Ted Schwerzler

The Minnesota Twins saw a handful of their minor league talent go through promotions due to strong performances in July. With multiple arms vying for the top spot, who took home Starting Pitcher of the Month honors for July? Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge Starting pitching has been something that the Minnesota Twins have keyed in on all season. When Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda sought new homes and went unreplaced, internal talent became that much more imperative. Simeon Woods Richardson and David Festa have both eaten innings after starting on the farm. There’s a possibility they may not be the only ones. For the month of July, there were quite a few players that took their turns in the rotation and dominated. Let’s get into them: #7 Randy Dobnak (St. Paul) - 5 G, 2.39 ERA, 26.1 IP, 1.41 WHIP, .272 BAA, 22/9 K/BB The culmination of years of hard work came together when Dobnak earned himself a promotion back to the big leagues. Dobnak took the ball in relief against the New York Mets, and he ended a stretch of more than 1,000 days in between appearances for the Twins. He has been among the best and most consistent starters for the Saints over the past handful of months. #6 Adam Plutko (St. Paul) - 4 G, 2.82 ERA, 22.1 IP, 0.85 WHIP, .190 BAA, 20/4 K/BB Plutko pitched in Korea the past two seasons and was dominant. The former Cleveland Guardians staple is looking to work back to the big leagues, and he has been putting his best foot forward in St. Paul. Plutko posted nearly a strikeout per inning in July, and he showed excellent command as well. #5 Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) - 3 G, 2.77 ERA, 13.0 IP, 0.92 WHIP, .191 BAA, 16/3 K/BB The fastball was what drew the Twins in on Soto, but pitching is always a developmental process for prep arms. July saw Soto put things together at a level he has yet to reach. The dominance from a strikeout-to-walk perspective was there, and Soto showed an ability to work around opposing hitters. This could certainly be a launching point for his career. #4 Louie Varland (St. Paul) - 4 G, 19.1 IP, 2.33 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, .174 BAA, 20/11 K/BB Varland started the year in Rocco Baldelli’s rotation. He struggled out of the gate and found himself pitching in St. Paul. After a slow start at Triple-A, Varland has turned things around and was even recalled for a spot start. He could be another depth option down the stretch, or a shift back to the bullpen for the postseason would work as well. #3 Christian MacLeod (Cedar Rapids) - 3 G, 2.12 ERA, 17.0 IP, 1.00 WHIP, .197 BAA, 22/4 K/BB One of the few lefty starters across the Twins system, MacLeod had an impressive month for the Kernels. He has allowed a few too many walks on the season, but was great in that department last month. The 2021 fifth-round pick earned a recent promotion to Double-A Wichita, and his 3.05 ERA on the season comes with a 10.7 K/9. #2 Spencer Bengard (Fort Myers) - 4 G, 1.93 ERA, 18.2 IP, 1.13 WHIP, .239 BAA, 11/4 K/BB It has been a great year for Bengard. With a 1.64 ERA across 60 1/3 innings, he has been stellar each time he has taken the ball. The Fort Myers starter dialed back the strikeouts a bit in July, but he was every bit as stingy when showing command and staying in the zone. As a 15th round pick last year, he is showing a significant amount of earl-career promise. After month's end, he was promoted to Cedar Rapids. Pitcher of the Month - Andrew Morris (Wichita) - 4 G, 1.04 ERA, 17.1 IP, 1.21 WHIP, .243 BAA, 20/4 K/BB One of the most intriguing arms in Minnesota’s system, Morris is beyond worthy of attention. He continues to rise the ranks among his peers, and the 2022 fourth round pick has done it at two levels this season. Earning a promotion from Cedar Rapids after posting a 2.15 ERA, he has been a shade better with a 2.14 ERA at Wichita across 54 2/3 innings. Morris is just 22 years old and has continued to show an ability to rack up strikeouts while limiting walks. He doesn’t get beat by the long ball, and he has been a pillar of health as his professional workload continues to creep up. It’s possible that Morris reaches Triple-A by the end of the season, but either way, he will be an arm for the Twins to consider in 2025. View full article

Bailey Ober got the start against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night, and he was again dominant. Ryan Jeffers kicked off the scoring early, and Max Kepler made the difference late. The Griffin Jax/Jhoan Duran tandem shut things down to hand Chicago yet another loss. Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Bailey Ober 7.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (88 pitches, 56 strikes) Home Runs: Ryan Jeffers(16), Max Kepler(7) Top 3 WPA: Max Kepler (.206), Bailey Ober (.139), Ryan Jeffers (.136) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Early Jeffers Jolt Bailey Ober started Saturday for the Twins, and he got a bit of run support early. Ryan Jeffers blasted his team-leading 16th dinger in the second inning to make it a 1-0 game. It took until the fifth inning for Korey Lee to provide a White Sox answer. His triple scored Gavin Sheets on a truly ugly play by Manuel Margot. Brooks Lee picked up his teammate with a single to score Austin Martin and retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Twins Thwart Chicago Response Brooks Baldwin hit his first career home run in the sixth inning to tie things at 2-2, but that’s where the good news ended for Chicago. Max Kepler, after missing time due to a throw to the back of his head, stepped in and launched his seventh home run of the season. The solo shot put Minnesota back in front by a 3-2 tally. In the eighth inning, on the 13th pitch of his at-bat, Willi Castro singled home Carlos Santana and Jeffers to give Minnesota additional breathing room. Lee drove home Martin, and following Griffin Jax’s blank inning and 17th hold, Jhoan Duran was on to finish a 6-2 ballgame. Rocco Baldelli’s closer got Chicago to wrap it up on just six pitches. The White Sox dropped their 19th straight game. The Twins scattered eight hits while drawing seven walks and striking out just five times. Jeffers, Martin, and Lee all recorded two hits on the evening. Thankfully Pedro Grifol pulled Garrett Crochet after just four innings. While he allowed four walks, he did give up just a single run on one hit. The White Sox best starter was sent to the showers early. Notes The Twins celebrated Joe Mauer’s Hall of Fame induction with a plaque giveaway on Friday. His bronze bust certainly wasn’t ideal, but his enshrinement in Cooperstown is forever. You can find them here. Paul Molitor announced that the Twins will build a statue of Joe Mauer outside of Target Field. That’s has been know for a bit. Where his gate will be positioned has yet to be determined. With his quality start tonight, Bailey Ober became the first Twins pitcher with eight straight quality starts since Phil Hughes in 2014. Hughes earned Cy Young votes that season, and set a single-season major league strikeout to walk record that still stands today. What’s Next? In the series finale, and final game between Minnesota and Chicago this season, the Twins send Simeon Woods Richardson to the mound. He will be opposed by Chris Flexen. A win would give Minnesota a series sweep, and allow them to finish with a 12-1 record against the White Sox in 2024. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

The Minnesota Twins have been attempting to track down the Cleveland Guardians for most of the season. They have yet to accomplish that, but it’s not time to start taking the Kansas City Royals seriously. Entering play on Friday, the Minnesota Twins find themselves 6.5 games behind the Guardians. They also trail the Kansas City Royals by a half game in the American League Central Division standings. At the trade deadline, both of those organizations went out and sought opportunities to get better. The Twins, stifled by ownership, did not. There’s a level of viability to that process in that key internal additions will be the difference that puts Minnesota over the top. Still though, the Twins clearly would have appreciated additions and they are now tasked with doing the heavy lifting themselves. The Guardians are clearly the team to beat, but continuing to sleep on the Royals does no one any favors. Although Kansas City is currently above the Twins in the standings, Fangraphs leans into both the Guardians and Twins having better postseason odds. That’s probably a fair stance given how the three teams have played this year, but Kansas City simply hasn’t gone away. Coming into the year different pundits had lofty expectations for the Royals. That seemed to be somewhat far-fetched. The Royals won just 56 games last year, and even a considerable improvement would have them seeking an opportunity to finish at .500. They appear set to blow by that though, and the fade simply has not happened. It’s probably past time to wonder if the pitching is going to fall off as well. This offseason the Royals went out and added Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. The former owns a 2.57 ERA and should earn legitimate consideration for a Cy Young award. The latter has been a consistent bet each time out and hasn’t allowed there to be a weak spot in the rotation. That pair combined with Cole Ragans, who was an All-Star and leads the pitching staff in fWAR, presents a formidable group. Then there’s Bobby Witt Jr. Unless Aaron Judge or Gunnar Henderson take it from him, the Royals shortstop will wind up winning the American League MVP award. He has been nothing short of incredible, and seems to keep getting better. He’s leading baseball in batting average and doing that while having also eclipsed 20 home runs and stolen bases. There is nothing Witt can’t do on a diamond, and the Twins have seen plenty of that first hand. It’s not just Witt either. Salvador Perez continues to find the fountain of youth, and has been the team’s second most productive player. Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia have made an impact as well. The lineup isn’t perfect, but it has seen enough production to make use of the pitching performances. Rocco Baldelli’s club should feel like they are the better team. However, talking with an unnamed player in the middle of the season, they mentioned being more worried about the Royals than the Guardians. I thought that take was a bit interesting then, and although Minnesota hasn’t caught Cleveland, Kansas City hasn’t gone away either. Minnesota still has another six games with the Royals this season. They lead the season series 5-2 but have a -5 run differential. The Twins also have eight games left with Cleveland, and are 0-5 with a -15 run differential against them. This race is far from over. View full article

Minnesota topped the White Sox at Target Field on Friday. It was the 18th straight loss for Chicago. The DSL Twins played an insane game that you have to see (or read about) to believe. Outside of that, it was the Wichita Wind Surge that saved a organizational, minor-league sweep. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 60-48 St. Paul Saints: 53-52 Wichita Wind Surge: 42-58 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 55-43 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 51-46 DSL Twins: 22-19 TRANSACTIONS C Patrick Winkel placed on temporary inactive list by St. Paul. Fort Myers RHP Kyle Bloor was released by the Twins organization. SAINTS SENTINEL Iowa 5, St. Paul 1 Box Score Zebby Matthews was on the bump for the Saints, and it was a tough outing for the recently-promoted prospect. He got tagged for five runs on nine hits. Matthews didn’t walk anyone and did strike out eight, however. Iowa scored all five of their runs in the first inning to grab a big lead early. A grand slam by Royce Lewis's high school teammate (Chase Stumpf) in the opening frame was certainly not ideal. Edouard Julien plated Dalton Shuffield with a sixth-inning ground out, but that was the only run St. Paul mustered. The Saints had just four hits on the night. They struck out 10 times and drew just a pair of walks. Justin Topa worked another scoreless inning during his rehab assignment. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 8, NW Arkansas 4 Box Score It was Marco Raya’s turn for the Wind Surge, and he had another abbreviated start. Working 4 1/3 innings, Raya surrendered four runs on seven hits with a pair of walks and four strikeouts. After Jarret Whorff struck out both batters he faced to end the fifth inning, Cory Lewis worked the rest of the game. The traditional starter earned his first save working four scoreless innings. He had five strikeouts and a pair of walks. Wichita was down by three runs after the top of the first inning, but they had a quick answer. Carson McCusker’s fielder’s choice scored both Luke Keaschall and Jake Rucker. Jeferson Morales then blasted his seventh dinger of the season to make it 5-3 as Tyler Dearden and McCusker scored ahead of him. McCusker’s second-inning single scored Keaschall to make it 6-3. The Naturals responded with a run in the fourth inning, but Noah Cardenas homered to bring home Ben Ross in the bottom of the sixth and make it an 8-4 game. Ross was the only Wichita hitter to record a pair of hits. The Wind Surge worked around a 13/3 K/BB on the evening. KERNELS NUGGETS Great Lakes 5, Cedar Rapids 2 Box Score Ricky Castro was on the bump for the Kernels and worked five innings. The Loons got him for three runs (two earned), on five hits and a walk. He struck out four batters. Great Lakes took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but the Kernels had a quick answer. Walker Jenkins drove home Jose Salas with a single for his first RBI at High-A, and Rubel Cespedes plated him on a single of his own. Tied at 2-2, the teams went to the fourth inning. Former Twins prospect Noah Miller reached on a fifth-inning error that allowed Great Lakes to take a 3-2 lead. They added two more runs in the seventh inning for some insurance. The Kernels had 10 hits in the game. Kevin Maitan joined Cespedes, Salas, and Jenkins with a pair of hits. Cedar Rapids carried a 9/2 K/BB while leaving seven runners on base. No hits went for extra bases. MUSSEL MATTERS St. Lucie 3, Fort Myers 2 Box Score Jose Olivares started and worked a pair of innings allowing one run. Adrian Bohorquez made his Fort Myers debut and worked three scoreless innings while allowing just a single hit. He struck out four and didn’t give up a walk. St. Lucie took the lead with a first-inning run before Yohander Martinez tied things with a fifth inning sacrifice bunt. Maddux Houghton scored on the play. The Mets jumped back in front with a pair of runs in the seventh inning. Yasser Mercedes brought home Poncho Ruiz in the eighth inning to make it 3-2, but that’s as close as Fort Myers could get. The Mighty Mussels scattered nine hits on Friday night. Brandon Winokur and Daniel Pena both had two hits. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 21, DSL Yankees Bombers 19 (13 innings) Box Score Daiber De Los Santos has put up some nice stat lines throughout the DSL season, and Friday was another in the list of strong games. He went 3-for-8 with a pair of doubles. He scored two runs and drove in a run as well. Merphy Hernandez hit his first professional home run, a three-run blast in the sixth inning. He finished 3-for-5 with three walks and five RBI. Ramiro Dominguez also went yard, his second homer of the year. Eduardo Beltre homered in a 2-for-8 game with a pair of runs and four RBI. The Twins scored 21 runs on 17 hits. After single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings, the Twins put up seven in the sixth inning to take a commanding 9-0 lead. They gave back four in the bottom half, but scored in the seventh and eighth innings to keep the breathing room. The game was pushed to the 13th inning and both teams scored four in the 12th inning. A three-run 13th won it for the Twins. Leonardo Rondon drew the start and his three innings of work were nearly flawless. Allowing just three hits, he struck out three to lower his ERA to 3.60 on the year. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Cory Lewis (Wichita) - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day – Merphy Hernandez (DSL) - 3-5, 3 R, 5 RBI, 3 BB, HR PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Thursday. #1– Walker Jenkins (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, R, RBI, K #2 – Brooks Lee (Minnesota) – 0-2, R, 2 BB, K #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, K #6 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – R #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 0-3, 2 R, BB, K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 2-4 #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-4, 2B, 2 K #14 – Zebby Matthews (St. Paul) – 5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 8 K #15 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (6:08 PM CST) – RHP Louie Varland (3-7, 5.34 ERA) Wichita vs NW Arkansas (6:05 PM) - TBD Cedar Rapids vs Great Lakes (6:35 PM CST) – LHP Connor Prielipp (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Fort Myers vs St. Lucie (5:05 PM CST) – RHP Charlee Soto (0-4, 5.64 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! 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The Minnesota Twins were off on Thursday night but that didn't stop the farm system from being in full swing. Walks haunted the opposition and wins came because of it. Image courtesy of William Parmeter CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 59-48 St. Paul Saints: 53-51 Wichita Wind Surge: 41-58 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 55-42 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 51-45 DSL Twins: 21-19 TRANSACTIONS OF Agustin Ruiz reinstated from IL for the Kernels. Fort Myers activated RHP Jose Olivares from the 7-Day IL. The Minnesota Twins signed RHP Tyler Stasiowski to a minor-league contract. The undrafted free agent pitched at Cal-Berkeley. He graduated from Analy High School in Sebastopol, California, in 2020. He spent two seasons at Santa Rosa Junior College. He pitched out of the bullpen for the Bears. This past season, he tied for the team lead in saves with 2024 Twins draft pick Christian Becerra. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 8, Iowa 2 Box Score Adam Plutko was coming off the best start of his Saints career and again shoved on Thursday. He worked 6 1/3 innings while allowing just a pair of hits. He gave up two runs and walked three but struck out four and improved to 6-1 on the season. Yunior Severino kicked off the scoring in the first inning with a sacrifice fly that scored DaShawn Keirsey Jr. Jair Camargo homered for the ninth time on the year in the fourth inning, and his three-run shot scored Severino and Edouard Julien to make it 4-0. He then drew a bases loaded walk in the seventh inning to drive in Chris Williams before Rylan Bannon singled to bring in Keirsey Jr. and make it a 6-0 game. Iowa grabbed a pair back in the seventh inning, but St. Paul had an eighth inning answer. Severino drew another bases loaded walk to bring in Williams again before a wild pitch scored Keirsey Jr. for the third time on the night. St. Paul picked up 11 hits with Keirsey Jr. grabbing three. Julien, Bannon, and Williams each had two. Camargo drove in half of the runs. WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 6, Wichita 5 Box Score The Wind Surge sent Andrew Morris to the bump. He turned in 5 1/3 innings but allowed six runs on seven hits and four walks. It was a tough start, but the Wind Surge starter did strike out four. Mason Fox pitched his second game for Wichita and struck out two in a scoreless inning. Trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning, Wichita began to answer. Tyler Dearden tied things on a sacrifice fly that scored Luke Keaschall. Carson McCusker stole second and Ricardo Olivar scored on the play by stealing home. A wild pitch then scored McCusker and made it a 3-1 game. The Naturals plated five in the sixth inning to take the lead, and Wichita had work to do. They responded with a Jake Rucker run in the seventh inning, and a McCusker home run (his tenth) in the eighth inning. Drawing within one, that’s as close as they could get, and they dropped the contest 6-5. McCusker and Rucker were the only batters to record two hits. McCusker’s home run was also the only extra-base hit of the night. KERNELS NUGGETS Great Lakes 6, Cedar Rapids 1 Box Score It was the D-Bo Show for Cedar Rapids with Darren Bowen on the bump. He lasted just four innings allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits. Bowen gave up a walk and struck out two. Down 6-0 by the fifth inning, the Kernels found themselves in a considerable hole. Kevin Maitan ended the scoreless drought in the ninth inning with a sacrifice fly to score Gabriel Gonzalez. The Kernels put up just two hits on the evening while owning a 7/4 K/BB, and couldn’t generate another run. Nick Lucky was the only hitter to reach base twice as he drew a pair of walks. Mike Paredes was great in relief working five scoreless innings allowing only a single hit and striking out four. Walker Jenkins had the night off. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 7, St. Lucie 2 Box Score Tanner Hall took the pill for Fort Myers and picked up his third win while showing a level of dominance. Hall turned in six innings of two run baseball while allowing just four hits and a walk. He struck out nine on the evening. Hall also recorded himself an immaculate inning on the evening. St. Lucie grabbed an early lead with a first inning run, but that didn’t hold up long. Yasser Mercedes drew a bases loaded walk to drive in Angel Del Rosario in the bottom half and evened things up. Rixon Wingrove followed with another walk to plate Poncho Ruiz, and Maddux Houghton grabbed another to bring home Brandon Winokur. Fort Myers led 3-1 after the first inning. Wingrove blasted his seventh home run of the season in the third inning, scoring Mercedes, to make it 5-1. After a Mets dinger made it 5-2 in the fourth inning, Fort Myers again answered in the fifth inning. Wingrove picked up his tenth double, scoring Daniel Pena. Another bases loaded walk from Del Rosario brought home Wingrove and the Mighty Mussels led by a 7-2 tally. That held up for the victory and Fort Myers wound up with 10 free passes on the evening. Wingrove was the only batter to record a pair of hits, and he drove in four runs. The 7/10 K/BB was the difference, and Fort Myers simply let St. Lucie do the work. DOMINICAN DAILIES The Twins hosted the Mets Blue squad but the two sides faced a suspended game after just two innings. The Mets led 2-1 and the contest will be resumed on August 16. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Mike Paredes (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Hitter of the Day – DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (St. Paul) - 3-5, 3 R, K, SB PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Thursday. #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, R, K, 2B #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 2-5, 2 RBI #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – BB #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-2, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Wichita) – 0-5, R, 2 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (7:38 PM CST) – RHP Zebby Matthews (1-1, 6.00 ERA) Wichita vs NW Arkansas (7:05 PM) - RHP Marco Raya (1-3, 5.34 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs Great Lakes (6:35 PM CST) – RHP Ricky Castro (0-1, 4.50 ERA) Fort Myers vs St. Lucie (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Jose Olivares (2-1, 2.73 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! 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When the Minnesota Twins broke camp from Fort Myers, Louie Varland went north. It didn’t take long before he had worked himself out of the starting rotation. It’s been something of a mixed bag at Triple-A St. Paul, but the big league club could use his services again. The catch, in relief. There is zero denying that Louie Varland is among the Minnesota Twins greatest developmental projects. A 15th round pick during the 2019 season, Varland becoming a legitimate big league arm from Division II Concordia-St. Paul is a win in and of itself. He has seen inconsistent results out of the starting rotation, and that has continued on the farm this year. After posting a 6.58 ERA across 26 big league innings this year, Varland has responded with a 5.35 ERA across 67 1/3 innings for Triple-A St. Paul. After getting lit up by the Toledo Mud Hens in his most recent return to Triple-A, Varland has made five starts resulting in a 1.85 ERA. Opponents have posted just a .608 OPS against, and Varland has racked up 27 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings. The problem for both Varland and the Twins is that his services aren’t necessarily needed in the starting rotation. Minnesota has seen what he brings to that group, and the best-case scenario has been a near 4.00 ERA in a small sample size. At this point, given what happened at the trade deadline and where things are at going forward, it’s hard not to lean on the triple-digit fastball. Varland worked 12 innings in relief down the stretch last season. He made his first appearance on September 6th, and he posted a ridiculous 1.50 ERA the rest of the way, Owning a 17/1 K/BB out of the bullpen, the traditional starter simply let it fly and destroyed the opposition. Minnesota needed relief help at the deadline and ownership allowed Derek Falvey an opportunity to only grab Trevor Richards. Brock Stewart is now back on the injured list, and Josh Staumont has been DFA’d. If there is a time to insert internal talent, it’s now. There is no denying that Varland would prefer to start throughout his career, and the rest of the way. It’s a more lucrative path, and something that could create longevity. However, he also has top tier stuff in relief, and Minnesota could use his abilities there right now. The rotation has options in the form of David Festa, Randy Dobnak, and Zebby Matthews. Even if Chris Paddack doesn’t return for the club, starting depth gets less valuable in the postseason. As the calendar turns to August, turning Varland loose in the bullpen makes sense. Wasting his bullets as a lengthy starter only puts usage questions into play when the games matter most. If Varland transitions to the bullpen for St. Paul, or immediately finds himself promoted to Minnesota, the pitcher and big league club both stand to benefit. When Louie was originally demoted, it was because nothing was working. At this point, he has found success because everything is clicking. Allow him a chance to put it all together, and watch Rocco Baldelli roll out the best group he has had all season. View full article

The Minnesota Twins finished the month of July with a 12-11 record. It was their fifth straight winning month of the 2024 season. The lineup has begun to come alive, and more than a few contributors showed up in a big way. After a 2023 season in which the Minnesota Twins leaned on their pitching, Rocco Baldelli has seen his lineup show up in a big way. Although players like Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa have missed time, other players have stepped up. The lineup has especially done damage against left-handed pitchers, and if the group is going to make noise in the postseason, multiple contributors will need to get the job done. Looking at the month of July a couple of bats stood out for the Twins. Before revealing the hitter of the month, here are a few honorable mentions: #4 Max Kepler - 24-75, 11 R, 3 2B, 3B, 8 RBI, 6 BB, 14 K In the final year of his contract, and having been the subject of trade discussions for some time. Max Kepler made the most of his July. The Twins right fielder batted .320 with a .760 OPS. He got on base at a solid .373 clip, but there was little power to be found. Always playing strong defense in right field, Rocco Baldelli could have asked for a bit more thump at the dish. There may have been a chance that he was a New York Yankee by the deadline. There may be a chance that he could be tendered a qualifying offer this offseason. No matter what happens, his performance down the stretch will be imperative to whatever amount of noise that Minnesota can make in the postseason. #3 Christian Vazquez - 13-41, 7 R, 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K, SB Arguably the most surprising statistic of Vazquez’s July was his stolen base. You wouldn’t expect a squatty catcher to grab an extra 90 feet, but here we are. He also launched a trio of home runs and his .910 OPS was beyond impressive. Despite struggling through the first half of the season, Vazquez has been an incredible contingency plan for Ryan Jeffers. Baldelli has rotated catchers on a daily basis, but Vazquez has helped to substantiate that plan. As a player with postseason experience previously, and a pair of World Series rings to his credit, the presence could be massive the rest of the way. #2 Matt Wallner - 16-44, 8 R, 5 2B, 5 HR, 9 RBI, 5 BB, 19 K After making the big league roster to start Opening Day, Matt Wallner quickly found himself sent back to Triple-A. He got hot and earned a trip back, and the scoring status hasn’t quit since. Wallner batted .364 in July and posted a team-leading 1.269 OPS. He hit for power and average while also controlling the zone. It was an approach that was impressive to see come together. Seen as something of a straight power hitter, Wallner couldn’t be less like Joey Gallo if he tried. Defensively he is limited, but has a huge arm (don’t let the relief appearance fool you). At the dish though, he not only bops, but draws walks and forces the hand of opposing pitchers. It has been great to see him rebound in such a positive way, and combined with Trevor Larnach, Wallner, and others, the Twins have a few corner outfield options. Hitter of the Month Byron Buxton - 22-66, 15 R, 8 2B, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 5 BB, 20 K, SB There has been no more polarizing player over the duration of their Twins career than Byron Buxton. After being a shell of himself that never played the field last year, he has returned on a trajectory that has him eyeing career-best marks. July was an exceptional month for the fan-favorite, and it’s something he can build on the rest of the way. This offseason Manuel Margot was brought in as Buxton insurance, and a replacement for Michael A. Taylor. He has been fine, but not needed in that vein. The way Minnesota can handle health and production the rest of the way remains to be seen, but Buxton’s availability is an imperative piece of the puzzle. He was Minnesota’s best hitter in July, and that continuing would be a great reality. View full article

The Minnesota Twins find themselves within striking distance of the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. Their stellar lineup has gotten more headlines, but pitching continues to be a quiet strength for this team. Who was the club's ace in July? The Twins were fourth in strikeout rate minus walk rate among MLB pitching staffs in July, and third in FIP. Here are the individuals who fueled that showing. Griffin Jax - 10 G, 10.0 IP, 2.70 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, .167 BAA, 10/2 K/BB When Jhoan Duran was injured out of the gate, it was Jax who immediately stepped in as Minnesota’s closer. He has continued to be one of the best relievers in the sport this season. Jax has operated in high-leverage exclusively, and has found himself in save situations even with Duran on the active roster. The former starter has completed a near-flawless transition to the bullpen. Jax has racked up strikeouts all season long, and he is about as close to a sure thing as it gets. With arms on the shelf or lacking consistency, Minnesota will need Jax to keep showing up in a big way down the stretch. Jorge Alcalá - 11 G, 10.0 IP, 0.90 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, .143 BAA, 9/2 K/BB Shuttled between Triple-A and the big leagues to start the year, Alcalá has established himself as a key cog in Rocco Baldelli’s relief corps. Called upon for 11 appearances in July, Alcalá just kept showing up. He has been utilized in a multitude of different situations, and he could be a high-leverage arm by season’s end. With Brock Stewart headed back to the injured list, there is an opportunity for Alcalá to operate in an expanded role. His 9/2 K/BB ratio in July was nice to see, and it’s clear that strides have been made to his command. With just two months left in the regular season, this could be a springboard to a really strong end of the year. Cole Sands - 9 G, 12.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.32 WHIP, .093 BAA, 14/0 K/BB Sands has been something of a popular breakout pick for the past couple of seasons. It is now happening in 2024. Once just a mop-up long man out of the bullpen, Sands is now being relied upon to get big outs in middle relief. He has honed in his emotions on the mound, and the command has followed suit. A perfect 14/0 K/BB in July may have been the biggest development of his entire season. With starters like Simeon Woods Richardson and Joe Ryan scuffling a bit last month, it was often Sands who was called upon to keep the Twins in a game. He has been among the greatest development stories for Minnesota this season. Bailey Ober - 4 G, 27.0 IP, 2.00 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, .168 BAA, 29/4 K/BB When the Twins didn’t replace Sonny Gray or Kenta Maeda this offseason, they were placing a good amount of faith in Ryan and Ober. Both have stepped up in a big way, and Ober’s July may be his crowning achievement thus far as a big-leaguer. While rocking different custom cleats on a regular basis, he has looked good while pitching great. Ober has had a couple of tough turns against the Kansas City Royals, but otherwise been dominant on the season. He wrapped up July with a new career-high 11 strikeout performance. It was also his second double-digit strikeout start of the season. Baldelli has shown a greater level of trust in his arm, as well, allowing him to go deeper in ball games. Congrats to Bailey Ober on being named the Twins Daily Pitcher of the Month for July. How would you have ranked the Twins pitchers last month? Share your thoughts in the comments below. View full article

The Minnesota Twins entered the 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline knowing they were chasing the Cleveland Guardians. With an opportunity to make impactful additions, ownership dealt Derek Falvey a tough hand, and little of consequence was done. Image courtesy of © Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports Since the moment the 2023 postseason ended, the Minnesota Twins began to spread a message that their finances would be limited. That resulted in payroll slashing to the tune of $30 million, and was echoed during trade deadline conversations that money was not available. That reality certainly made Derek Falvey’s job more difficult, but the outcome is one that could haunt the Pohlad’s for years to come. When Carlos Correa returned to the Minnesota Twins in 2023, he talked about having an influence on roster decisions. He provided the front office with a list of desirable acquisitions this year, and you can bet Trevor Richards was not among them. That isn’t to say the star shortstop won’t be happy with a big-league addition for a fringe minor leaguer, but a player that has experience in the World Series certainly wants more. That’s where this all falls. Nothing about the Twins trade deadline turns to Falvey or Thad Levine. They were handed virtually impossible circumstances. Joe Pohlad and his family told the men they hired to build winners that they had little to invest in the team, and changes were to come from within. The front office duo rolled with that, not only because they had to, but because they knew their club would get healthier in the immediate aftermath of the deadline. They also encountered a seller's market, making it harder to be buyers. Minnesota didn’t need to make monumental moves, but ownership chopped off any ability to make realistic midsize ones, as well. Richards is a lackluster, low-leverage reliever. He has reverse splits and should help to fill part of the void created by an inefficient Caleb Thielbar, unimpressive Steven Okert, and hurt Kody Funderburk. He isn’t a high-leverage arm who can act as a peer to Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax, or an injured Brock Stewart, though. The Twins also failed to acquire a starting pitcher. Despite an apparent need at the back end of the rotation, Yusei Kikuchi, Jack Flaherty, and others all went elsewhere at the deadline. The Blue Jays arm earned a haul for Toronto. The Tigers got little in the waning moments. Randy Dobnak was promoted in a relief role, but unless Zebby Matthews is going to make starts, the prospect bullets have largely been shot. If there was a time for the Twins to do something, it was now. The AL Central is good. The Cleveland Guardians are winning, and got better with the additions of Lane Thomas and Alex Cobb. The Kansas City Royals are winning, and got better with Lucas Erceg and Michael Lorenzen. Rocco Baldelli implored his bosses to make moves, and they turned a deaf ear. It still remains entirely plausible that Minnesota can win the division, with a favorable schedule down the stretch. The starting rotation has been among the best in the sport, while both Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan have stepped up. By declining to make an upgrade, though, they narrowed their own path back to the front of the pack. The Pohlads, coming in as something around the tenth richest owners in the sport, want you to believe that television uncertainty circumscribed their plans. They were one of more than a dozen teams dealing with that reality, but were the last (even behind Oakland) to make a trade. Major League Baseball is subsidizing their losses, and the franchise took the most lucrative deal they could get this winter, despite shutting fans out for three months in the process. To call the whole situation (dating back months) a debacle would be putting it lightly. Finding a Pohlad Pocket Protector in this era would be something of a miracle. Falvey and Levine have worked to construct something impressive. Baldelli has managed a group that can contend. All of that is taking place while ownership operates their baseball team as a hedge fund they could care less about. Hopefully, the cents they save now are worth the potential dollars they lose, as future fans are turned off at their operating procedures. Wealthy businessmen and women don’t get to those levels without a certain aptitude, but at least in this realm, they appear to have forgotten it all. View full article

I thought much of the same. Thomasson did already sign and is down in Fort Myers, so he shouldn't be stopped that way either.

The Minnesota Twins have had success developing pitchers from later rounds of the Major League Baseball Draft. Taken in the 17th round out of the Air Force Academy, Jay Thomason is looking to become a success story on the infield. Image courtesy of Thiéres Rabelo When the Minnesota Twins took Jay Thomason in the 17th round of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft, they grabbed a slugger with some extreme pop. Thomason has spent the past four years playing for Air Force, and as a regular each of the past three, he posted OPSes north of 1.000 each year. Thomason blasted 21 home runs in both 2023 and 2024, and will look to bring that hitting prowess to professional baseball. Attending Air Force Academy is about more than just sports, and Thomason joins Griffin Jax among notable Twins to go through the university. Jax is a Captain in the United States Air Force Reserves, and Thomason could put a pause on his future plans with a similar baseball trajectory. Before he kicked off his time down in Fort Myers, I caught up with him for a few questions. Twins Daily: You’ve had an incredibly strong collegiate career, but achieved new heights this last season. How did you get there and what went into your development? Jay Thomason: My career was full of ups and downs, and a lot of figuring it out along the way. I wouldn’t have had the career that I had without my teammates, coaches, and ultimately Coach Kaz (my second dad) supporting me throughout my entire time at the Academy. Additionally, simply showing up every day and putting in the work and trusting my routine over the course of four years at the Academy helped me develop into the player that I am today. TD: You have shown power for a while now. How would you describe your approach at the plate and what goes into your process? JT: My time in the weight room over the course of four years at the Academy definitely helped my power at the plate. My approach is simple, because I don't like to think mechanics at the plate. I'm simply just trying to catch the ball out front. Get a good pitch to hit and catch it out front are my two cues at the plate. TD: Playing at Air Force is obviously more than just baseball. How did that contribute to your college experience and what does that influence going forward? JT: I went through a lot of trials and tribulations while at Air Force that helped shape me into the human being that I am today. I am looking forward to just focusing on baseball now that I have the opportunity to do that. At Air Force, you are juggling military, school, and athletics at the same time and trying to excel at each of those things. The Academy has helped me develop resilience and grit over time, which has also helped me on the field. TD: There’s clearly an element of speed to your game as well. How would you describe your ability as a third baseman? JT: I do try to and implement speed into my game. I try and steal bases as much as I can and create chaos within the game, because it puts pressure on the other team. I’m looking forward to further developing my ability at third base. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get to the next level. Whether the organization wants me at third, second, or anywhere on the diamond, I just want to help the Twins win in any way I can. TD: What do you know about the Twins as an organization and Minnesota in general? JT: I have played in U.S. Bank stadium as a sophomore, when we played the Golden Gophers in March during the 2022 season. It was probably -15 degrees, so didn’t roam around too much. But from what I saw, Minneapolis was a really cool place and the people that I met were awesome. So far, I have loved my short time being in the Twins organization. They really care about their people and I am fully bought into the process that they have for prospects to make it to the next level. TD: How do you relax or reset to get away from the game? What do you like to do for fun? JT: I love anything fitness-related during my free time. Whether that be working out or really anything outdoors. I also love going any type of fishing. Welcome to Twins Territory, Jay! View full article

As the 2024 Minnesota Twins trade deadline approached, there weren't a ton of significant needs. Derek Falvey had placed to improve the roster, but monumental moves were unnecessary. With the dust now settled, the outcome paints a grim picture for the future. On Tuesday evening, after another ugly loss to the surging New York Mets, the Twins sit 6.5 games back in the AL Central. While things aren’t currently going well, Rocco Baldelli’s squad still possesses the talent to win the division. Their schedule is favorable down the stretch, and internal additions should provide a boost. Despite that reality, fallout from the Minnesota Twins actions at the deadline, or lack thereof, provide more questions than answers. Why should Falvey, Levine, or Baldelli stick around? Plenty has been made of the front office and manager in recent seasons. The reality is the analytical approach has brought them towards a more forward thinking organization, and has helped to develop key talents like Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and Griffin Jax. Baldelli may miss some of the strings he pulls during a game, but is right more often than not and well-respected by those he oversees. The same can be said for Falvey and Levine. As much as running an organization is about roster management, it also revolves around putting people in the right places. The entirety of the system is better off because of what Falvey has done, and Levine’s influence has a far-reaching impact as well. Given the stunt that ownership has pulled the past handful of months, it’s not difficult to think that all would be better off in more ideal scenarios. The front office has built a competitive situation despite a lacking amount of resources. Baldelli has managed what he has to work with on the field. Looking back, it’s now shocking to think that Levine didn’t jump at the Red Sox jump, and wonder if Falvey couldn’t be next to be poached. Similar to Craig Counsell this past offseason, Baldelli could be given another group elsewhere as well. Minnesota didn’t move the 40-man The Twins current 40-man roster situation is relatively tricky. With so many players dealing with a level of injury, there aren’t obvious spots to promote talent. Bringing Randy Dobnak back to the big leagues meant putting Alex Kirilloff on the 60-day injured list. That may be among the final straightforward moves that the team had. Given the financial constraints imposed by ownership, it made some level of sense that someone on the 40-man could have been traded. Max Kepler, Manuel Margot, and Christian Vazquez were the likely candidates from the 26-man roster, but all of them made it through. From a prospect perspective, Yunior Severino and Josh Winder both appeared as a likely candidates if the Twins were going to target anyone of substance, but we never saw that play out. Money really was a big deal It shouldn’t come as a shock that financial constraints came into play for the Twins. From the first moment they could, the Pohlad’s started making it known that their financial situation was going to impact the Twins. Whether that is because of poor business practice elsewhere, or a relative lack of understanding when it comes to timely support of a product, ownership was ready to sink this ship. Trevor Richards was the lone acquisition at the deadline, and he comes with a paycheck of just over $1 million. Sending Josh Staumont out, it’s no secret that they will be hoping he is claimed and the salary can transfer elsewhere. Marginal moves could have been made by the Twins, but every report suggesting the front office had no dollars to work with became reality. Toeing the company line even after what should be looked at as a disastrous deadline, Falvey had a bunch of words to say nothing when it came to his thoughts about dollars. Does the wrath of Correa exist? When the Minnesota Twins signed Carlos Correa to his long-term deal, the superstar shortstop talked about building a winning culture. He wanted to be involved in transactions that sought additional talent, and having previously won a World Series, he wanted to get back to that place. Despite giving his employer a career-year in 2024, he was rewarded with crickets. Correa provided the front office a list of names to target. A player entirely obsessed with WAR and values around the game, he definitely knows what he is talking about. Falvey probably had to laugh internally knowing his bosses gave him a pair of sticks to rub together, but Correa now sees that play out as well. The Twins shortstop still has multiple years left on his deal. Despite a franchise-record payroll in 2023, the year following results in a $30 million payroll decrease. Things get more murky next year, and that sort of talent can’t be thrilled seeing a lack of financial support around him. As was the case when the Pohlad family paid for Joe Mauer, Correa is set up to be a scapegoat for financial ineptitude if this path continues. Roll the dice in October It’s fair to suggest that the postseason is an exercise of attrition. The reality is that a team winning the World Series is the perfect combination of hot play and ideal circumstances. Minnesota could definitely be a contender with the talent they possess, but it will require availability for all involved and everything breaking right. Rather than pushing the chips in and looking to avoid the first round, a short three-game series should be expected. The Twins will likely face the same road they attempted to traverse a year ago, and with just three proven starters, the weight will be felt on their shoulders. That pressure could have been addressed or avoided entirely with reinforcements, but is now the reality that each player on the roster will face. Tuesday, combined with some ugly Mets losses, may have been the most frustrating day of the Twins season. As long as the Pohlad’s are in charge though, you can expect more to come. View full article

The Minnesota Twins took the field looking to rid themselves from the ugly outing on Monday night. Unfortunately, they came up empty in the box score, effectively matching their efforts at Tuesday's trade deadline. Image courtesy of © Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: David Festa 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (68 pitches, 44 strikes, 9 whiffs) Home Runs: N/A Bottom 3 WPA: Byron Buxton (-.139), Christian Vazquez (-.104), Jose Miranda (-.095) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Festa Rides Again David Festa was promoted for a pair of starts earlier this season that didn’t go well. When the Twins needed him again, he was called upon as the bulk guy after Steven Okert. Working against the Phillies, he shoved and earned himself another turn. Tuesday night against the New York Mets, Minnesota’s top pitching prospect turned in another good outing. Festa worked five innings of two-run baseball. He allowed just three hits and walked one. Mark Vientos got him for a solo home run, but Festa struck out six. Rocco Baldelli’s lineup managed just two hits and did little to support their arms on the evening. Late-inning intrigue The recently acquired Ryne Stanek took over for Sean Manaea in the eighth inning. The Mets starter punched out 11 while walking only one, and despite being left-handed, Minnesota failed to show any level of prowess against him. Stanek walked one while getting a pair of outs, but turned the ball over to closer Edwin Diaz. After Max Kepler reached on an error and Brooks Lee walked, Byron Buxton stepped in with two outs. Up against a full count, he chased out of the zone for his fourth strikeout of the night, and the man with a lesser entrance than the Twins Jhoan Duran stifled Minnesota’s threat. Caleb Thielbar came on in the bottom of the eighth inning and quickly retired Harrison Bader and Francisco Lindor. Brandon Nimmo beat out an infield single to give the Mets a baserunner, but struck out J.D. Martinez to give his lineup a chance in the ninth inning. The Twins recorded just a pair of hits on the evening, with only two passing the hard-hit threshold. Not a single ball Minnesota put in play was hit harder than 100 mph. Buxton, Royce Lewis, and Jose Miranda combined to go 0-for-11 with 10 strikeouts. Minnesota struck out a whopping 13 times with just two walks. Notes After more than 1,000 days since his last day on a major league roster, Randy Dobnak is back. He announced the move in the most perfect way. Minnesota moved Alex Kirilloff to the 60-day IL and placed Brock Stewart back on the injured list to accommodate the roster juggling. Despite being the absolute last team to make a move of any sort prior to the trade deadline, the Twins added Trevor Richards from the Toronto Blue Jays. With ownership unwilling to do anything to support their product, they sent out prospect Jay Harry for a reliever with mediocre numbers and less than $1.5 million left on his 2024 contract. What’s Next? Pablo Lopez will look to play stopper on Wednesday afternoon. The Mets are one game away from a series sweep and will send Luis Severino to the mound. Minnesota has an off day Thursday before returning home to a pieced-out Detroit Tigers club over the weekend. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

After an ugly 15-2 loss against the New York Mets on Monday, the Minnesota Twins need short-term pitching help. They will get that in the form of Randy Dobnak's return to the big leagues. After making a trade late on Tuesday afternoon, Minnesota opened a roster spot. Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Randy Dobnak broke the internet on Tuesday morning with a simple announcement of, "I'm back." After a dominant run at Triple-A, in which he owns a 2.26 ERA across his past 10 starts, the former postseason starter is returning to the big leagues. It was an absence of more than 1,000 days. Dobnak has faced serious adversity, needing to deal with a pair of ruptured tendons in a finger on his throwing hand. After making a tweak to his changeup this offseason, his arsenal has looked better than ever. Although Dobnak is in the penultimate year of a $9.25 million multi-year deal from the Twins, he is not currently on the 40-man roster. UPDATE: With the Twins trading for Trevor Richards Tuesday afternoon, they DFA'd Josh Staumont. Richards won't make the game against the Mets, so Dobnak will assume that roster spot. Kirilloff was also moved injured lists on Tuesday. In order to make room for him there, Minnesota has shifted Alex Kirilloff to the 60-day injured list. Kirilloff, who came down with a back injury following his demotion to Triple-A St. Paul, has already missed 42 days. It remains to be seen when he will return for Minnesota this season, if at all. Prior to his injury, Kirilloff has struggled to substantiate himself as either a corner outfielder or first baseman. With the play provided by Carlos Santana, Matt Wallner, and Trevor Larnach, it's difficult to see a straightforward path for him to return at all. Once he is finally healthy, the assumption should be that a length rehab assignment at Triple-A will follow. In order to make room for Dobnak on the 26-man roster, the Twins will place Brock Stewart back on the injured list. He originally was placed on the shelf following a May 1 outing. Dealing with what was described as minor elbow tendonitis, he then was unseen until July 24. Stewart allowed just a single run in his first 13 appearances (13 1/3 innings), but has since allowed eight in three appearances spanning just 2 1/3 innings. His ERA jumped from 0.68 to 5.17 on the season. The timelines for when Stewart was set to return seemed murky. All of a sudden he was then throwing bullpens and ramping up to get back for Rocco Baldelli's bullpen. Looking at his velocity during the past three outings though, it's beyond clear that the high-leverage arm isn't right. For a guy who has had a litany of arm issues over the course of his career, it's concerning to say the least. Dobnak will presumably work out of the bullpen in the short term. David Festa is set to start on Tuesday night against the New York Mets, and having a bulk guy as a contingency plan makes a good amount of sense. Time is running out for the Twins to add other arms prior to the 5pm trade deadline on June 30, but for now, another reinforcement from the farm is being called upon. View full article