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After four years with the Twins, the right-hander will pitch the next two years for a division rival. Image courtesy of © Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports The Twins must say goodbye to Kenta Maeda, as the veteran right-hander inked a two-year, $24-million deal with the Detroit Tigers. Maeda, a familiar face from his time in Minnesota, will now don the uniform of a division rival, forcing the Twins to grapple with his presence on the mound as an opponent. Earlier reports had linked Maeda to the Tigers, but the Twins were still in the mix, albeit with a preference for a shorter-term commitment. Unfortunately for Minnesota, the Tigers secured Maeda with a multi-year deal, closing the door on any potential reunion. With Maeda's arrival in Detroit, the Tigers gain an experienced arm for their young rotation, helping to replace Eduardo Rodriguez, who became a free agent after opting out of his deal earlier this month. Maeda, entering his age-36 season, is expected to stabilize Detroit's starting staff. Meanwhile, losing Maeda means the Twins must replace a pitcher who provided stability, interspersed with bursts of excellence when healthy. Maeda became a full-time starter after being acquired by the Twins from the Dodgers for Brusdar Graterol before the 2020 season, and he shined. He finished second in the AL Cy Young voting after that 2020 COVID-shortened season, throwing 66 2/3 innings of 2.70-ERA ball. His 2021 season was much more of a struggle, ending with Tommy John surgery, which also cost him the entirety of the 2022 season. He returned in 2023, but battled a triceps injury that cost him most of the first half of the season. He then reverted to his old form, throwing 88 1/3 innings with a 3.36 ERA from June 23 on. Last season was the last year of the eight-year contract with the Dodgers he signed when he came over from Japan. The deal gave only $3 million annually in guaranteed money, with incentives for starting that could raise his salary to $10 million or more each year. That team-friendly contract was an appealing aspect of acquiring Maeda. His new deal is much more standard for pitchers, guaranteeing an eight-figure salary regardless of his health or role. In Twins Daily's Offseason Handbook, we estimated he would receive a 1-year, $12-million contract, but we debated internally if he would end up with a multi-year deal. The Tigers reportedly landed him, despite interest by the Twins in re-signing him, by agreeing to the extra year. The Twins are also in the market for a veteran free-agent starting pitcher to replace Kenta Maeda and Sonny Gray. Maeda is the fourth veteran starting pitcher to sign, joining Aaron Nola (7 years, $172M) and other ex-Twins Kyle Gibson (1-year/$12M) and Lance Lynn(1-year/$11M). Twins Daily's Offseason Handbook profiled an additional 18 available starters that will likely be on the Twins' wish list. Other available pitchers at Maeda's level included Jack Flaherty, Luis Severino, and Frankie Montas. The Twins must now consider these other, less familiar, names. View full article

Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Dodgers and White Sox are nearing a deal that would send Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the Dodgers. If that deal would happen, it would be the second such deal where they traded one of their starters and a triple-digit reliever. They dealt Lucas Giolito and Renaldo Lopez to the Angels last week. The White Sox doing their part for the Los Angeles baseball market. Also, for those interested, it presumably means no need to worry about a Joe Kelly/Carlos Correa issue! (Presumably because obviously a deal is not yet complete and may or may not be imminent as Jon Heyman tweeted.) Who else do you think the White Sox will deal? View full rumor

Already in Ft. Myers, Ted headed across Alligator Alley to Miami to watch the USA play Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. Despite the controversy surrounding its existence, there was no more significant evidence of its importance than Saturday night. Image courtesy of Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports After advancing out of pool play, the United States was set to square off against Venezuela, with the latter representing the home team with an undefeated record in this WBC. Shuttles were offered from downtown garages, with nearly 40,000 people heading into a congested area outside South Beach. Street vendors lined the sidewalks, and an ambiance far different than your typical baseball game was apparent. Make no mistake; this was not some meaningless game in March. Having been to LoanDepot Park once before, coincidentally for the second game it had ever hosted, my expectations weren’t high. I wasn’t impressed with the ballpark but also took it in, lacking almost any semblance of a crowd. That was for a meaningless spring training game as the Jose Reyes, and Mark Buehrle led Marlins played host to a collegiate foe in Florida Atlantic University. Last night couldn’t have been more different. Gates opened three hours before first pitch. The Venezuelan squad took batting practice first, and the outfield bleachers already began to fill in. When Team USA took over, the likes of Kyle Freeland, Miles Mikolas, and bullpen catcher Carlos Munoz consistently drew fans' favor by flipping balls into the seats. Having purchased a get-in ticket, I knew I planned to wander around. I didn’t make it very far after asking the Recess Sports Lounge attendant if I needed special access to enter the area. Recess offers seating and food options at the field level in a club-like scene beyond the left field fence. A pool in the space used to be similar to the Arizona Diamondbacks Chase Field, but that has since been replaced with a DJ booth. It was game time after the unveiling of flags, introductions (of which Venezuelan supporters were substantially more vocal), and national anthems. The pitching matchup was one of intrigue for Twins fans. Lance Lynn was on the bump for the United States, while Martin Perez took the ball for Venezuela. Unfortunately for the current Texas Rangers hurler, he gave up three runs on five hits and only recorded one out. Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and Kyle Tucker were all over his stuff. This tournament has produced plenty of exciting tilts. Just a night prior, fans saw the Puerto Rican team ahead 4-0, only to give up five runs without an answer and fall to an unlikely Mexican squad. 3-0 was not safe for the Americans, and they knew adding on was a must. Unlike any other baseball game you have ever seen, there was pandemonium after each base hit, out, or routine play. Cheers from supporters were deafening, and the reality was an outcome unlike anything seen outside of a soccer or football stadium. When former Twins batting champ Luis Arraez stepped in, it was as though the world stopped. Not known for his power, Arraez turned on a Lynn pitch and sent it over the fence in right field. He sped around the bases in a quick home run trot but celebrated at third base in front of his dugout. The Venezuelan fans in the crowd were going absolutely crazy. The team on the field had spilled out of the dugout and waited to celebrate at the plate. This wasn’t just baseball; it was the World Baseball Classic. Producing moments that we otherwise won’t see during a regular situation, Tucker stepped in against his teammate Luis Garcia. While the baby rocking is since gone, given Major League Baseball’s new rules, Garcia remains among the better pitchers in the game. Tucker hit a double in their first matchup of the night, and rather than being able to exact revenge, it was again Tucker winning the battle as he took Garcia out of the yard for a 365-foot solo blast. As the Venezuelans were silenced momentarily, their time came in the 5th inning. Daniel Bard was on and wild. He hit Jose Altuve, who unfortunately suffered a broken thumb on the play. Continuing to be wild, runs came in, and Arraez again delivered, drawing the deficit to one. Scoring on a Ronald Acuna Jr. sacrifice fly, the lead changed hands again. With the pace of the action, no lead seemed safe in this one. Expecting this level of excitement or energy over the consistency of a 162-game season would be an unimaginable trip. Playoff atmosphere rivals the intensity, but each lineup was looking to deliver knockout punches, and the fans were ready for the roller coaster of a ride. Again, not a power hitter, Arraez stepped in during the 7th inning and took David Bednar deep. He turned on another pitch and doinked it off the foul pole. Late in this one, Miami’s newest hero sent his country’s fans into insanity. Then, it happened. The Philadelphia Phillies $300 million man took the box against Silvino Bracho. With the bases chucked and a deficit of two, Turner crushed a 407-foot blast right over my head to create a homer he called the best of his life. A man that has won a World Series, played in All-Star games, and earned a Silver Slugger, called that home run the biggest hit of his career. Fans agreed. As beers were thrown, whistles rang out, the music went crazy, and the atmosphere was something out of a storybook, Turner became Captain America, if only for an instant. Another former Twin, Ryan Pressly, got the opportunity to slam the door in the 9th inning and picked up his second save of the tournament. Once again, insanity ensued. The results didn't go the way of Arraez's Venezuelan squad, and Turner stole the show late, but it was the show he started that kicked off what would be the craziest night of baseball I have ever experienced. It’s unrealistic to think that every game throughout a 162-game regular season slate could hold this level of importance or excitement. It is evident, however, to note that the World Baseball Classic’s importance goes well beyond anything else played in March, and to experience it in person may be a bucket list venture. There was no discussion of a lacking pitch clock, and allowing shifts didn’t stifle offense. Two juggernauts went back and forth like heavyweights and gave passionate fans everything they hoped for. We may find ourselves with a pair of favorites in the championship as both Japan and USA remain, but no matter how it plays out, you can bet LoanDepot Park will be the spot for the biggest party of any sport this month. I didn’t know what to expect when heading into the stadium. Now I’m wondering how soon I can experience that again. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have a need for starting pitching entering the 2023 Major League Baseball season. If that feels like an evergreen statement, it’s because it is, but basically for every organization across the sport. For Minnesota, however, they need a frontline arm and they’ve never paid for one before. Image courtesy of Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports With Kenta Maeda returning to Rocco Baldelli’s starting rotation early next season, Minnesota should have a solid trio including former Cincinnati Reds, Sonny Gray and Tyler Mahle. They should get Chris Paddack back late in the summer, but will have 2022 Opening Day starter Joe Ryan until then. If Minnesota adds, and they need to, it must be an impact arm. We saw plenty of depth emerge with Minnesota blowing through a franchise-record 38 pitchers this season. Bailey Ober and Josh Winder showed up as expected. Cole Sands had his ups and downs, but Louie Varland and Simeon Woods Richardson emerged maybe more quickly than assumed. There are guys that have experience and will be called upon. Knowing the window paired with youth is now, the best arms available should be on the table. Unfortunately, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have never shown a willingness to spend on starting pitching. Truthfully, Minnesota’s current front office has never spent on pitching at all. They’ve opted for reclamation projects in the bullpen, and largely looked to cut corners relying on coaching to get the best from those acquired. Lance Lynn begrudgingly agreed to a one-year deal in Minnesota following a standoff prior to his decision in 2018, and that was only for $12 million. The most this front office has ever paid in a single season was Jake Odorizzi during 2020, which was a $17.8 million qualifying offer that was worth less than half of the money due to a truncated season. In short, Falvey and Levine’s greatest expense for a pitcher on a deal they negotiated was Addison Reed’s $16.75 million in 2018. He owned a 4.50 ERA across 56 innings and never pitched again after his first season with the Twins. Maybe it’s that signing where the front office soured on paying for pitching. Maybe they didn’t like that Lynn clearly exhibited not wanting to be here after signing late in spring training. Perhaps it’s just been bad luck missing out on arms like Yu Darvish, Zack Wheeler, and Charlie Morton. Whatever it is, if paying for pitching isn’t ever going to happen, what are we doing here? Falvey was brought in to develop a pitching pipeline akin to what he was known for with Cleveland. The depth has started to rear its head, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a Twins prospect currently projected to be a Number One starter. That’s where the focus has to be, and thus far dollars haven't been allocated for one. Falvey and Levine have taken swings on the trade market when looking to foot the bill. Gray has the chops to be a frontline starter (and he has been in the past), and development (and now health) from Mahle could put him there as well. Maybe this duo sees another arm they like enough to trade for, and acquire dollars on the payroll rather than negotiating it themselves. Either way, it is worth wondering if a big payday for a starter will ever come under this regime. Terry Ryan’s $54 million pact with Ervin Santana is still looking to be topped, and now seems as good of a time as ever. View full article

Josh Donaldson was brought to Minnesota to help push a winning team to the next level. Instead, he has been part of multiple regrettable moments and he might be one of the all-time least likeable Twins players. Minnesota’s front office had to know what they were getting when they signed Josh Donaldson. He had a proven track record of being outspoken, but he was coming off being named the NL Comeback Player of the Year. The Twins were willing to deal with his on and off field behavior if he helped push the team to postseason success. Now two years into his massive deal and the outcome has been unfavorable to say the least. Last season, Donaldson played in less than half of the team’s games and his most memorable moment might have been being ejected after hitting a home run. This year he has been much healthier, but he has become the crusader for all batters in the battle against sticky substances. He called out the Yankees Gerrit Cole and then struck out twice against him later that week. Just this week he showboated a first inning home run against Lucas Giolito in a game the Twins ended up losing. Then he ended up confronting him in the parking lot after the game. These moments aside, Donaldson’s on field performance has come as advertised as he has been one of the game’s top offensive third basemen while also playing solid defense. So, do the distractions outweigh his other value to the team? And does that put him in the conversation for one of the all-time least likeable Twins players? There are plenty of former Twins in the conversation for least likeable player in team history. Lance Lynn has been one of baseball’s best pitchers in recent years, but his Twins tenure was filled with poor performances and a poor attitude. From the beginning, he seemed upset with the free agent process and that frustration came out in his performance. However, his stay in a Twins uniform was short so that hardly puts him at the top of the least likeable list. Other candidates for the least likeable Twins player include multiple players from the Metrodome Era. Kyle Lohse took a baseball bat to Ron Gardenhire’s office door. Needless to say, his days in Minnesota were numbered after that incident. A.J. Pierzynski was part of one of the greatest Twins trades of all-time, but his attitude didn’t fit well in multiple clubhouses during his big-league career. Both players went on to have careers outside of Minnesota, but they left on a sour note. Stretching even further back, Chuck Knoblauch had an infamous end to his Twins career. Since the team moved to Minnesota, he ranks in the top-10 for WAR, which puts him ahead of names like Johan Santana, Jim Kaat, and Torii Hunter. Eventually, he demanded a trade from the Twins and took shots at the city on his way out of town. Then there was the famous hot dog throwing incident when he returned as an outfielder for the Yankees. His off the field issues probably mean he won’t be welcomed back in Minnesota any time soon. Donaldson has rubbed some people the wrong way throughout his career. It’s hard to imagine him being in the same level as Knoblauch or Pierzynski, but there will be plenty of fans that aren’t happy with his attitude and the attention he is drawing on a last place team. How would you rank these players according to their likeability? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Baily Ober makes his major league debut as he faces the first-place Chicago White Sox at Target Field. The Twins face Lance Lynn for the second time in six days. Yesterday, the White Sox clubbed the Twins extending their string of dominance against the Sox. The weather looks iffy from here (75 miles away) but there may be a window of dreary, but dry air to complete the game. Good luck Baily Ober. White Sox (25-15) Anderson ss Lamb lf Moncada 3b Mercedes dh Eaton rf Grandal c Vaughn 1b Garcia cf Madrigal 2b Lynn (p) 4-1 1.30 ERA Twins (13-26) Arraez 2b Donaldson 3b Polanco dh Kepler cf Sanó 1b Larnach lf Garlick rf Simmons ss Rortvedt c Ober (p) Major League Debut

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' affiliation with the St. Paul Saints finally becoming official, the other restructuring of the minor leagues, losing two players in the Rule 5 draft, trying to make sense of the Matt Wisler departure, and the latest on Nelson Cruz's contract talks. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. Listen Here Now Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins came into 2020 having set a Major League record in home runs, had one of the best seasons in franchise history, and with an offense poised to set the world on fire. As with everything else this year, very little has gone as expected. Now on the final day to make some roster swaps, it isn’t time to push the panic button. Major League Baseball bumped the trade deadline back to August 31st this year in order to accommodate a sensible timeline amidst a 60-game sprint. Minnesota currently stands at 20-15 looking up at both the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians in the AL Central division. While division titles are nice, they couldn’t mean less this year. The top seeds will still face a club with a winning record, and they’ll do so in just a three-game series. I love the idea of adding Trevor Bauer to this club, solely because it’s my belief he’s the only pitcher capable of slotting into the top of Minnesota’s rotation. Although he’s a short-term rental and would make something like 5-8 starts, maybe the familiarity helps to re-sign him this offseason. Outside of that, any move should come with a future caveat as well. Next season the Twins will need to replace three-fifths of their Opening Day starting rotation. Trevor May is an impending free agent, and Nelson Cruz’s status remains up in the air. While the core of this club remains strong, there’s certainly pieces that will need to be shuffled around. For Minnesota to target an asset in the midst of a volatile year, and only have eyes on making it pay off immediately, would be a misstep. In any season there’s a relative amount of luck when it comes to winning a World Series. Doing so amongst a 16-team playoff field, with no fans, and potentially no home field to speak of, is a crapshoot at best. That doesn’t water down winning a ring this year, everyone is dealing with the same conditions, but it does make operating in a traditional sense irrational. Maybe a reunion with Lance Lynn works out. He’s a really good pitcher that really didn’t like his situation back in 2018. Maybe Dylan Bundy and his slider are another weapon for Wes Johnson and the Minnesota brain trust to deploy. Those are the types of moves that have future benefit too. Do you go all in on Josh Hader? That’s a great arm in play as well. No matter what the Twins do though, having more benefit than just 2020 has to be part of the outcome. There’s no doubt this club is going to make the Postseason. There’s no doubt the healthy version of their lineup is a force to be reckoned with. The greatest doubt is how it all comes together the rest of the way, and then when 2021 rolls around, what remains when the dust has settled? For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

In a strange and shortened MLB season, the trade deadline is certainly going to take on a different feel. Sixteen total playoff teams means that most teams are still in the postseason hunt. This could result in a much different feel as the trade deadline approaches. What teams are going to be willing to trade? How are teams going to approach taking on salary in a year with less revenue? Let’s find out…Minnesota’s Weaknesses Entering the season, Minnesota was perceived to have one of the strongest line-ups in baseball. That hasn’t been the case so far as the Twins have struggled through injuries to regular starters like Mitch Garver, Byron Buxton, Josh Donaldson, and Luis Arraez. This has resulted in making nearly everyday players out of Ryan Jeffers, Jake Cave, Marwin Gonzalez and Ildemaro Vargas. It’s easy to think the Twins need replacements for these players, but the best thing for the team would be for their injured players to be healthy and producing as the team enters the playoffs. Last season, Minnesota’s biggest weakness was pitching, and this was especially true for the bullpen. This is why the team made multiple deadline deals for bullpen help. The Twins relief core has turned into one of the team’s strengths over the last year and that might mean the team isn’t looking to upgrade unless there is some player control involved. Minnesota’s starting rotation has seen multiple injuries, but the team depth in this department. Possible Trade Options Lance Lynn, Texas Lynn has been good since leaving the Twins in 2018. Last season with Texas, he posted a 3.67 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in over 200 innings. He struck out 246 batters and only walked 59 on his way to finishing in the top-five for the Cy Young. In just over 100 innings with the Twins, Lynn had an ERA north of 5.00 and he didn’t exactly leave the team on good terms. He is under team control through 2021 and the Rangers are within a handful of games of a playoff spot, and he could be one player for the team to avoid. Trevor Rosenthal, Kansas City Minnesota might be hesitant about trading with another team in the division, but Rosenthal might be the ideal candidate. He was signed to a minor league deal in Kansas City and he has been outstanding through the season’s first half. So far, he has limited batters to two runs on seven hits in 12 appearances (11 1/3 innings). This includes a 1.06 WHIP and a 15 to 5 strike out to walk ratio. Kansas City is in a similar position to the Rangers so the team will have to decide if they want to trade pieces away. Keone Kela, Pittsburgh Unlike the team’s above, Pittsburgh is clearly not making the playoffs, but Kela is going to have to prove he is healthy over the next week. He left a game last Friday after five pitches as the Pirates revealed he had right forearm tightness. He is a free agent at season’s end, and it seems likely for him to be dealt if he is healthy. Kela has been limited this season because of a positive coronavirus test and this most recent injury. Dylan Bundy, Los Angeles Bundy might be one of the hottest names tossed around in rumors leading up to the deadline. The Angels have struggled this season and currently have one of baseball’s worst records. He is under team control through the 2021 season. So far this season, he ranks in the 80th percentile when it comes to fastball spin rate, hard-hit rate, and opponents’ exit velocity. Increased use in his slider has been part of his success and that has been something the Twins have harnessed with other current pitchers. Mychal Givens, Baltimore Givens has been dominant out of the Orioles bullpen this year and he has some intriguing traits the Twins might be interested in. Firstly, he is under team control through the end of 2021. Secondly, his slider has gotten hitters to whiff on it over 40% of the time. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and his increased usage of his slider is certainly intriguing. Minnesota might not need a ton of bullpen help but Givens could certainly provide a boost. There are three right-handed hitters that could be intriguing with some of Minnesota’s top right-handed bats on the injured list. Another possible pitching option is a man that’s boisterous on social media, but he is a free agent at season’s end and that could make him tradeable. What’s Going to Happen? Overall, it seems likely for the trade deadline to be relatively quiet when compared to recent years. Few owners and front offices are going to be willing to take on significant contracts with the uncertainty facing baseball in 2021. Baseball has dodged a few bullets this season, but no one is sure of the long-term ramifications of no fans in the stands and other lost revenue. Minnesota also has the luxury of Michael Pineda being added back to the rotation at the end of August. His addition could be construed as trading for rotation help. Jake Odorizzi, Rich Hill, and Homer Bailey have all seen time on the injured list this year and adding Pineda only strengthens the depth of a rotation that has been stretched this season. The last time the Twins saw Pineda, he was amid a tremendous stretch on the mound and he will have the month of September to get back on track. What do you think the Twins will do at the trade deadline? Add an arm? Add to the line-up? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

After a tough road trip that saw the Twins lose their first trip of the season (of either the home or road variety), the Twins look to play a three-game home series against a pleasantly surprising Texas Rangers team before the first half officially comes to a close.Brief Overview: The Rangers were seemingly stuck in a quasi-rebuild coming into 2019 as both the 2017 and 2018 team finished below .500 and there was a new captain at the helm in their new manager Chris Woodward. Their offseason was filled with interesting buy- low candidates and rebound targets in the hopes that those players could be pawned off at the deadline for prospects, as much of the roster was filled with players unlikely to carry the squad to anything substantial. Instead, those players performed too well and the Rangers now find themselves in wild card contention with a 46-40 record and a pythag W/L of 45-41 heading into Thursday’s game. What They Do Well: Starting pitching is the backbone of any good team aspiring to reach the playoffs and the Rangers have a solid starting rotation that ranks 10th in baseball in fWAR (thanks mainly due to Mike Minor and literally Lance Lynn whom I’ll talk about more later). Their starting pitching FIP of 4.53 is slightly worse than the mark Scott Diamond put up with the Twins (4.46), but in the modern high scoring era of MLB context, the number is much better than it looks compared to the rest of history. Yet again, the Twins will play a team that likes to steal as the Rangers have swiped the second most bases in all of baseball. It has also been a team effort instead of just falling on a single player or two, as 10 players have swiped multiple bases for the Rangers in 2019. For comparison, the Twins only have three such players. It will be interesting to see the different philosophies regarding base stealing at play during the series and both Jason Castro and Mitch Garver will have to stay on their toes through the series. What They Do Not Do Well: The Rangers are very good at striking out! I suppose if you get philosophical then you could question whether striking out a lot would categorize as something you do “well” or “not well”, but that’s an argument for a different day. The Rangers have the third highest offensive K% in MLB and their 25.8% mark almost perfectly matches how often Jim Thome struck out with the Twins (Thome was at 25.9%) and just 2 Twins hitters with more than 100 plate appearances have struck out at a higher rate so far this year (Miguel Sanó and Nelson Cruz). The Rangers bullpen is not good as they hold the fifth worst bullpen FIP in the majors at 4.93 (R.A. Dickey’s Twins FIP was 4.87 for comparison). It has been a revolving door for the Rangers pen as 20 different pitchers have gotten an out in relief for the Rangers in 2019 with one of those pitchers being named “Locke St. John”. No, I am not making that up. Along with Mr. St. John, they have also employed multiple relievers named “Jesse” and “Kyle” which would be less notable if I was talking about individuals who belonged to a fraternity in Montana, but I digress. Individuals Of Note: The poster boy for MLB in 2019, Joey Gallo, is having a brilliant season that has already seen him pass his career high in fWAR (it currently sits at 3.5). He’s still striking out at rates that would anger Willians Astudillo (35.8 K%), but he’s also walking more than ever and is being boosted by a .382 BABIP. Even if that BABIP comes down, he is still very capable of sending a ball deep into traffic over in right field and is one of the few hitters that make me visibly cringe in terror when he unleashes a swing. Hunter Pence was a part of the group of buy-low players I mentioned in the beginning and he has had a phenomenal bounce back year so far as he holds a 142 wRC+ (Harmon Killebrew’s career wRC+ is 144). Pence worked hard in the offseason to rework his swing that before had looked like an antsy crackhead digging into his pockets while looking for a cigarette but now looks more like that crackhead finally found some Adderall. The reward for Pence was the starting DH job in the All-Star game but he is unfortunately on the IL, so he will miss this series along with the All-Star Game. The Rangers also employ old friend Logan Forsythe and older friend Danny Santana and both have been above average players somehow, I really don’t know what’s happening over there but there is something in the water in Texas that brings players back to life. On the pitching side of things, Mike Minor has been another incredible story as the 31-year old finds himself second in the AL in ERA at 2.54 after missing both the 2015 and 2016 seasons and finally returning as a reliever for the Royals in 2017. The peripherals for Minor aren’t as pretty as his ERA (3.77 FIP and 4.42 xFIP suggest regression), but he has been a great starter nonetheless and it appears that the 2019 All-Star will pitch on Sunday. The other notable name is ...blegh ... do I have to write it? Fine, Lance Lynn. Yes, Lance “literally Lance Lynn” Lynn currently leads the AL in pitching fWAR. His 4.00 ERA isn’t the best but his pristine 2.94 FIP suggests that he is pitching better than it appears he is. I’m not sure what kind of necromancy the Rangers pulled to make this happen, but this is a sign that either there is no God or the one that exists has a sick sense of humor. If you would have told me during any of his outings last year where he was attempting to throw his 15th straight fastball out of the strike zone while runners were on the corners in the third and he already had thrown 60 pitches that this same man would lead the AL in pitching fWAR next year then I would have you taken in for being insane. Luckily, Lynn will not pitch in the series and Twins fans will get to avoid his terror. Recent History: The Rangers and Twins have not played this year but the Twins lost the season series last year by 2-4. I highly doubt any of those series can be used as a solid point of reference for how this upcoming series so I wouldn’t look too far into that. Recent Trajectories: Both teams are pretty cool right now as the Twins are 5-5 in their last 10 games coming into Thursday while the Rangers are 6-4 in the same time frame that includes 4 straight losses coming into Thursday. The Rangers did have a better June than the Twins did however as they had a .621 winning percentage and the Twins had a .556 winning mark. Ending Thoughts: The Rangers have built a respectable squad that will come in at a time where the Twins are a bit banged up and not playing their best ball. The Twins aren’t in a place yet where a series win is mandatory but it would be great to head into the break with a few more wins, especially as the Indians continue to play better baseball and look to threaten the division soon. I could see the series going either way but I’ll predict a series win for the Twins because I can feel in my gut that they’ll do it. Click here to view the article