Ted Schwerzler

The Minnesota Twins finished their season-opening road trip on a high note. Brewers pitchers stymied the offense early, but Alex Kirilloff and Ryan Jeffers came through late, and the bullpen secured the lead. Image courtesy of © Michael McLoone - USA Today Sports Box Score SP: Chris Paddack 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (82 pitches, 47 strikes, 6 whiffs - 7.3%) Home Runs: Ryan Jeffers (1) Top 3 WPA: Ryan Jeffers .347, Alex Kirilloff .213, Carlos Correa .189 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Paddack Returns to the Bump It had been nearly 700 days since Chris Paddack made a start in a major-league game. The Sheriff toed the rubber at American Family Field and struck out Jackson Chourio on three pitches, as if he'd never missed an outing. After flashing a 94.6-mph fastball, he rung up the talented rookie on a changeup that dove out of the strike zone. William Contreras offered a free out to Paddack with a nubber back to the mound, but Minnesota’s starter couldn’t pick up the ball and gave up what was (spuriously) ruled a single. Christian Yelich, who has started the year on a tear, then lined a middle-middle pitch to center field, and the Brewers were in business. With Willy Adames stepping in, the Minnesota starter overcooked a curveball that got past catcher Ryan Jeffers, letting the runners reach second and third. After having Adames down 0-2, Paddack walked him, and loaded the bases for Rhys Hoskins. Paddack pushed the velocity to 96.1 mph against Hoskins, and a hard grounder to Kyle Farmer at third base turned into a much-needed inning-ending double play. The Twins offense needed to get going, but the starter was now able to settle in. Joe Ross Back in the Bigs Having not pitched in the majors since 2021 himself, and throwing just 17 professional innings the past two seasons, Milwaukee Brewers starter Joe Ross seemed like a good candidate for the struggling Twins offense to get right. Batters forced him to go deep in counts and racked up 54 pitches in his first three innings of work. They struck out only twice while drawing three walks, but no one was able to capitalize on the opportunities they created. Brice Turang got himself a ball to lift into left field in the second, scoring Sal Frelick, but Paddack may have been able to escape damage if Jeffers could have hung on to a popped-up foul bunt just before that. Ross was provided with the slightest breathing room early, and a lackluster Twins lineup limped out of the gate again. Coming out for a fourth inning of work, though, Ross continued to struggle. He twirled in only 38 strikes across 73 total pitches, and walked five batters on the day. With the sacks packed and Edouard Julien at the dish, Pat Murphy went to lefty Hoby Milner in relief of Ross, and Milwaukee was into their bullpen before the Minnesota offense could show up to the party. Margot Makes it Even…Or Not With Julien ready to step in against Milner, Rocco Baldelli opted for the platoon advantage in the form of Manuel Margot. Despite the bases being loaded and there being two outs in the inning, the speedy Margot dropped down a bunt. It wasn’t a good one, popped up toward third baseman Joey Ortiz. With a shortstop background, he made a wonderful play to grab Margot after a review at first. The desperation signaled by that bunt reeked of a lineup that can’t get things going. The Twins allowed Ross to escape an otherwise ugly day with nothing to show for his time on the mound. Because the baseball gods have a cruel sense of humor, Hoskins immediately launched a solo shot off of Paddack to start the bottom of the 4th inning. Minnesota trailed 2-0. 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 thats a promise we make good on. Santana Stops the Drought Playing against his former team, Carlos Santana stepped in against J.B. Bukauskas in the top of the following frame. The bases were loaded, and the recently-promoted Brewers reliever got behind to the tune of a 3-0 count. Santana took what was a borderline strike one call, and fouled off a second strike. He then grounded a ball to second, and Turang wasn’t able to turn what would have been a tough double play. Alex Kirilloff, who had reached for the third time already, scored from third. Looking to even the score, Willi Castro was up, and the Twins had runners on the corners. After a ball and strike apiece, the utility man lined a ball to right field but the rookie Chourio was there to make the play. Through the first five innings of the game, Minnesota found themselves 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, and nine players had been left on base. With so much traffic, Baldelli certainly would have appreciated his lineup putting a crooked number in the run column. Daniel Duarte took over for Paddack in the bottom half. Jackson Chourio Blasts Off There has been no more anticipated debut in Brewers Land than that of Jackson Chourio. The 20-year-old is a favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year award, and despite his sizzling start, he had yet to leave the yard. On the third pitch from Duarte, the Venezuelan got a hanging slider and deposited the pitch over the center field wall. While Minnesota failed to capitalize on their good fortune from the top half of the inning, they watched the run they got back be immediately erased. It was an ugly miss from Duarte, but he responded by getting both Yelich and Adames to ground out and escape further damage. Duarte continues to be a reliever worth watching for the Minnesota bullpen. Kirilloff Crushes and Jeffers Blasts Starting the 7th inning with a double, Kirilloff continued his hot day, as he lifted a fly ball to the right-field corner. Chourio wasn’t able to track it down, and it ultimately hopped over the wall to put him on second base against reliever Joel Payamps. Minnesota had Byron Buxton working as the designated hitter today. He stepped in and crushed a ball to left field that allowed Kirilloff to scamper home. After a game full of futile at-bats, it appeared that the Twins lineup finally had life. Correa confirmed as much with a hit of his own, a single to left, and Buxton raced home from second base (despite an ill-advised near-stop from Tommy Watkins, which would have been a glaring failure to take advantage of Yelich's weak outfield arm). After Santana lofted a single to center, manager Pat Murphy decided he had seen enough from his workhorse setup man. Bryse Wilson came on to face Castro and Jeffers. The Twins sought to take their first lead of the game, and Jeffers finally got off the schneid with his first hit of the season. After a solid spring training, he had come into the game hitless over the first four contests. Although the ball barely made it over the left-field wall, his three-run dinger gave the Twins a 6-3 lead and set them up for a series split. The home run was just Minnesota’s second of the season, with the other coming from Royce Lewis on Opening Day. Carlos Correa Catches It With Brock Stewart taking over in relief, Baldelli was into the leverage arms of his bullpen. Looking to keep their three-run lead comfortable, Minnesota had one of their best available pen arms on the bump. After a strikeout of Oliver Dunn, and then a 12-pitch punch out of Turang, it was a highlight-reel play to end the inning. Correa channeled his inner Willie Mays for an over-the-shoulder catch that looked so smooth. He then pulled off a Michael Jordan-esque shrug to top it off. The Twins shortstop is special. In the top half of the eighth inning, Kirilloff continued his terrific day with a gapper that allowed him to race around to third base. It was just his third career triple, and with Austin Martin taking over as a pinch runner, put Minnesota in position to score once again. Unfortunately, Wilson got both Buxton and Max Kepler on strikes to strand the potential run 90 feet away. Bullpen Musical Chairs Just before the regular season started, the Twins found themselves with a bunch of late pitching injuries. Jhoan Durán, Caleb Thielbar, Justin Topa, and Josh Staumont were all going to begin the year on the injured list. That meant a bunch of unexpected names were going to be expected to step up, and Baldelli would have to get creative with the group. Stewart didn’t go two innings today, and he shouldn’t ever be expected to do so, given his injury history. Griffin Jax took over in the 8th inning, and rather than riding him for six outs, Minnesota’s manager decided to put Steven Okert in for the 9th. That decision appeared to be made before Jeffers drove in Correa and took away the save situation, and it’s reflective of a manager putting his best arms in spots where he needs them most. Having been acquired from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Nick Gordon, Okert has shown well in his first two outings for Minnesota. He certainly is excited to be in a new place, with his former franchise falling to 0-7 on the season this afternoon. Command wasn’t his friend early in the outing today, but he battled back against Andruw Monasterio for a strikeout. He punched out former Twins backstop Gary Sanchez on a dotted 3-2 pitch, and then got Dunn for another strikeout to end the contest. What’s Next? Minnesota heads to Target Field for the first time in 2024. Kicking off the home schedule, Pablo López starts against Tanner Bibee on Thursday. Cleveland hasn’t updated their probables, but the Twins will throw Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober over the weekend, as the weather turns downright balmy (by the standards of early April in Minnesota). Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Not at the money he got paid. It's happening at 34. I don't want to see how it's happening at 36 or 37. Someone else, yes.

89 pitches with spotty results is hardly a quick hook

It's four games in. You're overthinking it. Sonny is hurt and Kenta looks terrible. Wouldn't want either of them right now.

Louie Varland toed the rubber for his first start of the 2024 season Tuesday afternoon. Although it was something of an abbreviated outing, the Twins pitcher left his team in position to win. Rocco Baldelli's offense remained largely lifeless, though, and fell to the Milwaukee Brewers. Image courtesy of © Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK Box Score SP: Louie Varland - 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (89 pitches, 52 strikes, 11 whiffs 12.4%) Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Margot -.152, Santana -.151, Varland -.115 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Louie Comes Out Strong There were bound to be plenty of eyes on Louie Varland for his first start of the season. With Anthony DeSclafani out for the year, it was the Concordia-St. Paul product who was inserted into the rotation. After transitioning to the bullpen last season and showing triple-digit heat, working as a starter again might have been a hard sell. He came out firing in the first inning. After he dotted a 98-mph fastball to Sal Frelick and froze him for the strikeout, it was clear the velocity was still going to play. Brandishing a new cutter, Varland couldn’t get the bottom of the zone to stretch against Christian Yelich in the first, but worked around a walk to William Contreras, anyway. The tweaks to his arsenal have been a talking point throughout spring training, and watching them on display while it counts was the big takeaway today. Jake Bauers stepped in for the second inning, and Varland dotted a cutter on the corner to send him down looking. The Brewers had a bit of BABIP luck thereafter, stringing together four singles, of which three were hit softly, but the youngster Jackson Chourio put Milwaukee on the board by driving in Brice Turang. The velocity remained at 96 mph or higher, and it looks like Varland will have plenty of gas to remain working as a starter. Lineup Limps Out Through the first three innings, the Minnesota Twins lineup looked lifeless. Despite facing a very hittable starter in Jakob Junis, they managed just a single hit and struck out four times. Rocco Baldelli’s group continued to attack early, and they rarely made Junis work. He threw just 31 pitches, of which 25 were strikes, and Minnesota had nothing to show for it. After an 11-0 drubbing on Sunday in Kansas City, there might have been a bit of anxiety building near the bat rack. Since the injury to Royce Lewis on Opening Day, the lineup has lacked the same spark. With Varland leaving a 96 mph fastball on a 3-2 count middle-middle to Christian Yelich, the Twins found themselves in a 2-0 hole. That wasn’t the only trouble for Minnesota in the third. Varland made a fool of Turang with an induced sword on a curveball for strike two, but the Brewers infielder got revenge later in the at-bat. Going with an up-and-out fastball, he flipped it to left fielder Matt Wallner and drove in Rhys Hoskins to make it a 3-0 game. The 3-2 pitch against Oliver Dunn looked like it could have been strike three and ended the inning, but home plate umpire Clint Vondrak didn’t agree. Wallner Gets it Going After striking out in his first at bat, Matt Wallner stepped in following a Carlos Correa walk to load the bases. After missing on a strike two pitch, and taking time to induce a jaunt behind home plate, he made contact on the next pitch. Alex Kirilloff was able to scamper home from third base, and Chourio’s throw trying to nail Byron Buxton at third was off line. Unfortunately Carlos Santana wasn’t able to bring in any of the additional baserunners, and Minnesota ended the inning plating just one and leaving a pair. With the lifeless nature of the lineup for the first three innings, it was good to see Kirilloff and Buxton reach on a pair of singles. Junis dealt with a shoulder injury at the end of spring training, and his time on the mound may not be long, so there was some pressure to score before they lost their chance to attack him. Wallner needs to find a way to parlay contact into some success as he dealt with a tough spring, Although he trended more positively towards the end, fruitless at-bats mounted, and his strikeout tendencies reared their heads. Through his first seven at-bats in 2024, he has struck out five times. Bullpen Time Comes Early After the Brewers turned to Elvis Peguero for the 5th inning, Minnesota responded with a reliever of their own in the bottom half. Jorge Alcalá came on to relieve Varland after his 89 pitches of work. With the Twins having serious question marks in the rotation, it remains to be seen how often Baldelli will need to lean on his bullpen group. For right now, those arms are depleted as well, and that can’t be something that Minnesota lets snowball early in the season. Minnesota will need relievers to provide multiple innings out of the bullpen, and Alcala was ticketed for that role on Tuesday. After the group pitched a whole bunch of innings on Sunday, they were going to need to cover at least four in game one against Milwaukee. Coming out for the 6th inning, Buxton was nearly taken out by a racing sausage. Fortunately, he avoided injury, but that wiener should certainly be watching its back. Alcalá again walked the leadoff hitter, and Turang advanced to second base on a steal. Getting Sal Frelick to pop out was great, but he couldn’t get Contreras after starting with two strikes. Turang swiped third on the 3-2 pitch and the Brewers had runners on the corners. A showdown with Yelich wasn’t what anyone should have wanted, but Alcalá got another lazy pop up to Willi Castro. His 39 pitches might be the most he’ll throw all season, but it was encouraging to see the flamethrowing reliever still at 97-mph late in his outing. He will need to hone in the command though, as just 21 strikes is not an ideal ratio. Mix and Match The Twins, still down by three runs, needed to respond, and looked to do so in the 7th inning. After Correa walked, the Brewers responded by bringing in Hoby Milner against Wallner. Baldelli countered by putting Manuel Margot into the game, and he immediately drew a walk. Santana advanced the runners on a ground out the Willy Adames nearly booted, and then Contreras booted a Castro nubber to load the bases. After struggling to start last season with the bases loaded, it was on Vázquez to come through and even the ledger today. He lifted a fly ball in the gap to Yelich, scoring Correa and bringing Minnesota within one. Kyle Farmer then came off the bench to replace Edouard Julien, and he had the opportunity to tie things up with a base hit. Milner went up and in to get Farmer on the corner, and the Twins remained down one while they stretched. Jay Jackson came on and worked the bottom of the 7th for the Twins. A Bauers walk put a runner on for Milwaukee, but as he did against Bobby Witt Jr. and the Royals, Vázquez brandished his cannon and nailed the Milwaukee baserunner trying to grab an extra 90 feet. Hoskins stared at strike three, and it was on to the 8th. With Devin Williams out to start the year, it was Abner Uribe with his eyes on a save for the Brewers. He grabbed two of them against the New York Mets in his first two outings this season, but did allow a home run in one of those contests. Correa opened the 9th inning with a leadoff walk, and Austin Martin took his spot at first base to utilize his speed. Unfortunately, Margot grounded into a double play, started by Hoskins, and Minnesota was down to their final out. The decision not to challenge the play was a curious one, as it looked like Margot may have beat the throw and the game was on the line. Santana grounded out to Turang and Minnesota’s record moved to even. The lineup will certainly need to do more of the heavy lifting than they have he past couple of games, and working a split tomorrow with Milwaukee could provide some good vibes for the season opening road trip before the team heads hom. What’s Next? The Minnesota Twins turn to Chris Paddack, as he makes his first appearance of the 2024 season. Opposed by the Brewers Joe Ross, Minnesota and Milwaukee will conclude their short two-game set before the Twins venture to Target Field for the first time in 2024. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

That's true, but: It starts at $1,200...and only six of the seats are actually good. Also, "dedicated" is loosely as it isn't exactly separated or anything. You also have to have a group of 12 to split it with.

Baseball season is back, and while the St. Paul Saints are the only Minnesota Twins affiliate to kick off action thus far, the rest of the rosters are being set, and players throughout the system are ready to get going. Image courtesy of Grayson Wolfe, Twins Daily Saints Start it Off Over the weekend, the St. Paul Saints kicked off their 2024 season alongside the Minnesota Twins. Although Opening Day was pushed back until Saturday (and then delayed just a few hours), the grounds crew at CHS Field did an incredible job getting the playing surface ready to go. It was only two quick games before a road trip to Columbus, but it was good to have baseball back in Lowertown. Pitching highlighted a 2-0 start for Toby Gardenhire’s squad. David Festa and Randy Dobnak combined to look great in game one, while Brent Headrick punched out eight in his start for game two. Austin Martin was originally slated to be on the roster, but instead was promoted to Minnesota as a replacement for Royce Lewis. The unfortunate news for St. Paul is that both Brooks Lee and Trevor Larnach opened the year on the injured list. Lee is expected to be out a bit longer than Larnach, but both getting back to action soon would be ideal. Austin Schulfer, who also is on the injured list, is expected to join the club this week in Nashville. On Monday, the Twins made a minor trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, acquiring infielder Tanner Morris for cash considerations. With that, the depth at St. Paul has been bolstered. A former fifth-round pick, Morris doesn’t hit for power or play with much speed, but walks a ton. He has played over 120 games at the Triple-A level, and the 26-year-old will join the Saints infield, and immediately raises their "guys who look like a slapdash fake ballplayer created via Photoshop" quotient. Wichita Roster Unveiled Pitchers: Travis Adams, A.J. Alexy, Scott Engler, Taylor Floyd, Regi Grace, Cody Laweryson, Rafael Marcano, Hunter McMahon, Jaylen Nowlin, Pierson Ohl, Marco Raya, Sheldon Reed, Miguel Rodriguez, Jared Solomon, Jarret Whorff Catchers: Noah Cardenas, Andrew Cossetti, Jeferson Morales Infielders: Jorel Ortega, Ben Ross, Jake Rucker, Tanner Schobel, Dalton Shuffield Outfielders: Kyler Fedko, Carson McCusker, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kala’i Rosario, Alerick Soularie Fourteen players from last year's Wind Surge roster return to start the 2024 season. It is interesting that veteran pitcher Alexy is at Double-A, as opposed to being with the Saints. Raya is the top pitching prospect of the bunch, and will headline the rotation. Engler is a Wichita native, so a fun homecoming happens there. Both Cardenas and Cossetti have turned heads as catching prospects, and the infield has some stars, too. Schobel logged 49 games at Double-A last season, following the promotion from Cedar Rapids. He'll look for stronger numbers this time around, and an eventual promotion to St. Paul should be in the cards if he shows well. The outfield is home to one of Minnesota's best hitting prospects in Rodríguez, and Rosario led the Arizona Fall League in home runs in 2023 after being named the Midwest League Player of the Year. Soularie spent the season with Wichita last year and is a familiar face for manager Ramon Borrego. Wichita hosts Frisco on Friday to begin their season. Cedar Rapids Roster Unveiled Pitchers: Kyle Bischoff, Miguelangel Boadas, Darren Bowen, Jordan Carr, C.J. Culpepper, John Klein, A.J. Labas, Christian MacLeod, Zebby Matthews, Juan Mendez, Juan Mercedes, Andrew Morris, Jack Noble, John Stankiewicz, Ricardo Velez, Jacob Wosinski, Gabriel Yanez, Alejandro Hidalgo (IL), Matt Gabbert (IL), Jose Olivares (IL), Connor Prielipp (IL) Catchers: Nate Baez, Ricardo Olivar, Dillon Tatum. Infielders: Keoni Cavaco, Rubel Cespedes, Danny De Andrade, Jay Harry, Luke Keaschall, Jose Salas. Outfielders: Willie Joe Garry Jr., Gabriel Gonzalez, Agustin Ruiz, Misael Urbina. The Cedar Rapids Kernels return 15 players from their Midwest League championship roster. Graduations have taken place as players move throughout the system, but the High-A affiliate has plenty of big names. The squad is set to begin their title defense on Friday in Beloit. On the pitching side of things, Prielipp begins the season on the 60-Day IL after a second elbow surgery last summer. Bowen was among the players acquired by Minnesota in the Jorge Polanco trade with the Seattle Mariners. MacLeod, Matthews, and Morris could be among the better rotation arms grouped together throughout the system. Last season, Cavaco played just 63 games, as injuries held him back. He starts at Cedar Rapids again, and will be joined by notable prospects like De Andrade and Keaschall on the dirt. Minnesota is hoping for a bounce-back from Salas, who was a nice get in the Luis Arráez trade. The Kernels outfield is where González will start, and as a fringe top-100 prospect, he could make it a quick stop. Last season in the Mariners organization, he played 43 games at High-A after earning a midseason promotion. Fort Myers Roster Unveiled Pitchers: Kade Bragg, Jack Dougherty, Ross Dunn, Ben Ethridge, Tanner Hall, Xander Hamilton, Aaron Holiday, Ty Langenberg, Cesar Lares, Jeremy Lee, Danny Moreno, Paulshawn Pasqualotto, Samuel Perez, Wilker Reyes, Nolan Santos, Charlee Soto Catchers: Wilfri Castro, Cole Elvis, Poncho Ruiz Infielders: Rafael Cruz, Angel Del Rosario, Rayne Doncon, Yohander Martinez, Isaac Pena, Brandon Winokur Outfielders: Carlos Aguiar, Byron Chourio, Maddux Houghton, Walker Jenkins, Jose Rodriguez The pitching staff has a bunch of 2023 draft picks on it, and Fort Myers is where top prospect Charlee Soto will make his professional debut. After throwing in the Spring Breakout game for the Twins, he has some familiarity with the mound on which he'll get going as a pro. The group doesn’t have a ton of professional experience, and will be exciting to watch. It’s worth noting that the Mighty Mussels list Winokur as an infielder. Despite a possibility that he winds up as a corner outfielder, he has the ability to play shortstop and centerfield as well. The toolsy prep pick is one to watch, alongside Jenkins, out of the gate. Fort Myers has an impressive collection of outfielders as well. While Jenkins is the big name, Aguiar, Chourio, and Rodríguez all have garnered differing levels of prospect buzz. Fort Myers kicks off its season on Friday at home against Tampa. Which assignments interest or excite you most? What affiliate will have your attention most nights early in the season? Join the conversation with a comment below. View full article

I don't get it, honestly. I think it's probably a way for the Twins to sell a cheaper suite option but the drawbacks are plentiful. $100/person for *those* seats, only the front six have an unobstructed view, there's nothing that actually separates you from any other fan. I don't know, I guess I'm not the target audience.

While the Minnesota Twins don’t kick off their home schedule at Target Field until Thursday, the stadium doors were opened Monday for the annual Taste of Target Field, showcasing new spaces and food options throughout the park. Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports Before the Taste of Target Field food tour could get underway, the Minnesota Twins wanted to recognize a few of their new partnerships and sponsors. With a short presentation hosted in the space formerly known as the Delta Sky 360 Club, it was revealed that Thrivent had taken over the title sponsor role for that section and entered into a new multi-year partnership with the Twins. Thrivent isn’t the only new branding this season, however. The Town Ball Tavern will be presented by Keeper’s Heart Whiskey, and the bar space out at Minnie and Paul’s in centerfield is now named Cutwater Cocktail Bar. The most noticeable change is a new seating configuration in right field. Winnebago Industries presents “The Dock.” The Dock acts as something of a suite space, in that it seats 12 and is available starting at $1,200 per game. Each ticket comes with $30 of food and beverage credit, and there are lake-themed options just behind the space on the lawn, with a Walleye Burger and 10,000 Lakes Cocktail. With captain’s chairs and premium leather seating, it’s designed to feel as though you’re on a pontoon at a baseball game. With attendance not taking the leap for which the team hoped last year and the future of their local TV rights deal murky, the Twins are clearly looking to generate additional dollars of revenue throughout the stadium. None of the aforementioned changes should impact the overall fan experience, though The Dock does transform what was just traditional seating into something a bit more unusual--and perhaps a bit minor league-ish. Of course, the star of the show was the food. As is the case every year, the Twins attempt to keep things fresh with some unique, new offerings. I started with the baked potato cart, and while it’s simple, the flavor was solid. Chicken tinga arepas will be offered at Truly On Deck, and Step Child is bringing sweet potato fritters as well. Two Mixed Up had a couple of different offerings, but it was the burger fries that stood out to me. With a little bit of kick, the combination of flavors on these were very good. I didn’t happen to try the banh mi brat from Union, but it looked pretty tasty. East Coast Barbecue is doing a mac-n-meat offering that includes BBQ chicken, rib tips, or pulled pork. I opted for the rib tips, and it was definitely a hearty helping. If you’re looking for sweets, then Curds & Cakes has you covered, with two different Oreo options. Deep-fried or as part of a sundae served in a helmet, the sugar here is definitely on overdrive. One of the best food additions in recent years has been Official Fried Chicken. The menu has expanded this season, and they will now offer a homestyle mac and cheese along with mighty buffalo dry rub wings. The mac and cheese is white cheddar with light pepper on it, and was solid. Their traditional wings come with just a light dusting of buffalo, and had a great flavor to them. Of course, the wonderful chicken sandwich remains, as well. You can still find plenty of craft beer options throughout the ballpark, but it’s the Twins Pils from Summit Brewing that got a new uniform. Going away from the powder blue, just like the team did, it’s the alternate cream look complete with pinstripes. Beyond what was intended for the palette, Minnesota’s home field looked to be in immaculate condition. Despite the ugly recent snowstorm, the Target Field grounds crew has done an exceptional job to have it looking nice for Thursday. With nice weather expected for the home opener, it should be an ideal day to kick things off. Tickets do remain available, and despite an April decision to close part of the 300-level seats, the entirety of the ballpark will be open for the opener. View full article

Martin’s speed plays, but I get it. I think the weirder thing was pinch hitting Margot.

It was a somber start to the second game of the season with the Minnesota Twins providing injury updates on Royce Lewis and Anthony DeSclafani. Austin Martin was promoted to grab a roster spot though, and the club looked for a 2-0 start to the season. Image courtesy of © Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports Box Score Joe Ryan: 5 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Top 3 WPA: Ryan .265, Buxton .257, Castro .232 Win Probability Chart: Following an Opening Day victory in which Pablo Lopez made his opening statement towards a Cy Young award, the focus of the off day was how Minnesota would handle Royce Lewis. Rocco Baldelli’s third baseman came out of the game following a Carlos Correa double that left him limping. Derek Falvey provided an update pre-game on Saturday and it wasn’t great. While the grade of his quad strain wasn’t noted, the injury is significant and Lewis will be shut down for at least the next month. Similarly to Lewis, and update was provided on pitcher Anthony DeSclafani. He has been slowed since spring training with an elbow issue, and the only starter acquired this offseason now won’t pitch at all. Jorge Polanco was sent to Seattle with DeSclafani coming back to Minnesota in the package. His litany of injury issues was well noted, and now undergoing season-ending flexor tendon surgery, he can add to the list. Ultimately the game got going with top prospect Austin Martin in the dugout for his major league debut. Joe Ryan was one the bump to pitch for the first time this season, and the Twins are hoping to see him take his game up another notch. He turned in 5 1/3 innings of solid work. Allowing just three hits, two of which were doubles to Bobby Witt Jr., Ryan also kept the ball in the yard. Lifted for Steven Okert with Witt on second and one out in the 6th inning, the inherited runner came around to score the first tally of the game. Ryan pushed to 81 pitches on Saturday, and as he has done over the course of his career, piled up strikeouts. With five on the day, he avoided bats while getting just nine whiffs during his outing. Looking to draw even or take the lead, Minnesota mounted their first real threat in the 7th inning. Newly signed Royals starter Seth Lugo was lifted from the game, and reliever John Schrieber immediately hit Matt Wallner with an errant pitch. Carlos Santana following with a single of his own put runners on the bases. Baldelli took the opportunity to bring in speed, pinch running Martin for Wallner, and the goal was to draw even. After a Ryan Jeffers strikeout, Willi Castro loaded the bases with his own hit by pitch. Unfortunately Christian Vazquez did the one thing the Twins couldn’t afford, and him grounding into a double play killed the rally. Jorge Alcala made his first appearance of the season for the final two outs of the 7th inning, and Minnesota went back to work trying to even the score. Edouard Julien ripped and opposite field double over the head of M.J. Melendez to start the inning, and Alex Kirilloff pushed him to third. With the Royals infield in, Byron Buxton doubled on a bounce over the head of third baseman Maikel Garcia and the Twins tied things up. Martin was set to step in for his first major league at bat, but with a right-handed pitcher on the mound, Baldelli pulled him back in favor of the veteran Manuel Margot. Whiffing on a 3-2 curveball out of the zone, Margot stranded Buxton as the go ahead run on second base. Not waiting for the 9th inning or a save situation today, Baldelli turned the ball over to Griffin Jax in the 8th inning. With the best Royals hitters coming to the dish, this looked to be the manager utilizing his best reliever in a spot where the game dictated he was needed most. This type of practice is something we could see more of with Jhoan Duran unavailable to start the year. After walking Witt Jr., the speedy Royals youngster took off. An incredible throw and tag by the Vazquez and Correa tandem cut him down for the second out of the inning, and Jax wrapped up the frame with a Vinnie Pasquantino ground out. The Royals turned to their closer for the 9th inning of the tie game. Will Smith got Santana to start the inning, but then made Ryan Jeffers the fourth hit batter of the game. Walking Willi Castro in the next plate appearance, Minnesota had runners on first and second with Vazquez stepping in. Atoning for the earlier double play, Vazquez lined a single into the outfield grass scoring Jeffers from second. Kyle Farmer then became the last bench player to enter the game, pinch hitting for Julien, and immediately took a 90 foot jog to first after the intentional walk. Kirilloff stepped in with the bases loaded and one out looking to expand upon their 2-1 lead. His sacrifice fly was deep enough to score Castro, and double Minnesota's lead. Minnesota continued to play an aggressive game and clearly weren't satisfied with the two-run lead. Farmer took 90 feet from Smith, and Buxton then grabbed his second double of the contest. Bringing home both Vazquez and Farmer, the Twins had completed a four-run 9th inning and made it a 5-1 game. Both Brock Stewart and Jay Jackson were up in the bullpen, and despite not being a save situation, Baldelli went with the former. He got Salvador Perez swinging to start the frame and although Melendez singled in the next plate appearance, the runner wasn't enough to take away Stewart's focus. He punched out both Hunter Renfroe and Garratt Hampson to end the game and give Minnesota their first series win of the season. On a day that started sad, the Twins watched their star centerfielder lead the offense. Buxton finished 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three runs batted. Health is something that has escaped him as well, but starting the year in Kansas City has been nothing but excitement for the former All-Star. We have seen Baldelli mix and match for the duration of his managerial career, and that has been fully on display to start this season. Not only have the Twins employed platoon lineups, but Saturday saw the outfield constantly in flux with five different players shuffling through the three positions. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage View full article

Check around noon today for that update. Also, I think this move speaks volumes about where Miranda’s arm/shoulder are at.

I think one really overlooked name here is Diego Castillo. Lots of major league time, and has been a good reliever too. Was released at the end of ST and apparently signed by MN.

He didn’t pitch on the big league side during spring training because he had an injury. I wouldn’t be shocked at all, if the finger is healthy, that he produces and works his way back.

When the Minnesota Twins took the field on Opening Day, it was with a full complement of position players. That didn’t last long after Royce Lewis suffered a quad injury, and it opens the door for Austin Martin to make his major league debut. Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports Royce Lewis started his first Opening Day in a fashion that only he can. Stepping in for his first at bat against Cole Ragans, Lewis launched a solo home run over the wall to put Minnesota on the board first. Unfortunately the good vibes didn’t last long as he came up limping following an RBI double by Carlos Correa. It was determined that he had injured his quad, and after limping towards the dugout, it was apparent that a stint on the injured list would be necessary. Brooks Lee remains down in Fort Myers dealing with a back issue, and Jose Miranda is not currently healthy enough to play third base. That paves a path for Austin Martin to make his debut, and the former prize of the Jose Berrios package gets to put on the Twins uniform in a major league game for the first time. When the Minnesota front office opted against extending Berrios, they made him among the most coveted starters on the trade market. Toronto wound up being interested, and Derek Falvey was able to land not only Martin, but Simeon Woods Richardson as well. While both have developed at different rates, the return was seen as exceptional. Martin was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt. He brought a high batting average with great contact skills and significant speed. As a college athlete he spent a significant amount of time on the dirt, specifically at the hot corner. Since reaching pro ball, Martin has moved off of shortstop, and has exclusively played second base or the outfield. As an infield defender, the glove is shaky. Martin moved to the right side of the diamond after it was clear limitations were going to make shortstop a stretch. He has been better at second base, but still would not grade out as a plus defender at the position. In the outfield is where he shines, and his instincts in centerfield are really impressive. At the plate it has been something of a slow burn for Martin. He posted just a .685 OPS during his first full year in the Twins system. Playing 90 games at Double-A Wichita during 2022, he showed an ability to command the strike zone, but the balls in play often left something to be desired. Last year he got a slow start as he dealt with an arm injury that begged the question as to whether Tommy John surgery would be necessary. Eventually he worked his way to Triple-A St. Paul and posted a .791 OPS across 59 games. During his final 40 games last year, Martin posted an .885 OPS with an even K/BB and 13 stolen bases with five home runs. There was some question as to whether Martin may be worthy of a September or Postseason roster inclusion as a speed guy last year, but ultimately that didn’t come to fruition. He will now be tasked with taking the roster spot vacated by Lewis, but shouldn’t be expected to fill the same role. Third base will likely be manned primarily by Kyle Farmer and Willi Castro. Martin can rotate at second base with Edouard Julien, and he can spell guys in the outfield along with Manuel Margot. His addition to the roster brings Rocco Baldelli another utility type, and the way lineups are constructed will get even more creative. At the dish the expectation should be more average and on-base ability than anything else. He isn’t much of a power guy, and that includes gap power for doubles. He can certainly steal bases if Minnesota wants him to, and while the former top 100 prospect luster has worn off, there’s no reason he can’t be a guy that helps out a major league roster. Martin got a taste of the big leagues this spring with 24 at bats during Grapefruit League action. Now, when he gets into a game for Minnesota, he will be making his major league debut just after turning 25 years old. April is probably sooner than anyone expected to see Martin, and the circumstances for his promotion aren’t great, but it’s a rookie that can provide some valuable skills to the big league roster. View full article

The Minnesota Twins kicked off their 2024 regular season on Thursday in Kansas City against the Royals, and while snow delayed the St. Paul Saints Opening Day on Friday, they will begin the regular season on Saturday. A two game home series against Columbus starts the action before the Triple-A affiliate hits the road. Tickets are still available on the Saints website for both games. It should be a fun season with the Saints as they will be Minnesota’s primary source of prospect depth. While it’s a new year for the Saints at CHS Field, there are plenty of fresh faces. Multiple Twins top prospects will don a uniform in St. Paul this year, and plenty of exciting games can be taken in just a short distance from Target Field. Coaching Staff Toby Gardenhire is back for his fifth season as the Saints manager. Taking over as the new hitting coach is Shawn Schlecter. Tyler Smarslok is the team's Bench Coach and usually the first base coach as well. As all Twins affiliates do, the Saints have two pitching coaches. Peter Larson joins the Saints staff this year. He has quickly moved up the Twins organizational ladder. Larson is joined by newcomer Dan Urbina. Pitchers Rocco Baldelli will need rotation depth, and these are the guys who will provide it. Starting Pitchers: Randy Dobnak, Brent Headrick, Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa, Caleb Boushley. Last season Bailey Ober began his year with Triple-A St. Paul. This time around he comes into the season as Minnesota’s fifth starter. This group could be called upon at any moment, and while Louie Varland was originally ticketed to be part of it, an injury to Anthony DeSlacafani earned him a spot on the big league roster. Dobnak will get the Opening Day start for St. Paul, and a big year for him could earn a trip back to the big leagues for the first time since 2021. No longer dealing with finger issues, and working on a new changeup, he appears primed for a season that could be invaluable to Minnesota across town. Headrick and Woods Richardson have both spent considerable time with the Saints. Each has made their big league debut, and fine tuning stuff to provide innings at the next level will be the goal. Top pitching prospect David Festa is now knocking on the door of his promotion, and he reached Triple-A for a slight cup of coffee last year. He should be expected to anchor the rotation in 2024, and he’s definitely an arm worth the price of admission. Last year Boushley reached the majors for the first time appearing with the Milwaukee Brewers. Minnesota signed him to a minor league deal in January, and the 30-year-old will be looking to replicate his 2022 success. Pitching significant innings at the Triple-A level for both Milwaukee and San Diego, Boushley is quality veteran depth. Weekend Rotation SATURDAY: David Festa followed by Randy Dobnak SUNDAY: Brent Headrick Relief Pitchers: Jordan Balazovic, Ronny Henriquez, Matt Bowman, Ryan Jensen, Jeff Brigham, Michael Boyle, Joe Gunkel, Scott Blewett, Jeff Brigham,Diego Castillo, Hobie Harris, Matt Canterino (IL), Jovani Moran (IL), Austin Schulfer (IL) This is a big group of relievers, and a couple of notable names will begin the year on the injured list. Canterino wound up hurt late in camp and will be working his way back from a shoulder injury. Moran underwent Tommy John surgery and shouldn’t be expected to pitch this season. How Gardenhire utilizes these arms remains to be seen. Balazovic is no longer on the 40 man roster, and after a debut last year, he needs to work on becoming a consistent reliever if he wants to make it back. Henriquez re-signed with the Twins organization, and was young for the level a year ago. It will be worth monitoring to see what improvements he has made. Schulfer has put together some impressive campaigns, and after a less than ideal year in 2023, a fresh start with solid performances could put him in the big leagues at some point in 2024. It’s unfortunate he will begin the year on the injured list with a forearm strain. We saw names like Jensen, Brigham, Harris, and Bowman work often during Grapefruit League action. The Saints have a good deal of veteran depth in the bullpen. With Minnesota already missing so many players from their unit, seeing some of these arms start strong would provide a better sense of the depth the farm can provide. Catchers: Jair Camargo, Chris Williams, Alex Isola, Patrick Winkel This tandem returns after playing together much of last season. Tony Wolters is no longer there to provide veteran depth, but Camargo is now on the Twins 40-man roster and immediately becomes an option should either Ryan Jeffers or Christian Vazquez go down. Williams put up an impressive .847 OPS in his first full season with St. Paul last year and he has continued to show a big power bat. He spent limited time behind the plate last season, but will continue to get work back there. Both Isola and Winkel should be expected to get plenty of reps behind the plate as well. Isola will be making his Triple-A debut after playing 114 games for Double-A Wichita last season. He posted an .846 OPS and has produced offensively at each stop. Like Isola, Winkel spent the entirety of his 2023 season at Double-A. This is his fourth year in the Twins system and he has risen a level each season. The offensive production isn’t as substantial, but he did record a career-best ten homers in 2023. Infielders: Austin Martin, Yunior Severino, Jose Miranda, Anthony Prato, Will Holland, Michael Helman, Brooks Lee (IL) There are plenty of notable prospects here, obviously headlined by Lee. Unfortunately a late spring back spasm has turned into a larger issue, and he remains down in Fort Myers. Expected to be out a couple of weeks, Gardenhire will need to look elsewhere for shortstop reps. Severino should serve as the regular first baseman again, and now on the 40-man roster, he is knocking on the door to the big leagues. Both Helman and Prato have put up gaudy numbers at Triple-A, and both can continue to fine tune their game with the Saints. Helman is looking for a completely healthy season, and Prato is hoping that the numbers following his promotion to St. Paul are back again for another season. Holland is the only player among this group to be making a Triple-A debut. The 2019 fifth round pick posted just a .606 OPS last year across 101 games with Wichita, but he is being bumped up a level and is soon-to-be 26 years old. Outfielders: DaShawn Keirsey Jr., Yoyner Fajardo, Trevor Larnach (IL) With Matt Wallner now in the big leagues the Saints outfield takes on a different look in the year ahead. Keirsey Jr. earned a midseason promotion following a successful start with Double-A Wichita. He should be expected to be among the first prospects called upon if a need in centerfield arises. Trevor Larnach missed out on the Twins opening day roster, and unfortunately health and ineffectiveness have kept him from cementing a spot in the big leagues. He too, like Lee, remains in Fort Myers but should be only considered day-to-day dealing with turf toe. Because Larnach is on the injured list, the outfield configuration could be interesting for Gardenhire out of the gate. Fajardo is the only other true outfielder, but obviously there are plenty of utility types that can fill in. Fajardo came to the Twins organization last season after spending his professional career in the Pirates organization. Across 123 games at Double-A, he batted .305 and had a strong .820 OPS. While not a top prospect, he could blossom into a nice depth piece at 25. TWINS DAILY TOP 20 PROSPECTS #2 - Brooks Lee #6 - David Festa #7 - Austin Martin #16 - Yunior Severino #17 - Matt Canterino #20 - Simeon Woods Richardson View full article