Ted Schwerzler

Entering the year it seemed somewhat unlikely that Jorge Polanco would be back for the Minnesota Twins in 2024. Casting aside production, Polanco’s upcoming option vested with 550 plate appearances. That was going to be a difficult threshold to hit, but now considering production, does a reunion tour make sense? Image courtesy of © Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Minnesota has employed Jorge Polanco for the entirety of his professional career. Signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Polanco debuted for the Ron Gardenhire Twins at 20. He played for Paul Molitor and is now coached by Rocco Baldelli. As an elder statesman of the franchise at 30, he has only known Minnesota. Coming into the year, it seemed unlikely that Polanco would reach the necessary 550 plate appearances for his 2024 option to vest. Injuries allowed him to play just 104 games last year, and he has only surpassed 550 plate appearances twice previously in nine major league seasons. Having missed time again this season and trending towards something like 85 games played, Polanco and the Twins will have a decision to make. Minnesota gave Polanco a $10.5 million vesting option when he was extended before the 2019 season. Polanco and Max Kepler were signed to long-term deals simultaneously, and they are now reaching the option years of those contracts. If the Twins were to cast Polanco aside, he would receive a $1 million buyout. Through 39 games, Polanco had bottomed out with a .680 OPS. He then missed most of June and almost all of July. Returning after the All-Star Break, on the 28th of July, he has played in 38 games for the Twins since. Across that stretch, he owns a .269/.380/.470 slash line with six doubles and seven home runs. In his last 25 games, Polanco has posted a .954 OPS and has been among the hottest hitters in Minnesota’s lineup. Polanco will represent a veteran presence at second base alongside rookie Edouard Julien as the Twins trend toward the postseason. The emergence of the Canadian is among the top reasons the Twins may opt against forking out $10.5 million at the same position next season, but Polanco has at least made it a conversation. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine not only have to construct a roster for 2024 with financial implications in mind, but they also have many top prospects pushing for big-league playing time. Royce Lewis has already joined Julien on the dirt for the Twins, and while he could move to a new position, Brooks Lee is also at the doorstep. Austin Martin isn’t the same infield prospect he was when Minnesota acquired him in exchange for Jose Berrios, but he’s another player that should factor in a year from now. Keeping Polanco may be less about the dollars and more about where his playing time will come. On top of that, the Twins will need to have some level of belief that he will be healthy enough to be a contributor next season. Playing less than 100 games and at 31-years-old, footing a $10.5 million bill for Polanco could be tough to swallow. At 1.4 fWAR, Fangraphs values his production as worth $10.8 million, but an organization surely would like to see a surplus from a player rather than a break-even point. What the Twins do with the long-tenured infielder for 2024 remains to be seen, and much of that could still be decided by how he maintains down the stretch and into the postseason. Still, considering the slow start and injuries this year, it’s notable that Polanco has made this a conversation. Much like Kepler, the player he signed alongside, turning a future into a discussion rather than an expected conclusion is something to be proud of. The Twins will need Polanco to continue producing like a veteran leader in the postseason, and if he does, there could be a greater reward for him yet. View full article

Woof, thanks for catching that. I knew the list of teams I had there seemed light.

After handling business against the Cleveland Guardians, and winning a series against the New York Mets, the Minnesota Twins have positioned themselves well for the postseason. How it shapes up from here has plenty of moving parts. Image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Minnesota wrapped up their final series with the Guardians in 2023 by taking two of three, and beating Lucas Giolito to a pulp in a 20-6 victory during the first game. After Cleveland claimed former Los Angeles Angels Giolito, Matt Moore, and Reynaldo Lopez, there was reason to believe this was their last stand against the Twins. Instead of wilting, the division leaders held serve and then followed up the momentum by returning home with a series win against the New York Mets. At this point, the AL Central is all but decided, but how the wild card race and other two divisions play out remains to be seen. Here’s how those races stand as of today. Tampa Bay Rays Playoff Odds - 100.0% There’s no doubt that the Tampa Bay Rays are going to make the postseason, but where they fit in remains to be seen. The Baltimore Orioles have overtaken them in the AL East, but with just a 3.0 game deficit, there is reason to believe that Kevin Cash could get his team back atop the division. They aren’t the same team without Wander Franco, but the Rays have consistently been an organization that is better because of the sum of their parts. Minnesota will get a look at them this week, and could find themselves hosting Tampa Bay at Target Field in October. Houston Astros Playoff Odds - 98.9% The defending World Series champs have gone on a run of late. Taking over the top of the AL West again, they have a slim lead over both Seattle and Texas while boasting the best World Series odds of any team not named Atlanta. Adding Justin Verlander at the deadline was a big get, and Kyle Tucker has become a superstar. Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, and Yordan Alvarez make this lineup among the most dangerous in baseball. Toronto Blue Jays Playoff Odds - 79.2% Toronto hasn't kept up with the top of the AL East, but the definitely have avoided the same fate as the Red Sox and Yankees. The Blue Jays have a unique blend of pitching and hitting for the playoffs. Kevin Gausman is in the running for a Cy Young award, and Jose Berrios has had a nice bounce-back year. Both Matt Chapman and Bo Bichette are swinging it well at the plate and Toronto has gotten surprisingly strong production out of both Kevin Kiermaier and Whit Merrifield. This may be one of the more completely constructed teams in baseball, and they certainly aren't a wild card team to be taken lightly if they get in. Seattle Mariners Playoff Odds - 68.6% Surging at the right time, Seattle has come back from the dead and is well positioned to make the postseason. Despite being sellers at the deadline and trading closer Paul Sewald, Julio Rodriguez has turned it up a notch and Scott Servais has his team playing some really good baseball. They are probably a better bet to win a wild card spot than the division, but this is certainly a team that Minnesota could find themselves hosting in October. Texas Rangers Playoff Odds - 51.9% Unlike the Mariners, Texas has trended the wrong direction for the past several weeks. Despite having one of baseball’s best records for much of the season, Bruce Bochy’s club is now third in the West and three games back of the Astros. Minnesota took consecutive series from them, both home and on the road, while Texas also lost a series to the Astros. Mitch Garver has been incredibly hot, and Max Scherzer has pitched better than he did with the Mets, but it hasn’t been enough to keep them afloat. Texas isn’t a team to count out, and Corey Seager is having an MVP-like season. If they get in, they’re going to be incredibly dangerous. Cleveland is still technically not eliminated, but that appears to be just a matter of principle at this point. The Boston Red Sox are six games back of the wild card, and the New York Yankees find themselves eight games back. Neither of the bottom-two AL East teams are going to make it to October, but at least Aaron Boone has been allowed to keep things interesting. With Jasson Dominguez and Austin Wells promoted, some of the best New York prospects are now at the big league level. The Twins can’t control who they’ll face in October, but finding a way to avoid the reigning World Series champs in a short series may be best. The AL West is likely going to dictate which opponent comes to Target Field, but a date with the Rays probably isn’t something to shy away from either. Who are you hoping ends up being Minnesota’s opponent during the wild card round? Which team do you think wins the AL East, and who holds on in the West? View full article

The Minnesota Twins drafted Royce Lewis with the first overall pick during the 2017 MLB draft. Taking a player in that spot would be reflective of elite talent, but what Lewis is doing in his major league career thus far is anything from normal. Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Royce Lewis was the first draft pick taken by the new Minnesota Twins front office. Contemplating between players like Hunter Greene and Kyle Wright, it was the talented California infielder that was coming to Minnesota. It was evident from the start that Lewis had plenty of tools and talent, but his minor league track record was anything but straightforward. There were massive swing changes he worked on, and then there were the interruptions. Covid canceled a season before a slip on ice in Texas took out another. Then there was the fluke play in centerfield with the Twins that wiped away even more games. By the time Lewis returned to the Twins this season, still with his rookie status in place, he had played just 60 total professional games since 2019. To put that into context, Diamondbacks star rookie Corbin Carroll played 100 games in the minors in 2021 and 2022 before making a 32 game cameo in the majors last year. Orioles rookie Gunnar Henderson got in 217 minor league games the past two seasons before making it to the big leagues. Even 20-year-old Jasson Dominguez played in 295 games on the farm over the past two years before lighting up pitching for the Yankees. Lewis has age on all of them. Recently having turned 24-years-old, maybe that’s why he has been able to stay so focused and dedicated to his craft. Maybe it’s been the influence of big league mentors like Torii Hunter. Maybe it’s been a support system that include incredible parents, Cindy and William. No matter what it is, the hurdles that were placed in the way of Lewis have done nothing to slow him down. Through 47 games with Rocco Baldelli’s Twins this season, Lewis has looked every bit a contender for Rookie of the Year. He won’t win the award lacking time to accumulate equal stats, but the numbers compared to games played are jaw-dropping. He owns a .915 OPS while batting .320. He’s launched 11 home runs and has seven doubles to his credit. He’s producing offensively while sliding to the hot corner as an attempt to accommodate Carlos Correa and Edouard Julien on the dirt. Although the Twins have not been an offensive juggernaut all season, the production has largely funneled through Royce. Having played in half as many games, his 1.9 fWAR ranks third among hitters behind only Ryan Jeffers and Julien. Lewis was playing well before going down with an oblique injury, but he has been otherworldly since his return. In 21 games he’s slashing .313/.387/.627 with five doubles and seven home runs. If Lewis’ career to this point could be defined by anything, it’s the word “adjustments.” He’s had to adjust his expectations while dealing with stops and disappointments hurled his way. He’s had to work his way back and make tweaks to better his game. The amount of adversity he’s fought through would deter many. He’s been vocal about his faith, and that’s definitely something he has leaned on. It’s also a tireless work ethic that has propped up his ability to succeed. When the dust settles on the season, it’s more than possible that Lewis tallies an fWAR total in the top 10 for rookies across baseball. That would be nothing short of a miracle given the playing time he’s recorded. Again though, it’s all just a reminder of how abnormal what Lewis is doing is. As his career goes on, Lewis will need to make adjustments. Opposing pitchers will work to figure him out, and they certainly will hope to avoid giving up grand slams on back-to-back nights. If there’s someone that should be expected to make those adjustments though, it’s Royce. Not everyone saw this type of production coming, but you can bet Lewis knew he had it in him all along. Minnesota has a potential superstar in the making. The organization has been searching for a consistent star since the likes of Joe Mauer. Lewis gives hope that the next one is developing right before our eyes. View full article

At the lower levels of the farm pitching was the narrative on Friday. St. Paul continued to pound out runs, and there was plenty of action to check in on throughout the Twins farm system on Friday. TRANSACTIONS 1B/OF Alex Kirilloff activated off rehab assignment from St. Paul. 1B/OF Joey Gallo placed on IL with a "foot contusion." SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 7, Louisville 6 Box Score Randy Dobnak was on the bump Friday for the Saints and worked five innings. He worked three strong innings before the Bats plated four in the fourth inning and ruined his line. Giving up six hits, Dobnak allowed six runs and four walks. He did strike out six on the evening as well. After scoring double-digits Thursday night, St. Paul didn’t waste time putting runs up on Friday. Brooks Lee opened the scoring with a first inning triple, his third, that brought home Michael Helman. Trevor Larnach then lifted a sacrifice fly that allowed Lee to jog the last 90 feet home. After a rehabbing Joey Votto doubled in the bottom of the first inning to tie things up, the Saints went back to work in the second inning. Chris Williams ripped a single that scored DaShawn Keirsey Jr. before Tony Wolters brought home Gilberto Celestino on a single of his own. In the third inning the Saints kept the runs coming when Wolters homered for just the third time this season. The three-run shot scored Anthony Prato and Williams to push St. Paul’s lead to 7-2. Louisville came charging back with four runs in the fourth inning against Dobnak. Jonathan India’s double plated two of the four, and the Saints lead was down to one. Austin Schulfer and Cole Sands both worked scoreless relief outings to keep the score as-is headed to the ninth inning. Former Twins reliever Alan Busenitz pitched the ninth inning for Louisville, and he got two outs before walking Celestino. Sands stayed on to finish the ninth inning and slammed the door. St. Paul got a three-hit game from Helman, while both Prato and Wolters added two of their own. WIND SURGE WISDOM Corpus Christi 8, Wichita 2 Box Score Marco Raya was taking another turn on Friday for the Wind Surge, and he worked 3 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball. Raya allowed only two hits while issuing no free passes. He struck out three during the outing. This one was a pitcher’s duel for much of the game. Willie Joe Garry Jr. grounded into a double play, but Aaron Sabato did come home and that gave Wichita a 1-0 lead in the second inning. The Hooks did tie it up in the bottom of the eighth against Regi Grace, and then a two-run homer put Corpus Christi ahead 3-1. Corpus Christi added another run on a solo blast in the sixth inning to make it 4-1, and a run in the seventh inning made it 5-1. Wichita needed to find an answer, and soon. Instead of responding with a run, the Wind Surge gave up three Corpus Christi runs in the eighth inning, only pushing the comeback reality further away. They couldn't find an answer in the ninth inning and a close game ballooned to a blowout. Looking to make things a bit more respectable, Yoyner Fajardo reached on an error in the ninth inning that allowed Dalton Shuffield to score. Although he didn't record a hit, Fajardo extended his on-base streak to 22 games. Schobel recorded two hits on the night. Alex Isola also had two hits, going 2-for-2 after he took over for Sabato. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 2, Cedar Rapids 1 Box Score Zebby Matthews was on the bump for Cedar Rapids on Friday. He turned in three scoreless innings allowing just a single hit, and a pair of walks. Matthews also struck out three Wisconsin batters. Mike Paredes worked two scoreless innings of relief, and then Gabriel Yanez turned in a pair of scoreless frames of his own. For some reason, Emmanuel Rodriguez was lifted for a pinch hitter in the third inning, and that will definitely be something to monitor. No one pushed across a run until the eighth inning when Noah Miller reached on an error that allowed Jeferson Morales to score. Ricardo Velez got the ninth inning and looked to slam the door. Wisconsin evened the score when Eric Brown Jr. singled in a run, and then Velez balked with Brown Jr. at third base to give away the victory. Only Luke Keaschall and Kyler Fedko recorded hits for the Kernels Friday night. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 7, Bradenton 5 Box Score Matt Gabbert, who signed with the Twins out of indy ball with Boise in the Pioneer League, made his first start Friday for the Mighty Mussels. He turned in five scoreless innings allowing just a single hit and a pair of walks. Gabbert also punched out six. The Mighty Mussels didn’t score until the fourth inning, but they added in a big way. Nate Baez singled home Ricardo Olivar and Danny De Andrade. Rubel Cespedes followed with a triple to drive in Baez, and Alec Sayre lofted a sacrifice fly to bring home Cespedes and make it a 4-0 game. In the fifth inning, Fort Myers tacked on more. Olivar doubled home both Jay Harry and Walker Jenkins to make it a 6-0 game. Cespedes then grabbed another hit, this time a single, and Olivar raced across the plate. The Marauders scored five in the eighth inning, and Fort Myers saw their lead quickly shrinking. Samuel Perez held on though, and the Mighty Mussels grabbed the victory. Both Baez and Cespedes had a pair of hits on the evening. Although Walker Jenkins didn’t record a hit, he did reach base with a walk. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Matt Gabbert (Fort Myers) - 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Tony Wolters (St. Paul) - 2-4, R, 4 RBI, HR(3), K PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 1-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, 3B(3) #2 - Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) - 0-3, R, BB, K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - BB #4 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 2-4 #10 - Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) - 1-3 #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 0-5, K #17 - Danny De Andrade (Fort Myers) - 1-5, R SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (6:15PM CST) - RHP Bailey Ober Wichita @ Corpus Christi (7:05PM CST) - RHP Travis Adams Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40 CST) - RHP John Klein Bradenton @ Fort Myers (5:00PM CST) - RHP Jose Olivares Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! View full article

St. Paul didn’t hit another grand slam on Thursday, but they flashed plenty of power. Wichita grabbed a late lead, and Fort Myers got off to a late start. Check all of the minor league action within. Image courtesy of Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports TRANSACTIONS RHP Alex Scherff placed on temporary inactive list by St. Paul RHP John Klein promoted from Fort Myers to Cedar Rapids The Twins released RHP Chad Donato from Wichita's roster SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 10, Louisville 3 Box Score St. Paul turned to Simeon Woods Richardson on Thursday night, and he was nothing short of lights out. He worked six innings and allowed just a single run on four hits and a walk. The run didn’t come until the sixth inning, and he punched out five on the evening. It didn’t take long for the electric Saints lineup to produce. Kyle Garlick launched a two-run homer that brought in Trevor Larnach and put St. Paul ahead. Gilberto Celestino nabbed a homer the hard way, an inside-the-park variety, that brought home Jair Camargo in the second inning. Up 4-0, Woods Richardson had a comfortable lead. For the second time on the night, Garlick spiced things up with a homer. The two-run shot was his 14th of the year, and again plated Larnach in the process. Hernan Perez then singled with both Yunior Severino and Anthony Prato on base, driving both in, and making it an 8-0 ballgame. In the sixth inning, Prato ripped an RBI single to score Larnach for the third time. With the bases loaded, Celestino drew a walk to drive Garlick in and make it a 10-0 game. Louisville recorded their first run in the sixth inning, and then plated a pair in the eighth inning, but it wasn’t nearly enough to make this one a game. While Austin Martin didn't make his mark with the bat tonight, he certainly made his presence felt with the glove. The Saints recorded a whopping 14 hits on Thursday with Larnach, Garlick, Severino, Prato, and Camargo all recording a pair each. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 2, Corpus Christi 1 Box Score The Wind Surge gave the ball to Pierson Ohl on Thursday night and he worked 5 1/3 innings allowing one run on four hits. Ohl also gave up a walk while striking out four. His one mistake came on a home run that Chad Stevens sent to left field. Wichita jumped out to an early advantage when Seth Gray crushed his ninth home run of the season. A second inning solo shot represented the game’s first run. Corpus Christi responded with a solo shot of their own in the bottom half and the game stayed tied until the ninth inning. Needing some separation to avoid extras, Wichita made things happen in the ninth inning. Willie Joe Garry Jr. stole second base, and when catcher C.J. Stubbs sailed the throw, he came around the score. The costly miscue put Corpus Christi behind by a run with only three runs to work with. Picking up six hits on the night, no one recorded more than one hit for Wichita. The late run was enough to win it. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 11, Cedar Rapids 6 Box Score C.J. Culpepper made the start on Thursday night for the Kernels, and unfortunately it was a tough outing for him. He lasted just two innings while allowing seven runs on seven hits. Culpepper also walked two and struck out just one. Despite a very good season, this wasn’t an outing to hang his hat on. Trailing 7-0 by the third inning, the Kernels didn’t fold and looked to bounce back. Jefferson Morales doubled home Misael Urbina to put Cedar Rapids on the board. In the fourth inning Luke Keaschall added another when he singled home Jorel Ortega. Then in the fifth inning, Kala’i Rosario kept up his hot-hitting while blasting his 21st dinger of the season. The three-run shot also scored Noah Miller and Emmanuel Rodriguez while bringing the Kernels within two. Wisconsin added a pair of runs back in the fifth inning to push it back to a four-run lead. Adding another pair in the seventh inning, it was an 11-5 game and Cedar Rapids found themselves staring at a sizeable deficit once again. Attempting to mount a comeback, the Kernels gained a run back when Rodriguez drew a bases loaded walk in the eighth inning to score Keaschall. They couldn't capitalize with other runners on base however. Unable to add in the ninth inning, the Kernels dropped the contest by five. The Kernels had just five hits Thursday night, and while Rosario posted three RBI, no one added multiple hits. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 9, Fort Myers 5(F/7) Box Score With inclement weather in the area, the start of Thursday night’s tilt for the Marauders and Mighty Mussels was delayed. After finally getting underway, Miguelangel Boadas took the ball for Fort Myers. In the first inning, Nate Baez doubled with Jay Harry scoring and the Mighty Mussels were on the board first. Yohander Martinez added another with a single during the third inning that scored Danny De Andrade. Leading 2-0, the Mighty Mussels gave both back in the fourth inning and saw the Marauders tie the contest. Bradenton jumped on top of Fort Myers with three runs in the fifth inning. The Mighty Mussels weren't ok with playing from behind and immediately stormed back. De Andrade doubled home Ricardo Olivar before Baez traded places with him on a double of his own. Martinez then singled to drive in Baez and make it a tie ballgame. The Marauders loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning and rather than emerge unscathed, the Mighty Mussels gave up a grand slam. The 9-5 lead was going to be difficult to overcome with just three outs left. Fort Myers couldn't mount a late comeback and that was enough to do them in. With both squads recording ten hits on the evening, Fort Myers saw two each come from De Andrade, Baez, and Martinez. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day – Kyle Garlick (St. Paul) - 2-3, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR(14), 2 BB PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 0-2, R, RBI, 3 BB #7 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 1-6, 2 K #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-3, BB, K #10 - Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, RBI, BB, K #13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, R, 3 RBI, HR(21), BB, K #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 2-6, R, 2 K #15 - Simeon Woods Richardson (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K #17 - Danny De Andrade (Fort Myers) - 2-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B(20) FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (6:15PM CST) - RHP Randy Dobnak Wichita @ Corpus Christi (7:05PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40 CST) - RHP Zebby Matthews Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - RHP Matt Gabbert Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article

There is no assumption he hasn't been doing much. In fact, my assumption is the opposite, which I believe is worse. He has been doing everything he and the Twins can. If they are doing all of that, and are still at this point, that's a really, really negative outcome.

The Minnesota Twins said that Byron Buxton would be ready for the regular season way back during spring training. They said he wouldn’t play centerfield for a period of time. Now, having dealt with more pain during a rehab assignment, will he ever be healthy? Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports Coming into the 2022 Major League Baseball season the Minnesota Twins signed Byron Buxton to a seven-year extension worth $100 million. That was a worthwhile gamble because of how talented he is while on the field. It was only $100 million because of how inconsistently he remains on the field. Last year, fans saw Buxton go down in a heap running the bases against the Boston Red Sox. He played through knee pain routinely dealing with knee drains, and ultimately underwent offseason surgery. At this point, it’s worth wondering if that surgery actually did anything to help, and when or if he’ll ever actually be healthy again. Sure, the Twins had Buxton on opening day this season, but he couldn’t actually play the field. He was a boat anchor at the designated hitter spot, and after a torrid start, his slumping bat truly became a problem. Offering nothing defensively, and even with Michael A. Taylor putting up career numbers as a regular, Buxton being on dimensional was holding the Twins back. With a focus towards the postseason, Minnesota put Buxton on the injured list with a hamstring issue. He spent multiple weeks rehabbing the injury, and then it was announced that this was the ideal time to build him back up. Despite having an entire offseason to recover and prepare for the season ahead, directly following hamstring issues was when the club wanted to work him back into the outfield. Obviously, part of the equation is that the Twins now have alternatives to Buxton in the lineup. Rocco Baldelli can’t afford to sacrifice a consistent roster spot on a slumping bat while Edouard Julien, Royce Lewis, and Matt Wallner all make infinitely more sense to cycle through it. That all adds up to the reality that if Buxton wants to play, he can’t be a part-time asset. After playing just seven innings as a centerfielder for St. Paul on a Triple-A rehab assignment, Buxton experienced a setback. Soreness in his knee, which probably is to be expected given how little he has done with it over the past handful of months, reared its head and took him out of the lineup. Buxton has spent multiple days now out of the St. Paul lineup, and wondering when or if he’ll rejoin the Twins is a genuine question. We have seen the talented outfielder spend months on the active roster without having the ability to build back up. We have seen him spend time on the injured list despite being used solely as a designated hitter so he can stay healthy. Now we have seen him try to work his way back, only to again end up shelved. Minnesota, and Buxton for that matter, haven’t talked much about what exactly is going on with his knee. The surgery to fix whatever took place last season wasn’t exactly defined, and why the timeline for health has been so substantial makes very little sense. No matter what is being tried, it seems as though the Twins outfielder has a body unwilling to cooperate. At some point it would be great for Baldelli to pencil Buxton in with a number “8” next to his name on the lineup card. How long it has taken for that to happen, and that we appear to be no closer to a return, are concerning for plenty of reasons. Now officially pulled off of his rehab assignment, it seems even less likely he can work his way back in any capacity. The Twins knew what they were getting into with Buxton, and again, that’s why the deal was where it came in at. It’s one thing for a player to be injury prone, but Buxton bordering on never truly being healthy is something entirely different. All parties involved want to figure this out, but that doesn’t make it any less mind-boggling that they seemingly can’t. View full article

When the Minnesota Twins contemplated acquiring pitching this offseason, they knew that grabbing a solid arm was going to require giving up a key piece. That wound up being starting second baseman Luis Arraez. Edouard Julien waiting in the wings made that easier to manage. Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports The Twins sent Edouard Julien to the Arizona Fall League in 2022 with hopes of testing him against heightened competition. He responded by batting .400/.563/.686 with five home runs. Putting up a strong showing to start the season for Triple-A St. Paul, Julien earned his way to Minnesota when Jorge Polanco went down with an injury. After continuing to swing a hot bat, and getting on base at an exceptional clip, there was no way Minnesota was going to send their rookie back down. Having taken over the starting second baseman position that was once held down by Luis Arraez, the Twins were faced with plenty of similarities between the two players. It was never a question as to whether Arraez had talent. You’d never be able to net a top-tier starting pitcher like Pablo Lopez for his services if he wasn’t. The knock on Arraez was always his defense, and a lack of durability that sapped his availability. Over the past two seasons, Rocco Baldelli watched Arraez bow out as the year went on due to his balky knees. That may have also been what limited his effectiveness defensively. When promoted to the majors, it was obvious that Julien was a butcher with the glove, and could make a meal out of even the most routine ground ball. Similar to the guy he replaced, the bat was more than capable of playing, but the glove left so much to be desired. Fast forward a few months and we’re seeing development take place right before our eyes. Coming into the year it was evident the goal for Minnesota was going to be an ability to pitch and field. With Lopez acquired, and Sonny Gray returning, the depth on the mound represented one of the better pitching staffs across all of baseball. Being able to successfully field behind them, the front office envisioned a roster that wouldn’t need to put up gaudy run totals to win on a nightly basis. Had Julien continued to struggle to make defensive adjustments, he may have found his roster spot in jeopardy. While the Twins are certainly encouraged by his production, and needed every bit of it while the lineup slumped through much of the year, failing to be playable defensively wasn’t an option. Now with Polanco back and options available to them, Julien has still commanded starts. It’s not as though Julien wasn’t working on his craft while on the farm or with the Saints. However, as he has settled in to the surface at Target Field and continued to work with the Minnesota coaching staff, he has gotten significantly better as the season went on. The Twins never saw that take place with Arraez, and unfortunately his body didn’t position him with an opportunity for consistent health either. The hope would be that Julien can continue to make offensive adjustments for the Twins as he sees pitchers more throughout his career. Defensive development will need to continue as well, but the early returns should be encouraging for everyone involved. For a player that had a questionable ability to maintain a defensive spot, to now being the best version we have seen, the tireless work can’t be overlooked. I don’t think we’ll see Julien trending toward a Gold Glove award any time soon, but this revelation may be the next best thing. View full article

The Minnesota Twins are doing everything they can to hang onto the AL Central division and make a postseason appearance. Attempting to end the playoff losing streak at 18 games, it seems they may do so with a bullpen featuring plenty of starters. Image courtesy of Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports This offseason Derek Falvey and Thad Levine decided to do absolutely nothing for the bullpen. They doubled down on that decision by making no moves at the trade deadline. Brock Stewart had emerged as among the best arms in Rocco Baldelli’s bullpen, but he’s now been hurt for weeks, and both Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax have done all of the heavy lifting. Despite a desire to add either Matt Moore or Reynaldo Lopez after the Los Angeles Angels parted out their active roster, the Cleveland Guardians scooped up the pair along with Lucas Giolito. Relying now on only internal options, Minnesota’s supplementing the relief corps will likely be done unconventionally. In the postseason you often don’t need the traditional five-man starting rotation. For a first round series against a wild card team, the Twins will have need for only three starting arms. Given how good Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray have been this season, Baldelli may opt to use them as much as possible in a five or seven game series as well. Right now the back of Minnesota’s bullpen is set. Duran and Jax are the late-inning guys, with Caleb Thielbar and Emilio Pagan on the fringes of that group. Stewart would be there if he were to return healthy, but that’s where the falloff comes. Josh Winder has shown flashes, and while Cole Sands has largely gone unused, he has pitched well at Triple-A. Needing to extend the available arms though, expect starters to make the trot behind the outfield wall. The Twins have already begun this transition with Louie Varland at Triple-A. He worked four innings in relief during his most recent outing, and the new role allowed his fastball an opportunity to jump all the way to triple digits. He’s not all of a sudden going to be Duran-esque, but allowing starters to shove for a shorter period can have positive effects. Minnesota gets an immediate look at his efforts after he was recalled on Monday to replace Cole Sands. It remains to be seen how Bailey Ober is brought back to Minnesota, and while the home run has still gotten him, Joe Ryan has responded nicely after coming off the injured list. Both may find themselves coming out of the bullpen in the postseason, and although neither are flamethrowers, their stuff could play up slightly when asked to work in shorter stretches. Kenta Maeda has been on a bit of a slide for Minnesota of late, and Dallas Keuchel doesn’t necessarily have a defined starting role for the postseason either. The former has worked out of the bullpen plenty during his career, and while it is new for the latter, Keuchel dominated a good Texas team in relief a couple of appearances ago. For the Twins, they’ll hope to avoid mop up or long relief situations when games matter the most, but stretching the overall amount of arms capable from the bullpen is a must. Brent Headrick is getting a look again as a September call-up, and Kody Funderburk was finally called upon to make his debut as well. There isn’t going to be an opportunity for the Twins to infuse the bullpen with another lockdown arm at this point, and by building a pitching staff capable of simply getting outs, they’ll look at every option possible. It could be weird to see how many current or former starters head to the bullpen during the postseason, but piecing games together behind workhouse starters is a must. If the Twins are going to make a deep run in the postseason, it will most likely be because of their pitching prowess. Finding a way for that to all contribute, while not utilizing a five-man rotation, is something the coaching staff has a month to dissect. View full article

The Wind Surge wrapped up their weekend with a walk-off victory, and Cedar Rapids added by threes late. Walker Jenkins continues to be great, and Brooks Lee added some excitement as well. Check out all of Sunday’s action within. SAINTS SENTINEL Columbus 14, St. Paul 6 (F/10) Box Score Patrick Murphy drew the start Sunday evening for the Saints. He worked 5 2/3 innings of two-run baseball. Murphy allowed four hits and four walks while striking out five. Bailey Ober was optioned to Triple-A having not pitched since August 27. Without making a start today for St. Paul, it appears the desire to limit his innings is in full swing. After the Clippers kicked off the scoring in the first inning, Kyle Garlick responded with a single. Anthony Prato was on second base after his double, and he raced around to score and tie the contest. Columbus again added in the second inning, and Alex Kirilloff tied it with his second home run in two days during the third inning. In the bottom of the fourth inning, St. Paul grabbed their first lead. Catching the defense napping, Gilberto Celestino brought in Yunior Severino on a bunt to score the Saints third run. Looking to create some breathing room, the Saints found a few more tallies for the scoreboard in the fifth inning. Brooks Lee, who recently was featured in a great interview by Lou Hennessy, ripped his second triple for St. Paul. Garlick came around to score on the play and make it a 4-2 game. Trevor Larnach then lofted a sacrifice fly deep enough to bring Lee the final 90 feet. After getting the first two outs in the sixth inning, Murphy gave way to Alex Scherff in relief. The Saints reliever came on and got the final out of the frame, stranding a pair of runners on first and second. After a dropped pop up between the catcher and first baseman that resulted in Celestino being called out for interference, the St. Paul outfielder was tossed and Hernan Perez took over in left field. Looking to keep the lead intact, Austin Brice came on for Scherff with two outs in the top of the seventh and the bases loaded. Johnathan Rodriguez put a charge into one but Perez caught it up against the wall to save the lead. Columbus got a run back in the eighth inning when Jhonkensy Noel launched a solo shot off of Brice. The Clippers put runners on the corners with two outs, and Toby Gardenhire decided to make a change. Michael Boyle came in to replace Brice, and hung a slider to Guardians prospect Brayan Rocchio. He blasted the pitch for a three-run homer and the Saints lead was gone, now trailing 6-5. Down to their final out in the ninth inning, Lee stepped in and sent a baseball flying into the night. He launched his second Triple-A homer, and did it with his fourth hit of the night. Looking to make a playoff push, St. Paul had forced extras. Unfortunately Boyle struggled to get outs in the 10th inning and Andrew Bechtold gave up plenty as well. Columbus piled back on to the tune of a 14-6 advantage. The Saints couldn't get any momentum back going in their half of the 10th inning, and the big Columbus explosion was how things ended. Lee finished with a four-hit night while Kirilloff and Severino each had a pair of their own. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 4, San Antonio 3 Box Score Sunday was Travis Adams' turn to take the ball for Wichita. He worked five innings, allowing three runs on five hits. The Wind Surge starter also gave up three walks, but struck out five. San Antonio scored first with a pair of first inning runs. It was in the bottom of the second that Wichita provided their first answer. Will Holland doubled for the 10th time this season, and the base hit brought home both Patrick Winkel and Willie Joe Garry Jr. to tie the contest. After the Missions added a run with a third inning solo shot, the Wind Surge got the run back during the sixth inning. Aaron Sabato stepped in and blasted his 11th home run of the season. Needing just one run to walk it off, Michael Helman stepped in with runners on 1st and 2nd down to the final out. His single brought Holland across the plate, and the Wind Surge sent fans home happy. Despite recording nine hits on the day, it was a team effort for Wichita with only Tanner Schobel having a pair to his credit. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 12, Lake County 0 Box Score Seeking a victory to wrap up the weekend, Cedar Rapids turned to Christian MacLeod on Sunday. He worked five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and a walk. MacLeod also struck out three. While it took a few innings for the Kernels to get going, they went to work in a big way late. During the fifth inning, Keoni Cavaco launched a three-run shot to score Andrew Cossetti and Jose Salas. A three-run frame in the sixth inning was had on a Salas single to score Jorel Ortega, and a Jeferson Morales double to bring home both Cossetti and Salas. In the seventh inning, the Kernels continued their run of threes. This time it was Carson McCusker bringing home Ortega on a double before Cossetti scored on a wild pitch. Then Morales grounded out, but not without McCusker coming home in the process. With no reason to stop adding, Cedar Rapids saw another opportunity for a fourth-straight three-run inning during the eighth. Emmanuel Rodriguez scored on a single by Cossetti, and Salas drove Ortega home on a single of his own. With the bases loaded and Morales batting, his two-out walk brought Cossetti across the plate. Cavaco ended the inning as the next batter, and the 12 runs across four late innings was an impressive bit of production for the Kernels. Lake County went down quietly during the ninth inning, and Cedar Rapids secured the victory. Salas went 4-for-4 Sunday, while Cossetti added two of his own. MUSSEL MATTERS Clearwater 3, Fort Myers 2 Box Score Ben Ethridge got the start Sunday morning for the Mighty Mussels. He turned in five innings of three-run ball. Ethridge gave up four hits and two walks while striking out five. Fort Myers scored first when Maddux Houghton stole home. Jay Harry stole second and Clearwater threw down on the play allowing the run to score. During the fifth inning, Clearwater plated three runs and took the lead. Walker Jenkins, who already tripled in the contest, singled home Dillon Tatum in the eighth inning to make it a one-run game. The comeback came up short with Fort Myers falling by one. With the loss, Fort Myers saw their eight-game winning streak snapped. Jenkins had two hits, which accounted for half of the Mighty Mussels production on the day. It was also his sixth straight multi-hit game, and he owns a .438/.455/.656 slash line in his first seven games for Fort Myers. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Christian MacLeod (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Hitter of the Day – Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 4-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 4-5, R, 2 RBI, 3B(1), HR(2) K #2 - Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) - 2-4, 3B(1), RBI #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, BB, 2 K #8 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 2-3, BB, K #13 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 0-5, 3 K #14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 2-3, R, 2 BB, K #17 - Danny De Andrade (Fort Myers) - 0-4, K TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (5:35PM CST) - TBD Wichita @ Corpus Christi (6:35PM CST) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40 CST) - TBD Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! View full article

The Minnesota Twins have the ability to claim multiple states as Twins Territory. With no professional team in the Dakotas or Iowa, the reach for the organization is wide. Sioux Falls, South Dakota falls within that area, and Platinum Bat Company is looking to make a name for itself. Image courtesy of Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports Founded in 2017, Platinum Bat Company has seen consistent growth since getting off the ground just a few short years ago. Founded by business partners Nick Ratzloff and Zak Wallner, the brand was developed with an intention of being one for players designed by players. At this point, baseball bats and equipment are pumped out from far more than just Louisville Slugger. With technology constantly expanding, and players looking for opportunities to get the most customization, there has never been a more substantial opportunity for growth. Platinum started simply as a bat boutique company, and has since evolved into a brand that encompasses multiple product lines and levels of play. In talking with Nick, it’s clear that Platinum has leadership dedicated to their product, and seeks to bring something special to the market. “Our focus is dedicated to quality and a genuine commitment to the game of baseball. As the game continues to evolve, we will continue to provide players at all levels the tools they need to be successful.” No longer just a bat company, Platinum sells multiple different bat styles along with fielding gloves and customer apparel. The evolution has been something to behold for a pair of guys that got to know each other through their playing days at the University of Sioux Falls. Nick and Zak played collegiate baseball in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. With strong roots throughout Twins Territory, the NSIC is a familiar Division-II name. In keeping a focus on the Midwest and working within Twins Territory for their distribution channels, Platinum sells directly through Scheels Sporting Goods. Although their products can also be found online at PlatinumBaseballCo.Com, it’s the locally founded sporting goods store where the product can be found in person. The growth for Platinum has been consistent, and something that Nick notes as “amazing,” with each consecutive year setting new records. Platinum has a strong presence in both Minnesota and South Dakota, while their product has permeated the professional ranks. Although Nick doesn’t believe any major league players are currently using Platinum products, affiliate professionals have gravitated towards their offerings and independent baseball has been a big proponent of their bats. What started out as a bat company has evolved into so much more, and it all began with the vision of two players that met on the baseball field. Stories told throughout Twins Territory are often not those taking place on the diamond themselves, and Midwest baseball has something of its own flavor to bring to the table. Whether looking at the vast town ball scene, or opportunities for company success such as this instance with Platinum, baseball goes well beyond the walls of Target Field in Minnesota. Platinum’s story is not yet one of finality, and as they continue to look for avenues to grow, opportunities for players in the show to use their product is on the horizon. It wasn’t long ago that there was an AxeBat craze running through the Twins clubhouse, and seeing Platinum lumber launch homers into the night in downtown Minneapolis could be the next big thing. How things evolve for Platinum from here remains to be seen, but with consistent and continued growth, it’s anyone’s guess as to how far a couple of guys from South Dakota could push the needle. Twins Territory is often utilized as a badge of pride for people supporting an organization that encompasses more than just what happens on the field. Platinum Baseball embodies that, and continues to carry the torch forward. View full article

The Los Angeles Angels decided to make like a scorned fantasy football owner earlier this week, and dump everything they had acquired. While the Minnesota Twins put in waiver claims, it was their chief competition that grabbed everyone. Is the waiver wire broken? Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports At the 2023 trade deadline, Derek Falvey and the Minnesota Twins front office decided to do nothing. Swapping Jorge Lopez for Dylan Floro was hardly a trade, and that move was trading out equal parts of a turd, hoping to polish it on the other side. Instead of advancing the roster for Rocco Baldelli, the coaching staff was told to make do with what they had. A month later, with no waiver trading period of yesteryear, the Los Angeles Angels decided to shock the system. After they held onto Shohei Ohtani, despite postseason hopes on life support, Arte Moreno’s club decided to go for it. They acquired Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Randal Grichuk, and others. Things went sideways; they didn’t win, and Ohtani blew out. Rather than hang onto the assets, they dumped everyone. Major League Baseball was suddenly presented with an unprecedented opportunity. While waivers have traditionally been a handful of players with bloated contracts, the Angels effectively pieced everything they added out in hopes of retaining minimal value. Once they made the moves, it became less about Los Angeles and more about everyone else who could acquire the contracts. For a few million dollars, competitive organizations were in line to grab the likes of Giolito, Matt Moore, Reynaldo Lopez, and Hunter Renfroe. The Twins were among those interested and made four claims on the day. With the way major league waiver priority works (in reverse order of standings), they could not grab anyone, and Terry Francona’s club snubbed them in every way possible. It’s worth wondering if the Twins inability to handle business at Target Field didn’t play a massive factor in this equation. Up six games when the Guardians came to town, the Twins winning two of three games in the series would’ve given them a seven-game advantage. Instead, they won the first game and dropped the next two, including a colossal collapse in the third. Jhoan Duran and Kody Funderburk gave away a strong Sonny Gray start, allowing Cleveland to think they had a chance. Minnesota did nothing at the trade deadline, even with Duran and Griffin Jax struggling. They didn’t add a right-handed outfield bat, even with a left-handed log jam truncated by an anchor in Joey Gallo. Dallas Keuchel pitched his way into the picture from Triple-A, but the rotation was in flux with Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober embarking into uncharted waters. Indeed, the front office making no moves was head-scratching at best. Relying on many waiver options in August was a weird situation, but it was one the Angels and their white flag-waving presented. Being in that boat was only a direct reflection of what had happened thus far, and instead, they were met with opposition from their chief competition. Cleveland is not traditionally a club looking to spend, nor are the Reds. Even with that truth, both gobbled up the Angels castoffs and kept their competition from adding to the soon-to-expand active roster. Cleveland has less than a 6% chance to make the postseason, but their last-ditch effort costs a nominal amount of dollars while holding Minnesota back. If this works, they’ll certainly look the part of a genius. Baseball may decide that allowing one or two teams to claim everyone without shuffling back in priority is an unfair advantage. After all, that’s how it works on Wednesday mornings when making claims in fictitious football leagues. For now, though, the Guardians cracked open a drink, kicked their feet, and told Minnesota, “We’re trying.” They have reversed course after waving the white flag a month ago. The waiver wire game may become a trend as the years go on. Getting under luxury tax thresholds has advantages, and they ring more accurately when you’ve already exhausted your opportunities. During the waiver wire frenzy on Thursday, the Twins came up short, but they certainly could’ve knocked the Guardians out of it ahead of time or made moves at the deadline when the ball was in their court. We’ll see how the final month plays out from here. Los Angeles challenges the status quo. Cleveland and Cincinnati benefited from it. Minnesota now needs to handle the business they’ve flirted with all year, and if they fall short again, doomsday is coming. View full article