Tom Froemming

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Current record: 21-26 Jake Odorizzi: 38 Game Score, 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 3 K, 1 BB, 60.7% strikes Bullpen: 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 K, 0 BB Lineup: 3-for-7 w/RISP, 5 LOB Top three per WPA: Hildenberger .268 | Reed .105 | Kepler .076 This game recap is brought to you by the letter “v” as in it’s very late. Or “v” as in video. It was yet another frustrating night for the offense, as the Twins combined for eight hits and three walks over 12 innings. Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario had the only two extra-base hits, both doubles. Making an inning’s worth of outs on the basepaths didn’t help, either. Both Eduardo Escobar and Logan Morrison were thrown out trying to stretch a singles into a doubles and Gregorio Petit was caught stealing second . Included in the video highlights is Buxton’s collision with the wall. Actually, the worse impact was probably when he hit the ground. Buxton was checked for a concussion, but thankfully he passed all the tests. I’m sure the Twins will play it safe and continue to keep any eye on him. Hell of an effort. As has often been the case, it’s hard to find fault with the pitching. Odorizzi had a shutout going before surrendering two homers in the sixth inning and the bullpen had logged 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball with zero walks prior to that Zunino homer. Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days: Next Three Games Sun at SEA, 3:10 pm CT Mon at KC, 6:15 pm CT Tue at KC, 7:15 pm CT Last Three Games SEA 2, MIN 1: Paxton Outduels Romero DET 4, MIN 1: Niko’s Revenge MIN 6, DET 0: Lynn Shows Will to Win More From Twins Daily Twins Minor League Report (5/26): Lookouts Turn Triple Play in Wild Victory 2018 MLB Draft Top 50 Prospects: 11-20 Ready To Move Up

Transactions Cedar Rapids placed Bryan Sammons on the DL due to a sprained ankle and added Moises Gomez to their roster. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 2, Buffalo 0 Box Score W: Dietrich Enns (5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) SV: Nick Anderson (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) HR: None Multi-hit games: Kennys Vargas, Wynston Sawyer Dietrich Enns (5 2/3 innings), Alan Busenitz (2 1/3 innings) and Nick Anderson (one inning) combined to pitch a four-hit shutout. You’d have to imagine Busenitz’s time with Rochester won’t last too much longer. He’s given up one earned run over 14 2/3 frames and has 22 strikeouts for the Red Wings, or I guess tonight they were the Hop Bitters. Catcher Wynston Sawyer drove home Kennys Vargas on a single to score the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Sawyer is hitting .379/.526/.517 in 10 games since being promoted to Triple A. The next inning, Nick Gordon singled home Jermaine Curtis for his first career RBI in Triple A. https://twitter.com/TwinsHighlights/status/1000534818571145216 CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 11, Montgomery 10 Box Score W: Williams Ramirez (1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 B, 2 K) SV: Ryne Harper (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) SP: Anthony Marzi (4.1 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) HR: Brent Rooker (7) Multi-hit games: Rooker, Tanner English, Zander Wiel Brent Rooker nearly hit for the cycle, going 4-for-5 with a double and a homer, but that may not have even been the most noteworthy thing about this game even if he had. Ryne Harper took over on the mound in the eighth inning with the Lookouts clinging to a one-run lead. Oh, and the bases were loaded with no outs. He needed only one pitch to get out of the jam. The Lookouts turned a triple play. The batter deadened the pitch straight into the ground and an aware Brian Navarreto picked up the ball just in front of the plate, stepped on home, threw to third baseman Chris Paul for the second out and then over to Rooker at first. Rooker had three RBIs and scored three runs. Leadoff man Tanner English was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk and scored four times. Zander Wiel was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles. MIRACLE MATTERS Charlotte 2, Fort Myers 0 (5 innings) Box Score SP: Tyler Wells (4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) HR: None Multi-hit games: None This game was completed early due to rain. Originally scheduled as a doubleheader, Game 2 had to be postponed. In the very little baseball they were able to get it, things didn’t go the Miracle’s way. Mark Contreras was 1-for-2 with a walk and both Luis Arraez and Taylor Grzelakowski had hits. Tyler Wells will get credit for a complete game even though he only pitched four innings. KERNELS NUGGETS Game 1: Clinton 4, Cedar Rapids 1 (7 innings) Box Score SP: Brusdar Graterol (6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K) HR: None Multi-hit games: None You’re going to win most games in which your starting pitcher strikes out nine and walks nobody. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for the Kernels in the first game of their doubleheader. Brusdar Graterol was excellent, but he gave up a couple of homers and the Cedar Rapids bats couldn’t get much going. Graterol has a 1.78 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 12.8 K/9. Maybe most impressive is the fact that he has six times as many strikeouts as walks, having issued just six free passes in those five starts. Alex Kirilloff drove in the lone Kernels run on a single. He entered the day second in the Midwest League in RBIs. Game 2: Clinton 9, Cedar Rapids 6 Box Score SP: Jovani Moran (2.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 B, 4 K) HR: Shane Carrier (5) Multi-hit games: Jacob Pearson, Jean Carlos Arias This game was tied 3-3 heading into the fifth inning, but that’s where things got away from the Kernels. A five-run inning for the LumberKings included three walks, a hit by pitch, a wild pitch and a passed ball. Shane Carrier hit his fifth home run of the season. Royce Lewis had a strong performance, going 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. He also made a great catch in foul territory. https://twitter.com/TwinsHighlights/status/1000600048932188160 Jacob Pearson, acquired from the Angels over the winter, played center field and hit leadoff for the Kernels. He was 2-for-4 with a double and his second stolen base. Cedar Rapids is going to be playing another doubleheader tomorrow, so they had Jordan Gore, usually an infielder, pitch the final inning of this one. He gave up a run on a hit and three walks. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Brusdar Graterol Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Brent Rooker TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects performed: 1. Royce Lewis, CR: 1-for-5, double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs 2. Fernando Romero, MIN 3. Nick Gordon, ROC: 1-for-4, RBI 4. Stephen Gonsalves, ROC: Off 5. Alex Kirilloff, CR: 1-for-5, 2 RBIs 6. Wander Javier: Out for the season with a shoulder injury. 7. Brent Rooker, CHAT: 4-for-5, double, home run, 3 RBIs, 3 runs 8. Blayne Enlow, CR: Off 9. Brusdar Graterol, CR: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K 10. Akil Baddoo, CR: Out with a hamstring injury. 11. Zack Littell, ROC: Off 12. Lewis Thorpe, CHAT: Off 13. Lewin Diaz, FM: 0-for-2 14. LaMonte Wade, CHAT: Off 15. Mitch Garver, MIN 16. Ben Rortvedt, CR: 1-for-4 17. Travis Blankenhorn, FM: 0-for-2 18. Yunior Severino: Expected to join E-Town next month. 19. Tyler Jay, CHAT: Off 20. Felix Jorge: Out with tricep injury. SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs. Buffalo, 12:05 pm CT - Trevor May Rochester vs. Buffalo, Game 2 - Adalberto Mejia Chattanooga vs. Montgomery, 5:15 pm CT - TBA Fort Myers at Charlotte, 11:35 pm CT - Clark Beeker Cedar Rapids vs. Clinton, 3:05 pm CT - Edwar Colina Cedar Rapids vs. Clinton, Game 2 - Randy Dobnak Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the games.

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Current record: 21-25 Fernando Romero: 69 Game Score, 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 K, 2 BB, 61.4% strikes Bullpen: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 K, 0 BB Lineup: 0-for-0 w/RISP, 3 LOB Top three per WPA: Kepler .145, Romero .054, Reed .030 The Mariners did an excellent job manufacturing their runs. Jean Segura hit a leadoff single in the first and stole second base. He came around to score on a two-out single from Nelson Cruz. Romero retired the first two batters he faced in the sixth but then ran into some control issues. He walked Guillermo Heredia, whose life must have flashed before his eyes on ball four, a 96.5 mph fastball that was headed straight for his head. Luckily he ducked. Heredia advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single. That was all the offense Seattle could muster, but Twins pitchers have to be basically perfect with the way their offense is playing right now. To be fair, Mariners starter James Paxton is among the better pitchers in baseball right now. He struck out 11 Twins batters over seven innings. The star of the game for the Twins’ lineup was no doubt Max Kepler. He hit a home run (off Paxton, a lefty) and made an excellent throw to nail a runner at third base. He also got a single, meaning he accounted for two of the team’s four hits. https://twitter.com/TwinsHighlights/status/1000221384533069826 Romero was extremely efficient, completing seven innings for the first time of his big league career. Between Triple A and the majors, he’s logged 49 2/3 innings so far this season. That total already represents the third-most innings he’s thrown in a season. Miguel Sano returned from the DL. He played first base. That was a good look for him, in my opinion. Unfortunately, he was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Nobody outside of Kepler hit well for the Twins, but it’s disheartening to see Byron Buxton in particular continue to struggle. He was 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts, dropping is OPS on the year to .416 Postgame With Molitor https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/1000238526208737281 Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days: Next Three Games Sat at SEA, 9:10 pm CT Sun at SEA, 3:10 pm CT Mon at KC, 6:15 pm CT Last Three Games DET 4, MIN 1: Niko’s Revenge MIN 6, DET 0: Lynn Shows Will to Win MIN 4, DET 2: It’s All Coming Up Rosie More From Twins Daily Twins Minor League Report (5/25): Vargas Powers Wings Why Isn't Mitch Garver Playing More? Bartolo, the Twins, and a Guy Named Phil Did Minnesota Just Summon the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?

Snapshot (win expectancy chart via FanGraphs) Current record: 21-24 Kyle Gibson: 50 Game Score, 61.9 strike %, 3 K, 1 BB Bullpen: 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 IR, 1 IS, 3 K, 1 BB Lineup: 1-for-4 w/RISP, 6 LOB, 8 K, 4 BB Top three per WPA: Rosario .135, Dozier .070, Hildenberger .039. The Twins scored their run with only one out in the first inning. Brian Dozier hit a ball just inches shy of being a home run to dead center field. It was hit so hard that the ball actually wedged itself in between two sections of the outfield padding, giving Dozier a ground-rule double. Eddie Rosario drove him in with a one-out single. Unfortunately, the Twins wouldn’t score the entire rest of the game. In fact, after the very first three batters, the Twins only tallied three more hits the rest of the game. The Twins’ lineup is just really weird right now. How weird? It’s Jake Cave hitting sixth weird. Gibson turned in his fifth quality start and completed six innings or more for the sixth time in 10 starts this year. Gibby has been leaning more on his four-seam fastball this year, but that wasn’t the case today. There were 47 two-seamers and 11 four-seamers among the 97 total pitches he threw. Detroit’s Michael Fulmer gave up one run over 5 2/3 innings. He’s a former Rookie of the Year and All-Star, so tough to fault a thin Twins lineup for struggling. The Tigers bullpen, however, has the second-worst xFIP in all of baseball. Nevertheless, they shutout the Twins for the final 3 1/3 innings. Eddie Rosario had three of the Twins’ five hits on the afternoon. Byron Buxton looked good on a nice hustle double. The starting pitching has been good, Dozier is starting to heat up and Buxton is looking more and more healthy each game. Good signs of things to come, but this lineup could use a boost. Out of the bullpen for the Twins, Trevor Hildenberger pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, Taylor Rogers was charged with an earned run over 2/3 of a frame and Ryan Pressly pitched a scoreless inning, though he allowed an inherited run from Rogers to score. Next Three Games Thu OFF Fri at SEA, 9:10 pm CT Sat at SEA, 9:10 ppm CT Sun at SEA, 3:10 pm CT Last Three Games MIN 6, DET 0: Lynn Shows Will to Win MIN 4, DET 2: It’s All Coming Up Rosie MIN 3, MIL 1: Odorizzi Ks 10, LoMo Delivers Go-Ahead Hit More From Twins Daily Twins Daily Roundtable: Top Prospect Timelines Twins Organizational Depth Chart: Middle Infielders 2018 MLB Draft Top 50 Prospects: 21-30

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Lynn left the mound shaking his head and screaming into his mitt. With two outs in the seventh inning, he hit a batter on a first-pitch curveball. With Lynn approaching 100 pitches, Garvin Alston went out to the mound for a brief visit. I’m guessing the conversation went something along the lines of “this is your last guy, so give him everything you’ve got left.” Lynn walked the next batter on four pitches for his only free pass issued of the night. It was a pretty intense show of emotion that followed, the kind you rarely see in a regular season baseball game. I loved it. Lynn has obviously had his struggles, but this Twins team just seems to be lacking an edge thus far in 2018. Injuries have taken a massive toll, but I also think the club has been a bit flat. https://twitter.com/AngryTwinsDad/status/999129001321992192 Ryan Pressly came in and got the final out of the seventh, finalizing Lynn’s line at 6 2/3 innings of shutout ball with five hits and four strikeouts. His display of emotion seemed like it may have also helped awaken the offense. Already up 3-0, the Twins’ bats put together a great bottom half of the seventh, tacking on three more runs. Along with Lynn’s performance, another great sign of things to come (hopefully) was a great game from Brian Dozier. He drove in a pair of runs on a two-out double in the fifth inning and added an RBI double in the seventh. Ehrie Adrianza was 2-for-2 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs. Zach Duke and Matt Magill each pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. The Twins had opportunities to score even more runs, but they had two runners thrown out at the plate. Adrianza was caught trying to score on a wild pitch in the third inning and the Tigers got Logan Morrison on his way home on grounder hit to the third baseman. Postgame With Lynn https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/999135175287029760 Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days: Next Three Games Wed vs. DET, 12:10 pm CT Thu OFF Fri at SEA, 9:10 pm CT Sat at SEA, 9:10 pm CT Last Three Games MIN 4, DET 2: It’s All Coming Up Rosie MIN 3, MIL 1: Odorizzi Ks 10, LoMo Delivers Go-Ahead Hit MIL 5, MIN 4: Jake Cave Homers in MLB Debut More From Twins Daily Twins Minor League Report (5/22): Gordon Promoted, Diaz Walks It Off 2018 MLB Draft Top 50 Prospects: 21-30 End of the Road for Phil Hughes and the Twins

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) This one was tied at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning and at that point Eddie Rosario basically decided the Twins were going to win this ballgame. After Eduardo Escobar drew a one-out walk, Rosie hit a pitch that was about eyeball high for a double. The Tigers intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases and then unintentionally walked Logan Morrison on four pitches to give the Twins the lead. But Rosario was far from done. Robbie Grossman sent a fly ball to shallow center field and Eddie initially looked like he was simply bluffing a tag up to home, as you often see. Nope. After a few of those bluff steps, Rosario realized the defender hesitated, so he broke for home. The urgent throw sailed way over the catchers head. That gave Fernando Rodney a nice insurance run, which wouldn’t be needed … because Eddie Rosario. Rodney retired the first two batters he faced, then old friend John Hicks sent a rocket out to left field. Rosie caught the line drive and crashed into the wall simultaneously to secure the final out of the game. A fitting and spectacular finish. https://twitter.com/TwinsHighlights/status/998773338230095872 Things got off to a poor start for the Twins. Berrios gave up a homer to the second batter he faced. The Tigers scratched across another run in the third to go up 2-0. In the bottom of the fifth, Max Kepler destroyed a pitch from lefty Blaine Hardy for a two-run double. It was apparent Kepler thought that ball was gone, and I guess to be fair in most parks it would have been. Could Kepler have made it to third if he had been hustling out of the box? Maybe, maybe not, but it wasn’t the only time Twins fans were left wondering “what if?” in concern to Max’s base running that inning. The very next batter sent a single out to left field, Kepler stutter-stepped around third base on his way home, but it initially appeared that he scored on the play. Detroit challenged the call … and it still appeared Kepler was more than likely safe on the play, but the thing that cost him was he lifted his lead foot. Max must really like that pair of cleats, I guess. The call was overturned and the inning ended with the game remaining tied at 2-2. Thank goodness that didn't matter. https://twitter.com/TwinsHighlights/status/998771241677967361 Berrios gave up three hits and two walks while striking out nine batters in his eight innings of work. Postgame With Rosario https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/998760438228643840 Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days: Next Three Games Tue vs. DET, 7:10 pm CT Wed vs. DET, 12:10 pm CT Thu OFF Fri at SEA, 9:10 pm CT Last Three Games MIN 3, MIL 1: Odorizzi Ks 10, LoMo Delivers Go-Ahead Hit MIL 5, MIN 4: Jake Cave Homers in MLB Debut MIL 8, MIN 3: Gibson Falters, Mauer Exits Due to Neck Injury More From Twins Daily Twins Minor League Report (5/21): Kernels Win Late, Gordon Homers A Whole New LoMo Week in Review: Crisis of Leadership The Evolution of Jose Berrios

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) This was Odorizzi’s first double-digit strikeout game since April 5, 2016. The only run he gave up was on a solo homer. He entered the day with the 15th-lowest ERA among qualified pitchers in the AL and lowered that mark to 3.17 with this performance. The Twins’ first run of the game was thanks in large part to the legs of Byron Buxton. He led off the fifth inning with a solid single, stole second base and advanced to third thanks to an error on the throw down to second. Kepler drove him in with a single to center field (which came against lefty Dan Jennings). This game was tied at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth, but the Twins had a few more bounces go their way. After falling behind 0-2, Brian Dozier drew a leadoff walk. He advanced to second base on a wild pitch, and with first base open Kepler drew a walk (against left-hander Boone Logan). Eddie Rosario made contact on an oopsies check swing, but it ended up working out essentially like a bunt, as the runners advanced. Eduardo Escobar was intentionally walked to load ‘em up for Morrison. It was a Logan vs. Logan matchup, as Morrison dug in against Boone. LoMo won the battle, putting an easy swing on a ball that jumped off his bat and nearly left the park. Instead, it was a two-run single that put the Twins up for good. I think this means Boone Logan has to change his name now. https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/998316022565298178 Rodney was electric in the ninth, striking out the side on just 13 pitches, nine of which were strikes. This was his ninth-straight scoreless appearance and his ERA is down to 2.87 on the season. Postgame with Molitor https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/998326764353941505 Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days: Next Three Games Mon vs. DET, 7:10 pm CT Tue vs. DET, 7:10 pm CT Wed vs. DET, 12:10 pm CT Last Three Games MIL 5, MIN 4: Jake Cave Homers in MLB Debut MIL 8, MIN 3: Gibson Falters, Mauer Exits Due to Neck Injury MIN 4, STL 1: Berrios is Back More From Twins Daily Buy Your "Picnic With The Saints" Tickets NOW The Evolution of Jose Berrios May Day is Coming for the Twins