Front Page: Week in Review: Trouble at Home

[Nick Nelson]

The Twins had an opportunity to build some real buffer room in the standings, facing a soft slate at home while Cleveland opened with a sweeping from the Mets.

 

More unraveling from the rotation prevented Minnesota from being able to take full advantage, picking up only one game, but the Twins can be satisfied to tread water for the time being, especially knowing they're on the verge of getting a key piece back just as the Indians lose one.

Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 8/19 through Sun, 8/25

***

Record Last Week: 3-3 (Overall: 79-51)

Run Differential Last Week: +7 (Overall: +151)

Standing: 1st Place in AL Central (3.5 GA)

Willians Watch: 7-for-19 (.368) at AAA

Willians Astudillo moved his rehab up to Triple-A, where he continued to rake with seven hits in four games. He mixed in at catcher, third base and right field for Rochester, and should be back in Minnesota by the end of next weekend.

 

In more objectively important injury recovery news, Byron Buxton went through a full complement of baseball activities on Friday without a hitch, and opened up his own rehab stint at Cedar Rapids on Sunday. Starting at DH and batting second, Buxton went 1-for-2 with a walk and a signature hustle double.

 

The easiest thing would be for Minnesota to wait until rosters expand next Sunday to activate Buxton. But at the same time, every game is important right now, and he's such a difference-maker. If he looks fully back up to speed early in the week, will they accelerate his timeline and maybe get him back for the Tigers series... or even for Chicago on Tuesday? (Dick Bremer astutely noted in Sunday's broadcast that Cedar Rapids is a short jaunt...)

 

Buxton's imminent return, along with news that Cleveland has likely lost Jose Ramirez for the rest of the season with a hamate bone fracture, would seem to bode very well for the Twins. But of course, they have to go out and capitalize on the opportunities thrown their way.

 

In a quiet week for transactions, the only other move worth mentioning is that Ryne Harper was optioned to Triple-A on Saturday, coming off another lackluster performance against the Tigers. Cody Stashak is back (Zack Littell was not an option since he went down less than 10 days ago). Harper was arguably Minnesota's second-best reliever in the first half, but hitters have gotten wise to his two-pitch mix, leading to a 7.36 ERA in August. He'll likely be back in September.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

 

When the Twins made their biggest offseason splash by signing Nelson Cruz, we all naturally wondered: Can he maintain the elite power production that's been his norm, or will age start taking a toll and limiting him?

 

The answer, as it turns out: yes and yes.

 

Cruz has already sat out more games this year than any of the past five, held back from interleague action and nagged persistently by a wrist that might've healed more cooperatively in his younger days. But when on the field, the 39-year-old has played through his barking wrist with unbelievable effectiveness – especially in his return to action last week off a stunningly short absence.

 

Showing no ill effect from a ruptured tendon, Cruz swung the stick like a man possessed at Target Field, piling up five extra-base hits and seven RBIs amidst a 9-for-27 week hat featured some epic exit velocities. Despite losing 28 games to a pair of IL stints, the veteran slugger remains on pace to exceed 40 home runs and 100 RBIs.

 

 

Leading the offensive charge alongside Cruz last week was one now-customary name – Miguel Sano, who clubbed three homers and drove in seven across six games – and a more unexpected one: Jake Cave (or "Caveman," in the parlance of Player's Weekend).

 

Buxton's injury opened a window of opportunity for Cave, and the outfielder has lunged through it with vigor. Aided by more regular playing time, Cave has seen his OPS climb rapidly during the month of August, and last week he was at his best, belting three home runs and two doubles while raising his seasonal slash line to .278/.378/.460, including .423/.492/.769 since the All-Star break. His monster production hasn't been coming cheaply.

 

 

Cave is showing that his solid work as a rookie last year, and his outright dominance of Triple-A this year, were not flukes. His bat has been a boon for the Twins lineup this month with others absent or lagging. It's hard to see him getting a ton of action once Buxton returns, but he's proven himself as a solid backup and pinch-hitting option.

 

Also enjoying nice weeks offensively: Jorge Polanco (two homers and a double), Max Kepler (two homers and two doubles, propelling him past the 35-HR milestone), and Eddie Rosario (5-for-12 against Chicago before sitting out the Detroit series with a hamstring strain).

 

On the pitching side, the biggest positive was Trevor May continuing to build on his excellent August. Looking confident and more than capable, the right-hander logged 2 1/3 scoreless innings across three appearances, striking out two and walking none. After a very rough stretch in July, followed by a bit of a mental break courtesy of Rocco Baldelli, May has re-emerged as the powerful late-inning weapon Minnesota needs him to be. He threw 30 of 41 pitches (73%) for strikes last week.

 

LOWLIGHTS

 

Alarms are loudly blaring in the starting rotation. Jose Berrios continues to grind through start after start, minus the velocity, command, and consistency that fueled his All-Star first half.

 

Facing the lowest-scoring offense in baseball on Friday, Berrios was handed an early lead, but he gave it up on a crippling grand slam in a game where he was disturbingly hittable. By the time he was lifted with one out in the sixth, he'd allowed five runs on 10 hits and two walks, pushing his ERA up to a season-high 3.53. Just a monumentally disappointing performance against a pitifully bad Tigers lineup.

 

It marked the sixth time in nine starts since the beginning of July that Berrios was unable to complete six innings, a feat he accomplished in all but two of his 17 outings through June. Sagging velocity continues to take a toll on him, as he and his coaches continue to search for answers.

 

 

The Twins are in huge trouble if Berrios can't get back on track. This goes without saying. But it sure doesn't help that his counterparts in the rotation are so very uninspiring right now. Kyle Gibson looked similarly poor against the lowly Tigers on Saturday, coughing up 10 hits and five runs (four earned) over 5 1/3 innings. Earlier in the week he gave up five runs against a White Sox offense that isn't much better than Detroit's (third-to-last among AL teams in runs and OPS). Those same Sox touched up Jake Odorizzi for four runs on eight hits over five frames on Wednesday.

 

The rotation contributed just one quality start all week – when Martin Perez held Detroit to two runs over six innings on Sunday. At home, in this stage of the season, against this caliber of competition, that's just not acceptable. Skeptical Twins fans and national onlookers will rightfully be dubious of the club's ability to make any real noise until they demonstrate they can suppress even pedestrian lineups.

 

Minnesota isn't going to be able to outslug opponents on command. Pressure is mounting on Wes Johnson, Jeremy Hefner, and the Twins starting pitchers to turn things around, with the erstwhile ace Berrios ranking as the utmost priority.

 

TRENDING STORYLINE

 

He's not going to be a magical elixir for this rotation's afflictions, but Buxton's return will provide a big boost for the pitchers. He's arguably the most valuable defender in baseball and he changes games, although Kepler and Cave deserve credit for their solid glovework in the interim.

 

Fans await Buck's activation with bated breath, but regardless of what happens there, the Twins will be receiving a huge influx next Sunday when rosters expand for September. The front office will almost certainly be upping bullpen depth by recalling a handful of arms that have helped them already this year – the likes of Littell, Harper, Kohl Stewart, Devin Smeltzer, Lewis Thorpe, Randy Dobnak, etc. Rehabbing righty Trevor Hildenberger is another likely candidate, with intriguing impact potential. Fernando Romero might not be in the plans, which is sad but fair.

 

And then there are other potentially impactful additions that are not yet on the 40-man roster, such as the two we'll lead off with below.

 

DOWN ON THE FARM

 

Settling in at the highest level of the minors following their recent promotions, Brusdar Graterol and Jorge Alcala are acclimating very quickly. Graterol threw two scoreless innings in his Rochester debut on Wednesday, then followed with another clean appearance (1.1 IP) on Saturday. He already has International League hitters out of sorts (and turns 21 on Monday, so give him a shout on Twitter!).

 

 

Alcala's first week at Triple-A also went smoothly, as he tossed four shutout innings across three appearances, striking out five and – importantly – walking only one. I mentioned here last week that the Ryan Pressly trade was starting to turn around for the Twins, with Alcala positioning himself to help the MLB bullpen and Gilberto Celestino going on a complete tear at Cedar Rapids. Well, now Celestino too has moved up a level. He joined Fort Myers on Wednesday and is 7-for-17 with four doubles through his first four games with the Miracle.

 

Incidentally, Pressly underwent knee surgery last week and will miss the next 4-to-6 weeks for the Astros.

 

That isn't the only midseason trade from 2018 paying dividends. Jhoan Duran was dazzling in his sixth start at Double-A on Friday, carrying a no-no into the late innings before finishing with two hits allowed and 11 strikeouts in eight shutout frames. According to the data at Baseball Reference (and this seems too absurd to be true), Duran threw 58 of 68 pitches for strikes and induced THIRTY-ONE swings and misses. Even if those numbers are stretched, it was one of the most dominating performances you'll see from a pitcher all year.

 

Although not to the same extent as Graterol and Alcala, Duran is a sleeper candidate to help the needy big-league staff before this year is over.

 

LOOKING AHEAD

 

They didn't make hay at home following a 5-1 road trip, but now the Twins will travel again for a repeat of the past week's match-ups, with redemption on the mind. Last Wednesday, Chicago's Lucas Giolito threw the best start of his career against Minnesota, and on Friday Detroit's journeyman mediocrity Drew VerHagen unleashed an out-of-nowhere burst of dominance with 11 strikeouts. Can the Twins exact some revenge in hostile territory, where they've been so comfortable all year long?

 

Cleveland, reeling from the news of Ramirez's loss and a gut-punch loss on Sunday, opens its week with the Tigers (ugh) but then travels to Tampa for a series with the Rays. Opportunity knocks once again.

 

TUESDAY, 8/27: TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP Michael Pineda v. RHP Lucas Giolito

WEDNESDAY, 8/28: TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP Jake Odorizzi v. LHP Ross Detwiler

THURSDAY: 8/29: TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP Jose Berrios v. RHP Dylan Cease

FRIDAY, 8/30: TWINS @ TIGERS – RHP Kyle Gibson v. RHP Drew VerHagen

SATURDAY, 8/31: TWINS @ TIGERS – LHP Martin Perez v. RHP Edwin Jackson

SUNDAY, 9/1: TWINS @ TIGERS – RHP Michael Pineda v. LHP Matthew Boyd

 

Catch Up On Twins Daily Game Recaps

 

Game 125 | CWS 6, MIN 4: Twins Unable to Mount Comeback, Drop Series Opener 6-4

Game 126 | MIN 14, CWS 4: Cruz Leads Twins Offensive Explosion

Game 127 | CWS 4, MIN 0: Giolito Throws Complete Game as Sox Take Series

Game 128 | DET 9, MIN 6: Berríos, Bullpen Can’t Hold Baseball’s Worst Offense

Game 129 | MIN 8, DET 5: Sano 3-Run Bomba, Bullpen Boost Twins to Victory

Game 130 | MIN 7, DET 4: Pérez Impresses, Twins Beat Detroit for Series Win

 

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[Monticore]

Harper was a nice story, but he was always walking a tightrope.

[D.C Twins]

Buck is on his way back!

 

Buck is on his way back!

 

Buck is on his way back!

 

Release The Defense!

[brvama]

Harper was a nice story, but he was always walking a tightrope.

That is something that he completely acknowledges. Don't know where I read it, but Harper said he was not able to adjust as the hitters adjusted to his offerings. Mentally, an excellent approach. Now can he do it?

[D.C Twins]

Agree with many previous posters on TD that Berrios needs a rest....

 

I wonder if size doesn't impact durability throughout a season....The prototypical 6'4" 240 pitchers may have better sustainability?

 

He is our only hope for anywhere close to an ACE in the playoffs...

 

Our only other hypothetical playoff ACE opportunity would be a bullpen game with Graterol (3 innings), Alcala (3), Romo (1), Rodgers (2). I'm only 1/2 to 3/4 kidding

[mikelink45]

This week has left me speechless.  Our best starters fail, we lose to the worst teams, our fielding is like a pinball machine, and Sano is a great story now with Cave coming from the scrap heap.  Harper's story comes to at least a big downtrend and suddenly our advanced coaching staff has no stats to answer the big questions.  So I look forward to next weeks summary when we are once again on top of the Central and all the problems have disappeared. 

[Monticore]

Could Sano win Comeback Player Of The Year?

[Platoon]

".........advanced coaching staff has no stats to answer the big questions". I would imagine they have stats, pages and screens full of em! But not everything is magically fixable. We may hope that Berrios is an ace, but that doesn't make him so. He may simply be a good pitcher when he is top of game healthy with little room for error. Gibson? Same old Gibby, pitches like the Lion in the Wizard of Oz. No courage, nibble, nibble, nibble. Point is you can't make mediocre talent, dominant talent. It can have its nice streaks, but it generally returns to its basis. Parkersburg point was astute. Sitting on 95 mph is completely different than hitting 95. Reaching for 95 affects not only movement, it affects control and in the long run, longevity.

[theBOMisthebomb]

Could Sano win Comeback Player Of The Year?

Wasn't it just a year ago that both Sano and Buxton were on the outside looking in?

[Number3]

Thanks to the Texas sweep, Twins still are 7-3 over the last 10 while Indians are 4-6.

Berrios had a totally different approach in his last start relying in breaking balls almost exclusively and the slam that knocked him out was a teed up softball.

Yesterday's game was a classic case of why you actually play the games (imagine that). 7 runs on 5 hits and the big hits by Cron and Schoop; just the way you draw it up.

Please win these next 2 series against White Sox and Tigers and then the season will be decided by the run of games between Sep 3 and Sep 15. It would be very nice to increase that 3.5 game lead prior to Sep 3.

Edited August 26, 2019 by Number3

[MMMordabito]

Really disappointing week.  Needed a rally on Saturday just to scrape to .500 for the week against two teams that have already thrown in the towel.

 

Looking at those uniforms all weekend just made it worse.

[howieramone2]

Baseball is a game of inches. Page after page of moves our favorite team needed to make, then our winning the Central is cemented by an injury to Jose Ramirez.

[AceWrigley]

I thought those uniforms made them look like a mental hospital staff at a company picnic.

[jmlease1]

I get the challenge the coaching staff has right now on Berrios. I'm sure they'd like to skip a start for him, see if a little extra rest might put a little more life back in the arm, get him to relax and pitch to his talent...but it's hard when you're in a real race for the division title and the rest of your starting pitching is rather uninspiring.

 

That said, Perez has gotten himself back on track and has been solid again, Pineda has been pretty reliable...so maybe you do take a chance on Kohl Stewart or Lewis Thorpe or Devin Smeltzer grinding through a spot start while Berrios gets a break. I'd argue the risk is fairly marginal considering Berrios' recent struggles.

 

Getting Buxton back will be a boon in so many ways. He adds a completely different dimension with his speed and it's a significant defensive upgrade because you're not just improving from Kepler's good CF defense to Buxton's great, you also get Kepler's great RF defense back over Cave/Gonzalez/whomever's range of defensive options. (Cave looks...exciting out there. He makes great plays, he makes awful plays...Gonzalez is solid enough; the "great" plays are probably only good plays at best with a better fielder, but he doesn't make bad decisions)

 

Having Cruz back in the lineup is also a major factor. He's just not a guy that any pitcher can feel confident they've got him nailed. He's having a terrific year at the plate and is dangerous as hell in every AB. I would love to see the numbers for guys batting in front or behind him for the year versus batting in front or behind other players; I'd love to know if there's a "Cruz Effect" on our lineup.

[SwainZag]

Disappointing start to the week, but they closed strong.  Anytime people start saying "We need 5-1 or we HAVE to sweep here" is going to probably bring disappointment more times than not.  Winning 2/3 all year long would result in 106 or so wins.  If they didn't give away Game 1 against Chicago, they would have done just that. Last long road trip of the year starting tomorrow, Buck might be back....I'm excited.

[Aerodeliria]

Thanks for these recaps! I admit this was a bit easier to read after winning the last two games of the series.

 

PS-I wanted Minor as much as anyone, but the Rangers still thought they were going to make a run at the playoffs starting with wiping out Twins by sweeping them (that's the position they took), so of course, I'm certain they were asking for the sun and the moon. If you think you're making the playoffs, you're not giving up your ace unless they are willing to make a ridiculously lopsided trade... something like Graterol, Lewis and Arraez. No thanks.