Ted Schwerzler

Looking to avoid a sweep against the best team in baseball, the Twins sent Chris Paddack to the mound. After two very quiet nights, the bright sunshine of an afternoon contest woke up the bats. After a couple of big hits, the pitching continued to be nails and Minnesota heads out on the road with a momentum-shifting win in hand. Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Chris Paddack 4.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (86 pitches 55 strikes 10 whiffs) Home Runs: Edouard Julien 2(3) Top 3 WPA: Edouard Julien (.258), Steven Okert (.162), Griffin Jax (.120) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Walks Will Haunt Chris Paddack took the ball today for the Twins and was tasked with getting through the monster that is this Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. Mookie Betts welcomed him to the game with a second-pitch single, and Paddack responded by walking Shohei Ohtani on four straight. With runners on first and second, Teoscar Hernández stepped in and put a ball in play at just 67.4 mph. With Carlos Santana playing well off the line, though, the dribbler went into right field for a double and allowed Betts to race home, scoring the game’s first run. Paddack was able to bear down and get out of the inning on just 17 pitches, but: damage done. It appears that the Twins wanted to make up for lost time as they donned the alternate “Twin Cities” uniforms for the second straight day. After being without them for the first eight games due to missing pants, the crisis has officially been averted. Julien Wants Tacos The Twins lineup has looked lost for most of their first nine games this season. Edouard Julien has been among the culprits, and with a player that has shown such a refined approach, he also seems to deviate from it a significant amount. Stepping in against the Dodgers Bobby Miller this afternoon, the second baseman put in an order for tacos. Lifting a ball the opposite way over the left field wall, Minnesota had shown their first early sign of life in this series. Tying the score in the bottom half of the inning in which they gave it up was a nice response to see. The dinger is Julien’s second of the year, and the hope would be that it can spark some momentum from his bat. Carlos Correa followed the blast with a hard-hit single of his own, but unfortunately, Alex Kirilloff grounded into a double play and Byron Buxton was frozen on a looking third strike. Sheriff Speaks Up After allowing the first-inning run, Paddack returned to the bump as a man on a mission. Facing James Outman, Miguel Rojas, and Austin Barnes, The Sheriff struck out the side on just 12 pitches. While not all Dodgers hitters are made the same as the top of their lineup, Outman has launched home runs against the Twins in both of the first two games of this series. After getting behind in counts during the first inning, Paddack responded by hitting 96 mph twice during the frame, and he was able to simply overpower the opposition. Miller didn’t make it through the second inning of his last start this, and the Twins came in making him work. After Manuel Margot drew a walk, Austin Martin escaped a questionable check swing strike to walk on his own. With no one out, Minnesota has speed on first and second. It was the first chance for the Twins with a runner in scoring position, of which they had gone 0-for-their-last-29 in those spots. Santana continued his futility with an infield fly to third base, and Christian Vázquez struck out on a pitch that might have taken the head off a left-handed hitter. Kyle Farmer then dribbled a first pitch back to Miller, and just as quickly as they worked to put the opposition in a bad spot, they obliged by giving it all away. The Top Does It Again Starting off the 3rd inning in a similar fashion to how they began the 2nd, Minnesota had runners on the basepaths. Julien came out with a single before Correa lined a single to right-center. This time Kirilloff stepped in with runners on the corners and an opportunity to end the 0-for-32 RISP drought. Miller reared back and blew 99 mph by Kirilloff to make it 0-for-33. Buxton, who if you missed Monday night’s game announced he’s back, lined a single to left field and ended the RISP drought. Driving in Julien from third base, the Twins had their first lead of the series. Margot’s lineout was lofted just a bit too strong in center and had Martin stepping in with two outs. After collecting a pair of doubles last night, one of which was his first major league hit, Martin had started off the matinee with a walk. His plate discipline is a key aspect of his game, and once again he showed that working the count full against Miller. He got jammed on an inside fastball, rolling a soft grounder to third base, but the Twins had momentum. 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. Muncy Makes It Even On the third pitch of the 4th inning, Paddack served Muncy a right-on-right changeup that got way too much of the zone. The Dodgers infielder responded by sending it 400 feet to right-center, and all Martin could do was look up and watch it leave the year. Once again things were evened up, this time at two. Following a pair of dribblers for outs, Paddack punched out Austin Barnes for strike three and got his defense back into the dugout. Minnesota couldn’t make anything happen in their half of the frame either. Santana went down looking on a close strike three, and Farmer grounded into a double play that wiped out the walk by Vazquez. Throwing his 86th pitch, which was singled to center by Hernandez, Baldelli went out to grab Paddack. With Ohtani on third, two outs, and Muncy stepping up to the plate again, the lefty-lefty matchup play allowed Kody Funderburk an opportunity to close the frame scoreless. Despite getting behind 2-0, Funderburk worked back with a sinker and got whiffs on his fastball and slider to dispel the threat. Julien Jolts Again Last night the Dodgers went to Alex Vesia late and he was greeted by home runs from Correa and Kirilloff. The lefty-lefty matchup against Julien to start the 5th inning is a spot Baldelli could have opted for a pinch hitter, but he stuck by his starting second baseman and was rewarded. For the second time on the afternoon, Julien lifted a ball the opposite way and had his second dinger. The 386-foot blast put the Twins back on top 3-2, and for a guy that has been clamoring for more at-bats against southpaws, Julien certainly rewarded his manager’s faith in this spot. Now 3-for-3 on the afternoon, he also had the first multi-homer game of his career. Maybe looking to keep the same decision-making work, Baldelli left in Kirilloff to face the lefty Vesia after Correa struck out. Last season Kirilloff saw just 59 plate appearances against left-handed pitching and his .482 OPS was evidence as to why. Today he popped up a 2-2 pitch to short left field before Dave Roberts countered Byron Buxton with Michael Grove. Down on strikes for the second time today, Minnesota still took a 3-2 lead into the 6th inning. C4 and Vazquez Show Off All year long Vazquez has been telling runners they should stop attempting to steal bases under his watch. Having caught two of the first six attempts against him (and with two of those being entirely on the pitcher), he has brandished the cannon. In the 6th inning, Outman was the latest runner to test the Twins backstop, and another perfect throw and tag turned into a fist-pumping out. In the 7th inning, following another impressive showing by Jorge Alcala, it was Brock Stewart on against the Dodgers. After walking Bernes to start the inning, the base runner turned into Betts on a ground out, and then subsequently Ohtani on the same fate. Freddie Freeman ripped a double down the line into the left field corner, and the superstar DH was on his way to the plate. From there…we’ll let the video do the work. Baldelli Tweaks the Pen With no Jhoan Duran available during this early portion of the season, it remained to be seen how Baldelli would handle late-inning leverage spots for his bullpen. In a tight game against the Dodgers, Stewart got the 7th inning and was working for the second straight day. Griffin Jax then came in for the 8th inning and got the Dodgers 4-5-6 hitters on strikes. With both velocity and breaking pitchers, his stuff looked as nasty as ever. After using Stewart and Jax to face the most dangerous threats in the Los Angeles lineup, Baldelli turned to Steven Okert for the final three outs in the 9th inning. Lefty Outman was set to start the inning, but Roberts brought in Chris Roberts as a pinch hitter. Still, the Twins reliever was facing the 7-8-9 hitters as he looked to record the first save of his career. After sending Roberts down swinging, Will Smith was announced as the pinch hitter for Gavin Lux, and he singled through the hole at short and the Dodgers had life. Taylor Trammell took over at first base as a pinch runner, and Barnes stepped in. Okert got the double play ball on a bouncer from Barnes to Julien, but the Los Angeles catcher just beat it out as a replay review confirmed. With Jay Jackson up in the pen, Baldelli opted to stay with Okert against Betts, and a final out was needed to solidify the victory. Getting behind 2-0, and working to 3-1, Betts popped up a lazy infield fly to end it and the reliever acquired in the Nick Gordon trade officially announced his time with the Twins is here. Notes The Twins put a necessary pin in the 0-for-33 stretch with RISP. Although it was good to see the poor run come to an end, they still went 1-for-9 today and left five runners on base. The lineup will need to click at a higher clip to win on most days, but you'll take it against a juggernaut like the Dodgers. Julien's first career multi-homer game came in his 119th career appearance. The home runs were the 18th and 19th of his career, and he moved his OPS from .444 to .757 with today's game. 2015 Twins first round pick, 6th overall Tyler Jay, is being called up by the Mets. They signed him out of the Frontier League. Truly an amazing story of determination. What’s Next? The Minnesota Twins will head to Detroit and look for a series win in a four-game tilt against a team that is expected to contend for the AL Central Division title. A.J. Hinch has his Tigers squad rolling out of the gate, and Cy Young contender Tarik Skubal will be among the arms rolled out by the opposition. It will also be Rocco Baldelli’s first time seeing Kenta Maeda on the opposing side this season. At some point on the road trip, Caleb Thielbar and Josh Staumont could return to the Minnesota bullpen. With Michael Tonkin added from the Mets, the Twins need a good bout of injury luck to strike for the next few days. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

There have not been many silver linings for the Minnesota Twins to start the 2024 season. On Monday night, in front of a loaded Los Angeles Dodgers team and an excited Target Field crowd, one of the team's most beloved performers and leaders provided one. Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports A year ago during spring training, the talk of Twins camp was Byron Buxton building up to something. He didn’t participate in games playing center field, but the hope was that he could ultimately get there as the season wore on. We know that never happened, and he was shut down for much of the stretch run, before one thrilling but fruitless at-bat in the postseason. Following another offseason procedure on his troublesome knee, though, things seemed different. Buxton was back in center during games this spring, and while he was being slow-played, there was quiet optimism in the air. Then, on Opening Day, Buxton returned to his rightful place in the Twins lineup, for the first time in 554 days. While that was exciting in and of itself, it didn’t signify to what extent we would see the comeback play out, or how he would be used as the season went on. There were triples in Grapefruit League action that acted as some level of proof his legs were back under him, and the speed was there, but we never saw him really go get one--until it happened on Monday night against the Dodgers. With Steven Okert on the mound and two runners aboard, slugger Teoscar Hernández crushed an 0-2 pitch to right-center. Buxton took off, and as only he can, laid out like Superman. What Statcast ruled a four-star opportunity was a ball that Buxton made look like just another part of his highlight reel. At that moment, Target Field erupted. It seemed that, in fact, Buck was back. Through the early part of the season, Buxton has already made two separate four-star catches, which leads all of baseball. Among center fielders, he is back to elite territory in sprint speed at 28.8 feet per second. That places him just outside of the top 15 across any position in baseball, and that's while now being 30 years old. If this isn't back, it's an awfully close facsimile. On the offensive side of things, the slash line doesn’t tell the full story. Certainly, the 11/1 K/BB isn’t exciting, but Buxton’s quality of contact is reflective of a player poised for more, and one who is feeling good from the foundation up. Batting just .235 with a .324 slugging percentage through his first nine games, Buxton has batted-ball data to support something more robust. His 93.2-mph average exit velocity is the highest number he has posted at any point throughout his career. His 52.2% hard-hit rate is well above the 34% career mark, and more than 10% above any other output he has accumulated during his career. As has been the case with all Twins hitters thus far, honing plate discipline is where Buxton needs to unlock the best part of himself this season. A 34.6% chase rate has room to go down, and finding the range to achieve more productive contact will require it to do so. Given how well he is striking it when making contact, there is plenty to be excited about here when everything clicks. At the end of the day, the totality of what Buxton has shown us in the early going is incredibly exciting. He has played in all nine of the team's games this season and started seven of them in center field. The training wheels are fully off, and the bat is back to doing damage when making contact. There is still plenty of room to grow, but plainly, this is an entirely different player from the one we saw last season. If the Twins lineup is going to turn it around, it will be largely because of the performance that Buxton can put forth. If early returns are to be believed though, he’s back, and that’s great for everyone involved. In the meantime, as we wait for the team to pull out of an early tailspin, the catch he made Monday night stands as a vivid reminder of the value he holds, to that clubhouse, to the team on the field, and to Twins fans. View full article

The Minnesota Twins outhomered the Dodgers Tuesday. It's just that the Dodgers' homers counted for way more than the Twins' did. It's another frustrating loss for the home nine. Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Box Score Starting Pitcher: Louie Varland 5.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 K (97 pitches, 63 strikes, 7 whiffs) Home Runs: Ryan Jeffers(2), Carlos Correa (1), Alex Kirilloff (1) Bottom 3 WPA: Louie Varland (-.254), Edouard Julien (-.071), Byron Buxton (-.050) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Varland Deals With Traffic Wanting to set the tone after Bailey Ober put up one of the best starts the Dodgers have faced all season, Louie Varland worked around a leadoff Mookie Betts walk. Getting Shohei Ohtani on a strikeout and forcing Freddie Freeman into a ground ball double play, he escaped damage. Following the Twins lineup going down in order during the bottom half of the 1st, Varland had to bear down again in the 2nd inning. A walk to Max Muncy and a two-out single from James Outman put Dodgers on the corners. Not frazzled, Varland got a grounder from Chris Taylor to wrap up a scoreless second frame. The ability to battle is something that Varland will need against good lineups, but he’ll need to avoid walks and getting behind in counts to a lineup that can rake like Los Angeles. He started the third by retiring Gavin Lux, doing himself the favor of starting the second trip through the Dodger gauntlet with clean bases. Varland got Betts looking, but Ohtani then ripped a screamer to right for a double. After being ahead of Freeman with a 1-2 count, Varland ended up in a full count, but he confounded the future Hall of Fame first baseman with a curve to escape once more. Martin Lands, Drought Extends Austin Martin had been looking for his first major-league hit through four at-bats, and in his fifth, he found it. Martin looped a ball to center field. Outman charged in and made a dive, but came up short. The former top prospect raced into second and put another runner in scoring position for Minnesota. As has been the case during the early going of this season, Martin found himself stranded. Looking to avenge his leadoff strikeout, Julien took ball one and then was punched out on the next three pitches. The inability to score has become a massive problem once again, and the Dodgers immediately made it hurt. Will Smith started the 4th inning with a single, before Varland got Muncy. A Teoscar Hernández single with two strikes put runners on first and second. Then, as he did last night, Outman homered. The three-run blast broke the tie, and Minnesota was once again going to need to get to work. Strikeouts Remain an Issue Dave Roberts has a great team, but the trio of starters going against Minnesota this series are all beatable--aside from Glasnow. The former Tampa Bay Rays star stepped onto the rubber ready to dominate. Martin’s hit was the only baserunner he allowed through the first four innings, and the Twins' ineptitude at the dish grew increasingly maddening. Baldelli’s lineup sent 13 hitters to the plate through four frames, of which eight went down on strikes. Glasnow produced 14 whiffs on his first 47 pitches; the Minnesota lineup had no idea what to do with him. Of course, as they did early in the evening, Los Angeles took an opportunity to add momentum. Varland walked Betts before getting Ohtani on a flyout. Freeman singled the other way, and then Smith blasted the second three-run bomb of the evening. What started so promisingly for Varland went pear-shaped in a hurry. After completing the 5th inning, Varland’s night was done and Cole Sands took over for the 6th. Stewart Takes Over Sands worked two scoreless innings of relief and continued his sharp start to the season. Allowing just a single hit, and an additional runner on a walk, Sands recorded four strikeouts of his own. Following a few more strikeouts of Twins by Glasnow and a lightning-themed entrance, Stewart was on the bump for the 8th inning. It was hardly smooth sailing for Stewart in the 8th inning. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases with two outs. With Ohtani stepping in, and Stewart needing to get out of it, the $700-million man grounded out on a second-pitch cutter off the plate. Still looking to avoid the shutout, and with Alex Vesia taking over for Glasnow, time was running out. Ryan Jeffers launched a one-out dinger to left field for his second of the year. While he is just 3-for-25 in 2024, two of those hits have left the yard for Minnesota’s catcher. Alcalá Back On Despite dealing with substantial arm issues over the past handful of years, Jorge Alcalá was asked to do a lot of heavy lifting on Saturday against the Guardians. After a postponement on Sunday and being down on Monday, Alcala got the 9th inning tonight. He looked to have turned a page on whatever the injury scare was, getting the side in order. Striking out Freeman (who went down for the third time tonight) and Muncy punctuated his outing. In 5 2/3 innings this year, Alcalá owns a 6/2 K/BB. Needing to erase a five-run deficit, Correa was up first against Connor Brogdon in his Dodgers debut, and he welcomed him with a big fly. Not to be outdone, Kirilloff made it back-to-back jacks, sending a ball over the left-field wall. Buxton and José Miranda couldn’t keep the run going, though, and Wallner went down on strikes for the fourth time to end the night. Notes The Minnesota Twins shuffled a few different players around before their game on Tuesday. Max Kepler was placed on the 10-day injured list with a knee contusion, and Michael Tonkin was acquired from the New York Mets for cash considerations. To put Tonkin on the roster, Minnesota transferred Zack Weiss to the 60-day injured list. A couple of reinforcements could be on the way for the bullpen as well. Both Caleb Thielbar and Josh Staumont are starting rehab assignments with Triple-A St. Paul. Last year, the Twins strikeout woes produced 12 games with 13 or more strikeouts and three or fewer runs scored. That was the highest number of such games in team history. After doing it again tonight, they have accomplished the feat three times through their first nine games in 2024. Going 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position, the Twins are 0-for-28 over their past four games. What’s Next? Chris Paddack gets the ball against a former divisional foe on Wednesday afternoon. It was during his rookie season that he posted his best performances, and three of his 26 starts came against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Minnesota will be looking to end the homestand on a high note as they hit the road for a series against both Detroit and Baltimore. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

The Minnesota Twins (like much of Major League Baseball) have been hit hard by the injury bug to start the season. This time, it’s Max Kepler being placed on the injured list and old friend Michael Tonkin coming in to take his place on the active roster. Image courtesy of © John Jones-USA TODAY Sports Max Kepler has been a relative mainstay in Rocco Baldelli’s lineup through the first week of the season. That’s despite having fouled a ball off of his knee on Opening Day. It was clear that the outfielder was in some pain, and that was further confirmed by him needing a few days to recover. Although he wasn’t initially placed on the injured list, the malady could be the cause of his dreadful start. Similar to how he got out of the gate last season, Kepler is finding little success for a Twins lineup that needs him to be better. He has gone just 1-for-20, with a 6/1 K/BB. His exit velocities have been down, and his launch angles haven’t given him a chance to succeed, either. After it was decided that José Miranda would take the roster spot of injured reliever Daniel Duarte last night, Minnesota’s bullpen was short an arm for the first time in what feels like forever. In grabbing Michael Tonkin, a former prospect in the Terry Ryan-era Twins system, they fill that gap without needing to shuffle the 40-man roster. When Duarte went down there were no obvious additions to take his place in the bullpen. Matt Canterino is hurt, and both Simeon Woods Richardson and Brent Headrick started games within the past few days. It was unthinkable that the Twins would play short on arms for long, though, and with the addition of Tonkin, they didn’t have to wait 24 hours. Tonkin was DFA’d by the New York Mets a few days ago, and Minnesota grabbed him for cash considerations. The sample size is much too small to glean anything this year, but in 80 innings for the Atlanta Braves a season ago, Tonkin proved to be a quality low-leverage reliever, posting a 4.28 ERA and 4.43 FIP. The Twins aren’t close to the same organization they were when Tonkin was last around in 2017, and he’s something of a different pitcher now, too. With Atlanta last season, Tonkin threw a sinker and slider exclusively. That has been his repertoire for the bulk of his career, but he did splash in a fastball in 2024. He’s not averaging the 95-mph heat he had with the Twins as a rookie, but 93-94 mph is something that can work for just a guy out of the pen. How long Tonkin remains around is uncertain. Both Caleb Thielbar and Josh Staumont are starting rehab assignments with Triple-A St. Paul, and Minnesota goes on the road following Wednesday’s tilt with the Dodgers. The pair of veterans may not be on the same plane as their teammates, but expecting them to re-join the squad before the series with Baltimore on Monday may be a good bet. In order to create a spot on the 40-man roster for Tonkin, Minnesota moved Zack Weiss to the 60-day IL. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have been playing for over a week now, but outside of their Triple-A affiliate St. Paul Saints, Opening Day was just a few days ago. With all of the full-season leagues having started, we’ve seen stats accumulate and professional debuts take place. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Randy Dobnak) As many fans are accustomed to by now, the minor leagues take Mondays off, so there's no new action on which to report since yesterday's recap. However, there's plenty about which to talk going on in the farm system. Strong in St. Paul The Saints rotation is going to be worth monitoring all year long, as they will be called upon to supplement Rocco Baldelli’s group. Toby Gardenhire’s squad owns a 5-3 record after their first road trip, and the starters have shown out through the first couple of turns in the rotation. Brent Headrick has a whopping 15 strikeouts through just 8 2/3 innings, and Randy Dobnak is close behind with 10 in 7 2/3 innings. Both have looked sharp in their first two outings, and each has eyes set on a return to the majors this year. Simeon Woods Richardson has shown the same velocity that he had this spring, and despite misleading results from his second start, he’s been good out of the gate. David Festa has been handled cautiously to ramp up this season, but that leash should lengthen, and Diego Castillo is a name to watch as a bullpen option for Minnesota as the season goes on. After blasting a bunch of home runs last season, this version of the Saints have come out swinging as well. Yoyner Fajardo, new to the level, leads the team with a pair of dingers, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. paces the club with seven RBIs. José Miranda has cooled some after his torrid spring, but consistent hard contact is the only focus for him at bat. Playing third base was good to see after the shoulder injury that scuppered his progress in 2023, and he's now matriculated to the majors as an option off the bench, alongside Austin Martin. We’re still probably a couple of weeks away from seeing Brooks Lee return to action, as he’s dealing with back spasms since the end of spring training. Trevor Larnach’s turf toe was more of a short-term injury, so the hope would be that he can return to St. Paul in short order. Rosario Keeps Raking If there’s one power bat to watch for Wichita, it is the reigning Arizona Fall League home run leader. Kala’i Rosario earned a promotion to Double-A this season, and the outfield prospect has looked right at home. Through three games, he has already homered twice, and both were three-run shots. He has seven RBIs, to lead the team. Although the team has just a 1-2 record to show for it, the lineup has largely come out hot. Tanner Schobel is 5-for-11. Him putting up strong numbers this season at Double-A would be great to see, after he earned the promotion in 2023 after a great performance in Cedar Rapids. Catchers are something every system needs, and the tandem of Noah Cardenas and Andrew Cossetti are both worth keeping an eye on. Each has an extra-base hit to their credit. As expected, Emmanuel Rodríguez is doing Emmanuel Rodríguez things. He’s got two doubles, more walks than strikeouts, and four stolen bases already. The pitching has been a bit slower out of the gate for the Wind Surge, but Marco Raya did make his season debut. Watching how he is handled this year will be intriguing, and there’s an outside chance he could make his way to the big leagues by season’s end. Travis Adams was the highlight on the bump through the first three games; he's the very best kind of organizational depth. Kernels Come Home Cedar Rapids played just two games in their opening series at Beloit, and are still looking for their first victory of the campaign. With weather postponing Sunday’s tilt, the Kernels didn’t have an opportunity to exact revenge for the pair of losses. Both games combined saw the Twins' High-A affiliate push across just a single run, and the bats will look to benefit from some home cooking. Misael Urbina is the only player with an extra-base hit thus far. While both games were losses, pitching performances kept the contests within reach. Both John Klein and Andrew Morris looked lights-out to start the year; each put up six strikeouts in their first turn. Maladies for the Mussels Fort Myers started the year with a 2-1 record at home while hosting Tampa, but it was top prospect Walker Jenkins going down in the second inning of the first game that drew attention. After dealing with a quad strain during spring training, a catch against the center-field wall had him limping off with a hamstring injury. It isn’t believed to be serious, but he hasn’t returned to the lineup since and the utmost caution will be exercised there. A pair of acquired prospects are leading the lineup in the early going. Byron Chourio came to the Twins in the Luis Arráez trade, and Rayne Doncon was acquired alongside Manuel Margot from the Dodgers. Both are hitting above .400 through their first 12 at-bats, and Doncon’s five RBIs lead the team. He also has the Mighty Mussels' lone home run. Multiple pitchers made their professional debuts for Fort Myers in the first series. Both Ross Dunn and Jeremy Lee have shined, as well as a five-inning relief effort from Paulshawn Pasqualotto. Charlee Soto took the mound for his first big showing since the Spring Breakout game, and while he did give up three runs (two earned), he also punched out the side in a frame. Feel free to jump in with your own observations of the first weekend of minor-league ball, and to ask questions or offer takes on players of interest on the farm. View full article

The Minnesota Twins came into the 2024 Major League Baseball season with a true ace. Pablo López leads a rotation that will look to him for dominance over opponents, a high volume of innings, and intangible leadership qualities. Now his starts will come with extra joy, as well. Image courtesy of © Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Since the Minnesota Twins traded Luis Arráez for Pablo López, the team's right-handed starter has spent the duration of his time here winning over fans. With a gigantic smile and a great personality (plus some heroic playoff poise), López has earned the favor of Twins Territory. His starts have been dubbed “Pablo Day” since some point late in the 2023 season, and now they have an official feel to them. On Monday, the Twins announced that every López start at Target Field will be dubbed “Pablo Day,” and that it will include a ticket package to celebrate. The package is described in detail on a special ticketing landing page. “Each time our ace, Pablo López, takes the mound in 2024, it’s PABLO DAY! This special ticket package includes a ticket to the game and a Pablo-themed jersey, paying homage to his Venezuelan roots. Plus, a portion of the proceeds from this ticket package benefit Ruff Start, Children’s Minnesota, and Project Success non-profits.” Pablo and his wife Kaylee gleaned inspiration for this new offering through their love of Twins fans, the local community of which they have become a part, and a desire to give back. Forty-eight hours before each scheduled home start, the “Pablo Day” tickets will go on sale. The promotion kicks off in May and lasts through September. The tickets purchased for “Pablo Day” will all be located in a designated section at Target Field. Talking to the media during a press conference for the reveal, López noted how much he loved seeing Félix Hernández’s “King’s Court” at Seattle Mariners games. He hopes that seeing fans wearing his jersey, in his section, might give him a bit of a bump on the mound, as well. While it’s Johan Santana that Lopez has often talked of when listing off his favorite pitchers of all time, Hernández is also from Venezuela. Seeing López climb the ranks of pitchers across the league, and ultimately ascend as one of the next greats from Venezuela, would be a great development for Twins fans. St. Paul Throws a Block Party It’s not just the Twins who are home this week either. While Minnesota goes on the road Thursday, the St. Paul Saints are home through the weekend and are throwing a block party to celebrate. Inviting fans to enjoy happy hour at Lowertown establishments pregame, the Saints will throw a first pitch at 4:07 pm on Tuesday to wrap the evening up with baseball. On Wednesday, the Saints are celebrating National Sibling Day, and on Thursday, they pay homage to the local directory assistance line on 4-11 with Thirsty Thursday drink specials. Friday is for the Swifties, with DJ Swiftie bringing a collection of Taylor Swift’s songs to the stadium, and a fan will be given two tickets to the pop star's Miami show in October. It wouldn’t be a Friday at CHS Field without fireworks, either. Giveaways continue at the ballpark on Saturday with magnet schedules being handed out, and Sunday will be a sensory-friendly game. The Saints, known for their wild antics, will dial everything back a bit so everyone can enjoy a relaxing day at the ballpark. Between “Pablo Day” and a week’s worth of Saints excitement, baseball should be the talk of the town(s) in Minneapolis and St. Paul this week. View full article

This really is a thing, and it's wild that it's a thing. A guy with 70-some MLB games being responsible for invigorating established veterans is kind of sad on the part of everyone else.

While it might seem as though the sky is falling for the Minnesota Twins after their first handful of games, it’s not actually true. However, they've showed plenty of things consistent with the sluggish start from last season, and that’s more than a bit concerning. Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports After a spring training in which we got to see a healthy Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa, and Royce Lewis, one-third of that trio was taken away less than three full innings into the season. Lewis started the year off on a high note, with a home run against the Kansas City Royals, but one at-bat later, he was hobbling off the field. Likely out for months rather than weeks, his presence in the lineup won’t be the one to right the ship this time around. Rocco Baldelli watched his veteran-laden group rack up a ridiculous 0-for-24 with runners in scoring position in games against the Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers. A depleted bullpen has held serve, despite being without key members such as Jhoan Durán and Caleb Thielbar. Still, the team hasn't hit their stride over the first seven games. The Guardians have lost ace Shane Bieber for the season, but they're off to a strong start in the standings. The Royals think they’re good, and have started above .500. The Tigers might actually be good, and have rushed out to a 6-3 start. Burying themselves early isn’t the way Minnesota wants to go about this. The division isn't waiting around for them to get in gear. Here are the three most problematic developments from the first handful of Twins tilts this season. Max Kepler If this seems like it is getting old, it’s because it is. Kepler started last season 2-for-22, and he owned an untenable .623 OPS 39 games into the season. The tear he went on the rest of the way might have made you think he finally abandoned a previous, broken process, but it is once again rearing its head. When Kepler is playing poorly, it’s because he doesn’t consistently get lift on the baseball and rolls pitches over with weak contact. Putting the ball on the ground is a natural result of how his swing works, but it’s not a successful way to live at the major league level. Yes, it’s 20 at-bats this time around, but he has one hit and a 6/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Nothing about the approach has carried over what changed last year, and there are all sorts of problems with his exit velocities and barrel rates once again. Failed Trajectories Minnesota isn’t a team solely built around power. That's a misnomer that still stems from the 2019 Bomba Squad. Yes, they were a solid hitting home run team in 2023, and they struck out way too much, but it isn’t a true all-or-nothing approach. The team does, however, focus on lifting the ball to the pull field whenever the opportunity arises. There aren’t hits on ground balls in the major leagues, just like popping the ball up is never going to create anything but outs. However, the Twins are failing in that endeavor early, as they're among the bottom four teams in average launch angle across the league. Regardless of their exit velocities, the path in which they impact the baseball leaves almost no room for success. Without getting into specific analytics for either launch angle or exit velocities, it boils down to decisions that produce outcomes destined to fail. Whether relying on advance scouting or seeking individual pitches within an at-bat, hitters aren’t making nearly enough hard contact, and when they are, the ball isn't getting enough air under it. Death by Papercuts (Utility Overload) No one was expecting Willi Castro to start every day, and Kyle Farmer rotating in was supposed to be less frequent and less necessary than this. Then, Lewis got injured, and everything went out the window. Rather than calling up José Miranda to play third base, the Twins turned to Austin Martin for his debut. Baldelli has a bench full of guys who are only realistically expected to perform in the most ideal conditions. Of the bunch, Castro is the one who could have some real upside as a regular, given his performance in 2023 and the outlier situation that brought him to Minnesota following a release from Detroit. Still, though, rolling out Castro, Farmer, or Martin in constant platoon situations doesn’t integrate any of them into the lineup consistently, and they are all stretched as regulars. Without credible options at a handful of roster spots, the front office and coaching staff are largely reduced to hoping the rolled dice land in their favor. Threading the needle like the Twins are attempting to do this season is a difficult ask. It’s something that additional resources committed to the roster may have avoided. It’s also something that could break back their way as the season finds its rhythm, but for now, there's real risk afoot. View full article

The Wichita Wind Surge wasted no time for an offensive explosion, and it was a bit of everyone as they put up 13 runs for their first victory of the year. Fort Myers got contributions from plenty in Charlee Soto’s professional debut, and the Saints did enough to back pitching dominance on Saturday. Image courtesy of William Parmeter (photo of Charlee Soto) TRANSACTIONS No transactions on Saturday. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 3, Nashville 0 Box Score Plenty of intrigue lies on how well the St. Paul Saints rotation comes out of the gate. With the Twins rotation expected to have depth issues, it will be some of these arms that can step up. Among them is Brent Headrick, and for the second straight outing, he was solid. Working a scoreless five innings, Headrick gave up just a pair of hits, scattered three walks, and struck out seven. Scoring kicked off in the 3rd inning when Yoyner Fajardo hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot, to put the Saints on the board. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. followed his lead and went back-to-back with his own jack in the very next at bat. The sides settled in trading zeroes for a bit, but the new Castillo announced his presence in the 6th inning. Diego A. Castillo, singled with Jose Miranda at third base, and St. Paul’s lead grew to 3-0. Patrick Winkel was stranded 90 feet from the plate to end the inning. After Ronny Henriquez blanked the Sounds over two innings, St. Paul pulled a fast one and put reliever Diego Castillo into the game as well. Hobie Harris came on for the save in back-to-back nights and, despite issuing a pair of walks, slammed the door once again. The Saints turned seven hits, two of which came from Fajardo, into four runs. The lineup watched as their pitchers punched out ten to keep them in command. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 13, Frisco 3 Box Score Hoping to exact revenge for the Opening Day loss, Wichita turned to Travis Adams on the bump. He put the Wind Surge in a great place by working five innings of two-run baseball. Both were unearned tallies, and came on a hit and a walk. Adams struck out four. Responding to the RoughRiders pair of 3rd inning runs, Wichita doubled up the output. Emmanuel Rodriguez drove in the first Wind Surge run when Kyler Fedko touched home on his single to center field. Tanner Schobel then clubbed a double off the wall to bring in both Alerick Soularie and Rodriguez on the knock. A Kala’i Rosario single scored Schobel, and the four-run frame was the first crooked number of the night for the home team. Not to be outdone in the 3rd inning, Wichita upped the ante in the 5th inning. Andrew Cossetti scored Soularie and Rodriguez on a line drive single, and Ben Ross then singled to right bringing Cossetti home. With a 7-2 lead, Jefferson Morales lined another base hit to center, this one good enough to bring Rosario and Ross across the plate. By the time the inning came to an end, Wichita had a seven-run margin and comfortable 9-2 lead. Of course, it always makes sense to add more, and Schobel did just that with a run-scoring single in the 5th inning that brought Rodriguez home to score his third run of the game. Even the one-run response by Frisco in the top of the 6th inning kept it a 10-3 game. After demolishing Arizona Fall League pitching for dingers, Rosario picked up where he left off, launching his first of 2024. The three-run blast in the bottom of the 8th inning made it a 13-3 game as he brought home both Schobel and Cossetti on the big fly. Wichita finished with 14 hits and all nine batters reaching base. Schobel and Rosario both had three hits while Rodriguez and Cossetti added a pair of their own. KERNELS NUGGETS Beloit 2, Cedar Rapids 1 Box Score The Kernels sought to get their first win of the season after dropping a tilt on Opening Day. John Klein put them in a great position to do it, and his five innings were the highlight of this one. Allowing just three hits and a walk, he struck out six and held Beloit scoreless. Agustin Ruiz plated the game’s first run in the second inning when the Cedar Rapids right fielder lifted a sacrifice fly, scoring Jay Harry. Despite cruising through the rest of the contest, things went pear-shaped in the 9th inning. Kyle Bischoff came on looking to grab the save. After striking out the first batter, he saw, a pair of walks was followed by a wild pitch and a walkoff single to give the Sky Carp their second win of the season. Cedar Rapids mustered just four hits on Saturday, and no one came away with a pair. The Kernels also didn’t record an extra-base hit. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Tampa 4 Box Score After dropping their Opening Day tilt, Fort Myers was ready to even the score on Saturday. Charlee Soto made his official professional debut, and the Twins pitching prospect worked three innings allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk. He struck out three and threw 28 of his 44 pitches for strikes. Walker Jenkins was not in the lineup for the Mighty Mussels after exiting just an inning into his 2024 season. The injury appears to be of the mild sort, and is a hamstring issue, but it’s a wait-and-see scenario for the Twins top prospect. The Tarpons raced out to a 3-0 lead through the first three and a half innings, but Fort Myers showed up offensively during the bottom of the 4th inning. With runners on the corners, Carlos Aguiar took off for second base. Seeing the throw through, shortstop Brandon Winokur raced home and grabbed the first Mighty Mussels run. Billed as a toolsy prospect during draft time, Winokur has flashed that with power, speed, and positional flexibility during his early pro career. In the bottom of the 5th inning, Fort Myers got even for the first time in the game. Rayne Doncon, acquired alongside Manuel Margot from the Los Angeles Dodgers, singled and scored Byron Chourio. Winokur then lifted a sacrifice fly later in the frame to plate Doncon and even the score at three. A 6th inning Isaac Pena single scored both Chourio and Poncho Ruiz to give Fort Myers a 5-3 lead, their first of the day. A fielding error by center fielder Jackson Castillo helped to allow additional time for the Mighty Mussels to motor around the bases. If there was any doubt added by a 7th inning Tarpons run, Doncon dispelled it during the 8th inning with his first double of the season. Ruiz scored again, and the 6-4 lead was enough to seal this one for Fort Myers’ first win of the year. Jeremy Lee came on in relief of Soto and provided four innings of one-run baseball. He walked three, but gave up just two hits and struck out six. The effort earned him his first professional win. Nolan Santos earned his first professional hold, and Xander Hamilton recorded his first professional save. Fort Myers got hits from seven of their nine starters in the contest, and Chourio, Doncon, and Ruiz had a pair apiece. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – John Klein (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 3-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR(1) PROSPECT SUMMARY #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 2-3, 3 R, RBI, 2B(2), 2 BB #4 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, BB, K #9 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 1-3, R, RBI, 2B(1), SB(1) #11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 3-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B (1) #12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, BB, K #13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 3-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR(1) #15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 0-3, BB, K #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – #17 – Matt Canterino (IL) – Shoulder injury #18 – Connor Prielipp (IL) – UCL Surgery SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Nashville (2:05 PM CST) – RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Frisco @ Wichita (1:05PM CST) – RHP Pierson Ohl (0-0, -.-- ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (1:05 PM CST) – RHP Christian MacLeod (0-0, -.-- ERA) Fort Myers @ Tampa (11:05 AM CST) – RHP Tanner Hall (0-0, -.-- ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Saturday’s games! 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I think Helman's bat plays quite a bit more at the next level, so it's basically making sure he can fit everywhere. Helman is also solid in CF, and unlike most utility players that are kind of just average everywhere, he seems to get bounced from the premium positions by being a lesser prospect than some of his counterparts.

Was told he is building back up alright, but that he wasn't out of the gate this spring so they are being cautious.

The affiliates not named the St. Paul Saints kicked off their 2024 regular seasons on Friday night. Some of that excitement was sapped when top prospect exited the game for Fort Myers after only one inning. Image courtesy of William Parmeter TRANSACTIONS Acquired INF Diego Castillo from Baltimore and assigned him to St. Paul INF Dalton Shuffield transferred from St. Paul to Wichita. RHPs Cory Lewis and Mike Paredes were placed on the 7-Day IL for Wichita with right shoulder impingements. 1B Aaron Sabato was placed on the Wichita IL with an oblique injury. RHP Jack Dougherty starts the season on the Mighty Mussels 7-Day IL with a right shoulder impingement. RHP Ricky Mineo is on the 7-Day IL for Fort Myers with a lat injury. Catcher Daniel Pena and RHP Jacob King were added to the Mighty Mussels's roster. OF Alec Sayre was released by the organization. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Nashville 5 Box Score David Festa took the ball for the Saints, and he was scheduled for a regularly scheduled outing. Not splitting with Randy Dobnak as he did in the delayed opener, he worked 2 2/3 innings but got up to 50 pitches. Allowing just a single run on four hits and a pair of walks, he struck out two. After the Sounds took a 1st inning lead, Chris Williams evened things with his first double of the season. Anthony Prato scored on the play and put the sides neutral. In the 5th inning St. Paul took their first lead with a Patrick Winkel double bringing home both Williams and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. Nashville got a run back in the 5th inning, but the Saints had a quick answer. In the 6th inning Prato brought home Jair Camargo on a ground out and Keirsey Jr. singled to score Yunior Severino. The 5-2 lead was the widest margin of the night Friday, and even a wild pitch leading to a run in the bottom of the 6th inning still left St. Paul with some breathing room. The Sounds made their second error of the game on a Severino batted ball in the 7th inning, and Winkel scored to make it a 6-3 score. Nashville continued to claw back, and runs against both Michael Boyle and Jordan Balazovic in relief had them within one by the end of the 8th inning. Hobie Harris allowed a leadoff double in the 9th inning, but responded by slamming the door and grabbing the save. Winkel highlighted the offense with a 3-for-5 night, and Williams joined him with a double of his own. WIND SURGE WISDOM Frisco 6, Wichita 2 Box Score Top pitching prospect Marco Raya was on the bump for Wichita’s Opening Day contest tonight. He worked three innings allowing just a single run on four hits. Raya got to just 46 pitches, but was efficient throwing 32 strikes. He struck out four and issued no free passes. Down 1-0 in the 5th inning Noah Cardenas singled and scored Ben Ross to tie the game and give Wichita their first run of the season. The Roughriders added a pair in the 6th inning, but the Wind Surge responded with a run of their own in the bottom half when Ross drove in Emmanuel Rodriguez with a single of his own. Frisco extended their lead with three more runs in the top of the 7th inning, and Wichita needed a sizable comeback if they were going to win on Opening Day. Veteran arm A.J. Alexy had a tough debut outing in his first within the Twins system. Kala'i Rosario attempted to spark the Wichita lineup with a one-out triple in the bottom of the 8th inning. After a pair of strikeouts, he wound up stranded and another scoring opportunity passed the Wind Surge by. Ross recorded a pair of hits on the night and he was joined by Jake Rucker and Cardenas as they reached in the 9th. Down to just two outs left, Rodriguez recorded a double for his first extra-base hit of the season. His two-bagger cleared the bases and made it a 6-4 game. Schobel took a walk and Wichita had the winning run at the plate. Unfortunately, an Andrew Cossetti strikeout and Rosario flyout left the Wind Surge coming up short. KERNELS NUGGETS Beloit 3, Cedar Rapids 1 Box Score Cedar Rapids traveled to Beloit kicking off their season, and Andrew Morris brought his best stuff. Working four innings against the Sky Carp, the Kernels starter blanked Beloit while giving up three hits and a walk. He struck out six. The first seven innings saw both teams continue to go down in order. Neither side could crack the scoreboard, and it wasn’t until a pair of home runs in the 8th inning that Beloit was able to change the scoreboard. Looking to battle back in the top of the 9th inning, Jose Salas singled to score Gabriel Gonzalez. With Salas and Ricardo Olivar on base, Cedar Rapids had a threat, but couldn’t push anything else across. Gonzalez was the lone Kernels batter with a pair of hits on the evening, and Misael Urbina’s double was the only extra-base hit. Luke Keaschall led off as the designated hitter, a spot he’ll play until he’s cleared to get back in the field. MUSSEL MATTERS Tampa 4, Fort Myers 2 Box Score Ross Dunn was the Opening Day starter for Fort Myers tonight, and his four innings of work represented a solid outing. Giving up just a single run, he worked around three hits and walks while also striking out six. For a professional debut, he definitely made an impression. The big news out of Fort Myers was bad luck injury news regarding top prospect Walker Jenkins. After making a running grab in center to start the game, he exited in the second inning. Jenkins suffered a quad injury earlier in the spring and scratched for the Spring Breakout game, but had recovered in time for MiLB Opening Day. Tampa grabbed the lead in the 3rd inning, but the Mighty Mussels grabbed their first of 2024 in the 6th inning. Yohander Martinez singled to score Brandon Winokur before a Cole Elvis force out brought in Poncho Ruiz. The lead didn’t last long as the Tarpons scored three in the top of the 7th inning, and the 4-2 tally is where this one would end. Fort Myers has a roster loaded with prospect potential, but seeing someone like Jenkins go down so soon is a big blow. Both Martinez and Byron Chourio were responsible for the two-hit nights. None of the Mighty Mussels six hits went for extra bases. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Andrew Morris (Cedar Rapids) - 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6K Hitter of the Day – Patrick Winkel (St. Paul) - 3-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B(1), K PROSPECT SUMMARY #1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 0-1, K #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 1-4, 2 RBI, 2B(1), R, BB, 3 K #4 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, R #5 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #6 – David Festa (St. Paul) – 2.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 0-3, R, BB, 3 K #11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 0-3, 2 BB, K #12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, K #13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 1-4, 3B(1), K #15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4 #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-4, R, BB, 2 K #17 – Matt Canterino (IL) – Shoulder injury #18 – Connor Prielipp (IL) – UCL Surgery #19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 0-3, BB, 2 K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Nashville (6:35 PM CST) – RHP Brent Headrick (0-0, 4.91 ERA) Frisco @ Wichita (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Travis Adams (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (1:05 PM CST) – RHP John Klein (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Fort Myers @ Tampa (5:05 PM CST) – RHP Charlee Soto (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! 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Randy Dobnak was on the bump tonight for the St. Paul Saints, and looking to build off of his first start, Toby Gardenhire had a pitcher ready to roll. Unfortunately the lineup fizzled and St. Paul found themselves walked off late. TRANSACTIONS None today SAINTS SENTINEL Nasvhille 4, St. Paul 3 (F/10) Box Score Randy Dobnak took the ball after piggybacking for David Festa on Opening Day. Working 3 2/3 innings, Dobnak allowed three hits and just a single run. He struck out four, but had to work around traffic with four walks on the day. It was St. Paul who raced out to an early lead. Jair Camargo knocked his first home run of the season, and the Saints owned a 1-0 lead in the 4th inning. Nashville evened things in the bottom half on a Yonny Hernandez single, and the early Saints lead was wiped away. After a Brewer Hicklen 5th inning single made it a 2-1 lead for Nashville, Camargo came through again. His first double of the season plated DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and the scoreboard read a tie again. St. Paul jumped back ahead in the 7th inning with Will Holland reaching on an error. The booted ball allowed Anthony Prato to score and had the Saints in position to close it out. The lead didn’t last as Owen Miller brought in a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning, and the sides couldn’t push anything else across in the 8th or 9th innings. A Nick Kahle single in the bottom of the 10th inning got the necessary run in, and the Sounds were able to walk it off. Despite Nashville having 11 hits to generate their four runs, Gardenhire’s club got just four hits on the evening. Camargo came up with half of them on his own. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Matt Bowman - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K Hitter of the Day – Jair Camargo - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR(1), 2B(1) PROSPECT SUMMARY #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-3, BB FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Nashville (6:35 PM CST) – RHP David Festa (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

He definitely is better at 3B, but the lack of playing there this spring has been concerning regarding his shoulder. Obviosuly it must not be a concern anymore.

Still the lone Twins affiliate in action for the next few days, the St. Paul Saints took center stage Wednesday night with an eye on another victory. Caleb Boushley shoved, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. stirred the drink. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Nashville 5 Box Score It wasn’t a top prospect night featuring David Festa or Simeon Woods Richardson, but that didn't mean there was nothing to see. Caleb Boushley toed the rubber for St. Paul, and he was dominant during his first start of the season. Working against the club for which he threw over 135 innings a season ago, it had to be nice to put up an impressive showing. Boushley went 5 2/3 innings, allowing just a single run on two hits. He didn’t walk anyone and picked up five strikeouts. Making his first start in the Minnesota organization after spending 2023 with his hometown Brewers (he's a native of Hortonville, in Northeast Wisconsin), it’s hard to argue that he could have put a better first step forward. Across 153 2/3 innings last year, Boushley posted a 5.11 ERA in 29 games (26 starts). This was definitely an outing the likes of which the Saints and Twins would like to see more. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. kicked off the scoring in the first inning, with a single that plated José Miranda. The baserunner crossing the plate may not have been noteworthy, but the infielder playing third base for the first time since last season definitely was. Miranda was passed over in favor of Austin Martin when it came to a Royce Lewis replacement, and seeing how his arm worked across the diamond was a must. After Nick Kahle evened things in the third, St. Paul went to work with intentions of providing some distance. Keirsey tripled home Jair Camargo in the fourth inning, and the recently acquired Tanner Morris doubled him home. Dalton Shuffield then recorded a double of his own to bring home Morris, and a Michael Helman single brought Yoyner Fajardo around to make it a 5-1 game. A three-run dinger by Nashville's Isaac Collins made it a one-run game, but Miranda’s ninth-inning double scored Helman and gave St. Paul a little bit of room for error. Veteran reliever Diego Castillo was called upon to close it out. After a strikeout of Tyler Black, Castillo walked Brewer Hicklen. He did get Chris Roller to punch out, but a wild pitch and a walk to Collins set up an overcooked offering that allowed Hicklen to scamper home. Chavez Young then drew a walk of his own, and Yonny Hernandez followed with a free pass. If there was any question as to why Castillo has not been the pitcher he was with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, it was on full display tonight. Toby Gardenhire wasn't impressed and turned the ball over to Michael Boyle, in hopes of grabbing the final out. He was able to induce an infield fly from Kahle, and even with Castillo putting the game in doubt, St. Paul moved to 3-1 with the victory, TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Caleb Boushley - 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day – DaShawn Keirsey Jr. - 2-4, 3B(1), R, 2 RBI, K PROSPECT SUMMARY #7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – Pinch ran for Alex Kirilloff in the 8th inning in Milwaukee THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Nashville (6:35 PM CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (1-0, 2.25ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s game! View full article