Game Score: Angels 2, Twins 1 (Rooker Breaks Up No-No in Ninth)

[Lucas Seehafer PT]

Brent Rooker's ninth inning double saved the Minnesota Twins from being no-hit in what could be José Berríos' final start for the team.

José Berríos: 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

Home Runs: None

Bottom 3 WPA: Miguel Sano -.150, Ryan Jeffers -.126, Gilberto Celestino -.117

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

It was Patrick Sandoval’s world on Saturday night and the Twins were just living in it.

Sandoval, who entered the game with a 3.86 ERA and 4.36 FIP in 63 innings, was spectacular all evening, striking out 13 and taking a no-hitter into the bottom of the ninth inning before the recently promoted Brent Rooker lobbed a double just inside the line in right field. Josh Donaldson followed with a double of his own two batters later to pull the Twins within 2-1 before Miguel Sanó struck out to end the game. (The Twins were limited to a paltry 29.4% hard hit percentage and struck out 14 times as a team.)

Sandoval’s performance outshone that of Twins’ pitcher José Berríos, who possibly made his final start in a Twins uniform. Though his numbers won't pop off the page, Berríos was largely in control from the jump. The Twins' ace allowed two unearned runs in the top of the first inning before settling into a groove. At one point, Berríos retired 15 straight Angels before being pulled after throwing 101 pitches. He finished the night with four strikeouts in seven innings.

 

Berríos’ name will continue to appear in copious rumors until the trade deadline passes at 3 p.m. CT this coming Friday. Though the team is asking for a monster haul in return for their two-time All-Star, Berríos will likely be the only young starting pitcher on the market who still has one year of control remaining on his contract. Because of this, rival teams will likely turn up their aggressiveness and improve their offers as the deadline approaches, which may well leave the Twins staring at an offer they can’t refuse. 

If they do choose to move on, Berríos will be remembered as perhaps the Twins’ best starting pitcher since Johan Santana, who was dealt to the New York Mets in the early spring of 2008. He has lived up to all expectations and then some since being selected out of Puerto Rico with the No. 32 pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. Unfortunately, all we can do now is sit on our hands and wait to see what unfolds in the coming days.

 

Postgame Interviews

 

 

 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	TOT
Colomé	0	26	22	0	11	0	59
Alcala	23	24	0	0	0	10	57
Duffey	16	0	38	0	0	0	54
Thielbar	0	17	16	0	0	16	49
Coulombe	0	5	0	32	0	0	37
Rogers	19	0	0	0	18	0	37
Robles	19	7	0	0	0	0	26
Minaya	0	0	0	0	20	0	20

 

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[Monticore]

Glad Rooker broke it up. Hope Berrios stays.

[HokieRif]

Another wasted Berríos start.  He deserves a team that can hit.

[strumdatjag]

Part of me hopes Berrios stays, but the rest of me, my brain, says the Twins better not turn down any reasonable offer.   After tonight’s great performance, the price just got a little higher. 

[mikelink45]

Berrios goes and we get to hope the prospects come through in three years. Let's hope the current prospects come through quick because we are in for a long down time.  

[Danchat]

I think Berrios will be here next week... just a hunch. 

Random thought, do the Twins need to carry 8 relievers anymore? Lately their starters have gone deeper, and we could use another bench player for pinch hitting and pinch running.

[tony&rodney]

Berrios has been really good as a Twin, There was only one Santana and we all know how that trade worked. 

I'm understanding if the Twins feel that a push package of C.J. Abrams, Ryan Weathers or M. Gore, and Robert Hassell from San Diego make the Twins better able to compete in the future. 

The Twins do not need to accumulate a team of utility players and backend pitchers. I am ready to enjoy Berrios for the duration of his time with the team and take a pick if he leaves. Hopefully Jose signs here.

[bean5302]

I think everything depends on whether the Twins get a good offer and whether or not they reasonably feel they can extend him. If they're competent, they're in hard talks with both Buxton and Berrios right now.

[old nurse]

2 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Berrios has been really good as a Twin, There was only one Santana and we all know how that trade worked. 

I'm understanding if the Twins feel that a push package of C.J. Abrams, Ryan Weathers or M. Gore, and Robert Hassell from San Diego make the Twins better able to compete in the future. 

The Twins do not need to accumulate a team of utility players and backend pitchers. I am ready to enjoy Berrios for the duration of his time with the team and take a pick if he leaves. Hopefully Jose signs here.

If my faulty memory is correct, Bill Smith is no longer with the Twins. I think he has been gone for a decade.  Falvey and or Levine did not make the Santana trade, nor the trade for Delmon, nor for Matt Capps. 

Any mention of players from San Diego is pure speculation

[old nurse]

2 hours ago, Danchat said:

I think Berrios will be here next week... just a hunch. 

Random thought, do the Twins need to carry 8 relievers anymore? Lately their starters have gone deeper, and we could use another bench player for pinch hitting and pinch running.

Maybe it is thrifty of the Twins not to have to fly a player back and forth to the minor league team.

The author and editors made the game story about potential trades, I can make a joke of things, too

[rv78]

Time is ripe to trade Berrios. If he won't sign an extension there is no point hanging onto him for 2022. This team is not going to turn into a contender that fast unless they change their approach in the Free Agent market this winter and I doubt that will happen since they are perrenial dumpster divers in that aspect. Look for the best load of talent you can get in return for him and start to rebuild or retool. The current roster isn't going anywhere.

[Dave The Dastardly]

11 hours ago, HokieRif said:

Another wasted Berríos start.  He deserves a team that can hit.

And field.

[tony&rodney]

8 hours ago, old nurse said:

If my faulty memory is correct, Bill Smith is no longer with the Twins. I think he has been gone for a decade.  Falvey and or Levine did not make the Santana trade, nor the trade for Delmon, nor for Matt Capps. 

Any mention of players from San Diego is pure speculation

Ok. My point was simply to laud Jose Berrios and hope that he continues on as a Twin and if he is traded that the Twins collect a haul. The San Diego example was merely obvious speculation.

I'm am a supporter of the Twins and their management. The Santana trade was just an example and one would have to acknowledge that that was a difficult situation. Another time, different management but Falvine are relatively new and I'm hoping they do not feel pushed into a tough position. One notable is that the Santana trade was under different ownership (Carl then, sons now). Either way, let's hope Jose Berrios is a lifelong Twin.

[big dog]

Sano is continuing his audition for the role of full-time DH.

[Major League Ready]

17 minutes ago, big dog said:

Sano is continuing his audition for the role of full-time DH.

I have been critical of Sano for years.  However, he can't watch Simmons while moving to first base and finding the bag.  Simmons made a mistake going to second and Sano is not to blame for expecting the throw was coming from Simmons.

[roger]

Will this have been Berrios' last start as a Twin?

Add me to those that don't think so.  Berrios is probably the best pitcher available to any contender as he is as close to being an ACE as one can be without being one.  When reading his comment in today's Strib, seems to me that he is 100% open to extending with the Twins....for the right price.

Expect the Twins believe they can get him extended this winter if they are willing to meet his demand for 'market value.'  Expect they are holding firm on their demand for a boat load of talent in any trade.  That begins with telling teams they want their best prospect, plus a couple other pitchers along the lines of what they got for Cruz.  And that means that none of the inquiring team's expected superstars can be off the table.  If they don't get that, they sit down with Jose this winter and get it done

[USAFChief]

6 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

I have been critical of Sano for years.  However, he can't watch Simmons while moving to first base and finding the bag.  Simmons made a mistake going to second and Sano is not to blame for expecting the throw was coming from Simmons.

Your contention is that Sano didn't know the throw was coming from Polanco? And couldn't have been expected to??

 

Uh...do not concur.

[HrbieFan]

14 hours ago, HokieRif said:

Another wasted Berríos start.  He deserves a team that can hit.

No doubt! We have way too many guys that just swing for the fences 

[FritzDahmus]

The Twins are like a bad girlfriend always looking for an excuse to bolt [in this case the Twins looking for any excuse to go cheap]. 

Offer Buxton 100 million that include incentives [7 years??] and give Berrios Yankee top of the rotation money [because they will]. If the Twins don't...they need to go away and we can turn Target Field into a downtown jail for street thugs.

Had enough of MLB. Fix the damn salary cap and quit giving these small-market owners excuses to go cheap. Between the All Star game escaping "voter suppression" in Atlanta to the Yankees and Red Sox getting their way on everything....had it.

[Dave The Dastardly]

Why is Sano in the lineup?

[Dave The Dastardly]

5 minutes ago, Dave The Dastardly said:

Why is Sano in the lineup?

I know, I know! Because he hits a 460 ft homerun once every fifteen strikeouts?

[Dave The Dastardly]

Why is Alcala in the bull pen?

[Dave The Dastardly]

Just now, Dave The Dastardly said:

Why is Alcala in the bull pen?

I know, I know! Because Colome can only give up so many runs?

[mikelink45]

22 hours ago, Danchat said:

I think Berrios will be here next week... just a hunch. 

Random thought, do the Twins need to carry 8 relievers anymore? Lately their starters have gone deeper, and we could use another bench player for pinch hitting and pinch running.

After todays fiasco with Rocco pulling Ober early and bringing in Coloumbe to give up the big HR I have to say yes.  We either need dozens of relievers or a new manager.  I am for the latter.