Ted Schwerzler

With the St. Paul Saints set to retire Darryl Strawberry’s jersey on Saturday night, he took time to answer questions and discuss what the honor meant to him. For a guy that had played on some of the biggest stages over the course of his career, a 29-game sample with the Saints seems rather nondescript. Batting .435 with 18 home runs in that stretch though, his performance was anything but to be overlooked. “I think it means everything to the people that are here. All of the people that were here when I came here. The St. Paul staff, the fans. I really had no idea if I wanted to play baseball again. The wonderful people of St. Paul welcomed me and my family at that particular time. My life was in shambles. They were a big part of my journey.” Strawberry remembers his time with the Saints fondly. Frankly he says, “most people don’t know I really didn’t want to come to play. My agent convinced me it would be a good place. I realized that baseball was fun again.” The Saints have been synonymous with fun, and that certainly made a lasting impression on Strawberry. “I’ve always played in chaotic atmospheres. I was treated in such a different way here. I never heard a fan boo, that’s a miracle in and of itself. All of the activities that were going on during a ballgame; I think they had a pig running around. I played baseball a long time, and I’ve never played a game where they were giving haircuts up in the stands. It had a special feel and memories will stay with you because I was part of it.” Playing the game itself was certainly fun as well, and that’s aided by such a strong performance on the field. When asked if Strawberry had ever seen that sort of success during a stretch before he said, “I didn’t experience that in high school even, and high school was pretty good. In 100-something at bats, I’ve never experienced that much success. I don’t care what level it’s been at, you have to actually go out there and perform. To be able to do that, it really tells me how comfortable I was playing for the Saints.” While Strawberry’s background and history are well documented, he appears to be in a much healthier place. “Life now is fun. I’m busy. I have a wonderful life and marriage. My wife and I have a ministry. I get to do some pretty cool things. Life is a real journey. A lot of times it has nothing to do with being a baseball player. I was raised right, but I was the one that lived a heathen lifestyle, and there’s a price to be paid for that. I hope my mother is proud of me.” Maybe the most thought provoking comment from The Straw Man came when he was asked how he ultimately was able to figure it out. “You don’t figure life out by yourself. My wife Tracy has had the biggest influence in my life. She was the only person that ever told me, when are you going to take that baseball uniform off and identify yourself as someone other than a baseball player. She was right, I never thought about that. The uniform represents what you do, but I needed to go on a journey to find myself and who I was.” Fans can flock to CHS Field on Saturday if they’d like to take in the number retirement ceremony for Strawberry, as well as catch what could be Royce Lewis’ final weekend in action at Triple-A for the year. Great seats are still available for the festivities and fans can grab tickets here. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 5, Louisville 0 Box Score After the hyped-up matchup between Hunter Greene and Royce Lewis on Thursday night, he was back in the lineup batting second as the Saints designated hitter on Friday. On Tuesday, he said postgame that the plan is for him to play the week in St. Paul. Assuming things continue going well, he should be active for the Twins when they return home to face the Tigers next week. Rain and hail poured down across parts of the Twin Cities metro area during the early-evening hours Friday, and that left the Saints with a new lake bracketing the outfield. The game was still scheduled to take place, but the 7pm start time wasn’t going to happen. After some minor flooding, this one got underway over 90 minutes late, and Louie Varland was on the bump. He turned in arguably the best performance of his season. He went 7 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed just three hits and a walk. He punched out six and dominated the top offense in the International League. Lewis wasted little time making his mark on Friday’s game. Stepping in as the second batter in the bottom of the first inning, he blasted a homer, his second of the week. Jair Camargo then doubled on a crazy play to the first baseman that scored both Trevor Larnach and Gilberto Celestino. Up 3-0 after the first, the wait was worth it for St. Paul. Brooks Lee led off the third inning with his first Triple-A home run, and Camargo followed his lead launching his 18th. The Saints got two hits from Lewis, Camargo, and Martin Friday night. They also accounted for four of the five runs driven in. Martin grabbed his ninth stolen based and Varland allowed St. Paul to go into the weekend on a high note. WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 8, Wichita 7 Box Score The Wind Surge turned to Marco Raya on Friday night. He has been struggling of late, and this was another abbreviated outing. While he didn’t give up a hit, the Wichita starter allowed a run on four walks in just one inning. After giving up a run in the first inning, the Wind Surge stormed back and took over. Alerick Soularie clubbed his eighth homer of the year. His second-inning blast plated Seth Gray to take a lead. In the third inning, Yoyner Fajardo homered for the seventh time before Patrick Winkel doubled home Tanner Schobel. Gray then launched his seventh dinger of the season which scored Winkel, and gave the good guys a 6-1 lead. Soularie singled home Dalton Shuffield in the fifth inning to give Wichita a commanding 7-1 lead. Northwest Arkansas got two back in the sixth inning, but the distance still provided them breathing room. Unfortunately, things went sideways in the eighth inning when Wichita saw their lead evaporate, and the Travelers tied things at seven. Wichita went scoreless in the top of the ninth which allowed Northwest Arkansas to complete the comeback in walkoff fashion in the bottom of the ninth inning. Luca Tresh singled home Jorge Bonifacio, and the Wind Surge saw a six-run lead go to waste. Soularie had a big night with a pair of hits, three RBI, and the big fly. He was the only Wind Surge player to record multiple hits. Shuffield stole a pair of bags with Soularie swiping one as well. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 3 Box Score Andrew Morris took the ball for Cedar Rapids and twirled five innings of one (unearned) run baseball. Morris allowed only four hits, walked one, and struck out three. He has continued to have a strong season and lowered his ERA to 2.81 with the Kernels. Quad Cities scored the first run of the game in the first inning. Cedar Rapids grabbed a lead with a three-spot in the third inning though, and they never gave it back. Noah Miller launched his seventh home run of the season which drove in Jeferson Morales. Emmanuel Rodriguez followed his lead with a home run, his 15th of the year. Ben Ross went deep for the 16th time this season and made it a four-run game. The River Bandits drew closer with a run in the sixth inning, and drama ensued. Dustin Dickerson’s double brought home Juan Carlos Negret, but Dickerson was nailed at the plate. Quad Cities wanted interference to be called on the play, and the benches emptied. A seventh-inning run for the River Bandits made it a one-run game, but that was where things ended with the Kernels grabbing the victory. No Kernels had multiple hits Friday evening, but Miller recorded a pair of RBI while Noah Cardenas stole his ninth base. Unfortunately, Rodriguez was lifted due to injury, and it didn’t look pretty. Jeff Johnson talked with manager Brian Dinkelman postgame and it sounds like Rodriguez will be just fine. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 7, Fort Myers 4 Box Score The Mighty Mussels started Jack Noble on Friday night, and he turned in 3 2/3 innings of work. Noble allowed three runs on five hits and five walks. He didn’t give up a longball and struck out five in the effort. Bradenton put Fort Myers behind early with a three-run first inning. The Mighty Mussels answered in the fourth inning with three runs of their own. Maddux Houghton doubled home Nate Baez and Jay Harry before Gregory Duran brought in Alec Sayre on a sacrifice fly to even the score. In the fifth inning, Baez scored on a wild pitch which gave Fort Myers their first lead of the contest. It was short-lived because the Marauders scored two in the sixth and two more runs in the seventh. The Mighty Mussels didn’t answer and dropped the tilt by a three-run deficit. Baez had a strong night. He recorded three of the six total hits for Fort Myers. Houghton’s double was the only extra-base hit. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 8, FCL Red Sox 4 Box Score Friday was a big day in the Complex League for Twins prospects as a host of recently-drafted pitchers made their professional debut. Nolan Santos, Ty Langenberg, Xander Hamilton, Spencer Bengard, Hector Garcia Jr., Jacob King, and Liam Rocha now all have officially begun their careers. Santos struck out two batters, as did Langenberg and Hamilton. Langenberg picked up his first professional hold, and Pierce Banks recorded the win. Walker Jenkins started the scoring with a triple, driving in Jankel Ortiz and Byron Chourio. By the eighth inning, the Twins were staring at a 4-2 deficit but came roaring back. Isaac Pena singled home Jenkins before Bryan Acuna drove in Poncho Ruiz and Anderson Nova to make it a 5-4 ballgame. In the ninth inning, Brandon Winokur blasted his third dinger of the season. The two-run shot also plated Chourio. Harold Grant doubled in Pena before the frame was over, and the 8-4 lead was enough to hold up. Winokur and Pena both recorded a pair of hits on the afternoon. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Twins 7, DSL Nationals 4 Box Score Yency De Jesus came on for the Twins in the third inning and provided five strong innings of work. He got the win after he struck out eight batters and allowed just one run on three hits and three walks. Angel Trinidad had a big game from the nine-spot, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Moises Lopez homered for the fourth time this season. His solo shot made it a 5-2 game in the fifth inning. Juan Hernandez drove in Junior Del Valle in the same frame. The Twins added another run in the seventh inning. Trinidad was the only Twins player to record multiple hits, and he also swiped a pair of bases. The Twins stole five total bases in the game. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Louie Varland (St. Paul) - 7.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Alerick Soularie (Wichita) - 2-4, R, 3 RBI, HR(8), SB(14), 2 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) - 1-4, HR(1), R, RBI #2 - Walker Jenkins (FCL Twins) - 1-5, R, 2 RBI, 3B, K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-2, R, RBI, HR(15), K #4 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-1, K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 2-4, SB(9) #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-4, R, BB, 2 K #12 - Luke Keaschall (Fort Myers) - 0-4, 2 K #13 - Brandon Winokur (FCL Twins) - 2-5, R, 2 RBI, HR(3), 2 K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, K #19 - Brent Headrick (Minnesota) - 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Louisville @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - TBD Wichita @ NW Arkansas (6:05PM CST) - RHP Jaylen Nowlin Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30PM CST) - RHP Cory Lewis Bradenton @ Fort Myers (5:00PM CST) - RHP Miguelangel Boadas Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games!

After pitching for Alderson-Broaddhaus in college, the Twins unearthed Randy Dobnak during the 2017 season. He was throwing in independent baseball and signed a deal that sent him to Elizabethton. Two years later, he was pitching in the Major Leagues. A month later, he pitched against the New York Yankees in the postseason. He received more notoriety for grinding as an Uber driver than as a pitcher, and people did not take his prospect status seriously despite Rocco Baldelli selecting him as a Game Two starter against the Evil Empire. No matter what you wanted to make of him, he had made it and was a big leaguer. Things didn't go well in that postseason game, but the Twins were undeterred. He started ten games in 2020 during a weird Covid season and received a $9.25 million contract spanning five seasons. Then he pitched 50 2/3 innings at the highest level in 2021, and things worsened. A finger injury had him battling an ERA nearly hitting 8.00. It was clear that Dobnak needed a reset. Dobnak has battled through the injury while regaining confidence and ability over the past two years. In 2023 though, he has been fully back and looks the part of a solid arm once again. Despite a St. Paul Saints rotation full of options, Dobnak has established himself as a pillar of consistency. Talking with Dobnak on media day, he was still determining where his role would lie. Knowing the guys ahead of him needed innings, he would likely eat bullpen innings. He bounced between roles for a while but has been in the rotation since mid-May. Nothing about his role ever deterred Dobnak. "I'm going to go out there and give my best effort regardless of my role with a team. I know what I am capable of doing and this year has been very important to me to stay healthy after everything I went through the past two years. I've never worried about things that are out of my control. If I can control what I can control, then at the end of the day I can look at myself and know that I gave my best effort." Having made 15 straight starts, Dobnak owns a 3.91 ERA in that stretch, and removing his one blowup takes it down to a 2.79 ERA. He has been more of a five-and-dive guy, but that's not unexpected for a pitcher that uses an approach to induce weak contact. He has posted a K/9 north of 8.0 and allowed just eight homers in over 90 innings. It's not lost on Dobnak that he's been on a roll. "Taking care of my body each day and attacking the zone has been key," Dobnak said. "If I fall behind, getting back into counts with competitive pitches has been key." Dobnak's bugaboo this season has been traffic. He has an inflated WHIP while working around and an inflated walk rate, and he still allows too many hits during each outing. The recipe there is one that could tax a bullpen, but he's at least making the conversation worth having again. Pitching against a good Triple-A club for the Reds on Wednesday, Dobnak turned in a scoreless start. He went just four innings, allowed zero runs, and worked around three walks. For Dobnak, pitching at this level has to feel good after what he has gone through. Working back from an injury that never made any sense and a rehab process that was unclear, results are what matter for now. "Going back to look at the game today I'm sure I will see that the guys reaching base were primarily hitters I fell behind on. Attacking early is where my focus has been. I have tried to keep hitters off balance with a good mix of pitches and location." The Twins committed to Dobnak through the 2025 season, and there are team options in consideration in the following three seasons. Even if they don't, he still gets another $1 million as a buyout before 2025. Seeing success down the stretch this season hasn't been by accident. Dobnak said, "Finally finding a slider that has pretty decent movement has helped me discover who I can be going forward. After the ginger injury, the sinker doesn't sink nearly as much as it used to. I think I am a better pitcher now than when I broke into the big leagues four years ago." Maybe the Twins don't find a spot for Dobnak this season or the rest of his time with them, but he's continued to put forth the effort that has earned him each opportunity. Dobnak will be just 31 in 2026 and can continue his career elsewhere. No matter what happens, a kid from an overlooked school earned his opportunity and then gained it back again. Dobnak's family embraces hard work but remains humble in every way. He has embodied that on a public stage, and whatever is next, you can bet he'll take that opportunity and run with it as well.

SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 8, Louisville 5 Box Score Lots of storylines were present for Thursday’s Saints action. With Royce Lewis back in the lineup during his rehab assignment, the Bats sent Hunter Greene to the mound on a rehab assignment of his own. Hunter was taken one pick after Lewis in the 2017 draft, and the pair were teammates for Team USA in 2016 and in 2014. Blayne Enlow went four innings allowing four runs on four hits. He walked only one and punched out six on the evening. After getting down 1-0 in the top of the first inning, Trevor Larnach answered with a solo blast of his own in the bottom half. Noelvi Marte homered in the second inning, and Louisville added a pair in the third inning. Looking to respond, St. Paul scored one on an Andrew Stevenson solo shot in the bottom of the third. Jair Camargo made it a one-run game with a double that scored Kyle Garlick in the fourth inning, and Yunior Severino tied things when he drew a bases loaded walk scoring Lewis in the fifth. Garlick then lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in Larnach before Camargo took a walk on a wild pitch that scored Anthony Prato. Gilberto Celestino doubled home both Severino and Camargo putting the Saints ahead 8-4. The Bats added a run in the sixth inning to make it a three-run game, but that was as close as they'd get. St. Paul finished with six hits, and no one recorded more than one. Lewis was 0-for-2 with a pair of walks and a run scored. WIND SURGE WISDOM NW Arkansas 9, Wichita 6 Box Score Travis Adams took the ball Thursday for the Wind Surge and went just 4 1/3 innings allowing six runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out three during his outing. After getting behind 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Wichita looked for an answer. Willie Joe Garry Jr. singled home Seth Gray in the second inning before Aaron Sabato hit his seventh homer of the season, a third inning solo shot, to make it a 3-2 game. Putting up a four-spot in the fifth inning, Northwest Arkansas really started to pull away. The Wind Surge answered with four of their own in the seventh inning. Sabato singled home Garry Jr. and Will Holland before Patrick Winkel drove in Yoyner Fajardo on a single of his own. Dalton Shuffield then singled home Sabato to draw within one. Wichita gave two back during the bottom of the seventh inning and faced a three-run deficit going into the eighth inning. Unable to add in the eighth, while giving up another run, the Wind Surge were blanked in the ninth inning as well. Sabato put up a three-hit game with Shuffield and Alex Isola both grabbing two apiece. The ten total hits for the team still came up just short. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 11, Quad Cities 5 Box Score It was Christian MacLeod’s night on the hill for Cedar Rapids, and he turned in five innings of three-run baseball. MacLeod gave up five hits and three walks while striking out for on the evening. Jorel Ortega opened the scoring with a first inning sacrifice fly that brought home Emmanuel Rodriguez, but Quad Cities responded with three runs in the bottom half. Noah Miller made things closer with an RBI single in the second inning that scored Carson McCusker, and the Kernels made waves during the third. A four-run third inning started with Ben Ross’s 15th home run of the year, and was followed by Jose Salas driving home Andrew Cossetti on a single. McCusker then singled home both Noah Cardenas and Salas to make it a 6-3 game. In the sixth inning, Kala’i Rosario ripped his third triple of the season to plate Rodriguez, and the Kernels lead was extended again. Ortega singled home Rosario before McCusker brought Ross home on a single of his own. Another four run inning made it a 10-3 game. Rodriguez singled in the ninth inning to add another run when McCusker scored, and Cedar Rapids had a lead big enough to cruise for a victory. Rodriguez, Rosario, and Ross all had two hits while McCusker added four of his own. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 15, Fort Myers 8 Box Score This season Ben Ethridge has put up solid numbers, but it was a weird outing for the Fort Myers starter. He lasted just four innings allowing only two runs on two hits, but he walked five and struck out only three. The Mighty Mussels got ahead early when Danny De Andrade doubled in the first inning. Scoring both Nate Baez and Ricardo Olivar, his 16th two-base hit did damage. Rafael Cruz then followed with his 13th double to drive in De Andrade and make it a 3-0 game. Bradenton answered with two runs in the second inning, but Fort Myers added again in the fourth. Maddux Houghton blasted a solo shot and it was a 4-2 game after the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Alec Sayre stepped in and launched a grand slam to score Cruz, Kyle Schmidt, and Gregory Duran. Now up 8-2, this one seemed plenty in hand. The Marauders clawed back on a three-run homer during the sixth inning, but the Mighty Mussels still had a commanding advantage. That advantage quickly disappeared during the eighth inning when Bradenton put up a seven-spot to pull ahead 12-8. They added another three runs in the ninth inning, and the 15-8 score represented a laugher. Cruz contributed a trio of hits with Olivar posting two of his own. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 4, FCL Pirates 2 Box Score Thursday’s FCL game had a good deal of intrigue as top Pirates prospect Paul Skenes was making his professional debut. Selected first overall in the 2023 Draft, Skenes was dominant for LSU. He pitched just a single inning for the Pirates, but faced Twins prospects Byron Chourio, Brandon Winokur, and Walker Jenkins. He gave up no hits, and got Jenkins on a strike out. After getting down in the first inning, the Twins answered with a three-run third inning. Winokur grounded into a force out that allowed Daniel Pena to score before a Jenkins single brought in Andres Centeno. With the bases loaded, Isaac Pena took a walk to bring Winokur home. For the second time in the game, the Twins drew a bases loaded walk scoring a run. This time it was Chourio bringing home Daniel Pena. Devin Kirby finished off 4 2/3 of scoreless relief work to slam the door. Jenkins finished as the only player with two hits. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Giants Black 8, DSL Twins 5 Box Score Miguel Cordero got the start Thursday and worked five innings allowing just two runs, only one of which was earned. He gave up three hits and a walk while striking out three. Ariel Castro had arguably the best game of his young career. The Twins top international free agent signee in January picked up three hits, including a double and triple. He drove in a pair of runs on the day as well. Hendry Chivilli and Jayson Bass each had hits as well, with Junior Del Valle as the only other player to record a pair of hits. The Twins scored in the first inning on a wild pitch, added another on a second wild pitch in the third inning, and then grabbed three more in the fifth inning. The Giants added six in the seventh inning to take the lead and make it a 8-5 game. The Twins didn’t mound a comeback and that’s how this one ended. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Devin Kirby (FCL Twins) - 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB 4 K Hitter of the Day – Ariel Castro (DSL Twins) - 3-4, 3 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI 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: #2 - Walker Jenkins (FCL Twins) - 2-5, RBI, K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-1, BB #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-4, K #13 - Brandon Winokur (FCL Twins) - 0-5, R, RBI, 2 K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, R, RBI, BB, K, 3B #17 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 0-2, R, RBI, 2 BB #18 - Jose Salas (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, R, RBI, BB, K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 0-3, BB, K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Louisville @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - RHP Louie Varland Wichita @ NW Arkansas (7:05PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30PM CST) - RHP Andrew Morris Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - RHP Jack Noble Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games!

Kicking off the season, Rocco Baldelli was immediately without Jorge Polanco and Alex Kirilloff. Despite reports of them both initially being set for Opening Day, neither were on the roster. Then there was the reality that Byron Buxton wouldn't be an option in center field for a while, and the need for depth became even more imperative. Fast forward to the beginning of August, and Michael A. Taylor has contributed the sixth-highest fWAR for Minnesota among position players. His 1.1 fWAR mark trumps both stars, Carlos Correa and Buxton, while he has played 100 of the Twins' 113 games in center field. Buxton's failure to launch has put incredible pressure on Taylor, but he has been everything the organization has needed so far. There was hardly an expectation that Taylor would suddenly become an offensive stalwart. That has never been his game, but the Gold Glove-caliber defense has been as good as advertised. With no Buxton behind him, the rotation could have been better, with Nick Gordon, Joey Gallo, and even Willi Castro filling in. Offensively, Taylor has also done more than enough to carry his weight. His 90 OPS+, while below the Major League average, is above his career 82 OPS+ tally. He's never been much of an on-base guy, and the strikeouts are there in bunches with few walks. His 13 doubles are the most since 2021, and he should surpass that total with an eye on his 2017 career best. He has also never hit more than 19 home runs in a single season, launching just nine last year, but has already posted 15 in 102 games. Like Taylor, Willi Castro has filled gaps unlike anyone could have predicted. Seemingly behind Gordon as a utility player, Castro's fit seemed odd as a Detroit Tigers castoff. Early in the year, there appeared to be multiple situations in which his remaining option could place him on the chopping block, but all he has done is continue to produce. Castro's 96 OPS+ is his best career mark throughout an entire season. Like Taylor, Castro isn't expected to be an offensive juggernaut, but everything else he brings to the table makes him so valuable. Those things have equated to a 1.6 fWAR, trailing only Edouard Julien and Ryan Jeffers for Minnesota. The only positions Castro has not played this year are first base and catcher. He has logged multiple innings everywhere else and has taken strides as a replacement centerfielder. Castro's bat is not loud in that significant power contact isn't his game. Still, he's taken plenty of walks and has primarily controlled the zone. He could be in for a career year in both doubles and home runs if things continue to trend positively. Where Castro may have made the most difference is on the basepaths. Castro has led the charge for a Twins team that virtually ignored running multiple weeks into the season despite the new rule changes promoting it. Having never previously stolen more than nine bases in a single season, Castro owns 28 stolen bases this year and has been thrown out only four times. For Hank Conger, who is often watching Castro break from first, it has to be refreshing seeing a player put pressure on the opposing pitcher. When Derek Falvey and Thad Levine grabbed both Taylor and Castro, they likely had visions of talented players rounding out the fringes of the big league rosters. Thanks to injury and ineffectiveness, each has been pushed into a much more substantial role, and it's hard to scoff at either production. Minnesota being without a healthy or competent Buxton would always hurt. Needing a utility man ready every day can be a bit much. For the Twins, though, both Taylor and Castro have gone above and beyond expectations to play a part in a successful season that could have gone very differently.

The Minnesota Twins have had some truly incredible prospects in recent memory. Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano were both national top-10 prospects at the same time, and they ushered in a wave of players like Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco alongside them. That group’s tenure appears to be coming to an end, and passing the torch is a must. While Walker Jenkins is the shiny new addition for Minnesota’s organization after being selected fifth overall during the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft, it’s Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee that could be the cornerstones of the next wave. The former was the first overall pick during the 2017 draft, and the latter fell into the Twins lap with the eighth overall pick during the 2022 draft. Lewis was once a former Top-10 prospect nationally, and has seen the highest of peaks and lowest of valleys. Battling through injury, missed time, Covid delays, and everything else, he’s now a regular Major Leaguer working his way back from injury. For Lee, the trip to St. Paul is a new venture. After playing just 118 professional games, he has already earned a promotion to Triple-A. Lighting Double-A on fire with his smooth swing, while leaning into some power, he looks the part of a difference maker on both sides of the ball. It was a random Tuesday night in August, but Toby Gardenhire’s lineup card had Lewis batting second playing third base with Lee following him as the shortstop. Crossing paths for the second time in their careers, the pair had flip-flopped positions but manned the left side of the infield. With Rocco Baldelli’s Twins, it’s hard to envision their positioning being the case. Carlos Correa is the starting shortstop into the foreseeable future, but Lewis has made claim to third base bumping Jose Miranda and Kyle Farmer from the role. Jorge Polanco occupies the position currently, but could be moved around the rest of the way, and is no sure bet to return next season. “Like I was playing my first game,” is how Lee described the nerves and excitement of the night. “It was a really cool crowd. Wichita has a very nice stadium, but this was unbelievable, a lot more fans.” Of course, Lee’s debut at the highest level isn’t expected to come until sometime in 2024. When he does get the call, starting at third base with Edouard Julien at second would make some sense. Maybe Minnesota shifts Julien to first base, or Lewis starts in centerfield, but no matter how you position them, the talent is there to play together for a long time. Talking with Lewis about playing next to Lee he said, “It’s fun. He’s playing great and has had a great year so far. Hopefully he can keep going. I’m always rooting for these guys. We have a great organization, great team. It’s fun to see it all come to fruition.” Although St. Paul was well-known to Lewis, this was Lee’s debut. Both had a relatively quiet first couple of at bats. Lewis struck out in the first while Lee’s 101-mph grounder was gobbled up by the second baseman. In the second inning, Lewis brought home Chris Williams with a well-struck sac fly, and Lee again found the second baseman, this time with a 98-mph grounder. The pair seemed jovial on the dirt, constantly communicating with each other and smiling while manning an infield that prospect fans dream of. For St. Paul, Lewis is ushering in the next part of his wave. Taking the field, he went and talked with the umpires as he often does. He would routinely flip balls to fans in the stands, and he led with an attitude of professionalism that had been imparted on him during his time here. Lee is not much his junior, just two years younger, but it’s clear Saints fans have gravitated to their next star that will surely make his stay a quick one. The shortstop has a front-row seat at the third baseman, and how he can win over the stadium. It’s not lost on Lewis that he is the elder statesman with the Saints this week either. “I have always felt like I’ve been leading my whole career. There’s always some new draft guy that comes in and you’re talking to them and sharing what things might be like. The fact that all these guys are so nice, and genuinely good people makes it easy. They’re more receptive, and then they learn. I’ve been through it. It’s like when Paul Molitor and Joe Mauer, Torii Hunter, and all these guys come back to help us out. I take it as wisdom and run with it.” After Lewis narrowly misses a hard-hit ground ball to left field, Lee snagged a 96-mph liner ripped right back up the middle. The two nodded to one another after the second out of the inning was recorded, knowing they’ve got trust on the left side. Simeon Woods Richardson continued to keep Louisville off the board, and it wasn’t long until Lewis made his mark on the evening. Stepping into the batter's box in the fourth inning, he clobbered a pitch 441 feet to dead center, putting a new dent in the batter’s eye. Like Lee hopes is the case for him, Lewis quickly showed his stay won’t be long and his oblique feels healthy. With nightfall setting in and a gorgeous background at CHS Field, Lee again made his presence felt with the leather. A smooth 6-3 double play on another ball back up the middle, his instincts and actions look every bit like that of a future playmaker. Not wanting to go hitless, he’d slap a single to left center in the bottom half of the fifth inning. After bludgeoning the Reds Triple-A team into submission, the pair of Saints shook hands and headed to the clubhouse. It was a blowout on the scoreboard, and both Lee and Lewis contributed plenty throughout the contest. Just their second contest together, and while it won’t be their last, the hope is that they can pair up to bring plenty of big league noise in the future. Having once before played with Lewis during a rehab assignment, Lee was again excited for the opportunity. “It’s really fun playing with him, we like to have fun on the left side. I feel comfortable with him. We’re both from California and were young when we got drafted. He’s great in the dugout helping me out. He’s given me a lot of one-on-one time, and he knows I want to ask questions, and he lets me have any advice I can take. That’s what a good big leaguer would do.” Although Lee’s debut in front of the hometown fans may have provided butterflies for him, it was the pairing that has Minnesotans considering the future. A year from now the stakes will likely be much higher, but the two talented Twins youngsters should remain the exact same. Lee is keeping things in perspective. He knows the ultimate goal is just miles away but says, “eventually I’ll get there, but right now, I’m just focused on things that are in front of me."

Coming into the season, for the second offseason in a row, the Twins front office had a straightforward opportunity to trade Max Kepler. They had Alex Kirilloff ready for more playing time, with Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner knocking on the door. Pepper in Joey Gallo for $11 million over the winter, and the log jam for Rocco Baldelli's outfield was piling up. Without the infield shift, the theory was that it would give Kepler additional opportunities for production. Still, knowing that his downfall has been launch angle more than anything, that wasn't a guaranteed outcome. As of June 18, Kepler has bottomed out with a .189/.261/.365 slash line. His .625 OPS wasn't cutting it, and the otherwise outstanding defense in right field also slipped. Then he turned it on. For 40 games from June 20 through August 6, Kepler slashed .291/.343/.582. For a slumping Twins lineup, he had become arguably their best bat. When the trade deadline came, the front office may have had an opportunity to again capitalize on what they believed was fair value for him, but instead stood pat. Kepler has continued to rake and destroyed the longest home run hit this season over the weekend against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was his third straight game with a home run, and shades of his 2019 Bomba Squad season were showing. At one point during the 2023 season, Kepler had posted a negative WAR at Fangraphs, being worse than a replacement-level player. As of August 7, he's pushed his season tally back up to 1.2, making him the fourth-highest productive hitter for Minnesota. Although Kepler's defense hasn't rebounded entirely, he still owns 2 DRS and 3 OAA on the season, putting him above an average outfielder. Kepler will play all of the 2023 season at 30 and turns 31 in February. Due to the substantial turnaround, he has given the Twins' front office new things to consider for 2024. At this point, it looks like Larnach is not a given to be a consistently productive player, and Kirilloff can play first base when healthy. If he makes it through the season, Gallo will be gone over the winter, and the outfield doesn't have any guaranteed additions unless that's where Royce Lewis begins in 2024. Playing on the final guaranteed year of his contract extension this season, Kepler is making $8.5 million. That number jumps up only slightly next year at $10 million and is still less than what the Twins needed to give Gallo after an atrocious showing for the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers a year ago. At his current fWAR production, Fangraphs estimates Kepler's value at $9.7 million. Assuming he slows down some but continues to add, he should finish well beyond the cost of keeping him next season, and he'll have done it despite digging a massive hole. The Twins would prefer a more straightforward version of success rather than a significant peak having to make up for the valley, but baseball is 162 games for a reason. Kepler has utilized the entire schedule to get on track this season, and he has the runway in front of him to continue being a key cog for a Minnesota postseason run. It would have been lunacy to pose this question even a couple of months ago, and I was all but out on Kepler myself. At this point, he's at least made the decision worth considering, and he could make it an absolute no-brainer by season's end.

Let’s be clear that while an induction into a team’s Hall of Fame is an exceptional accomplishment, it’s equally an effort to drive ticket sales. Someday he’ll have a bronze statue on Target Plaza, and Minnesota will again see the gate swing wide open. Neither of those compare to the honor that was immediately bestowed upon Mauer as his number “7” was retired. For fans of a certain age, Joe Mauer is the embodiment of the popular Sandlot phrase, “heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew had long finished their playing careers. Tony Oliva’s didn’t match up, and Kirby Puckett either didn’t cross into the same threshold or is held in lower regard. For this 32-year-old, Mauer is the closest it gets to the greatest ever witnessed in a Twins uniform. (Editor's Note: This, ummm... older-than-32 Twins fan believes Kirby Puckett crossed that line and threshold, and his playing career is not held in lower regard. His post-playing career is a different story.) For the occasion, white chairs were set out in foul territory. Twins greats and former teammates alike had a front row seat for the occasion. Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, Josh Willingham, and plenty of past players that shared a clubhouse with Mauer made their way back. Justin Morneau now calls Target Field his office as a broadcaster, and Kent Hrbek can always find a reason to be back at the ballpark. Family and friends of Mauer also made their way to the occasion, including wife Maddie, and their young family. Taking the podium as the emcee, Dick Bremer eloquently discussed who Mauer was and still is. He noted that Mauer just entered his senior year of high school in 2000 when the Twins created their Hall of Fame. Speaking on his exploits from youth ball all the way through the big leagues, Bremer summed up Mauer’s career perfectly calling it a “Well-played journey.” With some former players not in attendance, video tributes came rolling in across the newly installed big screens. It was recently-inducted Hall of Famer Jim Thome that put it best saying his congrats and ending with, “I hope there’s another hall of fame in your future.” Taking over for Bremer and introducing the other part of his M&M moniker, Morneau steps up. “Well, my friend, you not only lived up to those expectations but you exceeded them. It’s not easy being the face, or in your case, the sideburns of the franchise.” Morneau delivered his thoughts with a wide grin on his face, and was clearly proud of what his friend had accomplished. Finishing with a story of when the pair ran into a fan with the name Joe, Morneau recalled, “This person thought as much about you as a player, but even more as a person, to name their child after you.” The pair embraced and the microphone was passed. In a way that only he can step in, Mauer took over the podium as his ballad, “What You Know” by artist T.I. rang out. Mauer thanked the crowd for being there, everyone that showed up for him, including his dad Jake, as he was certainly looking down on him from above. The entirety of Mauer’s speech was related to that moment he got a call from Carew in the car with his girls. The twins asked what it took to make a Hall of Fame, and the Minnesotan put it in the most thought out description possible. Noting the support system it takes, Mauer touched on his dad, “I tip my cap to you, dad, and for being one of the main reasons I’m standing here today” choking back tears. Maren and Emily are very clearly the apple of his eye, and having them look on with wide smiles and pride was certainly something Mauer shared for his own dad. Knowing how she held down the fort, Mauer said, “Thanks for always being there for me, mom, and supporting me from day one.” Leadership is another thing that provides a Hall of Fame opportunity. The youngest of three boys, Mauer talked of the relationship Jake and Bill provided him. They pushed him, and allowed him to be part of their experiences as well. He told his girls they now have that responsibility for son Chip. Continuing on leadership, Mauer talked of his wife, Maddie. “We are very lucky to have a leader and a role model like their mom. Thank you for all you do for our family, I love you.” The crowd for this occasion was not just in the stands, but in those white seats on the infield as well. Teammates spanning nearly two decades made it back to Target Field. “I want to thank you boys for traveling here tonight and celebrating this moment with me.” Those in the stands, sitting in a stadium that was built largely because of what Mauer did for the organization, Mauer had a message for the fans as well, “I want to thank you all for supporting me, even in my down moments. It truly means the world to me.” As he often did, Mauer turned the focus back to the task at hand, and with a handful of Diamondbacks and Twins players at their respective dugout railings he said, “Good luck out there tonight boys, go get ‘em.” Paul Feiner, the only player to ever strike out Mauer in high school, brought three balls to the newly-inducted Hall of Famer. One was for each of his children. They delivered a ceremonial first pitch, and the night was set to get underway. The game could have been inconsequential, but in a postseason race every win matters. The Twins handled business bludgeoning the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-1. Most impressively in that win was the performance of starting catcher, Ryan Jeffers. On a night with a backstop going into the Hall of Fame, Rocco Baldelli’s starter went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs. It was a storybook ending to an evening. It’s very likely we won't see a player like Mauer again for decades. The Twins haven’t had a Hall of Famer enter Cooperstown without significant help for years. Top prospects flame out or fail to reach expectations. We’ve seen that with Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. What Mauer did as a hero playing entirely for one organization is something only dreamed up in storybooks. Accepting that reality makes Saturday even more impactful. As a state, and collectively as Twins fans, few things are more exciting than seeing success for one of our own. Joe Mauer epitomized that, and seeing his career immortalized after he has hung up his cleats is truly something to behold.

TRANSACTIONS LHP Brent Headrick recalled by Twins LHP Jovani Moran optioned to St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL Columbus 2, St. Paul 0 Box Score The Saints started Kody Funderburk as an opener for their tilt on Sunday. He worked 2 1/3 innings and gave up a run on one hit and two walks. Funderburk struck out four, and after Moran’s option, continued to position himself for a call-up to Minnesota. Columbus scored runs in the third inning and the sixth inning on just three total hits. Trevor Larnach recorded a pair for the Saints but their three didn’t produce a run. Ronny Henriquez worked 1 2/3 innings of hitless baseball and struck out three. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 10, Tulsa 9 Box Score Chad Donato was on the bump for Wichita, and it was a short outing. He allowed eight runs over three innings. Seven hits did him in, and he also gave up a pair of walks. After falling behind 4-0 in the top of the first inning, the Wind Surge led off with a run when Yoyner Fajardo blasted his sixth home run of the season. Wichita gave up another in the second, but answered with five runs of their own. Will Holland roped his third triple of the year, clearing a loaded set of bases. Willie Joe Garry Jr., Jake Rucker, and Dalton Shuffield all scored. Fajardo then lifted a sacrifice fly to score Holland before Tanner Schobel doubled home Frank Nigro. The Drillers regained the lead in the third inning on a three-run shot, and they added a ninth run with a fifth-inning single. That made it a 9-6 game. Looking to draw even, Dalton Shuffield stepped in and lifted and launched his ninth homer of the year to tie things up. Alex Isola and Aaron Sabato scored on the big fly. In the eighth inning Sabato doubled for the 15th time, scoring Fajardo and putting Wichita ahead. That was enough for them to hang on and grab the victory. Fajardo picked up a pair of hits to lead the Wind Surge. KERNELS NUGGETS Lansing 2, Cedar Rapids 1 Box Score The Kernels turned to Cory Lewis on Sunday and he pitched quite well yet again. The right-hander tossed six innings and gave up just one run on three hits and a walk. He also punched out five batters. Lansing plated a run in both the sixth and seventh inning to take a 2-0 lead over Cedar Rapids. In the eighth inning, Noah Miller hit his sixth homer to put the Kernels on the board. However, the solo shot wasn’t enough to bring them back. The blast was Miller’s second hit of the day. Unfortunately, the team had just three total hits. MUSSEL MATTERS Dunedin 11, Fort Myers 9 Box Score Miguelangel Boadas made the start Sunday afternoon for the Mighty Mussels. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings after allowing four runs on five hits. Boadas didn’t give up a walk and struck out four batters. Fort Myers kicked off the scoring in the second inning when Kamron Willman doubled home both Nate Baez and Gregory Duran. The Blue Jays answered with four runs in the bottom of the third inning, but the Mighty Mussels answered in the fourth inning. Kyle Schmidt hit his second homer of the season and made it a one-run game. The fifth inning saw Dunedin add in a big way again. Their five runs put a six-run deficit between themselves and the Mighty Mussels. That didn’t deter Fort Myers’ comeback though, and they answered with six runs of their own in the eighth inning. Yohander Martinez drove in Baez on an error before Schmidt scored on a wild pitch. Martinez followed his lead and came home on another uncorked one, before Rafael Cruz clubbed a three-run homer. His eighth of the season brought home Willman and Ricardo Olivar knotted the game at nine. In the bottom of the eighth, Dunedin brought home two more runs which was enough to end the day with a win. Willman finished the day as the only Mighty Mussels player with a pair of hits. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Cory Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day – Dalton Shuffield (Wichita) - 1-1, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR(3), 3 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) - 0-4, K #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR(7, walkoff), K #7 - David Festa (Wichita) - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 0-1, 2 BB, K #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-4, RBI, BB #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, 3 K TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Louisville @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - TBD Wichita @ NW Arkansas (7:05PM CST) - TBD Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30PM CST) - TBD Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games!

This winter, everyone saw the Carlos Correa saga play out. They landed Pablo Lopez for Luis Arraez. Joey Gallo got a change of scenery, and Christian Vazquez would start behind the plate. Kyle Farmer and Michael A. Taylor looked like solid complimentary pieces, and Rocco Baldelli had plenty of healthy talent returning from 2022. The bullpen, however, had no additions. As they have done routinely throughout their tenure leading the organization, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine punted on the bullpen. They made a few waiver claims and had Danny Coulombe and Jeff Hoffman in on minor-league deals. Despite both arms looking good through spring training, the insistence of rostering Cole Sands as a long man won out and had them both out of the organization by Opening Day. Fast forward to where we are now, and those decisions look poor. Despite spending most of July with Minnesota, Sands recorded just five outs, relegated almost entirely to mop-up duty. He went an entire week on the roster, during a significant daily game stretch, without being used. Coulombe has a 2.92 ERA with the Orioles, and Hoffman owns a 2.51 ERA for the Phillies. With the trade deadline looming outside of a right-handed bat, nothing was more obvious to add than bullpen help. It was an opportunity for the front office to right their previous wrong. They needed to give Jhoan Duran some help. Griffin Jax had crazy usage, and Caleb Thielbar had just returned from the injured list for the second time dealing with an oblique issue. They did nothing and accepted the failure of the Jorge Lopez trade with Baltimore, sending him to Miami for Dylan Floro in hopes a change of scenery could suit both players. For months we had heard a similar refrain from the front office, and it often comes to the tune of players in the clubhouse being talented enough to get it done. That is fair when looking at an underperforming lineup. Considering the bullpen, though, doing nothing for that group is a slap in the face. Not only has Duran underwhelmed during July, but it came out on deadline day that Brock Stewart (who also was acquired through a minor league deal) had a setback with his arm, and the timetable for his return is unknown. Thielbar is no sure bet to stay healthy; from there, it's a bunch of dice rolls. Floro is an upgrade over the version of Lopez Minnesota employed, but his improved production relies on the peripherals playing better. Emilio Pagan has been solid this year but is less than 12 months removed from being an absolute disaster. Jordan Balazovic and Josh Winder are both failed starters with little-to-no track record, and Jovani Moran looks every bit the command mess his numbers suggest he is. The front office failed to show up for Baldelli and his group of relievers that could've used their help. Acquiring relief arms is not rocket science, and while a lefty made sense for Minnesota, anyone performing at a relatively positive level with a pulse should've been an option. They were never going to spring for Aroldis Chapman, but plenty of possibilities were available. To do nothing is simply unacceptable. The Chicago White Sox highlighted the perils of trying to buy a bullpen. Grabbing Kendall Graveman, Liam Hendriks, Joey Kelly, and Craig Kimbrel in the same stretch still didn't save them. No one asked the Twins' front office to plop down Edwin Diaz-money on relief arms, but with $5 million or a mid-level prospect enough to move the needle, they chose neither. When the dust settles on this season, the Twins will have to win the division if the front office wants to save face. Only Cleveland represents a threat, and it remains to be seen if even they are trying. Ending the 0-for-18 postseason stretch has to happen, and winning a series would be nice. No matter what happens from a results standpoint, consistently ignoring the bullpen is a broken process.

TRANSACTIONS INF Hernan Perez activated off IL by St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL Columbus 7, St. Paul 0 Box Score After being promoted yesterday, Brooks Lee, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., and Yunior Severino all made their Triple-A debuts for St. Paul on Friday night. Blayne Enlow was on the bump. It was a tough start as he lasted just three innings and gave up four runs (3 earned) on four hits and four walks. Enlow struck out two. Lee started at shortstop and batted second in this game. In his first Triple-A at-bat, he singled. Keirsey Jr. followed his lead with a single back up the middle. Unfortunately by the sixth inning, the Saints were trailing 6-0. In the seventh inning, the Clippers added another. Severino went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his Triple-A debut. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 14, Wichita 7 Box Score If Friday is the worst start of Marco Raya’s career that would be good. He didn’t record an out and allowed six runs, four earned, on four hits. Raya also walked one with no strikeouts. The Drillers put up a nine-spot to open the first inning and had Wichita way behind the eight ball. The Wind Surge responded with three of their own on an Alerick Soularie walk and a Willie Joe Garry Jr. single, his first Double-A hit. The former brought home Yoyner Fajardo with the latter bringing in Tanner Schobel. The Wind Surge watched that effort evaporate as they gave up three more runs in the second inning. Wichita responded with two in the bottom half on a Schobel double that scored Fajardo and a Patrick Winkel single drove in Schobel. They gave up a run in the fourth and in the seventh inning to extend the deficit, but added one of their own in the eighth and ninth innings. Soularie took a bases-loaded walk, scoring Fajardo in the eighth before Fajardo grounded out to score Garry Jr. in the ninth. Fajardo recorded three hits, and Schobel added a pair of his own. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Lansing 5 Box Score Christian MacLeod was on the bump Friday for Cedar Rapids and turned in five solid innings. He gave up three runs on six hits, but walked just one and struck out three. After giving up a run in the third inning, the Kernels answered back with three of their own in the bottom half. Mikey Perez came home on a wild pitch before Noah Cardenas singled ing Kala’i Rosario and Jorel Ortega. The Lugnuts tied it in the fourth inning, but Cedar Rapids regained the lead during the fifth inning. Ortega tripled to bring home Rosario, and Andrew Cossetti followed with a double to drive him in. Keoni Cavaco then drew a walk on a wild pitch that allowed Cossetti to cross the plate. After giving back a pair in the sixth inning and making things close, the Kernels pulled away during the seventh inning. Misael Urbina singled home Cardenas before Ben Ross reached on a fielder’s choice with Urbina crossing the plate. The 8-5 lead was enough to hold up. Ortega recorded three hits on the day with Cardenas and Urbina both grabbing a pair on their own. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 5, Dunedin 0 Box Score Ben Ethridge made the start Friday night for the Mighty Mussels and worked 5 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball. He gave up only three hits and walked two while striking out five. Ethridge lowered his ERA to 2.18 on the season. Scoreless through five innings, Fort Myers changed things in the sixth inning. Rubel Cespedes doubled for the 23rd time which drove home Luke Keaschall and Nate Baez. Cespedes then crossed the plate thanks to a Dunedin throwing error. Looking to add to their lead in the ninth, Dylan Neuse singled in Maddux Houghton. Then Danny De Andrade singled to bring Neuse home and make it a five-run game Jackson Hicks finished the game with a two inning save, his third save of the season. Cespedes had three hits. Baez had a pair of his own. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Red Sox 7, FCL Twins 5 Box Score Walker Jenkins got the day off after making his professional debut on Thursday. Carlos Gutierrez took the ball for the Twins on Friday and turned in five innings of three-run baseball. He allowed four hits, walked three, and struck out seven batters. Down 3-0 through four innings, the Twins got on the board in the fifth inning. Byron Chourio reached on an error which allowed Jankel Ortiz to cross the plate. After allowing a three-spot in the top of the sixth inning, the Twins scored three of their own during the bottom half. Harold Grant crushed his third home run of the year which drove in Brandon Winokur and Jose Rodriguez to make it a 6-4 game. The Red Sox added another run in the top of the seventh inning, but Minnesota responded with Ortiz scoring on an Isaac Pena sacrifice fly. Bryan Acuna walked to lead off the ninth inning, and Pena drew a two-out walk to bring up the winning run. However, the Twins came up just short. Chourio was the lone batter to record two hits. DOMINICAN DAILY The Twins were scheduled to play the DSL Guardians Red squad today but action was suspended due to weather. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Ben Ethridge (Fort Myers) - 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day – Jorel Ortega (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, 2 R, RBI, 3B 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) - 1-4, K #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5 #4 - Marco Raya (Wichita) - 0.0 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-2, 2 K, BB #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB, 2 K #12 - Luke Keaschall (Fort Myers) - 1-5, R, 2 K #13 - Brandon Winokur (FCL Twins) - 1-5, 2B, R, 2 K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K #17 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 0-3, K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 1-3, R, BB, K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05PM CST) - RHP Louie Varland Tulsa @ Wichita (6:05PM CST) - RHP Jaylen Nowlin Lansing @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Andrew Morris Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30PM CST) - RHP Jack Noble Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games!

Pitching with the Atlanta Braves to start the 2017 season, Bartolo Colon found himself on a team going nowhere the rest of the way. 15 games out of the division, Colon had a bloated 8.14 ERA and was released on DFA’d on June 29. His FIP at 5.09 was enticing enough for a contending Twins team to take a flier, and they signed him as a free agent on July 7. Colon made his debut 11 days later, throwing against the New York Yankees in his first Twins start. He turned in three outings that month for Minnesota putting up a 5.87 ERA, and then it happened. On August 4, 2017, Minnesota welcomed the Texas Rangers to Target Field. Minnesota had stumbled, coming in at 51-55 with losses starting to mount. Then it happened. The man known as “Big Sexy” took the mound and pitched a game that rallied a clubhouse. It was a Friday night and the Rangers sent future Twins starter Martin Perez to the mound. Texas was under .500 as well, and some fun names were in that lineup. Future Hall of Famer, Adrian Beltre, batted cleanup. Joey Gallo was the left fielder, and former Twins fan favorite Carlos Gomez was in center. Things started off less than ideal for Minnesota as Colon gave up a single to Beltre in the first inning that scored Shin-Soo Choo and Elvis Andrus. Minnesota responded with a four spot in their half of the inning. Brian Dozier hit a solo shot to lead off for the Twins, one of his 34 that year. Robbie Grossman also went yard, and his three-run shot plated Miguel Sano and Joe Mauer. Colon then cruised through the second inning, and Dozier homered for the second straight at bat. Minnesota had a commanding 5-2 lead, and they had given “Big Sexy” some breathing room to work with. Nomar Mazara did beat him for a single in the third inning, scoring Brett Nicholas, but a 5-3 lead was still intact. As he had done most of his career, Colon worked through traffic on the bases. He gave up some contact during the fourth and fifth innings, but nothing came across. Again in their half of the fifth, Minnesota added. Eddie Rosario singled home Mauer and Grossman for some insurance and the Twins lead grew to 7-3. At that point, Colon had to be feeling great with a blanket the size of a grand slam. Getting the Rangers side in order during the sixth inning, he punctuated the up-down with a strikeout of Gallo. Future Hall of Famer, Mauer, punched a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing home Dozier in the sixth inning. Colon faced the minimum during the seventh inning, starting with Gomez looking at strike three. He then faced only four in the eighth inning, and toying with 100 pitches, Paul Molitor allowed him a shot at the complete game. Getting two quick outs, Mike Napoli and Gallo, Colon was just the 27th out away from his first complete game since 2015. Finishing with 38 complete games in his career, and a league leading nine during 2003, this wasn’t uncharted territory for the longtime veteran. At 44 years old though, this was a testament to a Big Sexy amount of energy. Gomez, he of the game 163 theatrics, homered, but Nicholas ended it during the next at bat. Colon had done it, he had thrown nine innings on just 106 pitches. Scattering nine hits allowed him to keep the damage at four runs. He walked only one, and struck out five. At 44, he was the older player in franchise history to throw a complete game. A team needing a turnaround had just been given the emotional lift they could use the rest of the way. Facing Cole Hamels the next game made it an understandable loss, but Minnesota then ripped off six straight, and won seven of eight. Getting to 70-63 by the end of the month, they wound up at 85-77 to finish second in the AL Central. Unfortunately the season didn’t end with a ring, but Colon had brought a whole new energy to Target Field. Still now you can find the random Colon shirt or jersey walking around Target Field. The Twins did their Big Sexy shirt give away, and he was embraced as the cult hero he always has been. He’ll now enter into retirement with a different cap, but Minnesota will always have those four Big Sexy months in 2017.

TRANSACTIONS OF Walker Jenkins assigned to FCL Twins SS Brooks Lee promoted to Triple-A St. Paul OF DaShawn Keirsey Jr. promoted to Triple-A St. Paul INF Yunior Severino promoted to Triple-A St. Paul INF Ernie Yake assigned to Double-A Wichita OF Willie Joe Garry Jr promoted to Double-A Wichita INF Dalton Shuffield promoted to Double-A Wichita SAINTS SENTINEL Columbus 6, St. Paul 3 Box Score The big news for St. Paul was the promotion of Brooks Lee from Double-A Wichita. He wasn’t in the lineup for Thursday’s matinee action, but presumably will be tomorrow. It was Randy Dobnak’s turn on the mound, and he’s put together a great run of outings recently. Going five strong (no runs, no hits), Dobnak didn’t get an out in the sixth inning and was lifted following three hits. He was charged with three runs while walking four and striking out seven. Staying hot, Andrew Stevenson tripled for the sixth time this season, and then Anthony Prato’s 18th double brought him home and put the Saints on the board. Dobnak took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but then things unraveled. Columbus grabbed three straight hits, and when Mark Contreras threw to the cutoff man after the final one, Jair Camargo lazily played the throw, booting it, and allowing a run to score. Jose Tena doubled off of Ronny Henriquez to bring in both inherited runners, and St. Paul was now looking at a 3-1 deficit. In the seventh inning Austin Martin made a poor throw to catcher Tony Wolters, allowing a run to score, before a sacrifice fly plated another for the Clippers. Mounting a comeback in the eighth inning, Camargo blasted a two-run shot that was completely annihilated. After Gilberto Celestino walked, he was able to jog around the rest of the bases. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, and facing Guardians prospect George Valera, Michael Boyle walked in a run allowing his first run of the season. James Karinchak, still working to figure out his command issues on the farm for Cleveland, got the ninth against the Saints. He closed it out and the Saints fell 6-3 on Thursday. Camargo was the lone St. Paul hitter to record multiple hits. WIND SURGE WISDOM Tulsa 10, Wichita 0 Box Score Carlos Luna got the ball tonight for Wichita and went 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits. He didn't give up a walk but struck out three. A pair of homers did him in. Jorbit Vivas launched a solo homer for Tulsa in the first inning to open the scoring. They added another in the third inning to make it 2-0 and tacked on a third during the fourth inning. Vivas plated another with a sacrifice fly during the fifth inning and Tulsa led 4-0. Josh Stowers made matter worse for the Wind Surge when he blasted a two-run homer in the sixth inning. For a team pilfered of talent today, things could have been going better. Vivas kept being a pest with a seventh inning single, and the score was now 7-0. Diego Cartaya added another on a single before Stowers did more damage and it was 10-0 deficit. Yoyner Fajardo did have a pair of hits out of the leadoff spot tonight, but those were two of the three Wichita hits. This was one to forget. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Lansing 5 Box Score Kyle Jones started tonight for Cedar Rapids and went five innings allowing four runs on eight hits. Two homers were the big bugaboo, but he did strike out three while walking none. After getting down 1-0 in the first inning, Cedar Rapids answered with runs of their own. Kala'i Rosario doubled for the 24th time scoring both Noah Miller and Emmanuel Rodriguez before Andrew Cossetti brought him in on a sac fly. The three runs were enough to win the inning and give the Kernels a 3-1 lead. A Carson McCusker third inning single drove in Cossetti and made it a 4-1 game. Emmanuel Rodriguez added another run in the fourth inning with his 14th homer of the season, and the addition was necessary as Lansing scored three in the top of the fifth. Brennan Milone homered in the sixth even to even the score, and the Kernels lead was gone. In the eighth inning Noah Miller roped his 11th double, driving in Kyler Fedko, and putting the Kernels back in front. Ben Ross then took a bases loaded walk to bring home Miller before the inning ended. Ross grabbed a pair of hits as did Noah Cardenas. A.J. Labas and Niklas Rimmel combined to work scoreless relief for Cedar Rapids. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 11, Dunedin 1 Box Score Juan Mercedes made the start Thursday for Fort Myers. He worked four innings of two-hit baseball allowing just a single unearned run. Mercedes also struck out four while scattering three walks. After getting behind in the first inning, Fort Myers took a second inning lead and never gave it back. Maddux Houghton singled to score Nate Baez before a balk during Jay Harry's at bat allowed Dylan Neuse to come home. In the third inning Neuse recorded his 13th double of the season to bring home Rafael Cruz, and then Kyle Schmidt singled home both Baez and Neuse. In the fifth inning Alec Sayre lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Cruz again, and make it a 6-1 game. Another balk, this time with Yohander Martinez batting, allowed Sayre to cross the plate and make it 7-1. Ricardo Olivar singled in Houghton during the inning to add another run, and Baez walked on a wild pitch that allowed Olivar an opportunity to scamper home. In the ninth inning Martinez reached on an error that allowed Schmidt to score before Olivar drew a bases loaded walk driving in Sayre. For the second time today, the Twins system was part of an 11-1 game in Florida, but this time they were on the right side of it. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Rays 11, FCL Twins 1 Box Score It was an exciting day for the FCL Twins as they wrote 2023 first-round pick Walker Jenkins’ name in the lineup for the first time. Brayan Medina was on the bump to start the game, but allowed three runs on two hits before being removed from the game without recording an out. Jenkins batted third for the FCL Twins, and that slotted him in just ahead of fellow Twins draftee Brandon Winokur. In Jenkins’ first professional at bat, he ripped a double to left field. Pitching woes continued for the Twins, this time reliever Pierce Banks, as he allowed a five-spot in the fourth inning to make it a 9-0 game. The Twins did get on the board in the fourth inning when Endy Rodriguez singled home Winokur. They needed to get to work if a comeback was in the cards. Unfortunately the Rays added two more runs, making it an 11-1 lead. With 16 hits on the day, they had plenty of opportunities. Jenkins finished with two hits, on of which was a double, and a stolen base during his debut. He was the lone Twins batter to record a pair of hits on the afternoon. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Cardinals 6, DSL Twins 3 (F/7) Box Score The DSL Twins faced off against the same organization the big league club is playing later on Thursday. Yency De Jesus made the start and worked five strong innings of no-hit baseball. He allowed a pair of walks but struck out five. Moises Lopez opened the scoring in the first inning with a single that scored Jayson Bass. The Twins added another in the second inning on a solo shot by Ewing Matos, his first as a professional. In the third inning, Hendry Chivilli lofted a sacrifice fly allowing Ariel Castro an opportunity to cross the plate. Unfortunately, things got out of hand in the sixth inning and the Cardinals took the lead. Adding two more in the top of the seventh, the lead now was 6-3. No Twins hitters recorded multiple hits, and they couldn’t mount a comeback. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Randy Dobnak (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K Hitter of the Day – Dylan Neuse (Fort Myers) - 3-4, 3 R, RBI, 2B(13), BB, 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) - Did not play, but he was promoted to the Saints. #2 - Walker Jenkins (FCL Twins) - 2-4, 2B, SB(1) #3 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids) - 1-2, 2 R, RBI, BB, HR(14) #5 - Matt Wallner (Minnesota) - 0-3, K #8 - Austin Martin (St. Paul) - 0-1, 3 BB, K, SB(6) #10 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 0-2 #13 - Brandon Winokur (FCL Twins) - 1-3, R, BB, K #16 - Kala’i Rosario (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B(24), 2 K #20 - Jose Rodriguez (FCL Twins) - 1-4 FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05PM CST) - LHP Blayne Enlow Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Lansing @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Christian MacLeod Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30PM CST) - RHP Ben Ethridge Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games!

A minor-league reliever doesn’t necessarily have the glitz and glamour afforded to a starting role, but these are the arms constantly facing the highest-leverage situations during a game. As the scope of Major League Baseball has changed over the years, having a plethora of arms that can come in and get big outs is a must. Before getting into the best-of-the-best this month, a couple of minor league relievers stood out as honorable mention candidates: LHP Michael Boyle - St. Paul Saints - 9 G, 0.00 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 8.2 IP, 10 K, 5 BB LHP Denny Bentley - Wichita Wind Surge - 8 G, 2.30 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 15.2 IP, 16 K, 4 BB RHP John Stankiewicz - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 7 G, 2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 11.0 IP, 10 K, 3 BB RHP Jackson Hicks - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels - 8 G, 2.08 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 13.0 IP, 17 K, 2 BB #3 LHP Gabriel Yanez - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels - 8 G, 1.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 15.0 IP, 11 K, BB Back in March, the Twins acquired Yanez from the Philadelphia Phillies. He’s pitching in the same Florida State League that he did last year for Clearwater, and the results have been very similar. Yanez put up a strong month for the Mighty Mussels, but he did dance around a .359 batting average against. He’ll need to keep traffic off the base paths if he wants to parlay this into a promotion. #2 LHP Kody Funderburk - St. Paul Saints - 8 G, 2.25 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 12.0 IP, 16 K, 4 BB Last season, Funderburk spent significant time starting for Wichita, but eventually transitioned into a relief role. He began there again in 2023, but quickly earned his promotion to Triple-A. Funderburk has been great for the Saints, and he hasn’t allowed a home run all year in just shy of 50 innings. Not currently on the 40-man roster, there could be opportunity for Funderburk to work his way into the Twins plans still this season. #1 RHP Alex Scherff - Wichita Wind Surge - 9 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 15 K, 7 BB Acquired by the Twins from the Boston Red Sox back in 2021 when they traded Hansel Robles, Scherff has continued to progress through the system. He threw just 27 innings last year at Double-A Wichita, and they did not go well. Repeating the level this season, he’s seen significantly more success. Across 42 2/3 innings, Scherff has put up a 2.74 ERA for the Wind Surge and has been among their most trusted relievers. A few weeks ago, Scherff made a brief two-game cameo for the St. Paul Saints, but he is still working toward a full-time promotion. His 11.2 K/9 this year at Wichita will certainly play, but he needs to hone in command as he is currently walking more than five batters per nine innings. Home runs have been somewhat of an issue for him in the past, but he has allowed just two this season at Double-A. Again, with the Twins needing to focus on future depth for their bullpen, the emergence of someone like Scherff can help to round out the group from the bottom up. He has a few areas of development yet to work on, but months like his July will set him up for future success. We want to congratulate Wind Surge reliever Alex Scherff, Twins Daily’s choice for Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month for July 2023. Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions.