Search the Community

The Twins hoped Byron Buxton could return to center field for the stretch run. However, his latest injury setback changed his role for October. Image courtesy of Brock Beauchamp & Twins Daily Byron Buxton made his first appearance in center field as part of a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on August 30th. During his next game, he was removed from action because of inflammation and irritation in his right knee. This type of reaction can be expected when a player is dealing with knee issues and attempting to ramp up after extended time off. As a procedural move, the Twins pulled him off his rehab assignment on September 5th so that they could reset his 20-day rehab window. Last week, head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta told reporters that he still anticipates that Buxton will appear in games for the Twins this season. Buxton received a cortisone injection to deal with his right knee issue, and he began rotational work on Thursday. The Saints have fewer than ten games remaining on their schedule, making it tough to ramp him up for the playoffs, but the Twins believe Buxton can still be ready to help the team. "We will make it happen," Paparesta said. "We're going to make it happen in the context of us being able to get him at-bats and get him prepared to play, yes." Minnesota also believes Buxton has a chance to play in center field even though he has yet to make an outfield appearance for the Twins this season. "My impression is for him to be able to play wherever he needs to be able to play for this team," Paparesta said. Twins fans are likely trepidatious when considering Buxton's previous injury history and the idea of him returning to center field in a season that is quickly closing. Minnesota has other center field options like Michael A. Taylor, Willi Castro, and Andrew Stevenson, who each offer different skill sets. However, Buxton is one of the game's best overall players when he is performing at the top of his game, which has yet to be something fans have seen much in 2023. Playoff baseball is on the horizon for the Twins, and the front office might need to get creative regarding Buxton's postseason role. There is room on the playoff roster for extra bench options to fill specific roles such as pinch runner, defensive replacement, or platoon bat. The team will need to consider multiple options if Buxton's knee can't handle regular outfield duties and they still want to have him on the October roster. A right-handed bench bat has been one of the Twins' most significant needs throughout the regular season. The club didn't address this need during the winter because they hoped Buxton would be joined in the middle of the line-up with other right-handed power bats like Carlos Correa and Jose Miranda. Injuries have impacted all three players this season, and the team's struggles against left-handed pitching have been well-documented. The trade deadline offered a new opportunity to add a right-handed bat, but the Twins didn't make any offensive additions. Instead, Minnesota turned to the waiver wire and selected Jordan Luplow to add power against lefties. In 24 games with the Twins, he has hit .250/.357/.438 (.795) with five extra-base hits and a 117 OPS+. Against lefties, he has posted an .838 OPS for the season, which will be challenging for the front office to ignore. The Twins have an opportunity to move Buxton to a bench bat role for the postseason so they can spot him against left-handed relievers. The Twins have few other options in the organization with as much power potential versus lefties, and it would allow Buxton to limit his time on the field. Buxton's streakiness against left-handed pitching makes it hard to know what to expect from him in a small sample size. In previous years, Buxton has shown an ability to return quickly from injuries and immediately impact the line-up. Minnesota can hope he represents a threat off the bench, especially versus some potentially strong left-handed relievers in October. Buxton's return will likely be messy, especially with a team already facing a roster crunch on the offensive side. Will Buxton be able to prepare for the rigors of center field? Or is it time to consider a bench bat role for a potential playoff run? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Pinch-hitting was a disaster for the Twins at the beginning of the year. However, they're still one of the best teams in the league at it. Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports If you ask a Twins fan, “What does Rocco Baldelli love more than anything else?” you’ll probably hear some form of “make substitutions” as a response. Depending on the fan, that response could have any level of emotion to it. Love it or hate it, Rocco loves himself some substitutions. His strategy of trying to win right now—with less concern about what will happen later in the game—has led to the Twins pinch-hitting the third most times in the league in 2023 (and the tenth most pinch-running). He especially likes platoon swaps in-game, sometimes rolling out total line changes when the opponent brings in a left-handed reliever with as many as four pinch hitters. The rationale is straightforward. Left-handed hitters struggle against left-handed pitchers. The lefty greats are usable against same-handed pitchers, but none can do nearly the same amount of damage that they can against righties. Even an average righty hitter could be the better choice in that case. Those average righties can start against left-handed pitchers, too. After the opposing lefty leaves, a manager can bring in all of the left-handed hitters and maintain a strong lineup. Baldelli has undoubtedly bought into that idea. As early as Opening Day, the play was on. In the sixth inning, Kyle Farmer hit for Nick Gordon against lefty Amir Garrett and walked. Donovan Solano then hit for Joey Gallo and singled, driving in Trevor Larnach for the season’s first run. They finished the last four innings at second and first base, respectively. The strategy was off to a good start. After Opening Day, though: yeesh. In a June 30th mailbag, Athletic writer Aaron Gleeman reported that although the Twins had used the second-most pinch hitters in MLB to that point in the season (91 in 82 games), they ranked 26th in OPS at a paltry .496. That’s a pretty abysmal performance. For reference, Alex Kirilloff and Edouard Julien—players who have essentially been banned from hitting against lefties this season—have a .470 and .452 OPS against left-handed pitchers, respectively. They were only marginally worse than all pinch hitters to that point in the season. Against lefties specifically, Minnesota had the 28th-highest OPS from pinch hitters: .490. At that point, fans and team personnel had to question whether the lineup jumbling and complicated role structure on the team was worth the effort. Why not just let the young lefties play the whole game? Did they need to go through all this effort just to get a different version of a bad result? Fast-forward to mid-September. It’s been two and a half months since that low point. The Twins currently have a .723 OPS from their pinch hitters on the season, just a hair under the MLB average for all hitters. That’s good for eighth in the league. Somehow, after all that struggle and consternation, the Twins have cracked the top ten. From the beginning of July through September 15th, Twins pinch hitters had 80 plate appearances (third in MLB) with a .997 OPS (second in MLB) and a 170 wRC+ (best in MLB). Their pinch hitters have been on an absolute tear. That includes a .785 OPS (sixth in MLB) against lefties from their pinch hitters. Now, 80 plate appearances is little to go off. It’s a month’s worth of plate appearances for a full-time player. However, it does provide hope that the big-bench, pinch-hitting approach can work in the playoffs. 11 different players had pinch-hit since the beginning of July, and only Solano, Matt Wallner, and Christian Vazquez had an OPS below .750 during that time. Admittedly, fans can count on one hand the number of times many of the names at the top of the list have pinch-hit—two for Jorge Polanco, three for Ryan Jeffers, and so on. However, other than Donovan Solano (11 plate appearances), who has otherwise been the paragon of consistency on this team, the guys the Twins will look to as pinch hitters have performed well. Jordan Luplow (11 PA) and Kyle Farmer (10 PA) will be looked to mid-game against lefties, and they have a 1.260 and .800 OPS, respectively, as pinch hitters. Edouard Julien (11 PA) would be considered a substitution if he sits against a lefty starter, and he’s had a .909 OPS as a pinch hitter since the beginning of July. Of course, these are small samples, and dividing it amongst individual hitters isn’t an entirely meaningful analytical exercise. However, the practice of pinch-hitting has helped the team throughout the year, especially in the second half. There is reason to feel trepidation about Baldelli opening up his bench during playoff games. An early move that doesn’t work out can kneecap a team later in the game. There is a general pinch-hitter penalty for batters, as coming in cold off the bench isn’t an ideal way to prepare for a plate appearance. However, it’s been working lately. Some have suggested that players have adapted to the unorthodox style, and there’s something to be said for a learning curve. No one truly has a day off on these Twins teams. If it’s a system that a player is unfamiliar with, it might take a while to adjust. In this small sample, they have adjusted. Or it’s just noise. I won’t sit here and declare it fixed or a brilliant strategy. It’s just worth remembering that the practice hasn’t been as comically bad as it initially seemed. In the Wild Card, there might be a total of five such pinch hits. Who knows if it will actually work, but recent performance has me hopeful that it will. View full article

As we start looking ahead to the postseason, the Twins have a strength that they lacked in recent playoff appearances: a functional bench. Any one of their many role players may be why they finally win in the playoffs. Image courtesy of Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports Now, I won’t go so far as to say that the Twins’ bench is Built for October™. However, postseason depth is much, much different than regular season depth. Come October, teams with a talented bench don’t necessarily have a useful bench. Consider 2019-2020 super-utility man Marwin Gonzalez for a recent Twins example. In his prime, Gonzalez was a manager’s dream in the regular season. He could be penciled in almost everywhere, almost every night, and provide a competent bat and glove for 130 games a year. He might even be a mainstay at one spot due to injury—as he was in the opening months of 2019 filling in for the injured Miguel Sano. Competent bats and fielders—high-end backups—see little time in the playoffs. They’re regular-season depth. Without injuries, Rocco Baldelli would have had little use for those skills. The likes of Jarrod Dyson, Billy Hamilton, and Terrance Gore, blazing-fast base-stealers with little else in the way of value, are where the money is at. In 2019, the Twins ALDS bench consisted of Jason Castro, Jonathan Schoop, Ehire Adrianza, and Jake Cave. Of course, every team will carry a backup catcher, justifying Castro’s presence. Schoop was the best bat of the group, but he only played second base and could have been a pinch-hitting option. However, few players could be justifiably lifted from the starting lineup, even against lefty pitching, which Schoop had a .908 OPS against. Subbing him in in Game 2 required Luis Arraez to move to third base, Sano to first, and Gonzalez to left field. Adrianza and Cave were competent backups in the infield and outfield, respectively. However, without an injury, there was little use for them other than Adrianza as a defensive replacement or Cave as a pinch runner (and not a top-tier one). In 2020, the Twins had a larger bench, though an arguably less useful one—Alex Avila, a hobbled Mitch Garver, Willians Astudillo, Adrianza, Cave, and Alex Kirilloff. Three catchers. Ironically, they all played in Game 1, as Ryan Jeffers started and was pinch hit for by Garver, who was replaced by Avila to actually catch until Astudillo pinch hit and grounded into the most predictable game-ending ground play this side of 2023 Carlos Correa. Astudillo was the most helpful piece on that bench, as he could perform a precise role: putting the ball in play. Adrianza, Cave, and Kirilloff (who had no MLB plate appearances then) could each be relied on as an injury (or Eddie Rosario ejection) replacement. Hopefully, the point is evident here. The Twins didn’t have situationally functional pieces on their bench. They arguably had a better lineup in those years than they have this year, but a functional bench is an advantage for any playoff team. Enough about the past. What could a playoff bench look like in 2023? Depending on how many pitchers the team chooses to carry in the Wild Card round, they could have up to an eight-man bench (three starting pitchers, six relief pitchers, nine in the starting lineup, and eight on the bench). More realistically, they might carry five or six for the Wild Card round. Here are the options: Christian Vazquez As the backup catcher, Vazquez is a lock for the roster. Every team needs at least two catchers. Beyond that (I’m warning everyone reading this), Ryan Jeffers probably won’t start three games in a row, whenever or wherever that happens. Vazquez is the inferior catcher, but he will probably start at least one game. Michael A. Taylor Taylor has been the primary center fielder due to Byron Buxton’s injuries, and a betting man would lean toward him still being in that role in the postseason. I’m listing him here on the off chance Buxton returns. Taylor will be a quality pinch runner, and he could be subbed in to play left field alongside Buxton and Max Kepler as a late-game, elite defensive replacement in left field. Willi Castro Castro is the third of five seeming locks to be on the roster. He’s enabled of manager Rocco Baldelli’s shenanigans all year, and his ability to pinch run could be crucial, as he’s a great runner with more than 30 stolen bases. He’s also a competent fielder, so if the defense needs to be jumbled up for any reason, he can patch it up. Kyle Farmer Farmer could fall into the Adrianza bucket—a good glove in the infield. However, he also has a history of hammering left-handed pitching and is on a tear recently. Many don’t want to hear this, but he’ll probably start against a lefty over Edouard Julien, pinch hit for him against a lefty reliever, or finish the game at second base (if, for some reason, Julien needs to start there instead of as the designated hitter). Joey Gallo Kidding. Foot injury or something. Donovan Solano Thus far, there hasn’t been a bona fide pinch hitter discussed, but Donnie Barrels is the man for the job. The fifth lock to make the roster, he’s as trusted a pinch-hitter as a team can ask for against a righty or lefty. Beyond that, he’ll likely start at first base if the Twins face a lefty starter. Jordan Luplow We’re getting into the more questionable choices, but don’t be surprised in the least if Luplow makes the roster as a right-handed outfield option. If he is on the roster, he’ll probably start in left field against lefties and bat in the top half. You can kick and scream about it, but please don’t take your anger out on me; I’m just the messenger. I also think it’s reasonable, but I’m still just the messenger. Andrew Stevenson Stevenson is probably the least likely to make the roster among those who still have a chance. If Taylor indeed starts in center field, Stevenson might be given a spot in a similar role. He could be a second pinch-running option behind Castro and a late-game defensive replacement in left. Gilberto Celestino Celestino was called up to Minnesota for the first time in 2023 on Sunday. He originally wasn’t on this list, but if he’s up now, he may be a right-handed alternative to Stevenson. I’d give him minimal odds unless additional injuries force him into said role. Now, I won’t sit here and say that having a bunch of useful tools makes a team a World Series contender. Nonetheless, any one of these players could reasonably be used in a position that decides whether or not the Twins win or lose a game. There’s depth at each position, but there are also pinch runners, platoon hitters, and defensive replacements that can give a slight edge to a team that they would otherwise lack. Every edge matters in October. Let’s see some moves, Rocco. View full article

Utility player Nick Gordon has begun ramping up baseball activity, increasing his chances of returning from the 60-day IL before the end of the 2023 regular season. With the Twins' 28-man roster already crowded, is there room left for the potentially soon-to-return Gordon? Image courtesy of Matt Blewett - USA TODAY Sports In the 2023 season, expectations for utility player Nick Gordon were as high as they have been since the Twins selected him fifth overall in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft. Following a strong 2022 season, where he hit .272/.316/.427 (.753) with an above-average wRC+ of 111 over 443 plate appearances, Gordon got the 2023 Opening Day start at second base in place of the then-injured Jorge Polanco. Whether it be second base, left field, centerfield, designated hitter, or shortstop, the left-handed-hitting Gordon was bound to find himself in the lineup whenever the Twins faced a right-handed starting pitcher. Gordon was the Twins' top left-handed-hitting utility player. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to keep that spot for long. On May 17, Gordon fouled a ball off his right shin, forcing him to exit in the fifth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gordon underwent testing, and was announced that he had sustained a fractured right shin. Gordon was immediately placed on the 10-day IL following his diagnosis. On May 29, the Twins transferred Gordon to the 60-day IL, leaving many to wonder if his 2023 season had sadly come to an end. Tibia-fibula fractures typically take four to six months to fully recover from, so the only thing Gordon could do was gradually recover with the hope of being able to play in games by mid-to-late September. Luckily, the best-case scenario has occurred, and Gordon is participating in baseball activities, and a rehab assignment looks to be in his near future. While Gordon's quick recovery is incredible news, one has to wonder if there is a spot for him on the Twins' now 28-man roster if he can return from his fractured shin injury before the end of the regular season. Since Gordon was placed on the 60-day IL in late May, young players like Edouard Julien, Royce Lewis, Alex Kirilloff, Willi Castro, and Matt Wallner have emerged as full-time contributors, leading to the competition over playing time and at-bats. While Gordon had earned himself a vital role on the 2023 Twins before the regular season began, the situation the Twins and Gordon find themselves in has changed dramatically. With Gordon's return from the 60-day IL potentially happening in the next handful of weeks, the Twins may need to decide if they want to open up a spot for him on the 28-man roster, keep him on the 60-day IL, or designate him for assignment as he has run out of minor league options. The Twins designating Gordon for assignment feels unlikely as the 27-year-old utility player is young and provides value due to his flexibility and usually steady bat. The Twins could shut Gordon down for the rest of the season, but if he is confirmed to be healthy by the Twins' training staff and he expresses a desire to return, then shutting him down for the rest of the season could soon become a non-option. The Twins might need to make a tough decision soon, and the likely outcome is that the Twins will find Gordon and his versatility too valuable to cut bait. So, what corresponding roster move should the Twins make? Here are three options. The Likely Move: Designate Andrew Stevenson for Assignment The first transaction the Twins could make to active Gordon from the 60-day IL is to designate fan favorite Andrew Stevenson for assignment. Stevenson was an incredible story for the Triple-A St. Paul Saints this season and will likely win the Saints Most Valuable Player award after this season. Unfortunately, Stevenson has not produced offensively since earning a call-up on September 1. Since getting promoted from Triple-A St. Paul, Stevenson is hitting .235/.278/.235 (.513) with four hits and a 44 wRC+ over 18 plate appearances. Stevenson has performed well defensively in centerfield and joined Castro as one of the few Twins players who attempts to steal bases, but his performance at the plate has largely been uninspiring. Stevenson, who hits left-handed, primarily plays centerfield with the ability to play the corner outfield spots, so Gordon, who possesses a nearly identical player profile, could naturally slide into Stevenson's role. The Twins designating Stevenson for assignment in favor of Gordon is the most likely move to occur as things stand. Once again, Stevenson is an incredible story and deserves to be rewarded for his services at Triple-A St. Paul, but Gordon is the better player. The Plausible Move: Demote Jordan Luplow to Triple-A or Designate Him for Assignment The second transaction the Twins could make is optioning Luplow to Triple-A St. Paul or designating him for assignment. To preface, Luplow plays a distinct role for the Twins as a right-handed hitting corner outfielder who hits left-handed pitching well. This skill set is important, and most Major League Baseball teams have a player like this on their active roster, but as the season begins to dwindle with the Twins essentially locked into winning the AL Central, one has to wonder if keeping such a niche player like Luplow is still necessary. The most crucial factor to consider down the stretch when deciding if Luplow deserves a 28-man and eventually playoff roster spot is the front end of the rotations of the teams the Twins could face in the postseason. Right now, the Twins will face either the Texas Rangers or Toronto Blue Jays in the three-game Wild Card round at Target Field starting October 3. Here are the current starting rotations of both teams: Rangers - RHP Nathan Eovaldi, RHP Max Scherzer, LHP Jordan Montgomery, RHP Jon Gray, LHP Andrew Heaney Blue Jays - RHP Kevin Gausman, RHP José Berríos, RHP Chris Bassitt, LHP Hyun Jin Ryu, LHP Yusei Kikuchi Sixty percent of the pitchers listed above are right-handed, and most of them, besides Gray of the Rangers, are listed as front-of-the-rotation pitchers. If the Twins were to face the Rangers, they would likely face Eovaldi and Scherzer in Game 1 and Game 2, with the potential of facing the left-handed pitching Montgomery in Game 3. If the Twins were to face the Blue Jays, it is a near guarantee that they would face Gausman and Berríos in Game 1 and Game 2, with the potential of facing Bassitt in Game 3. So, out of the six above hypothetical games, the Twins would potentially face a left-handed starting pitcher in just one. Now, the Rangers and Blue Jays could use their left-handed starting pitchers as relief pitchers in playoffs. The Blue Jays currently have two left-handed relief pitchers, and the Rangers have five, so while it might not make sense for the Rangers to add Montgomery or Heaney to their presently left-handed dominant bullpen in the playoffs, the Blue Jays would be incentivized to add Ryu and Kikuchi to theirs. Both the Rangers and Blue Jays are bound to use left-handed pitchers at some point in the playoffs, so keeping Luplow on the 28-man roster down the stretch and eventually adding him to the playoff roster makes sense for the Twins. It is doubtful that Gordon will make the Twins' playoff roster if he can return from the 60-day IL. Plus, Gordon hits left-handed, so swapping Luplow out for Gordon makes little sense for the Twins. The Surprising Yet Unlikely Move: Demote Matt Wallner to Triple-A The final and least likely transaction the Twins could make to activate Gordon from the 60-day IL is to demote Wallner back down to Triple-A. Wallner, who has had an awe-inspiring second season with the Twins, has struggled as of late. Here are Wallner's hitting numbers since August 1: Wallner - .206/.336/.454 (.790), 116 PA, 20 hits, four doubles, six home runs, 10.3% BB%, 33.6% K%, .247 ISO, .344 wOBA, 120 wRC+ Admittedly, Wallner's numbers are impressive and do not indicate any signs of struggling. Yet, his performance has steadily regressed since the beginning of August, as evidenced by his OPS dropping from .915 on August 1 to .837 on September 9. This move feels highly unlikely, and there is plenty of reason to believe that Wallner can make the necessary adjustments to get out of his mini-slump before the beginning of the playoffs. Yet, the Twins demoting Wallner in favor of fellow left-handed hitting outfielder Gordon cannot be ruled out entirely. With Gordon appearing set to return from the 60-day IL, the Twins will likely be forced to make a complicated 28-man roster decision. Do you think the Twins should prioritize activating Gordon off the 60-day IL? If so, which Twins player should Gordon replace on the 28-man roster? Comment below. View full article

Sometimes, it's Jordan Luplow and Christian Vázquez carrying the squad. Image courtesy of Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports Box Score Joe Ryan: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K Home Runs: Jordan Luplow (2), Christian Vázquez (5), Jorge Polanco (11) Top 3 WPA: Jordan Luplow (.356), Joe Ryan (.172), Christian Vázquez (.085) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) It was Joe Ryan vs Max Scherzer, again. The two matched up last Saturday in Minnesota, resulting in a Texas win after the Rangers jumped on the Twins bullpen in the 9th inning. It was their only win of the series. Friday was more of the same; the two starters were on their game, earning whiffs and frustrated looks from hitters as they confounded and dazzled all day. Scherzer had his vintage form. Every pitch worked. When hitters expected the fastball, he snuck in a breaker. And vice versa. The Twins pushed a runner to second base on a few separate occasions, but it never really mattered; Scherzer always clamped down on the potential rally, making hitters prefer the un-embarrassing fortress of the dugout rather than the mockery-inducing batter’s box. Ryan matched him. There’s less of a guessing game with him—you’re getting a fastball; good luck hitting it—but Rangers batters looked silly nonetheless. He diced through an elite Texas lineup, earning seven strikeouts with only three hits allowed. But, naturally, one of those hits was a homer. Corey Seager—always Corey Seager—correctly predicted one of those rising fastballs was on the way, and he blistered the offering deep into the night to give Texas a slim 1-0 lead. It was the only run Ryan allowed. He had some help from Andrew Stevenson. It was at least a little surprising that Bruce Bochy ended Scherzer’s night after just six frames. The ace to end all aces in modern times threw only 88 pitches; surely, he had more in him. (Edit: Scherzer exited with forearm tightness.)The lefty Brock Burke took the mound. He allowed a floppy single to Carlos Correa before Rocco Baldelli sent Jordan Luplow out to hit for Matt Wallner. The move worked brilliantly. Luplow took a mighty hack at a heater on the outside corner, cracking a fly ball deep into the right field bleachers that—seemingly impossibly—stayed fair. Christian Vázquez followed suit with an eerily similar shot. Yet again, as if they were fueled by Texas’ infamous bullpen, the Twins blasted another homer—this one a two-run shot by Jorge Polanco to give the team a 5-1 advantage. So, now, the onus was on Minnesota's bullpen to not screw up royally, at least in comparison to Texas' blunders. Griffin Jax didn't. Neither did Caleb Thielbar. With the weight of Ryan's excellent start, and the pressure from Cleveland's earlier victory against the Rays on his mind, Baldelli went with the overkill option, handing the ball to Jhoan Duran in a non-save situation. The stud reliever needed to get back on the horse. He certainly wasn't dominant, but he earned three clean outs, ending the game without drama or stress. Notes: Andrew Stevenson earned his first major-league hit since October 2nd, 2021. He also stole two bases. Joe Ryan has allowed two earned runs over 11 innings since coming off the IL. Jorge Polanco has homered three times in his last six games. Ryan Jeffers is 5-for-6 when pinch-hitting in 2023. Updated Standings Post-Game Interview: What's Next: The Twins and Rangers will play the second game of their series on Saturday, with first pitch coming at 6:15 P.M. A pair of lefties named after Southern cities, Dallas Keuchel and Jordan Montgomery, will face off against each other. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

With the Twins operating short-handed at first base, they have resorted to giving a majority of starts to Joey Gallo, Donovan Solano, and even Christian Vázquez. Should hot-hitting Ryan Jeffers get an opportunity at first base? Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports After the All-Star break, the Twins appeared set to roll out a rotation of Joey Gallo, Donovan Solano, and Alex Kirilloff at first base, with Kirilloff being the primary starter. Initially, the Twins' plan worked flawlessly, highlighted by Kirilloff winning AL Player of the Week for July 17-23, hitting .345/.394/.793 (1.187) with three home runs, two doubles, a triple, and four multi-hit games. Unfortunately, Kirilloff was placed on the 10-day IL with a shoulder issue at the end of July and has been out since. Twins Current Situation at First Base With Kirilloff placed on the 10-day IL, the Twins have given substantial playing time to Gallo and Solano. On the surface, Gallo and Solano's numbers since Kirilloff went on the 10-day IL are shockingly incredible. Let's look at their numbers since July 30. Joey Gallo: .240/.406/.600 (1.006), 32 PA, six hits, three home runs, 40.6% Strikeout Percentage (K%), .360 Isolated Power (ISO), 177 wRC+ Donovan Solano: .500/.538/.542 (1.080), 26 PA, 12 hits, zero home runs, 15.4% K%, .042 ISO, 213 wRC+ Initially, these numbers are incredible. But, if you dig below the surface, there is more than meets the eye. If you were to take out Gallo's 4-for-4 performance against the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, he is hitting .095/.296/.238 (.534) in 27 plate appearances with two hits, zero home runs, a 48.1% K%, .143 ISO, and a wRC+ of just 64. Gallo's incredible 4-for-4 game exemplifies how one substantial game can manipulate how great or lackluster a player's numbers can look over a small sample size, but it also changed how those who follow the Twins perceive Gallo, at least in the short term. If Gallo hadn't gone 4-for-4 with a walk and instead went 1-or-4 with a single and a walk, those who follow the Twins would be just as eager to move on from Gallo as they were less than a week ago. Gallo has bought himself more time, but his one-off outstanding performance should not be seen as the start of an upward trend for Gallo but as a one-off occurrence that likely will not happen again. On the other hand, Solano has been a solid player, and the numbers he has put up since Kirilloff was placed on the IL aren't nearly the mirage that Gallo's are. The only problem is that Solano sustained a right knee sprain while facing the Detroit Tigers last week, which looked much more severe during the initial play. Solano returned on Sunday, going 3-for-5 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite hitting well, Solano looked like he was physically struggling during the game showing signs of pain during his at-bats. In the game that Solano returned to the Twins lineup, catcher Christian Vázquez played first base. Vázquez starting at first base will not become a normal occurrence, but it illustrates how the Twins are desperately attempting to find competent players to play at first base for the time being. Another new element in this equation is Jordan Luplow. Despite being labeled as a first baseman, Luplow has only played 113 1/3 major-league innings at first base, with 107 1/3 of those innings coming with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021. Luplow, in theory, could play first base, but the Twins seem inclined to play him in left field against left-handed starting pitching, as evidenced by the fact that he has played 27 innings in left field and just three innings at first base with the Twins. Gallo, Solano, Vázquez, and Luplow would work as a rotation at first base, but what if another member of the Twins' 26-man roster could play first base? And what if that player was stuck in a positional timeshare with the aforementioned Vázquez yet deserving more at-bats? Why Not Ryan Jeffers? Jeffers has been incredible since Kirilloff was placed on the 10-day IL and deserves increased playing time, and this is where he could slot in perfectly at first base. Here are Jeffers numbers since July 30: .278/.381/.694 (1.075), 42 PA, ten hits, four home runs, 33.3% K%, .417 ISO, 191 wRC+ Jeffers' numbers are impressive and fit the criteria of what an above-average power-hitting first baseman's ideal statistics would look like. Despite fitting the first base archetype, there is one caveat. Jeffers, 26, has played five professional innings at first base, which came in 2021 with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. Jeffers' lack of playing time at first base is a reason for concern, and despite popular belief, first base isn't an elementary position that anyone can play adequately. There is nuance and complex positioning assignments that can be difficult for players to learn, especially on the fly. That being said, first base is one of the lowest positions on the defensive spectrum and, as shown with Vázquez, the Twins appear willing to push their limits at the position. So, why not put a player who has been contributing at a near-elite offensive level for quite some time? Another element of value that Jeffers possesses is that he is a right-handed hitter. Playing the right-handed hitting Jeffers at first base would give the Twins more flexibility for when they platoon versus left-handed starting pitchers. For example, the Twins could play Jeffers at first base, Vázquez at catcher, Solano at designated hitter, Luplow at left field, and so on. The Twins are in a pinch at first base and have been forced to play Gallo nearly every game, even when facing left-handed pitching. With Solano still hurt and Kirilloff likely not returning until at least late September, the Twins may be forced to take an unconventional approach to the position for the season's final months. Instead of continuing to give significant at-bats to a struggling Gallo and an injured Solano or being forced to play Vázquez at a position where his defensive value is essentially snuffed, the Twins could get the best of both worlds by playing the offensively surging and wide-framed Jeffers. Do you think the Twins should give Ryan Jeffers a look at first base? Comment below. View full article

Sonny Gray took the mound aiming to duplicate the dominant performance of Pablo Lopez the night before. Gray ended up delivering even more convincingly, and the Twins offense did just enough to sneak out a series win. Image courtesy of Bill Streicher, USA Today Box Score Starting pitcher: Sonny Gray: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K ( 80 Pitches, 51 Strikes, 64%) Home Runs: Jordan Luplow (1) Top 3 WPA: Gray (.368), Caleb Thielbar (.310), Emilio Pagan (.047) Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs): Welcome to Minnesota Mr. Luplow! The Twins got on the board right away against Phillies lefty Ranger Suarez, when newcomer Jordan Luplow teed off on a sinker that didn't sink to the right field bullpen. The pitch came in at 92.1 MPH, and left at 103.1 MPH to put the Twins up 1-0 in the top of the first. Small Ball Strikes Again for Twins Christian Vazquez laced a second inning Suarez pitch to left field that looked to be gone as well, but it was a foot too little in launch angle and Vazquez was tossed out at second base trying to advance the warning track single into a double. In the top of the third inning, the Twins didn't get greedy and rode three singles to another run. With one out, Edouard Julien, Donovan Solano, and Jorge Polanco hit back-to-back-to-back singles to extend the lead to 2-0. Sonny Skies in Philly Gray dominated the majority of his six innings of work. The Phillies managed to load the bases in the bottom of the second thanks to a lead-off walk and a hit batter, but Gray was able to strike out Kyle Schwarber to end the threat. Philadelphia's offense stayed silent throughout the next four innings with Gray turning things over the bullpen in the seventh. Cloudy Skies for Jax As tidy as Gray kept things through the first six innings, Griffin Jax was a hot mess in the seventh. Kyle Farmer faced a lot of shade before the came, with fans clammoring for any of the AAA talent to be in today's line-up instead of the veteran. Farmer responded by saving the seventh inning and perhaps the game itself, before he even knew it was at risk of being lost. Trea Turner bounced a weak grounder to the hole in short, and Farmer picked and fired to nab the speedy Turner at first. Two singles and a hit batter later, Jax was gone and Caleb Thielbar was thrown into the fire. That's where this low-scoring game took on a new level of excitement, as we got to witness just how irate the Philly faithful can get. Theilbar got Schwarber to pop out to first base innocently enough, and then on a full count, Thielbar threw this beauty to Alec Bohm. Bohm hit the showers early. The fans cheered and booed like their lives depended on it, and when Bryce Harper met a similar fate on a close pitch in the bottom of the eighth. Manager Rob Thompson decided he wanted to take the ninth inning off as well. To the Ninth We Go! Insurance is important, in any situation. When facing the red-hot Phillies at their home lair, with crazed fans charged up...insurance is everything. The Twins managed to tie together yet another Julien (walk), Solano (single), Polanco (single) string to take a 3-0 lead. This extra run loomed large, as Jhoan Duran allowed lead-off batter Turner to reach on a single to center in the bottom of the ninth. Jake Cave came up as the "non-tying" run now, and flied out deep to center. Garrett Stubbs came up as the "non-tying" run next, and after working the count, he lined out to Joey Gallo for a double play at first to end the game with little drama. What’s Next: The Twins enjoy an off-day Monday, and travel home from this disappointing, but not horrible 3-4 road trip. Revenge is in order for Tuesday, with the Detroit Tigers coming to Target Field for a quick two-game set. The Twins send RHP Bailey Ober (6-6, 3.40 ERA) to the mound to take on Tigers RHP Alex Faedo (2-4, 5.80 ERA). Postgame Interviews: Bullpen Usage Chart: WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT Balazovic 39 0 0 18 0 57 Winder 0 0 43 0 0 43 Durán 0 18 0 0 13 31 Thielbar 0 0 0 15 14 29 Floro 0 28 0 0 0 28 Jax 0 0 0 15 12 27 Pagán 14 0 0 0 9 23 Sands 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

The Minnesota Twins missed the boat at the trade deadline, but a waived right-handed bat on Saturday presents the Twins with a second chance at acquiring just the player they need. Image courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Author's note: According to Jon Heyman, Ramón Laureano has been claimed by the Cleveland Guardians following the posting of this article. The biggest need that the Minnesota Twins had at the 2023 trade deadline was a right handed corner outfielder. With Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, Alex Kirilloff and Matt Wallner, the Minnesota Twins have a surplus of left handed bats, yet nothing to speak for in terms of right handers. As we know, the Twins didn’t make a move at the deadline to acquire a right handed corner outfielder, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still bring one in. On Saturday afternoon, the Oakland Athletics announced that they waived 29-year-old outfielder Ramón Laureano, and he is now eligible to be picked up via waivers. Laureano is a right hander who has a career OPS+ of 110 and has played all three outfield positions over his six-year career with the A’s. Laureano burst onto the scene as a 23-year-old with Oakland in 2018 when he posted an .832 OPS in 48 games as a rookie before following it up with a .860 OPS in 123 games in 2019. Laureano’s bat has fallen off a bit since his first two seasons, but even in a down season in 2023 he is doing what he has always done — hitting left-handed pitching. The Minnesota Twins’ struggles against left-handed pitching this season have been well documented. Currently the Twins rank last in all of baseball with a .662 OPS against left-handed hitting. Ramón Laureano is a career .790 OPS hitter against left-handed pitchers. Even in a down year in 2023 he is still performing well against southpaws, posting a .793 OPS. In addition to hitting left-handed pitching, Laureano runs well and has the flexibility to play center field as well. Laureano is owed about $1 million for the rest of the 2023 season and has an additional year of team control following the season where he will be in his final year of arbitration. Additionally, Laureano still has minor league options remaining, which would give the Twins even more flexibility. If the Twins were to put in a waiver claim on Ramón Laureano and add him to their roster, he would likely take the spot of Joey Gallo or newly acquired Jordan Luplow. Laureano would be a better fit than either of them and would be the perfect addition to this Minnesota Twins roster. View full article

The Minnesota Twins blew out the Tigers Monday to extend their winning streak to five. Ryan Jeffers and Carlos Correa helped get the Twins up big early and Pablo López cruised to seven shutout innings. In the minors, Walker Jenkins hit a grand slam for his first professional home run in the Florida Complex League. The Twins also got some good news on Royce Lewis, who starts a rehab assignment with the Saints tomorrow. View full video

Unable to acquire a right-handed hitting outfielder at the trade deadline, the Twins claimed outfielder Jordan Luplow from the Blue Jays. Image courtesy of Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports Well, this move certainly won't excite the Twins fan base. However, looking for offense against left-handed pitching, Jordan Luplow certainly fits the bill. The 29-year-old was DFAd by the Blue Jays following Toronto's deadline day acquisitions. He had played just seven games with the Jays including three just before the deadline. To make room for Luplow on the 40-man roster, Brock Stewart was moved to the 60-Day Injured List. When he gets into a game with the Twins, it will mark his sixth big-league club that he has played for. He was originally a third-round draft pick by the Pirates in 2014 out of Fresno State. At 23, he made his MLB debut with 27 games in 2017. He played 37 games for the Pirates in 2018. Twins fans will likely mostly remember Jordan Luplow from his years with Cleveland. In parts of three seasons, he played in 150 games and hit .234/.348/.486 (834) with 25 doubles and 24 homers. Since then, he has become a journeyman. He's played for the Rays, the Diamondbacks, and the Blue Jays. In total, he has played in 329 big-league games and hit .213/.314/.428 (.742) with 37 doubles and 45 homers. In his career, he has hit just .199/.289/.354 (.644) with 16 doubles, three triples and 14 home runs off of right-handed pitching. However, against southpaws, he is a different player. He has hit .226/.337/.497 (.833). Not great numbers, by any means, but for a Twins team struggling mightily against lefties, the move is certainly understandable. He's not going to hit for batting average, but how many do at this point? He gets on base at a decent clip against lefties. He does have much more power and drives the ball against left-handers. In his career, he has mostly played the two corner outfield positions. He has also played 53 games at first base, mostly the last couple of years. He has played in 29 games against the Twins in his career, second only to the Detroit Tigers. In those games, he hit just .164 but did hit six home runs. Since 2018, he has played primarily in the big leagues. He has missed time with injury the last few years. In 48 games this year at Triple-A Buffalo, he hit .239/.341/.438 (.779). Against right-handers, he has a .653 OPS. Against lefties, his OPS is .914. If he spends the rest of the season with the Twins and they like him so much, he has one more arbitration season remaining, and he only signed for $1.4 million for 2023. This is definitely not a difference-maker, but it's a sneaky solid little pickup. Of course, the Twins still need to make a roster move to get Luplow onto the 26-man roster. That could be interesting. Share your thoughts below. View full article