Nash Walker

Jhoan Duran's 2022 season is incredible on the surface; a 1.86 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 57 appearances. What makes it even more magical is the context. Duran was a rookie and worked almost exclusively in high-leverage spots right out of the gate. He's a staple in the Twins' bullpen for many years to come. View full video

With a decisive two-game sweep of the Tulsa Drillers, the Wichita Wind Surge are heading to the Championship Series! Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge TRANSACTIONS NONE SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 4, Guardians 6 Box Score The Saints took one on the chin Thursday. Randy Dobnak started and gave up three earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. Dobnak allowed five hits while walking two and striking out one. Cole Sands was excellent in relief, pitching 2 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Evan Sisk also added two scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to a sterling 2.20. The Saints tallied 12 hits in an overall strong offensive effort. Michael Helman went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Cole Sturgeon put the Saints on the board with an RBI single in the first, one of his two hits on the night. Roy Morales went 3-for-3 with two walks out of the cleanup spot. Morales is hitting .295/406/.404 in 42 games for the Saints. Nash Knight also notched two hits and Andrew Bechtold drove in two with a double in the eighth. The Saints went 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position but couldn’t quite break through enough for a win. The Saints are 69-75 with five games remaining. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 11, Drillers 1 Box Score The Wind Surge clinched their Division Series with a decisive victory Thursday. Now advancing to the Championship Series, the Wind Surge once again relied on their overwhelming offense to complete the sweep. Jair Camargo was absolutely incredible, belting two homers and driving in five. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. also blasted a homer, a solo shot in the fifth. Leobaldo Cabrera made sure to get in on the action with a two-run homer in the eighth. Wind Surge starter Daniel Gossett worked around five walks in his four-inning outing. Gossett struck out four and allowed one run on three hits. Cody Laweryson, continuing his outstanding campaign, struck out three over three innings of scoreless relief. Steven Cruz and Alex Phillips each added scoreless innings themselves. It’s been a special second half for Wichita. The Surge outscored Tulsa 28-2 in the two-game sweep. Next up: the Frisco RoughRiders. Frisco swept San Antonio, setting up a great matchup in the Texas League Championship Series. Game 1 is set for Sunday at 5:05 p.m. CT in Frisco. TWINS MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Minor League Hitter of the Day: Jair Camargo (3-for-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI) Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Cody Laweryson (3 IP, 0 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 3 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY #2 Brooks Lee - 0-for-5 #4 Austin Martin - 1-for-4, 2B, BB #14 Edouard Julien - 1-for-4, 2B, BB #17 Cole Sands - 2 1/3 IP, H, 0 R/ER, BB, 3 K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Saints - RHP Dereck Rodríguez QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? LEAVE THEM BELOW! View full article

The Twins’ Minor League affiliates couldn’t get the bats rolling in a quieter offensive night. Even then, the Kernels picked up another win and a top prospect hit a homer for the Surge. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge TRANSACTIONS INF/OF Dalton Shuffield promoted from Cedar Rapids to St. Paul C Dillon Tatum promoted from Fort Myers to Wichita C Ricardo Olivar promoted from FCL Twins to Fort Myers Wind Surge placed C Kyle Schmidt on the Injured List SAINTS SENTINEL Mud Hens 5, Saints 2 Box Score The Saints had trouble getting their offense going in a 5-2 loss to the Mud Hens Thursday. Simeon Woods Richardson started and allowed two runs over five strong innings. Woods Richardson struck out seven and walked three. It's been a wonderful bounce back season for SWR, who now owns a 3.12 ERA across both levels of the upper minors. Opponents are hitting just .212/.286/.307 off SWR this season and he's six years younger than his average competition at Triple-A. The Saints tallied five hits on the night, including four doubles from Matt Wallner, Mark Contreras, Elliot Soto, and John Andreoli. The game was tied at two after an RBI groundout from Michael Helman in the fifth. The Mud Hens took the lead in the sixth and never looked back. The Saints are 65-66 on the season. WIND SURGE WISDOM Naturals 6, Wind Surge 3 Box Score The Wind Surge took a tough loss in the late innings Thursday night. Leobaldo Cabrera tied the game on an RBI single in the second. In the fifth, Austin Martin hit his second homer of the year to tie the game at three. Martin entered the game hitting .304/.467/.348 (.815 OPS) in 30 September plate appearances. It's been a down year for Martin but a strong finish could provide momentum for 2023. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, while Aaron Sabato also doubled. Francis Peguero was outstanding in relief, pitching 1 1/3 innings with one hit and no runs allowed. It was all Naturals from that point on. They scored one in the eighth and two in the ninth, securing the victory. Despite notching nine hits and drawing five walks, the Surge couldn’t score more than three. They left 25 men on base. The Surge are 71-57. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 2, Cubs 1 Box Score Travis Adams was terrific in his start for the Kernels in Thursday’s win. Adams allowed one run over five innings. The Kernels followed that up with four scoreless from the bullpen, including scoreless innings from Bobby Milacki, Sean Mooney, and Miguel Rodríguez. The trio struck out seven in a masterful pitching performance. Brooks Lee’s defense also helped. Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Jeferson Morales blasted a go-ahead two-run homer to left. It was Morales’ seventh homer of the season. The Kernels had only five total hits, but the swing from Morales was enough to seal the victory. Willie Joe Garry Jr. tallied two hits in the win. The Kernels are 73-56. MUSSEL MATTERS The Mussels’ doubleheader was rained out Thursday. TWINS MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Minor League Hitter of the Day - Austin Martin (2-for-4, HR, BB) Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Simeon Woods Richardson (5 IP, 3 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB, 7 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY #2 Brooks Lee - (1-for-3, BB) #4 Austin Martin - (2-for-4, HR, BB) #6 Simeon Woods Richardson - (5 IP, 3 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB, 7 K) #9 Matt Wallner - (1-for-4, 2B, R) #14 Edouard Julien - (0-for-3, 2 BB) FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Saints - Jordan Balazovic Surge - Brent Headrick Kernels - TBD Mussels - TBD (Doubleheader) QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? LEAVE THEM BELOW! View full article

The Wind Surge put on a power show while the Mussels lost in heartbreaking fashion. Meanwhile, Matt Wallner hit for the cycle. Let’s get you caught up on a busy night in the system! Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints TRANSACTIONS RHP Brad Peacock re-signed with Twins, assigned to St.Paul Saints Twins selected the contract of OF Billy Hamilton Fort Myers activated SS Daniel Ozoria RHP Bailey Ober began a rehab assignment for Fort Myers Wichita released LHP Ryan Horstman LHP Michael Boyle assigned to Wichita Wind Surge from Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 18, Storm Chasers 6 Box Score It seems as though Matt Wallner has figured it out. The Forest Lake native hit a majestic three-run homer (off a lefty) as part of a huge night. Wallner also doubled twice and tripled, continuing his torrid 10-game stretch and completing the cycle. Nash Knight and Jermaine Palacios each homered in the win. Wallner, Knight, Palacios, Chris Williams, and Cole Sturgeon all notched multi-hit games. It was an awesome night for the Saints’ offense. Randy Dobnak walked four in 1 1/3 innings of relief but he allowed only one run. Dobnak’s sinker was sitting at 93-94 and his command returned toward the end of the outing. Evan Sisk continued his dominant season with a strikeout in less than an inning of work. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 12, Cardinals 8 Box Score The Wind Surge scored early and often in a high-powered victory over the Springfield Cardinals. Aaron Sabato smashed a three-run homer in the top of the first, his fifth as a member of the Surge. Edouard Julien added his own three-run shot in the fifth, opening up an 8-1 lead. Yunior Severino got in on the power surge in the seventh with a solo blast. The Cardinals, led by top prospect Jordan Walker, came storming back but it wasn’t enough. Sabato had a three-hit night, Austin Martin had a three-hit night, and Julien added to his ridiculous line with an outstanding evening. Will Holland and DaShawn Keirsey each had two hits with the Surge tallying 17 total. The Wind Surge are 69-53, the best record in the Texas League. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 2, Dragons 6 Box Score It was a rare tough night for David Festa and the Kernels. They couldn’t get the offense going, scoring just two runs on a solo homer from Brooks Lee and an RBI groundout from Pat Winkel. Even with the four earned runs, Festa’s ERA sits at a sterling 2.59. Lee’s homer was his third as a Kernel. The first-round pick has adjusted wonderfully to pro-ball and continues to impress with his swing. Jake Rucker added two hits, bringing his season average up to .287. The Kernels are 69-54 after dropping their fifth straight game. MUSSEL MATTERS Mussels 7, Marauders 8 Box Score It was a crushing night for the Mussels. Leading 7-6 going in the bottom of the ninth, the Marauders hit a walk-off two-run homer to pull within a tie for first place in the FSL West. Ouch! Bailey Ober made his first rehab start for the Mussels, pitching three innings and throwing 42 pitches. Ober walked none and struck out three while giving up one run on a solo homer. It was a solid return to the mound for the Twins’ 2021 breakout rookie. The Mussels had a great offensive night despite the loss, scoring seven runs on nine hits and six walks. Noah Miller drew three more free passes and now boasts a .345 on-base percentage. Kala’i Rosario belted his 12th homer of the year while Noah Cardenas, Tanner Schobel, and Rubel Cespedes also notched multi-hit games. TWINS MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter - Matt Wallner (5-for-6, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI) Pitcher - Hunter McMahon (2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY #2 Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4, HR #4 Austin Martin (Wichita) - 3-for-6, 2 R, RBI #7 Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 1-for-2, 3 BB, 4 R #9 Matt Wallner (St.Paul) - 5-for-6, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI #13 David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K #14 Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R #16 Ronny Henriquez (St.Paul) - 4 IP, 7 H, 4 R/ER, 2 BB, 3 K #18 Tanner Schobel (Fort Myers) - 2-for-4, R, RBI #19 Alerick Soularie (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, BB #20 Kala’i Rosario (Fort Myers) - 2-for-4, HR FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Saints - Simeon Woods Richardson Surge - Aaron Rozek Kernels - Travis Adams Mussels - TBD QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? LEAVE THEM BELOW! View full article

Rain interrupted a couple games down on the farm but it didn’t stop the heart of the DSL Twins’ lineup from raking. Let’s get you caught up! TRANSACTIONS - RHP Jake Jewell claimed off waivers, assigned to Triple-A St.Paul - FCL Twins activated OF Reynaldo Madrigal from the 7-day injured list - C Nate Baez assigned to Low-A Fort Myers - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels transferred 2B Jorel Ortega from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels released C LaRon Smith. - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels activated RHP A.J. Labas from the 60-day injured list. SAINTS SENTINEL The game between the St.Paul Saints and the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 3, Drillers 7 Box Score The Wind Surge were quiet offensively until the late innings, as Drillers’ starter Nick Nastrini took a no-hitter into the seventh. Aaron Sabato hit a solo homer to right center to break it up. Sabato’s home run is his second is as many days, as he walked off the game last night with a grand slam. It was a slow start for Sabato at Double-A but it’s possible he’s starting to hit his stride. Brent Headrick started for the Surge and struck out 10 over five innings. Headrick gave up a three-run homer in the fifth but otherwise was fantastic. Cole Sturgeon drove in two runs in the ninth on a single but it wasn't enough. The Surge are 62-48 and lead the Double-A Central by 1.5 games over the Drillers. This is a big weekend. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 1, Timber Rattlers 0 Box Score Four Kernels pitchers combined to shutout the Timber Rattlers in a 1-0 victory Thursday. Tyler Palm started and pitched three scoreless innings, giving way to six more outstanding innings from Jon Olsen, Matthew Swain, and Bradley Hanner. The Kernels allowed only three hits and three walks. Mikey Perez broke a scoreless tie with a solo homer in the fifth, his first of the season. Stunningly, it was the Kernels only hit of the night. They went 1-for-25 and won the game! On the whole, both offenses went 4-for-54. What a game. It was over in two hours and two minutes. The Kernels improved to 66-45. It's been a great year in Cedar Rapids. MUSSEL MATTERS Mussels 2, Cardinals 1 (Game suspended in in third) Box Score The Mighty Mussels will resume this game Friday and lead 2-1. Ben Ross hit a solo homer in the first, his second of the season. Alec Sayre drove in Kala’i Rosario on a sacrifice fly in the second. Rosario doubled for the 19th time this season. Mike Paredes gave up one run on a solo homer and struck out three. Paredes has a 2.92 ERA on the season. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 4, FCL Orioles 3 Box Score The FCL Twins rode a strong fifth inning to their 24th victory of the season. Trailing 2-0 in the fifth, the Twins scored four runs on an RBI single from Ishmael Pérez and three bases-loaded walks. The Twins held on thanks to two scoreless innings from Miguelangel Boadas. Making his fourth start on the year, José Olivares gave up two runs on a homer and an RBI single in three innings of work. Olivares struck out five and walked only two. He has a 4.01 ERA. The Twins are working back toward .500 and improved to 24-27 with this win over a scuffling FCL Orioles squad (12-38). DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 7, DSL Rockies 6 Box Score The middle of the Twins’ order continued their excellence in a tight, one-run victory Thursday. It was another banner day for José Rodríguez, who went 3-for-5 with two homers and 5 RBI. Rodríguez's second homer was a three-run shot that gave the Twins the lead. Rodríguez owns a .989 OPS with 13 homers in 52 games. Bryan Acuña went 3-for-5 with a double, bringing his season line up to .313/.415/.403. Isaac Peña also notched a multi-hit game, including a double. Peña is hitting .364/.455/.458. The Twins are crushing the ball. On the mound, the Twins did just enough to win while striking out seven. The Twins are 32-24 and continue to wow with their lineup. TWINS MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Minor League Hitter of the Day - José Rodríguez: 3-for-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Tyler Palm: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, BB, 3 K PROSPECT SUMMARY #4 Austin Martin - 1-for-4, R #14 Edouard Julien - 0-for-3, BB #20 Kala’i Rosario - 1-for-1, 2B, R FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Saints - TBD (7:07 p.m.) Surge - RHP Daniel Gossett (7:05 p.m.) Kernels - TBD (6:35 p.m.) Mussels - RHP Pierson Ohl (5:30 p.m.) FCL Twins - TBD (10:00 a.m.) DSL Twins - TBD (11:00 a.m.) Questions or comments? Leave them below! View full article

A drubbing by the Dodgers in L.A. felt like enough to wipe away the positive vibes for the Twins after a competitive split with the Blue Jays at Target Field. It wasn’t just the two-game set at Dodger Stadium that brought us here, though. This low point has been building for weeks. On May 24th, the Twins defeated the Tigers 2-0 in a seven-inning masterpiece from Sonny Gray. The Twins won their sixth straight game and nine of their last 11. They opened up a 5.5 game lead in the division and had 10 straight games against the Royals and Tigers to boot. Things started to unravel the next day. Trevor Megill gave up a game-winning two-run homer to Jeimer Candelario in the 10th and the Twins lost 4-2. Unfortunately, that was more of a foreshadow than an anomaly. Since that day, the Twins have given up 93 homers, tied for the third-most in baseball. The Twins are 30-37 since Gray’s 10-strikeout, shutout gem. They have a team ERA of 4.59 in that span, the fifth-highest in baseball. Their team Win Probability Added of negative-5.44 is the second-lowest in the majors. The pitching staff has been a borderline disaster, evidenced by Joe Ryan’s 5.33 ERA in his last 10 starts. Recognizing these major holes, the Twins’ braintrust went out and got three good pitchers in Jorge López, Tyler Mahle, and Michael Fulmer. A shaky staff now looks more stable, at least on paper. Of course, the guys need to perform on the field. López has already blown a save, Mahle gave up three homers in his Twins’ debut, and Fulmer gave up a critical homer to Chris Taylor in Wednesday’s loss. Beyond them, Griffin Jax has been anything but his solid self from the first half. Jax now has a 4.03 ERA in 42 appearances, thanks to three blowups in his last 10 outings. Add in the inconsistent playing time of Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa’s struggles, and myriad injuries, and it’s not difficult to see why the Twins have scuffled. The good news? The season doesn’t end today. If it did, the Twins wouldn’t make the playoffs. Max Kepler isn't hitting, Correa hasn't hit since May, and Alex Kirilloff's wrist injury evaporated some much-needed left-handed upside in the lineup. Even then, the Twins are tied with Houston for the 8th-highest team wOBA (.326) since May 25th. They're tied with the Cardinals for the seventh-highest Weighted Runs Created Plus (113) in that span. While sometimes inconsistent, the offense has mostly done its part. The worst of the six division winners in 2022 will certainly come out of the American League Central. It's unlikely the Twins, White Sox, or Guardians would make a run in October. Even then, it's absolutely worth the excitement of ending the treacherous 18-game Postseason losing streak. Playoff games at Target Field is the goal. So What’s Next? If this is truly the low point for the 2022 Twins, that’s good news. They have 52 games remaining, including 17 against the Guardians and White Sox (33%). 16 of the Twins’ next 19 games are against teams currently below .500, with 13 of those at Target Field. The Twins have 28 games, or roughly 54% of their schedule, against teams currently below .500. Of the Twins’ final 26 games, 14 are against the White Sox or Guardians. There’s plenty of opportunites to make up ground. For as rough as the Twins have looked, no one remembers what the standings were on August 11th. Of the 16 games in September/October that aren’t against their two divisional threats, 12 are against the Royals, Tigers, and Angels. The other four are at Yankee Stadium. The Twins have the 10th-easiest remaining schedule entering play Thursday. They need to perform. The Twins have the most head-to-head games remaining among the three contenders in the Central, which ultimately gives them an advantage. They control their own destiny here. Will they seize the moment? Comment your thoughts below! View full article

The Wichita Wind Surge blasted two key homers in a win while much of the system lost Thursday. Let's get you caught up. TRANSACTIONS - 1B Aaron Sabato promoted to Double-A Wichita - SS Will Holland promoted to Double-A Wichita - C Chris Williams promoted to Triple-A St. Paul - 3B Andrew Bechtold promoted to Triple-A St. Paul And in the "Rest of the 2022 Draft Picks Got Assigned" portion of the Transactions: - RHP Kyle Jones assigned to FCL Twins. - RHP Zebby Matthews assigned to FCL Twins. - SS Ben Ross assigned to FCL Twins. - C Andrew Cossetti assigned to FCL Twins. - RHP Cory Lewis assigned to FCL Twins. - RHP Andrew Morris assigned to FCL Twins. - SS Dalton Shuffield assigned to FCL Twins. - RHP C.J. Culpepper assigned to FCL Twins. - LHP Zachary Veen assigned to FCL Twins. - LHP Connor Prielipp assigned to FCL Twins. - RHP Ben Ethridge assigned to FCL Twins. - SS Jankel Ortiz assigned to FCL Twins. - OF Alec Sayre assigned to FCL Twins. - C Nate Baez assigned to FCL Twins. SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 6, Columbus 8 Box Score The Saints’ bullpen leaked in a loss to the Clippers Thursday. Jordan Balazovic started and pitched four innings. Balazovic allowed four hits and two runs, with two walks and one strikeout. Balazovic gave up his 16th homer of the season. Matt Wallner walked twice and hit his second Triple-A homer in the seventh, a two-run shot. Michael Helman went 2-for-5 with an RBI double and Caleb Hamilton added a two-run double out of the cleanup spot. Guardians’ top-5 prospect Gabriel Arias hit two home runs for the Clippers. Former Guardians centerfielder Oscar Mercado hit a two-run homer in the win. The Saints are 52-54. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 8, Hooks 5 Box Score The Wind Surge jumped out to an early lead thanks to a homer from Anthony Prato and an RBI single from Leobaldo Cabrera in the second. Will Holland gave the Surge a 3-1 lead with a single in the third while tallying three hits on the night. Alex Isola also had three hits, including a double. Edouard Julien entered tonight hitting .306/.432/.536 (.968) since June 1st. He blasted another homer Thursday. Julien has 14 homers on the season and has crushed since the summer months kicked off. Simeon Woods Richardson struck out five over four innings. He gave up two runs on three hits and a walk. Woods Richardson has a 3.02 ERA on the season. The Wind Surge are now 10 games above .500 at 57-47. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 1, River Bandits 6 Box Score The curse of the Quad City River Bandits continued for the Kernels Thursday night. Losing their third game in a row to the Bandits, the Kernels had trouble getting their offense going outside of a solo homer from Kyler Fedko. Fedko put the Kernels on the board in the ninth, his seventh of the season. Matt Mullenbach pitched two scoreless innings in relief, lowering his Kernels ERA to 0.84. It was a tough go for starter Travis Adams, who gave up five runs in five innings. Adams struck out seven. The Kernels have had an awesome year and will look to get back in the win column Friday. The Kernels are 61-44. MUSSEL MATTERS Mighty Mussels 1, Hammerheads 10 Box Score The Mussels took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an error. Unfortunately, that would be it for their scoring. The Hammerheads scored 10 unanswered runs on 15 hits. Mussels pitchers walked seven and struck out eight. Misael Urbina had a two-hit night and continues to thrive. Urbina is hitting .305/.352/.547 since joining the Mussels. Keoni Cavaco doubled and stole a base after a walk. The Mussels had eight hits despite the lopsided final score. The Mussels have an opportunity to bounce back immediately Friday and still sit 11 games over .500. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 2, FCL Rays 7 Box Score The powerhouse FCL Rays improved to 33-12 with a 7-2 drubbing of the FCL Twins Thursday. The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the third on a Náte Baez RBI double. That lead held for one commercial break, as the Rays quickly tied things up and took the lead in the top of the fourth. José Olivares started for the Twins and pitched three innings. Olivares allowed two earned runs on three hits and three walks. Olivares struck out two and now has 35 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings this year. Danny De Andrade posted a multi-hit game and drove in a run on an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. De Andrade has a .335 on-base percentage with eight doubles, a triple and two homers on the season. The FCL Twins are 21-25. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 4, DSL Cleveland Blue 2 Box Score The Yasser Mercedes show continued with another two-hit game for the 17-year-old outfielder. Mercedes is hitting .351/.416/.573 in 35 games. Bryan Acuña went 3-for-4 with an RBI double, a key hit in a three-run rally for the Twins in the seventh. Anderson Nova added two hits in the win and is batting .347 with a .934 OPS. Anthony Narváez was terrific on the mound for the Twins, spinning four scoreless innings with six strikeouts and one walk. Narváez has a 2.18 ERA in 20 ⅔ innings. Juan Mercedes and Jeferson López added scoreless innings in relief. The DSL Twins have a very talented offense and a pitching staff to boot. They are 28-21 after the win over Cleveland. Twins fans would love to see the entire organization continue to beat Cleveland’s various teams. MINOR LEAGUE HITTER OF THE DAY - Bryan Acuna: 3-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB MINOR LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE DAY - Anthony Narvaez: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, BB, 6 K PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-4 #6 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) -4 IP, 3 H, 2 R/ER, BB, 5 K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB #11 - Jordan Balazovic (St.Paul) - 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, BB #18 - Tanner Schobel (Fort Myers) - 1-for-5 #20 - Kala'i Rosario (Fort Myers) - 1-for-3, BB Comment your thoughts/questions below! View full article

It was a mixed bag for the Twins’ system Thursday. There was some good, some bad, and some in-between. Let’s get you caught up. SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 3, Storm Chasers 9 Box Score The Saints had trouble offensively in Thursday’s loss to the Storm Chasers. They struck out 15 times and recorded seven hits, two of which came from the new Saint Nash Knight. Elliott Soto homered in the fifth, his fifth of the season. Caleb Hamilton also went deep in the eighth, his 11th long-ball of the year. Jordan Balazovic started and gave up five runs on six hits in three innings. Balazovic walked two and struck out four. His ERA is 10.75 in 37 ⅔ innings for the Saints. Ronny Henriquez struggled in relief, allowing four runs in four innings. Henriquez walked one and struck out six. The Saints had won four straight and six of their last seven. They fell to 49-51 with the loss on their trek to .500. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 4, Missions 3 Box Score The Wind Surge, after giving up their lead in the ninth, won the game in the 10th on an RBI single from Anthony Prato and a scoreless outing from Steven Cruz. Cruz entered the game with a runner at third and one out in the bottom of the 10th. He got a key strikeout and forced a flyout to end the game. Louie Varland started for the Surge and pitched six scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Varland has a 3.34 ERA on the season, his follow-up from an outstanding Minor League Pitcher of the Year season in 2021. Andrew Bechtold had a two-hit, two-walk night, including his 14th homer of the season. Prato, the hero in the top of the 10th, notched two hits on the night and drew a walk. He’s hitting .308 with an .808 OPS in 49 games for the Surge. Edouard Julien hit his 13th homer, continuing a scorching hot streak. Wichita is 52-46. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 4, Sky Carp 5 Box Score The Kernels scored their first two runs on wild pitches in the first and second innings, jumping to an early lead. Seth Gray made it a 3-1 game with a double in the fifth, his 12th double and 51st RBI of the season. Gray went 2-for-4 on the day. Orlando Rodríguez started for the Kernels and pitched well. Rodríguez struck out six of the 13 batters he faced, allowing three hits and one run in 3 2/3 innings. The Kernels blew the lead in the sixth, giving up a game-tying two-run homer and a two-run single. The Kernels battled with two outs in the bottom of the ninth with three straight singles to pull within one run. They had the tying run on third and the winning run on second but couldn’t cash in. The Kernels are 59-40. They’ve lost three straight to Beloit and five of their last six. MUSSEL MATTERS Mighty Mussels 7, Marauders 4 Box Score The Mighty Mussels built a 7-0 lead behind a tremendous start from Jordan Carr. Carr pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits with four strikeouts and zero walks. Misael Urbina and Rubel Cespedes each hit solo homers to give the Mussels a 2-0 lead. Urbina entered the game hitting .290/.333/.548 with 11 extra-base hits over his last 69 plate appearances. Daniel Ozoria added an RBI double in the fourth, his fourth on the season. Cespedes and Urbina had multi-hit nights, as did Noah Cardenas. Nelson Roberto added a double and came around to score. The Mussels gave up four runs in the eighth and ninth innings, but Jackson Hicks ultimately shut the door to secure the win. The Mussels are 55-40. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 8, FCL Pirates 5 Box Score Brooks Lee made his much-anticipated debut Thursday, leading off and playing shortstop for the FCL Twins. Lee went 1-for-4 with his first professional hit, a single to left. Lee, the Twins’ first-round pick mere weeks ago, should be fun to watch down the stretch. Brayan Medina started for the Twins and pitched four solid innings, allowing just one run with five strikeouts and one walk. It was a massive day for Rafael Cruz, who went 2-for-4 with a triple, a homer, and five RBI. Dennis Ortega notched two hits as he rehabs on route back to Wichita. The FCL Twins are inching back toward .500, improving to 20-21 with the win. They’ll face the FCL Red Sox Friday morning in Fort Myers at the historic JetBlue Park. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 6, DSL Dodgers 2 Box Score The DSL Twins took down the DSL Dodgers Thursday, thanks to stellar performances from Yasser Mercedes, José Rodríguez, and the pitching staff. Mercedes went 3-for-4 with a double, and Rodríguez went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, his 10th of the season. Both Mercedes and Rodríguez have crushed DSL pitching this summer. Anthony Narváez struck out seven over his three-inning start, allowing only one run and walking none. Orlando Rubio and Bianger Liedo combined to allow zero earned runs over four innings, locking down the victory. It was a strong day. The DSL Twins improved to 27-18 with the win and will return to play the DSL Tigers Friday at 10 a.m. CT. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Minor League Hitter of the Day - José Rodríguez (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Louie Varland (6 IP, 7 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 3 K) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY #7 Jordan Balazovic - 3 IP, 6 H, 5 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K #11 Louie Varland - 6 IP, 7 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 3 K #12 Matt Wallner - 1-for-4, 2B #14 Ronny Henríquez - 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R/ER, BB, 6 K View full article

The Twins’ bullpen has leaked runs and caused headaches all year long, motivating the front office to improve it at the deadline. They filled the holes with a bang, and now the arm barn looks like a real strength. Despite all the issues and the 19 crippling blown saves, the Twins had one advantage in their bullpen: a young, terrific weapon in Jhoan Durán, who’s carried the late-innings all year. Griffin Jax, another first-year reliever, has been more than serviceable with a 3.49 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 43 innings. It’s Durán, though, who made fixing the bullpen woes at the deadline easier than it appeared. Durán is tied with Guardians’ generational closer Emmanuel Clase for the most Win Probability Added among relievers in the American League (2.80). He owns a sterling 2.15 ERA in 46 innings, striking out 58 and walking only 10. Durán’s emergence is a primary reason why the Twins are in first place. It’s hard to imagine where they’d be without him. Durán’s excellence allowed the Twins to flip the bullpen picture completely. They already had one outstanding right-handed reliever and then traded for another. Jorge Lopez, who now has a 1.64 ERA in nearly 50 innings, completes one of the more overwhelming duos in baseball. López and Durán have combined for a 1.87 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 96 ⅓ innings. While Durán wows with one of the hardest four-seam fastballs in baseball, López induces chopper after chopper with a turbo sinker at 98-100 mph. It’s a deadly combo for opposing hitters. The late innings will primarily belong to the two flamethrowers, but Michael Fulmer is an under-the-radar pickup for the Twins. Fulmer shuts down right-handed hitters, holding them to a .136 batting average and zero homers in 102 plate appearances. Fulmer has given up one extra-base hit to a righty all season, a double from his new teammate Gio Urshela on July 24th. No righty has barreled Fulmer this season. In a division and league loaded with right-handed talent, he should continue to thrive in those matchups. Fulmer and Jax both have elite sliders, holding opponents to a combined .170 batting average. Depth is as important as the stars, and Trevor Megill has filled in wonderfully. Megill has a sub-2 ERA in 19 outings, regularly reaching 100 with his fastball while showing good command. Megill, Durán, and López all average over 97 mph with their primary fastballs. When’s the last time the Twins had three high-velocity arms in their bullpen? Caleb Thielbar hasn’t shined in the ERA department, but his 3.09 Fielding Independent Pitching shows he’s been unlucky. Thielbar has a 1.38 ERA over his last 13 innings and a 2.90 ERA over his last 34 outings. He’s a reliable lefty and has held left-handed hitters to a .180/.281/.260 line. Even Emilio Pagán, who the Twins demoted to a lower-leverage role, has a 3.18 ERA and 2.23 FIP with 21 strikeouts over his last 12 outings. This bullpen picture gets even brighter if he can fill a vital sixth-inning role. Pagán could redeem some of his value with a solid final two months. It’s impossible to ignore the bullpen’s issues up to this point. Pagán and Tyler Duffey have allowed 40 earned runs in 79 ⅓ innings. Joe Smith, while excellent early, was so poor that the Twins DFA’ed him despite being the largest bullpen acquisition of the offseason. Even with the much-improved outlook, there’s still hope and depth outside the 26-man roster. If Jorge Alcalá can return, he’d provide Rocco Baldelli with another high-octane option for the late innings. Alcalá posted a 0.82 ERA with 27 strikeouts over his final 22 innings of 2021. Jovani Moran, who the Twins optioned Wednesday, has a 1.93 ERA in 20 outings with the Twins this year. Kenta Maeda, a relief ace for the Dodgers in the past, is working to return for the stretch run in the Twins’ bullpen. They still have to play the games and stay healthy, but this group looks excellent. The Twins have seldom had this many reliable relievers in one bullpen, and they’ve never had a duo with the weaponry of Durán and López. If the Twins win the division and make a run into October, the bullpen will be a crucial reason why. What do you think of the Twins’ revamped bullpen? Comment below! View full article

The Twins took a risk by trading three rising prospects for Tyler Mahle, who owns a 4.40 ERA in 104 1/3 innings for the Reds this year. Mahle, 27, is under team control through 2023 and has some intriguing qualities about his arsenal. Let's break down this deal. View full video

The Yankees, Astros, Red Sox, and White Sox all made moves a day before the deadline. The pressure is turning up on the Twins as time runs out. Let’s get you caught up. Take a look at the trades made on Monday. How many are of interest to Twins fans? Several former Twins players were traded to new teams. Several players the Twins may have had some interest in (or at least some fans did) were also dealt. PRELLER STRIKES AGAIN Padres receive: LHP Josh Hader Brewers receive: LHP Taylor Rogers, RHP Dinelson Lamet, LHP Robert Gasser, OF Esteury Ruiz (Read more on this trade at Brewer Fanatic) WOW! Pre-deadline day began with a blockbuster involving one of the best relievers in baseball. The Padres sent former Twin Taylor Rogers, fire-breathing right-hander Dinelson Lamet and two prospects for Josh Hader, who’s tied with Edwin Díaz for the second-most reliever fWAR since his rookie season in 2017. Rogers will join the Brewers bullpen, carrying a 4.35 ERA to Milwaukee. Rogers was terrific out of the gate for the Padres but has struggled to an 8.14 ERA over his last 22 appearances. He had just lost his closer role. Padres’ POBO AJ Preller is known to get crazy in trades and free agency; this deal is his latest example. Hader hasn’t been himself lately but is undoubtedly a dominant force when he’s right. He’s under team control through 2023. Could the Twins have made an offer here? MONTAS TO THE BRONX Yankees receive: RHP Frankie Montas Athletics receive: LHP Ken Waldichuk, LHP J.P. Sears, RHP Luis Medina, 2B Cooper Bowman With Luis Severino hurt and the Yankees searching for their first World Series title since 2009, the Bronx Bombers made a big move for one of the best starters on the market. Montas, 29, owns a 3.18 ERA in 104 2/3 innings for the Athletics this season. According to MLB Pipeline, the Yankees shipped out their best pitching prospect in Waldichuk. In addition, the Athletics received the Yankees’ fourth-best pitching prospect in Medina and their Nos. 20 and 21 prospects in Sears and Bowman. The Twins liked Montas dating back to March but ultimately fell short in their offer. Montas was one of three controllable starters said to be available. Luis Castillo was another, and the Reds dealt him to the Mariners next week. Tyler Mahle is still available as of Monday night. In February, Keith Law ranked the Yankees’ system as the 22nd best in baseball. He ranked the Twins at No. 18, but that was before injuries and ineffectiveness plagued the top of their pitching pipeline. Either way, it feels like the Twins missed out here. ASTROS BEEF UP Astros receive: 1B/OF Trey Mancini, RHP Jayden Murray Orioles receive: RHP Seth Johnson, RHP Chayce McDermott Rays receive: CF José Siri While the Yankees filled a starting pitcher need, the Astros improved their lineup with two additions. First, they acquired Trey Mancini in a three-team deal involving the Tampa Bay Rays. Mancini, 30, is hitting .268/.347/.404 with 16 doubles, a triple, and ten homers in 92 games for the Orioles. AND THEY WEREN’T DONE THERE… Astros receive: C Christian Vázquez Red Sox receive: IF Emmanuel Valdez, OF Wilyer Abreu Identifying a lack of offense at the catcher position, the Astros acquired one of the better hitting backstops in baseball. Vázquez, 31, is hitting .282/.327/.432 and is a free agent following this season. According to MLB Pipeline, Valdez and Abreu were the 28th and 29th best prospects in the Astros system. While Ryan Jeffers recovers from a fractured thumb and Gary Sánchez scuffles at the plate, Vázquez felt like a strong and viable target and didn’t exactly break the prospect bank. WHITE SOX ADD LEFTY WITH GREAT STUFF White Sox receive: LHP Jake Diekman Red Sox receive: C Reese McGuire The White Sox are missing their best left-handed reliever in Aaron Bummer (lat strain), and he isn’t expected back particularly soon. They made a move for Jake Diekman to fill the hole, sending Major League catcher Reese McGuire back to Boston in the deal. Diekman, 35, has a 4.23 ERA in 38 ⅓ innings. He’s walked 30 and struck out 51, relying on a mid-90s fastball and a hard, high-spin slider. Diekman has shut down lefties (.566 OPS) but struggled against righties (.842 OPS). He fills a significant hole for the White Sox in their quest to catch the Twins in the Central. Diekman signed a two-year, $8 million contract in the winter and is under team control in 2023. If the White Sox can help him reign in his control, he’ll be a solid middle-innings option for them. The Red Sox got the White Sox’s third-string catcher in return. CARDINALS BOLSTER ROTATION Cardinals receive: LHP José Quintana, RHP Chris Stratton Pirates receive: RHP Johan Oviedo, 1B/3B Malcom Nuñez With rumors swirling about Juan Soto’s future, the Cardinals made a lower-wattage move by trading for former frontline starter José Quintana. Now pitching well for the Pirates, Quintana is enjoying a resurgence at 33. Quintana owns a solid 3.50 ERA in 103 innings for Pittsburgh while holding opponents to a .679 OPS, his lowest mark since 2017 (.659). Quintana is having one of the best years of his career, with his lowest strikeout rate (21%) since 2019. Quintana should provide some rotational stability for the Cardinals while their ace Jack Flaherty recovers from a shoulder problem. Quintana is a free agent after the season. In return, the Cardinals received 6-foot-5 righty Johan Oviedo and Malcom Nuñez, who was the Cardinals' ninth best prospect in 2021. The Twins could’ve used Quintana as a quality innings-eater. ODO TO THE SOUTH Braves receive: RHP Jake Odorizzi Astros receive: LHP Will Smith In a rare deal between two playoff teams, the Braves and Astros matched up on a one-for-one pitching trade Monday night. Jake Odorizzi spun seven scoreless innings against the Mariners Saturday, striking out eight and lowering his ERA to a solid 3.75 on the season. Odorizzi remains a serviceable mid-rotation starter and will pitch in the National League for the first time in his career. Way back in 2019, many Twins fans were hoping the team would make a run at Will Smith, an excellent reliever who shined in 2.5 years with the Giants. Smith instead signed a three-year deal with Atlanta and now switches leagues for the first time to join the Astros. Smith, 33, isn't as good as he once was, but he was excellent last year in the playoffs. Smith didn't allow a run in 11 postseason innings. Houston is hoping he deepens an already great bullpen. It's hard to say if the Twins would've had a chance to land the reliable lefty. They don't have any expendable starters and couldn't afford to give away any pitching from the big league roster. MORE DEADLINE MAGIC? Braves receive: OF Robbie Grossman Tigers receive: LHP Kris Anglin One year ago, the Braves traded for Eddie Rosario, Joc Pederson, and Jorge Soler. All three worked out wonderfully and the Braves won the World Series. They're hoping Robbie Grossman offers a similar punch this time around. Grossman, 32, is having a brutal season. He hit 23 homers and posted a 114 OPS+ in 2021 but hasn't translated that success in 2022. It's an interesting, pretty low-risk move for the Braves. Grossman, despite all of his struggles, is hitting .364/.479/.520 against lefties. He'll likely assume a platoon role in Atlanta with Rosario. The Braves recently lost Adam Duvall to a season-ending wrist injury, so Grossman assumes that spot through the rest of the season, after which he'll enter free agency. I was quietly wondering if the Twins would get involved for their old friend here. Their outfield is extremely banged up and Grossman simply isn't this bad. We'll see if the Twins target any corner bats as the deadline nears. So What's Next? The pressure is turned up on the Twins. They must improve this roster if they hope to hold on in the division and have a chance in October. Montas, Castillo, and Quintana are no longer options. Mahle is likely to move, as is Noah Syndergaard. The jury is out on Carlos Rodón and Nathan Eovaldi. Then there's the bullpen. Mychal Givens and David Robertson are still out there. Standout reliever Daniel Bard signed an extension with the Rockies, while the Yankees snagged Scott Effross from the Cubs. The market should take more shape Tuesday. The implications of this deadline are straightforward. The Twins are in first place with clear holes and a one-year, $35.3 million superstar at shortstop. The division is weak and the time is now. Will they do enough to supplement the team? Will they do anything? Once thing is for sure, this front office has surprised us before. Can they do it again? View full article

Tim Beckham walked it off for the Saints and the Kernels just kept winning in Thursday's Minor League action! TRANSACTIONS Cedar Rapids Kernels place RHP John Stankiewicz on 7-day IL RHP Travis Adams promoted to Cedar Rapids Kernels SAINTS SENTINEL Saints 5, Cubs 4 Box Score Tim Beckham continues to crush Triple-A pitching, walking off the Iowa Cubs Thursday night. Beckham, now hitting .416 with a 1.070 OPS for the Saints, singled home Spencer Steer on a grounder up the middle to ice the game. The Saints trailed all night despite a José Godoy homer and a one-run rally in the sixth. Brandon Bishop's RBI groundout pulled the Saints within one, and Jermaine Palacios tied the game on a solo homer in the eighth. Steer, Jake Cave, Beckham, and Palacios all recorded multi-hit games. Palacios went 3-for-4 with the game-tying swing, Cave went 2-for-4 with a double, Steer went 2-for-5, and Beckham added two hits, including the game winner. It was an impressive night from the top of the lineup. Ronny Henriquez was excellent in relief, pitching four scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Henriquez owns a 3.11 ERA with 29 strikeouts over his last 26 innings. The Saints are 45-49. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wind Surge 10, Naturals 2 Box Score The Wind Surge put on a power clinic in their 10-2 win over the Naturals Thursday. Trailing 2-0 early, Andrew Bechtold put the Surge on the board with a solo shot in the second. One inning later, Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a majestic three-run homer to center, giving the Surge a 4-2 lead. Kyle Schmidt singled home a run in the sixth before Chris Williams drove in another on a walk. Edouard Julien hit his 10th homer of the season, a three-run blast in the seventh. Julien entered Thursday hitting .310/.440/.563 with five doubles, a triple, and five homers over his last 16 games. The Surge weren't done yet. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. singled in a run in the eighth, completing the eight-run rout. Sawyer Gipson-Long was absolutely terrific on the mound, going seven innings and allowing only two runs. Gipson-Long struck out six and walked none. It was his longest (and arguably best) outing of the year. The Wind Surge improved to 49-43 with the victory. KERNELS NUGGETS Kernels 6, Timber Rattlers 2 Box Score The Kernels improved to 23 games over .500 with another win Thursday. They drew eight walks, including three from the leadoff man Kyler Fedko. Wander Javier drove in two on a single in the first, and Will Holland followed it up with a ground-rule double, scoring Pat Winkel. The Kernels were up 4-0 before Aaron Rozek took the mound. Rozek, a Minnesota native, and Minnesota State-Mankato alum, gave up two runs on three walks and six hits. Rozek struck out six and passed the game off to Bradley Hanner, who picked up the win with 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Bobby Milacki added two scoreless innings, dropping his ERA to 2.08 on the season. Yunior Severino, already hitting .321/.457/.661 in July, kept it rolling with a solo homer in the eighth. Severino has six homers this month and a .937 OPS on the season. The Kernels are a sterling 58-35. MUSSEL MATTERS Mussels 3, Tarpons 5 Box Score The Mighty Mussels suffered a tough loss Thursday to the Tampa Tarpons. Marco Raya started and threw five strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. The Mussels had trouble scoring all night, trailing 2-0 until a two-run eighth tied the game. Misael Urbina got the Mussels on the board with a sacrifice fly, and Noah Miller followed it up with one of his own. With the score tied 2-2 in the top of the ninth, the Tarpons got a big swing from Kyle Battle, who blasted a three-run homer to take a 5-2 lead. The Mussels battled in the bottom of the inning, but could only muster one more run on an RBI single from Daniel Ozoria. The Mussels posted seven hits, including a double from Kala'i Rosario, his 15th of the season. Urbina and Luis Báez each stole a bag in the loss. The Mussels are back in action Friday with Steve Hajjar toeing in the rubber. The Mussels have lost four in a row to the Tarpons but still boast a 51-38 record. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 0, FCL Braves 6 Box Score The FCL Twins were shutout by the FCL Braves Thursday, mustering only three hits. Develson Aria started for the Twins and gave them three solid innings. He gave up one run on a solo homer and struck out one. The Twins' offense went 3-for-30 with 10 strikeouts. The Twins' lone extra-base hit was a double from Ricardo Olivar, his 10th of the season. The Braves scored three unearned runs on two Twins errors. It wasn't a pretty day, but there's always tomorrow. The Twins will host the FCL Red Sox Friday. DOMINICAN DAILIES DID NOT PLAY Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top-20 performed: #6 Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 2-for-5, R #8 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 0-for-2, BB, RBI #9 Marco Raya (Ft. Myers) - 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 2 K #12 Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 0-for-4, 3 K #14 Ronny Henriquez (St.Paul) - 4 IP, 5 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 4 K #15 Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB #16 Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Wichita) - 1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB #20 Sawyer Gipson-Long (Wichita) - 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 K FRIDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS - A Loaded Slate! Iowa @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - Jordan Balazovic NW Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - Louie Varland Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40PM CST) - Cade Povich Tampa @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - Steve Hajjar Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates and the two Complex Season affiliates back and playing. View full article