turning the ball over to Griffin Jax in the 8th inning. Before the Twins took the field again, Castro grabbed his second extra-base hit of the game, this time a double, but he was called out trying to swipe third. Unlikely that Jhoan Duran would be available for a 9th inning save having not worked in back-to-back games yet this year, Minnesota made sure to take some pressure off the bullpen. Facing a menagerie of Chicago relievers, Miranda doubled home Kyle Farmer to make it a 7-5 game before Ryan Jeffers followed with a double to score Correa and Miranda. Not to leave Jeffers standing on the pond, Castro brought him home with a single and his third hit of the game. The Twins scored six runs today after the start of the 7th inning, and that pushed their season total in that spot to a big league-best 1st place. Steven Okert was given a five-run cushion to work with in the 9th inning and secure the victory. He made quick work of the Pale Hose 5-6-7 hitters and wrapped up a 10th straight for the Twins. Minnesota drew eight walks on the day, and while they didn't get to Flexen early, the bats came alive late. Notes Wednesday it happened. Comcast pulled the plug on Bally Sports which prompted a message for the vast majority of Twins cable consumers. This also impacts something like 15 other teams, and is an absolute mess for the sport. Needing innings with a taxed bullpen and a handful of games in a row to their credit, Minnesota swapped in Caleb Boushley for Kody Funderburk. He wasn’t on the 40-man, but a spot was open following Matt Bowman’s DFA on Tuesday. Having pitched in one game for the Brewers last year, he has just 2 1/3 innings of big-league experience. At Triple-A for the Saints this season though, he owns a 30/4 K/BB. What’s Next? A much-deserved off day is on tap as the Twins return home for a weekend series with the Boston Red Sox. The probable pitchers for Minnesota are Chris Paddack, Pablo Lopez, and Joe Ryan. Boston has yet to set their starter for the three-game set. The big question will be what happens with Buxton, and if he’ll need a stint on the injured list. Assuming that’s the case, no move would need to be announced until the Twins return to action on Friday. However, Austin Martin being held out of Saints action Wednesday and Thursday would give an early indication. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Also, I'm not sure how a guy with multiple 4.0+ fWAR seasons, and his trajectories minus the injuries, constitutes being overhyped. With his defense, an .800 OPS or so makes him a perennial MVP candidate. This just isn't the way to sustain his offensive production.

This was the exact response to be expected. The problem is how he's getting there is not sustainable. His counting stats are fine, the stuff under the hood is beyond ugly. He's struggling with the fastball, but pitch recognition largely looks like a guessing game until he eventually runs into something. He's toting a .400 BABIP in that stretch, which is enough to make Danny Santana blush. It's an approach that he turned towards a few years ago, but the more extreme it gets, the greater the peaks and valleys.

The Twins experienced both ends of the pendulum this month in that they got off to an ugly start, and then ripped off a winning streak complete with a sausage party. The offense coming alive was a big part of the turnaround. Who was the Twins hitter of the month for April though? Rocco Baldelli was going to have a different look for his team this season after starting pitching departures in the form of Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda. While the bullpen has withstood injuries to start out as one of the best in baseball, the lineup needed to carry the load. It took a bit, but a few guys helped to stir the drink. Honorable Mention #2: Trevor Larnach 10 G .394/.447/.636 (1.083) 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI A former first round pick for the Twins, Larnach was optioned before spring training even concluded, and he was left off the roster in favor of 2023 rookie Matt Wallner. Despite the Forest Lake native struggling through Grapefruit League action, he showed signs of life late that earned him the trip north. When it was determined Wallner needed a reset at Triple-A, Larnach went from a short rehab assignment with Low-A Fort Myers right to the big leagues. His shortcomings have been well-documented previously, and there were some things that the Twins needed to see him do. Beyond staying healthy, a focus on loud contact and driving the baseball were a must. His sample size isn’t large enough to contend with the top spot this month, but this sort of a start to the season is something that could keep him among the better hitters in the lineup this year. Honorable Mention #1: Carlos Correa 13 G .267/.377/.378 (.755), 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI After dealing with plantar fasciitis for the duration of last season, it wasn’t going to be a shock if Correa came out strong when 2024 kicked off for real. Despite the lineup slumping as a whole out of the gate, it was the All-Star shortstop that was keeping the group afloat. Losing his left-side partner in Royce Lewis before a full game had been completed was a blow, but he stayed consistent. Quite the opposite of Larnach, Correa missed 16 games during the middle of the month after an intercostal injury kept him on the shelf. Returning for the final two games of the month against the Chicago White Sox, Correa appears to again be all systems go and will remain a key cog in a lineup that needs his production. Getting back to the 138 OPS+ he put up during 2022 with Minnesota would be a welcomed reality. Fourth Place: Jose Miranda 17 G .280/.308/.480 (.788), 4 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI Another player that didn’t make the Twins roster out of spring training, and one that was passed over at the first opportunity in favor of Austin Martin, Miranda kept working. When Correa went down and the Twins needed another infielder, it was Miranda that stepped up. Clear of a shoulder injury that plagued him all of 2023, and settling back in after offseason surgery, Miranda has shown flashes of the player that excited during his rookie campaign. Blasting 15 home runs in 125 contests, Miranda’s .280 average, .788 OPS, and 125 OPS+ are all better than they were during his debut season. With Martin optioned after Correa’s return, and Willi Castro set to play plenty of outfield, there’s a chance for Miranda to earn some serious favor by keeping up his hot start. Third Place: Alex Kirilloff 26 G .256/315/.439 (.754), 6 2B, 3 3B, HR, 9 RBI Similarly to Byron Buxton and Larnach, Minnesota’s 2016 first round pick has been a mainstay on the injured list. Plagued by wrist issues that have sapped his effectiveness in both the field and at the plate, there hasn’t ever been a long period of time in which we’ve seen it all come together. Not known as a speed guy, Kirilloff has recorded a career-high three triples in the first month of the season. He’s also picked up six doubles and done well to command the strike zone. While power potential plays into his game, he should be capable of being a solid average hitter and he has shown that as well. Baldelli has been able to play Kirilloff plenty in the corner outfield spots, and with such a talented glove in the form of Carlos Santana capable at first base, the limitations have hardly been highlighted there. Second Place: Edouard Julien 29 G .223/.330/.500 (.830) 5 2B, 7 HR, 12 RBI Bursting onto the scene after being a late-round pick, Julien has all but picked up where he left off during his rookie campaign. There may be some concerns are to whether or not he’s selling out too much for power, but right now the total package appears to be working. Having already taken steps forward defensively last season, the second base position has seen a sizable uptick in reliability over the days of Luis Arraez. Commanding the strike zone and being able to take walks as he has, Julien gives Minnesota a total package type of player. Through the first month of the season Julien has already racked up seven home runs and five doubles all while drawing a team-high 13 walks. Hitter of the Month: Ryan Jeffers 26 G .295/.390/.545 (.935), 7 2B, 5 HR, 17 RBI When the Twins moved on from Mitch Garver it was in large part because they believed Jeffers was capable of stepping up. They have been rigid in how often he plays behind the plate, and before Christian Vazquez’s bat showed signs of life, that may have been costing them. Even when he doesn’t have the gear on though, his bat has been in the lineup and he has seen action in 26 of 29 games thus far. Leading the team with 17 RBI, Jeffers also has career-best totals littered throughout his slash line. His five home runs put him on pace to easily surpass the 14 he launched last season for the Twins, and despite it applying for most players in the lineup, Baldelli has opted against sitting him in platoon situations. Jeffers is quickly emerging as one of the best offensive catchers in the league, and for a guy that was replacing a player like Garver with similar qualities, it’s hard not to be excited about that reality. Who do you think was the best hitter for the Minnesota Twins in April? Leave a comment below and start the conversation. View full article

Season ticket holders also get MLB.tv for free. Of course they can't use it to watch the team they have season tickets for though...

For much of this season--and even much of this April-salvaging winning streak--the Minnesota Twins have had to make do without several of their best and most noteworthy players. Two of them are back, though, and they made their presence felt late in the team's ninth straight sausage fest. Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Simeon Woods Richardson Home Runs: N/A Top 3 WPA: Manuel Margot 0.217, Jhoan Durán .206, Trevor Larnach 0.194 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) SWR Shows Resolve The Twins found themselves in a similar spot to what they experienced earlier this month when they faced a Detroit Tigers team seven times in 10 days. It’s always difficult for the pitcher to show different stuff, and you hope to keep a familiar lineup at bay. After giving up a pair of shift-beating singles to start the second inning, Rocco Baldelli’s starter buckled down. Winning a battle of an at-bat against Andrew Benintendi, Simeon Woods Richardson then punched out Danny Mendick before getting Paul DeJong to end the inning. The home side broke through in the third inning, when Tommy Pham doubled over Willi Castro’s head, and Martín Maldonado sprinted toward home. Chicago apparently forgot that Carlos Correa was activated yesterday, and was taking the relay throw at shortstop. His cannon of an arm cut down the run at the plate. Pham would score on an Eloy Jiménez single, but Woods Richardson limited the damage. Nitpicking Comes Next As mentioned, it is tough for veteran starters to see the same lineup twice in a row. When an untested rookie is making his first consecutive set of starts in his career, the familiarity effect can be overwhelming. Woods Richardson got ahead of Chicago batters all night, throwing 13 first-pitch strikes to 17 he had seen through 3 2/3 innings. Needing an out to wrap up the 4th inning, the Minnesota pitcher nibbled at Maldonado and then inexplicably walked Nicky Lopez on four straight pitches. With the bases loaded and right-handed batter Pham stepping in, Baldelli made the curious decision to go with lefty Kody Funderburk. Pham lined a ball right to Carlos Santana’s glove, but he dropped it allowing DeJong to score. The Twins got out of the inning on the next at-bat, down 2-0, but that was a sequence of events that certainly could loom large. The play was changed to an error in the 6th inning Twins Daily's winning "Make It Official!" game recaps are sponsored by Official Fried Chicken, which you can find in center field of Target Field. With a name like "Official," we know we have to be the best in the game every day, and from your first bite, you'll know that's a promise we make good on. An Answer for Pham Looking to respond in the top of the 5th inning, Trevor Larnach stepped in and immediately ripped a single through the right side of the infield. Standing on first with Castro stepping in, the Twins center fielder found his counterpart with a tailing ball in the gap. Pham left his feet and couldn’t come up with it. Castro brought in the run and stood on third with a triple. Kyle Farmer, the original owner of the meat confection, then roped a double just inside the left field line to score Castro and knot the game at two. After seeing White Sox pitcher Michael Soroka blank them for five innings last week before breaking through, the good guys chased him a frame earlier this time around. Sitting to start the game with the lefties dominating the lineup, Byron Buxton took over for Alex Kirilloff in the 5th inning. The talented center fielder popped up weekly to the infield on a 1-1 pitch, and it’s been his struggles at the plate that have kept him out of the lineup on a daily basis more than anything. Birthday boy Edouard Julien hit for himself against lefty Tanner Banks, but he couldn’t cash Farmer in from second and dropped to 0-for-3 on the night. Minnesota Responds, Yet Again Funderburk couldn’t limit the damage when coming back out for a full inning, and with two outs, he was taken to left-center field for a two-run blast by Danny Mendick. Down 4-2, Minnesota needed another response to tie things at four. Jeffers, who has been the Twins' best hitter to start the season, ripped a double in the gap to start the top of the 6th inning. He was quickly followed by a Max Kepler single, and Minnesota had runners on the corners with no one out. Correa’s struggles to settle back in quickly set him down on strikes. On a 3-2 pitch Larnach struck out, but Kepler was looking to swipe a base, and Maldonado throwing through to second allowed Jeffers to steal home. Santana needed a base hit to bring home the tying run, and he almost came through. Lopez booted the ball at second and would’ve given Minnesota runners on the corners, but Kepler rounded third too far and was tagged out after a brief rundown. Heading to the bottom of the 6th inning, it was a 4-3 lead for Chicago. Minnesota got a man on in the 7th inning when Buxton was hit by a Steven Wilson pitch. That ensured he wouldn’t homer off of him again, as he did last week. Looking to steal a base with Julien in the box, he took off and was nabbed on a near-pitch out by Maldonado. The caught stealing was his first since August 31, 2021, ending a stretch of 20 consecutive stolen bases. C4 Comes Through Facing Jordan Leasure for another time this season, Jeffers stepped in with a single out and looked to pick Julien up from his birthday 0-fer. Drawing a walk, Manuel Margot came on to run at first base and provide a bit extra speed. After a Kepler groundout advanced the pinch runner, Minnesota needed to cash in. Correa had seen plenty of runners on base through his three at-bats and ripped a single to left field that scored Margot on a weak Andrew Benintendi throw. As he has done multiple times over the games they have faced off this season, Larnach stepped in looking to wield a hot bat. A single would score Correa from second base, and the 95.7 mph base knock did the job. For the first time in the evening, in the top of the 8th inning, the Twins had a lead. Santana took a hit by pitch before former Twins prospect Prelander Berroa came on and hit Castro. With the bags juiced, Farmer's groundout to third ended the inning. Cole Sands Setup Man With Griffin Jax likely down for the day after pitching two games in a row, it was Cole Sands on for the 8th inning. It’s a spot he hasn’t been in and one that he’s only begun to earn the trust for with a strong start in 2024. After getting strikes on Benintendi, the White Sox outfielder took him deep to tie things up, and Mendick doubled to continue the threat. Striking out Robbie Grossman with 96 mph heat, it was Caleb Thielbar who came in with Korey Lee pinch-hitting for the White Sox. After ending the game last night on a strikeout of Lee, Thielbar got a weak infield popup to record the inning’s second out. Lopez lined a ball back up the middle, but it was Correa and his arm ready to throw him out. Although the Twins lead was gone, they kept things tied and the sides were headed to the 9th inning. Facing the Fireballer The White Sox don’t employ many good pitchers, but Michael Kopech in the closer role is among them. Coming in looking to keep things even, he saw Buxton in the first at-bat. Looking to throw a 200 mph pitch for strike three in a full count, Kopech never made it competitive and Buxton took his base on the wild pitch. Margot shot a ball through the opposite side, moving the speedster to third before stealing second base. After following Buxton’s lead last night was followed by Kepler, and the pair did it again tonight. The right fielder lifted a sac fly to center field and Minnesota led again, this time 6-5. Making his first appearance of the season for Minnesota, Jhoan Duran was set to face the heart of the order. Pham had his doors blown off by a fastball before adjusting and singling back up the middle to provide a leadoff baserunner. Jimenez then grounded into what was almost a double play ball before Gavin Sheets suffered the same fate. With Andrew Vaughn down to his final strike, Duran racked up his first strikeout of the season and the Twins had secured their ninth victory in a row. Notes Josh Winder, who began the year on the 60-day injured list, is working his way back for the Twins. He started on Tuesday night for Fort Myers as part of a rehab assignment. Working 1 2/3 innings, he gave up a pair of runs on four hits with four strikeouts. In activating Jhoan Duran from the injured list, the Twins designated Matt Bowman for assignment. He will likely be lost on waivers, but can also reject an assignment to Triple-A and choose free agency. After how he pitched for Minnesota he seems likely to find a job elsewhere. Pitching prospect David Festra struck out 10 for the Saints on Tuesday afternoon across five innings. Notably, he threw 80 pitches. While the build-up has been limited, that is the most pitches he has thrown in an outing this year. With Louie Varland back at Triple-A, and Simeon Woods Richardson occupying the fifth rotation spot, he seems likely to be the next man up. Substantially problematic for local viewers using Comcast to watch Twins games, it was reported midgame that the ability to do so will potentially cease to exist. What’s Next? Wednesday’s matinee will complete the three-game series with the White Sox, and by the time that game is over, Minnesota will have played Chicago for seven of their 13 total matchups this season. The teams won’t see each other again until early July. The final game of the series features Bailey Ober going against Chris Flexen for the Pale Hose. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

That bender is so nasty though when paired with the fastball. His curveball and sweeper play off of each other extremely well.

One of the best success stories in recent memory for the Minnesota Twins has been the emergence of Caleb Thielbar as a truly dominant leverage arm. While he got off to a late start, and has seen mixed results this season, he’s also working with a streamlined arsenal. Image courtesy of © Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports For the past handful of seasons, Caleb Thielbar has been one of Rocco Baldelli’s most trusted relief arms. He’s long past being considered just a LOOGY, and he has shown an ability to overpower any type of hitter, despite being a remade product past its original sell-by date. After throwing nearly 60 innings in both 2021 and 2022, Thielbar spent time on the injured list in 2023 and was able to compile just 30 2/3 innings. His 3.23 ERA was more of the same strong production the Twins had come to know from him, but the 4.46 FIP suggested some tweaks may be necessary to help him stay competitive this season. Giving up three runs on three hits during his first outing of the season and only recording a single out set him up for ugly numbers. He has since settled in, though. His strikeout numbers are down, but he hopes to keep his manager's trust level up with a pared-down arsenal. Thielbar was a four-pitch pitcher in 2023, with a four-seamer, a curveball, a slider and a sweeper. So far this season, it’s just the fastball, curve, and sweeper. There are two rationales in mind when a pitcher makes this kind of adjustment. With the movement he gets on his other three pitches, Thielbar didn't especially need the slider, and eliminating it might help him better command (especially) the sweeper. Beyond that, there’s less for Thielbar to hone in between appearances, and for a guy who has dealt with soft-tissue maladies recently, he can prioritize health. Obviously, the surface numbers are what they are, but Thielbar is inducing a substantially lower hard-hit rate than last season, and his fly ball rate is roughly 10% north of his career average. He’s allowing quite a bit more contact early on, but after that ugly start, he's come up with a key hold and two saves during the team's eight-game winning streak. Thielbar's fastball is right in line with his velocity jump of the past two seasons, and he’s holding onto the movement profiles of his remaining breaking balls. Rather than continue to keep a complicated arsenal, it appears a decision to simplify things and further hone the three best offerings could pay some dividends this year. For the first time this season, the Twins are about to have their ideal bullpen makeup. With Thielbar having recently returned from the injured list, and the pairing of Jhoan Durán and Justin Topa joining the group, a suddenly promising corps can get even better. It was fairly suggested the group may compete to be among the best bullpens in baseball this year, and they've managed to live up to that billing, even without some of their horses. The continued presence of Griffin Jax and Brock Stewart allows Baldelli flexibility to mix and match late innings. Thielbar can continue to be utilized in key spots, even if he isn’t always throwing in the 7th or 8th innings. Remaining healthy this season as a 37-year-old is imperative, and the Twins continuing to find ways to keep him that way is a must. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have been ripping off wins at a breakneck pace to get their start of the season turned around, and Byron Buxton has remained on the field for the vast majority of their games. Despite an uptick in production of late, does what seems like a failing process have greater concerns as the year goes on? A season ago the Twins were forced to play Byron Buxton only in the designated hitter role as his body continued to fail him and a nagging knee injury wasn’t going to let him play the field. That only worked for a period of time before it was determined his offensive production wasn’t suited for a lineup-only role. As Buxton got off to a strikeout stretch last season I wondered if he had sold out for too much Miguel Sano-like tendencies in the process. Less of the doubles hitter he was earlier in his career, Buxton adopted a career-high 58.2% pull rate in 2022. That resulted in a swing from 30 doubles in 2019, and 23 in 2021, to a career-best 28 home runs to propel him towards a first time All-Star Game appearance. It’s not necessarily fair to create substantive opinions based on 2023 after it was revealed the level of pain Rocco Baldelli’s center fielder was playing through. Now healthy though, Buxton has played in 26 of Minnesota’s first 28 games with 18 starts coming in the outfield. It is also fair to note that Buxton is now 30 years old, with additional mileage on his lower half due to the myriad of injuries he has suffered. So, what’s going wrong? A very notable piece of the problem is an inability to catch up with the fastball. Having seen very little live action since shutting things down last August, there was always going to be a level of rust. Pitchers are throwing harder than ever, and as Nick Nelson pointed out a couple of weeks ago, Buxton is doing nothing with a pitch he used to feast on. Getting behind on the fastball is something that compounds everything else, and that’s where the picture gets murkier. Buxton has never seen less fastballs at any point in his career. Getting them just 46% of the time, pitchers know that when he’s going well he will do damage there. They are combatting his tendencies and lack of plate discipline with the highest amount of sliders and changeups he has ever seen. The lack of discipline has played out to the tune of a 37.1% chase rate, something he hasn’t touched since 2019. The whiff rate at 19.8% is causing a 33% strikeout rate, and combining with the third-worst walk rate among qualified hitters is an issue. For Buxton to be productive with this process, he has to hit for power. He changed that aspect of his game a few years ago, and he’s not enough of an on-base threat to make anything else work. His 110.5 mph max exit velocity is down 6 mph from where it was last season and his 90.0 mph average exit velocity is diminished as well. When he is making contact, it’s not hard enough to do anything productive and it took him 21 games to crush his first home run. There are very few players that can strike out at a rate as gaudy as Buxton does, while having the rest of the pieces work. A 32/2 K/BB isn’t going to get it done even with a boatload of home runs, and doing it with only a few extra-base hits sprinkled in makes things complicated. Signs of life are improving as the Twins center fielder owned an .849 OPS over his last 13 contests coming into Tuesday night’s game against the White Sox, but with a 14/1 K/BB in that same stretch, the needle is still being threaded entirely too thin. For a guy who talked about his health this spring, and has backed it up, his process doesn't currently play into his strengths. While he's not the slap hitter the Twins initially groomed his as, any desire he had to steal bases (let alone 30) is entirely rooted in getting on base. He doesn't hit a ton of singles, and there's often little benefit in him grabbing the 90 feet between second and third. If he's going to start swiping second and utilizing his 29.3 feet per second (97th percentile) sprint speed, then walking to first every once in a while would be a good idea. It’s great to see Buxton back in full capacity, but either there’s a significant amount of rust or some tweaks still keeping him from being the player that the Twins need in the lineup on a nightly basis. View full article

Both the St. Paul Saints and the Cedar Rapids Kernels saw significant amounts of weather and limited amounts of action this week. The Kernels paced the organization, as the only affiliate to post a winning record. Image courtesy of © Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK Big-league pitchers Jhoan Durán and Justin Topa kicked off rehab assignments with the Triple-A club, while prospect Aaron Sabato started a rehab assignment with Low-A Fort Myers. Despite a lack of wins, there were some strong pitching performances throughout the system this week. Both the hitter and pitcher of the week come from the two lowest rungs of the system, and each player showed out with some impressive production. WEEK IN REVIEW Triple-A: St. Paul Saints Overall: 10-15 (2-3 last week), 10th place in the IL West Overview: Rainouts were the theme of the weak. With two games postponed (and one not made up), it was touch-and-go every day for St. Paul. Both Durán and Topa pitched in rehab action. 🔥Will Holland stayed hot, playing in three of the five games, and going 3-for-6 with a double, triple, and four walks. 🔥Caleb Boushley made another strong start, working six scoreless innings. He worked around six hits and posted a 4/0 K/BB. 😏David Festa made the shortest start of all Saints pitchers this week, going just 3 1/3 innings, but his five strikeouts were a team-high total. 😏DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Anthony Prato both played in all five games this week and went an equal 7-for-18. 🥶Matt Wallner’s cold streak has continued; he went 4-for-18 with a 5/2 K/BB 🥶Joe Gunkel’s 4 1/3 innings were rough, to the tune of seven runs on nine hits. What’s Next: Louisville heads to town for a second straight home series. The Bats are currently fifth in the International League West. Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge Overall: 7-14 (3-3 last week), 5th place in the Texas League North Overview: Grabbing their first road win of the season, the Wind Surge ripped off three in a row from Thursday through Saturday. 🔥Carson McCusker played in five of the six contests this week and went 8-for-22. He had a double and three RBIs as well. 🔥Andrew Cossetti appeared in all six games this week for Wichita, and his four RBIs paced the team. 😏Jarret Whorff went just 3 2/3 innings, but gave up only a single run and posted a 5/0 K/BB. 😏Aaron Rozek worked two games in relief, totaling eight innings of work in which he gave up only a single run. 🥶Ben Ross played in all six games for Wichita but went just 2-for-18 with seven strikeouts. What’s Next: A second straight road series looms, this time with NW Arkansas. The Naturals are just ahead of Wichita in the Texas League North at 9-11. High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Overall: 10-10 (4-2 last week), 4th place in the Midwest League West Overview: Playing Beloit with a couple of makeup games sprinkled in, the Kernels got a six-game week in despite having both Friday and Sunday’s games rained out. 🔥Gabriel González was on fire this, going 7-for-22. He cracked off four doubles, a triple, and a home run, with 6 RBIs. 🔥Rubel Céspedes had another strong week, going 6-for-16 with a pair of doubles and a home run. 🔥Andrew Morris got back on track with a six-inning scoreless start and a 5/1 K/BB 🔥John Klein and Zebby Matthews both made strong starts, allowing just a single run each across 5 and 5 2/3 innings, respectively. Klein struck out six, with Matthews adding seven. 😏Luke Keaschall didn’t hit as well this week, but posted a strong .391 OBP and a team-high three stolen bases. 🥶Danny De Andrade went just 2-for-15 this week with no extra base hits and five strikeouts. 🥶Jacob Wosinski gave up seven runs (six earned) across just 2 2/3 innings of relief work this week. What’s Next: Another home series is on deck, with Peoria coming to Cedar Rapids. They trail the Kernels in the standings at 7-14 for fifth in the Midwest League West. Low-A: Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Overall: 8-13 (2-4 last week), 4th place in Florida State League West Overview: Continuing the theme of the past two weeks, Fort Myers recorded their third straight 2-4 week at home against Palm Beach. 🔥Jose Rodriguez was 7-for-23, with three doubles and a home run. His eight RBIs and 13 total bases were tops on the team. 🔥Ross Dunn was lights out in his start, going five scoreless innings allowing just two hits and a walk. He struck out eight. 😏Brandon Winokur was a solid 6-for-20 with a pair of doubles and stolen bases. 😏Ty Langenberg worked 5 1/3 innings during his start in which he allowed just a single run on six hits and a walk while striking out six. 🥶Omari Daniel scuffled, to the tune of a 2-for-17 week with a 10/0 K/BB 🥶Cole Elvis was hitless in four games going 0-for-10 with an 8/1 K/BB What’s Next: Fort Myers goes on the road to Bradenton and will match up with a 4-17 squad that is sixth in the Florida State League West PROSPECT SUMMARY #1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – Hamstring strain #2 – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) – Herniated disc #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 2-6, 2B, BB, K, SB #4 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 7-19, 4 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K #5 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K #6 – David Festa (St. Paul) – 3.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K #7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 3-21, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K, 2 SB #8 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – Build up #9 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 6-20, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 7 K, 2 SB #11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 5-23, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 9 K, 2 SB #12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 4-18, 2B, 3 BB, 4 K, 3 SB #13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 5-24, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 8 K #14 – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) – 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K #15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 2-15, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 SB #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 3-15, HR, RBI, 2 BB, 5 K #17 – Matt Canterino (IL) – Shoulder injury #18 – Connor Prielipp (IL) – UCL Surgery #19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 4-14, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 4 K #20 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Minnesota) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Week - Gabriel González (Cedar Rapids) - 7-19, 4 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Pitcher of the Week - Ross Dunn (Fort Myers) - 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K View full article

They aren't. Apparently the plan is to keep all top prospects below 60 pitches or so until they start to actually build up. See Festa. Even less for a guy that has had an injury history or gotten off behind. Changing of the times.

With a pair of affiliates rained out on Friday night, it was just Wichita and Fort Myers in action. Both had a top Twins pitching prospect on the bump, and they were expected to provide the highlights for the night. Image courtesy of William Parmeter TRANSACTIONS RHP Sheldon Reed transferred to Cedar Rapids from Wichita RHP Mike Paredes has been reinstated from the IL by Wichita RHP Nick Wittgren signed as an MiLB free agent and was assigned to Wichita SAINTS SENTINEL With thunderstorms expected in the area, St. Paul and Rochester postponed Friday’s action. The teams will play a Saturday doubleheader kicking off at 1:07pm. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 7, San Antonio 1 Box Score Marco Raya was on the bump for Wichita, and 44 pitches were deemed his max after just 2 1/3 innings. Giving up a single run on one hit, he walked three while also striking out three. Seeking their second consecutive road victory, Wichita jumped out to an early lead with a two-run first inning. Noah Cardenas singled home Tanner Schobel before Carson McCusker singled in Cardenas. After giving a run back in the second inning, Wichita created some distance in the 3rd inning. Andrew Cossetti singled to drive home Schobel for his second run of the evening and a Jake Rucker double brought Cossetti and Kala’i Rosario home. In the fourth inning it was Rosario driving home Cardenas with a single to make it a 6-1 game. Continuing to add, Kyler Fedko recorded his first double of the season in the fifth inning, and Ben Ross was able to cross the plate in the process. Up 7-1, Wichita was in a good spot. Heading to the bottom of the ninth inning, the Wind Surge were still hanging onto their 7-1 lead, and in position to claim their second consecutive road victory. Wichita pitchers had allowed just three hits to San Antonio on the night. Despite allowing a couple of runners to reach, the Wind Surge slammed the door and grabbed the victory. Cardenas, Cossetti, and McCusker each had a pair of hits for Wichita. Rucker and Fedko were the only players to record extra-base hits with each grabbing a double. KERNELS NUGGETS Beloit and Cedar Rapids were postponed on Friday due to rain. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12:05pm. MUSSEL MATTERS Palm Beach 5, Fort Myers 3 Box Score Charlee Soto got the start Friday night for the Mighty Mussels and worked three innings. He allowed two runs, neither earned, on five hits. Soto didn’t walk anyone and struck out three. Working the slow buildup that Minnesota keeps their top pitching prospects on, he threw 49 pitches, of which 33 were strikes. After giving up a pair of runs in the 1st inning, and two more in the sixth inning, Fort Myers found themselves down late. The Mighty Mussels cracked the scoreboard for the first time in the eighth inning when Poncho Ruiz drove in Isaac Pena on a groundout. Palm Beach got the run back in the ninth inning, but Fort Myers attempted to make things interesting in the bottom half. Jose Rodriguez cracked his sixth double to score Brandon Winokur and Rafael Cruz singled home Rodriguez. The 5-3 tally was as close as it got though and Fort Myers fell short. Rodriguez was the only Fort Myers hitter with a pair of hits on the night, and the lineup posted an ugly 15/1 K/BB. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K Hitter of the Day – Andrew Cossetti (Wichita) - 2-4, R, RBI, BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY #5 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3K #7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 0-3, BB, K #9 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 1-4, R, 2 K #11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K #13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 1-4, R, RBI, BB SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Rochester (DH at 1:07 PM CST) – RHP Louie Varland (0-0, -.-- ERA), RHP Randy Dobnak (1-3, 5.23 ERA) Wichita @ San Antonio (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Jaylen Nowlin (1-1, 4.50 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs Beloit (DH at 12:05 PM CST) – RHP Darren Bowen (0-2, 8.59 ERA), RHP C.J. Culpepper (0-0, 3.68 ERA). Fort Myers vs Palm Beach (5:05 PM CST) – RHP Paulshawn Pasqualotto (0-1, 2.57 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Saturday’s games! View full article