Sherry Cerny

The Twins came into Saturday's game looking to get their first win of the series as they battled the White Sox in Game 3 of a four-game series. Box Score SP: Dylan Bundy (5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (88 pitches, 65 strikes (74%)) Home Runs: Luis Arraez (4), Carlos Correa (10), Jorge Polanco (13) Top 3 WPA: Carlos Correa (.148), Jorge Polanco (.113), Dylan Bundy (.082) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) It was a good day at Target Field on Saturday. Before the game, Twins legend Jim Kaat saw his #36 retired by the Twins in front of family, friends, and former teammates. Many spoke about his leadership, work ethic and status in Twins Territory. The Twins retired number 36 today just a few weeks before Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva get inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. There to help him reveal his number were the two other players who also wore number 36, former pitchers Joe Nathan and Terry Steinbach. Jim Kaat’s grandkids reveal his officially retired number on the wall as he held his wife’s hand as the black drape fell revealing a number that will now live in Twins infamy. The most memorable moment was watching his former catcher, George Mitterwald catch Kaat’s ceremonial first pitch. Congrats to Jim Kaat! And now, onto the game… Dylan Bundy came out in the first inning and meant business. Through the first three innings, Bundy kept the White Sox off the board. In the fourth inning, a few singles added up to one run scoring. Bundy kept a low pitch count and was able to stay in the game into six innings. He surrendered two more runs in the sixth inning before Trevor Megill came on to end the threat with some help from Max Kepler who made a terrific sliding catch to end the inning. The Twins offense came out swinging (pun intended). The lineup has really struggled to manufacture runs the last two games, simply owned by the White Sox pitching. However, Luis Arraez said ‘not today’ as he stepped into the batter's box and got the Twins on the board with a solo home run in the first inning and the lead for the first time in the series. Gary Sanchez led off the third inning with a single deep down the third baseline. He wasn’t there long before Carlos Correa crushed a two-run home run to widen the Twins lead to three. The fun kept coming as Byron Buxton and Max Kepler singled and scored on a three-run home run from Jorge Polanco who hit a ball deep to right field, his 20th homer off of White Sox pitching (in his career) and his sixth home run of the month of July. The Twins tried to add some insurance in the sixth inning as the bases loaded up with a single from Alex Kirilloff, a double from Gio Urshela and a walk from Gary Sanchez to load the bases. However, all were stranded as Luis Arraez grounded out to the shortstop. The White Sox continued to threaten at least a tie game throughout the eighth, but the Twins defense backed up the bullpen pitcher Jhoan Duran who faced the heart of the Sox lineup in a scoreless eighth. Tyler Duffey got loose in the bullpen as Duran came back out in the ninth. However, Duran fought through the ninth in the heat and humidity as his pitch count rose. With two outs on the board, he battled against Tim Anderson through ten pitches. With a runner on third base, Anderson continued to foul off everything that was thrown at him until he hit a chopper to Urshela who threw to first to end the inning and Game 3 of the series. It felt great to get one in the win column. Do you see the Twins splitting the series with the White Sox? What’s Next? Sunday is the last game of the Twins and White Sox Series and the last game before the All-Star Break. Pitching matchup for Sunday: Sunday 1:10 pm CST: RHP Chris Archer (2-3, 3.08 ERA) vs RHP Dylan Cease (7-4, 2.45 ERA) Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Oh I did. He really drives me nuts.

I'm here and ready to be hurt again.

Friday night's game started just like Thursday night's game, struggling pitchers, hot bats from the White Sox, and a two-run lead before the end of the first inning. The White Sox maintained the lead in both the game and the series. Box Score SP: Devin Smeltzer 3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (67 pitches, 40 strikes (59.7%)) Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Jose Miranda (-.143), Max Kepler (-.133), Carlos Correa (-.105) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Devin Smeltzer struggled with command in the first inning mirroring Sonny Gray's start last night, giving up two runs. The southpaw needed 26 pitches in the first inning but settled in, throwing 15 pitches in a scoreless second frame. The third inning wasn’t as quick as the second and Smeltzer struggled to get through the inning. He threw another 26 pitches to the five hitters. Overall, he threw 67 pitches in just three innings. Rocco Baldelli understandably pulled him after the third inning. Emilio Pagan came in for the fourth inning. Pagan, who has struggled to get out of innings, needed just 11 pitches to complete the inning. One of his pitches was in the center of the strike zone, and Tim Anderson hit the ball deep into centerfield. An eager Nick Gordon scaled the wall and just missed the catch. The home run gave the White Sox the 3-2 lead. As the Twins pitching staff took turns in the game, Tyler Duffey replaced Pagan after one inning, and he got four outs. He was replaced by Caleb Thielbar to face switch hitter Leury Garcia. Theilbar finished out the sixth inning with no runs and only three pitches. After starting the sixth inning, Theilbar left the mound after facing left-handed batter Reese Maguire and retired for the evening after no runs scored and only seven pitches thrown. The White Sox opened up the lead in the seventh inning with a three-run home run by Adam Engel, scoring Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada off of Griffin Jax, giving the White Sox a 6-2 lead. The White Sox have had the lead throughout the series and the Twins just couldn’t get the bats going after the first inning. The Twins looked like they were going to start out hot. In the bottom of the first, they wasted no time answering the White Sox with bases loaded against pitcher Michael Kopech. For the fifth straight game against the White Sox, the Twins loaded the bases in the first frame. When Alex Kirilloff came up to bat, he hit a sharp drive to right field for a double that scored Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton to tie up the game at two. The Twins bats cooled off and even though the White Sox pitching wasn’t immaculate and Kopech struggled, the Twins bats struggled more as they once again failed to manufacture runs. Joe Kelly came in to pitch in the bottom of the sixth. The last time the lineup faced Joe Kelly (7/5), the Twins took advantage of his lack of command. Kelly allowed two hits, four runs (three earned), and two walks while striking out one batter in 2/3 innings in the loss to the Twins. This time, Kelly returned to the mound not allowing a single run and had a 1-2-3 inning claiming redemption over his implosion earlier in the month. The Twins had no base runners between a Luis Arraez single in the fourth inning until the bottom of the eighth when Buxton got on base with a single. Jorge Polanco then ripped a ball into right field for another single. With one out and runners on first and second, it looked hopeful. Alex Kirilloff stepped into the box and ripped a grounder to second for a double play. The Twins are getting close to battling for their spot at the top of the division, what do you think of the series so far? Do you think Duffey or Theilbar should have been left in? What’s Next? The Twins have two day games left in the series with the White Sox and a chance to split the series. Tune in tomorrow! Pitching matchup for the rest of the series: Saturday 1:10 pm CST: Dylan Bundy (5-4, 4.68 ERA) vs RHP Lance Lynn (1-2, 6.97 ERA) Sunday 1:10 pm CST: TBD (X, X ERA) vs RHP Dylan Cease (7-4, 2.45 ERA) Note - The assumption is that Chris Archer will return on Sunday to make that start. Postgame Interview Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

The White Sox and Twins are fighting for their place in the division. The Twins left too many men on base early in the game, and then the White Sox bats came alive and added on as they crushed the Twins in Game 1 of the final series before the All-Star break. Box Score SP: Sonny Gray 3 2/3 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (79 pitches, 48 strikes (60.7%) Home Runs: Kyle Garlick (6) Bottom 3 WPA: Sonny Gray (-.369), Luis Arraez (-.197), Alex Kirilloff (-.125) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Sonny Gray started out the game giving up a hit to Tim Anderson on the first pitch. He ultimately scored off a rip to right field from Jose Abreu. Gray battled his command and went to a full count with Gavin Sheets. After several pitches were fouled off, Sheets hit a ball into right field putting runners at the corners for a potentially big first inning. The White Sox had some luck too when the Andrew Vaughn bounced a single off of second base scoring another run and giving the Sox a two-run lead in the first. Sonny Gray has been lacking some command and control over his past few starts. We saw a small glimmer of hope in the second inning, the grunting, the focus, the swagger, and the command appeared to be there, but the pitch count continued to creep up until the fourth inning when it all collapsed under Gray when Luis Robert hit a grand slam. A couple of batters earlier, Gray was hit in the back by a line drive. How much that impacted his performance, we can only guess. Trevor Megill came in for Gray in the fourth inning and managed to keep any more runs from scoring. He returned for the fifth inning and had a beautiful 1-2-3 inning. Three up, three down with only ten pitches thrown and six strikes thrown. Joe Smith made his return to the game after being reactivated from the 15-day Injured List on Wednesday. The Twins now have a nine-man bullpen, after Josh Winder was optioned down to St. Paul to make room for Smith. Smith, who was out with upper-trap tightness, gave up two runs in his 16 pitches, pushing the White Sox lead to 8-1. However, out of the 16 pitches that were thrown, 13 of them were strikes. Smith was only in for one inning and was relieved by Jharel Cotton who has been a bright spot in the Twins bullpen. Cotton worked two innings and threw 34 pitches and only gave up one run. Three of the four pitchers for the Twins gave up at least one run. Cotton, like Smith even though he gave up a run, in his 34 pitches threw 22 strikes. Nick Gordon came in to pitch for the Twins at the top of the ninth. Gordon, who loves having a chance to pitch got through the inning. In his mound appearance, Gordon wasn't throwing strikes, but he was still able to get the hitters to swing, and three hits ended up in the sweet spot giving up a three-run homerun to Seby Zavala, pushing the lead to 12-1. Johnny Cueto went deep into the game only allowing the Twins one run, but early in the game Cueto gave the Twins a chance to answer the White Sox. Many times, they loaded the bases. Jose Miranda drove in Gio Urshela with the Twins lone run of the game. The rookie continues to get hits and get the Twins on the board in clutch situations. There were so many opportunities for the Twins to manufacture runs, they just could not get them home. Each inning was like the one before, the line-up would get hits, get on base and never produce. By the end of the game, the players were tired and frustrated, but gave their all. They never quit swinging. The saddest stranding of the game came in the third inning after Buxton ripped a ball deep to centerfield, dug deep and got a triple only to be stranded by the end of the inning. The All-Star who came under Twitter scrutiny the past few games for his ‘lack of hitting’ silenced the haters and keyed up the crowd after landing on third base cuing the “Buck Truck” horn. Buxton stayed on third base through three hitters and never got a chance to come home. One of the most fun moments of the game was being able to witness the “Buck Truck”, something that Buxton does in honor of his father who was a truck driver and his teammates have joined him in the dugout. To watch it happen as he got a standing triple was something really neat. The Twins, who are usually good for late-game rallies, and in true Twins fashion, that's what happened. Kyle Garlick who came in to pinch hit for Correa took a ball deep to homer. While there were two outs and no one was expecting a miracle, it was fun to watch and gave the fans watching something to cheer about. The game ended with a frustrated Celestino, who was in the game as a replacement for Buxton made a comment to the pitcher and both benches started to clear. The umpires and coaches managed to keep it quick and civil, but tensions certainly are at their boiling point with these two teams. The White Sox have only beat the Twins twice this season, and there are still three games to go this weekend. Do you think the Twins can take this series or are they teetering on giving up their place in the division? What’s Next? The Twins have three games left with the White Sox and I will be covering Friday and Saturday's games! Come hang out with me on Twitter and Twins Daily Forums! The pitching match ups are sure to make the rest of the weekend intense! Pitching matchup for the rest of the series: Friday 7:10 pm CST: Devin Smeltzer (4-2, 3.92 ERA) vs RHP Michael Kopech (2-6, 3.35 ERA) Saturday 1:10 pm CST: Dylan Bundy (5-4, 4.68 ERA) vs RHP Lance Lynn (1-2, 6.97 ERA) Sunday 2:10 pm CST: TBD (X, X ERA) vs RHP Dylan Cease (7-4, 2.45 ERA) Postgame Interview Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

The Twins continue to stay in front. The bats are on fire and the players are giving their all every game. The top hitters of the month are fluid, but in June three hitters stood out. The Twins won 13 of 28 games, barely under .500. The team maintained first place, even with some ugly losses at the end of June to the Guardians in a five-game series. The bullpen consistently imploded late in games where the offense has controlled most of the game. Even with all the injuries, roster moves, and roster changes, the Twins lineups have 134 runs, and 40 home runs. If it were not for quantifiable numbers and context, Hitter of the Month would not have been easy. While there are three front runners, the rest of the club contributed to the wins and offensive exhibition. Every game felt like a party. The hitters kept the games alive even if it ended in a loss. Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order) Nick Gordon - 20 G, .268/.339/.448 (.785), 7 R, 5 RBI, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 2 SB Alex Kirilloff - 12 G, .296/.313/.477 (.790), 5 R, 12 RBI, 5 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 0 SB Jose Miranda - 23 G, .306/.342/.514 (.856), 6 R, 13 RBI, 6 2B, 3 HR, 4 BB, 0 SB Jorge Polanco - 13 G, .306/.393/.531 (9.24), 8 R, 10 RBI, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 BB, 0 SB Gio Urshela - 27 G, .247/.284/.423 (.707), 10 R, 12 RBI, 9 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 0 SB Hitter of the Month Number 3: Luis Arraez 26 G, .347/.407/.505 (.912), 18 R, 15 RBI, 4 2B, 3 HR, 9 BB, 0 SB It was hard to place Luis Arraez at third, but it truly feels like three first-place hitters this past month. Arraez, however, has been the talk of not only the town but also has been finding national attention. In June, around Twitter, people started likening him to Rod Carew and ‘prime’ Ichiro Suzuki. Arraez is one of the most consistent hitters not only for the Twins but also in the league. By June’s end, he was number one in the league for batting average and carried an above .800 OPS all of June. The numbers speak for themselves, but more than the numbers is how Arraez continues to find himself getting on base. He says that it's hard work and that he works hard with his hitting coach and gives his all to his team. Even on his worst day, Arraez still left the game with the highest batting average on the team. On June 29 against the Cleveland Guardians, Arraez went 0-for-5 dropping his batting average .07 points and still carried a .337 batting average. Had it not been for that game, Arraez could have held the number one spot in June. Arraez found himself not only edging out teammates but other All-Stars as well. Even other players who are legends, like Rod Carew and Ichiro Suzuki, love Luis Arraez and are in Arraez’s “fan club,” and according to Dick Bremer, Ichiro is the president. All-Star voting started on June 8 and concluded on June 30. All-Star voting is a chance for fans to vote for their favorite baseball players for the All-Star game in July during the break. Arraez fell in voting for Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero, Jr and Seattle’s Ty France. Frustrating considering his capability and batting average. Even if he isn’t going to be on the All-Star team - he should - he is having an All-Star season and hopefully will get some awards at the end of the season. Hitter of the Month Number 2: Carlos Correa 21 G, .345/.405/.608 (1.012) 17 R, 12 RBI,3 2B, 6 HR, 9 BB, 0 SB Defensively, he is one the best shortstops in the American League and manufactures extraordinary plays to save games. It was almost enough to make up for his staggering low numbers In April and May. Correa started out the month of May with an injury from being hit-by-pitch during a game against the Orioles on May 5th. Fans and the front office were fearing a broken finger but found that the bone was bruised. Correa appeared ready to come back to the team, but the team held off and kept him out for two weeks. Due to all of his time out in May, Correa’s batting average was .229 and wasn't anything to get excited about. Correa is a champion, he knows how to win games, and he knows how to be productive, so to see him have a slow month was frustrating. Just as he started to get back into a rhythm from his injury, he ended up on the COVID- IL at the end of May. Correa was reinstated from the COVID-IL on June 8. Correa has never tried to be in the spotlight with this team. He has remained a team player, a hype man and in June he became the All-Star the Twins knew he was. Correa played 21 games in June and got a hit in every game except three. With six home runs and 12 RBI his bat contributed to some of the biggest Twins wins in the month of June. He has more than shown his worth and even with the rumors swirling of him leaving, he continues to show why he is dedicated to his craft and this team. His offense is now matching his defense, and they are creating a powerhouse. Correa's bat has been a large contributor to the Twins offensive success in June. Correa is a triple threat: at the plate, in the field, and the dugout. Hitter of the Month Number 1: Byron Buxton 23 G, .275/.356/.715 (1.068), 18 R, 15 RBI,4 2B, 9 HR, 8 BB, 0 SB Byron Buxton is the definition of “Won’t quit.” This season has not been easy for the centerfielder, from knee soreness to hip pain, but he persevered. April and May might not have been the best months of Buxton’s career, but by the end of June, he left with 52 home runs in his past 162 games. Buxton was hurt earlier in the season, almost immediately with a knee injury that sent him down on the IL and later a hip pain. Buxton played minimal games in April, and when he returned, he was restricted to DH on some games and days off for others. Rocco and the front office came under a lot of scrutiny. From May 18 - May 25, Buxton had a .000 batting average, four walks, one sac-fly, and no hits. The slump was noticeable. The frustration for the centerfielder and fans alike was palpable. May ended on a sour note, with a .169 batting average, and his contribution to wins was -0.016 WPA. The plan of the front office and Rocco paid off. Buxton came back ready to work and ready to win, a chip on his shoulder and his bat on fire. On June 17, against Madison Bumgarner, Buxton hit the third-longest home run of his season (446 feet) and had his highest exit velocity (113mph). As the month closed out, on June 29 against the Cleveland Guardians, he hit his career-high 20th home run as a solo hit in the ninth inning. The hit was part of a 6-0 victory over the Guardians. Almost an entire month after one of his own worst records in his career, Buxton was smashing balls and records, including a stand-up triple on June 26, showing off his speed, agility, and competitive nature. The ball didn’t even reach the wall. He never ceases to amaze. If the Twins bats stay hot after the All-Star break and the front office makes bold moves for bullpen pitching, this team is playoff-bound, no question. What do you think of the top three hitters? Would you have traded any of them out for the honorable mentions? What stats do you look for when looking at hitters? View full article

yes. They barely played a handful of games in New York a lifetime ago. I know it's more than likely hard to move on in such a rooted sport, but I am hoping these two can get over their differences. I agree it was more of Sanchez than Johnson, but again, I couldn't definitively say, so I stayed safe with my assumptions.

I know. it was just hard to make that difinitive statement. I, like you, can assume and probably do believe it was because of Johnson's departure.

The Orioles came into the game with an eleven-game losing streak at Target Field and left for the day with a twelve-game losing streak. But it is not as easy as it seems. The Twins waited until late in the game again before rallying for another walkoff win, their second in two days! Box Score SP: Sonny Gray 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K (87 pitches, 53 strikes (61%)) Home Runs: Nick Gordon (4), Jorge Polanco (9) Top 3 WPA: Jorge Polanco (.354), Luis Arraez (.321), Jose Miranda (.179) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Sonny Gray made his first start since pitching coach Wes Johnson left the organization, and fans speculated as to how he would do without Johnson, whom he stated he was very close with. It did not take long to realize that Gray was not as sharp this game as he has been since returning from the Injured List. Ryan Mountcastle has been a bit of trouble for the Twins this series and wasted no time hitting the first pitch from Gray, a slider, deep into leftfield for a double in the second inning. Tyler Nevin hit a two-seamer off of Gray deep into right field to score Mountcastle with the first run of the game. The Orioles only managed one run in the second, but Gray seemed to struggle to close out the inning, leaving with 34 pitches. Both pitchers struggled with the strike zone with low strikeouts and high pitch counts. Gray struggled with his breaking ball as most of his pitches were just off the corner, newly-appointed pitching coach Pete Maki came to the mound after a home run in the third and a sac-fly in the fourth, to give Gray a pep talk. Gray managed to get out of the inning without giving up another run, but the Orioles posted their third straight one-run inning which put them up 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth. Gray took the mound in the fifth inning to this writer’s surprise. Also, as a surprise, Gray remembered who he is and what he is capable of as he blew through the fifth inning with eleven pitches, the lowest number of pitches he threw in an inning all day. His control and focus allowed the defense to be able to make plays, keeping the inning quick and scoreless. Orioles starter Jordan Lyles found himself in jams the first four innings but managed to keep the Twins from scoring. Lyles found his stride and kept the Twins scoreless through the top of the seventh. The Twins were making contact with the ball, but as sharp as the hitting was, the Orioles defense was just as sharp. It wasn’t until the seventh inning when Nick Gordon hit a bomb into the centerfield that the Twins got on the board prompting a pitching change for Baltimore. Dillon Tate closed out the inning, but not without Alex Kirilloff and Gary Sanchez making hard contact with the ball. The Twins kept up the momentum in the eighth inning when Gio Urshela ripped a hit to right field for a single to start out the inning. In true Twins fashion, late in the game, Luis Arraez comes up to the plate and rips a ball into right field for his second double of the game with no outs, prompting another pitching change for Baltimore. Gilberto Celestino came on as a pinch-runner for Urshela and scored on a sacrifice fly from Carlos Correa. The inning ended with Max Kepler striking out, but another run on the board made it a one-run game. Before we move to the ninth inning, it is important to note that Jharel Cotton replaced Gray in the sixth inning and tossed three scoreless innings. In fact, he gave up just one hit and kept the Twins in the ballgame. Emilio Pagan, who has come under a lot of scrutiny over his past few games, came out for the ninth inning. He had command and pitched a perfect 1-2-3 inning. He needed just nine pitches (7 strikes) to close out the inning. It was something Twins fans haven't seen in what feels like a while. It was beautiful to watch. One thing Twins fans are used to? Late-game rallies, and that is exactly what they did in the bottom of the ninth. Leading off the inning against talented closer Jorge Lopez, Jorge Polanco smashed a home run into centerfield to tie the game at three. Alex Kirilloff came up to bat with one out and doubled. It was followed quickly by a shattered-bat-single for Gary Sanchez into right field which advanced Kirilloff to third base. With runners on the corners and a tie game, there was only one out as Jose Miranda came up to bat. (Miranda entered the game at third base after Celestino pinch ran in the top of the inning) The cheering of the crowd was louder than the Baltimore announcers as Miranda walked off the Twins with a sharp single to the left field!! The Twins won with a walkoff off of a terrific closer for the second game in a row. It was Miranda's first walkoff of his career! What’s Next? The Twins finish out their series with the Orioles tomorrow at 1:10pm before flying off to play the Texas Rangers where they will see old teammate Mitch Garver for the first time since the huge trade. Pitching matchup tomorrow: Sunday 1:10 pm CST: Dustin Smeltzer (4-1, 2.86 ERA) vs RHP Tyler Wells (6-4, 3.23ERA) Postgame Interview Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Minaya 0 30 0 27 0 57 Moran 34 0 20 0 0 54 Pagán 22 14 0 0 10 46 Cotton 0 8 0 0 38 46 Duffey 12 0 28 0 0 40 Jax 21 16 0 0 0 37 Duran 0 33 0 0 0 33 Thielbar 10 11 0 12 0 33 View full article

Another bullpen implosion in extra innings gives Twins their worst loss of the season. Box Score SP: Dylan Bundy: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (83 pitches, 58 strikes (70%)) Home Runs: Alex Kirilloff (1), Gio Urshela (7). Max Kepler (7) Top 3 WPA: Alex Kirilloff (.20), Carlos Correa (.14), Gio Urshela (.13), Bottom 3 WPA: Jharel Cotton (-.72), Emilio Pagan (-.19), Ryan Jeffers (-.19) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Bundy, who had a rough first inning against the Guardians calmed down, looking sharper and more controlled, gave another four innings to the team. The Guardians drove up his pitch count and tried to wear him down, but Bundy battled through the innings not imploding and keeping the runs at three. The defense stayed strong behind him through the five innings not allowing any more runs on the board. The defense was different with both Jorge Polanco at shortstop and Luis Arraez at second base filling in for Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa who were both out of the starting lineup. After Bundy loaded up the bases with singles and no outs in the first frame, Franmil Reyes got out on a fielder’s choice to Polanco, who tossed the ball to Arraez getting out Jose Ramirez. Arraez attempted to throw the ball to first for a double play but an errant throw allowed Amed Rosario to score. A sloppy first inning for the Twins defensively allowed the Guardians a two-run lead early. The Twins seemed to struggle offensively as much as they were defensively early in the game. They were getting hits and getting on base but couldn’t capitalize with runs when it mattered. The Guardians got an early lead in the game thanks to the help of Steven Kwan who stole his fifth base with Amed Rosario at the plate. Rosario poked a ball to right field over Max Kepler's head which allowed Kwan to advance to third. Kwan scored on a sacrifice fly from Josh Naylor to give Cleveland a 3-0 lead. As slow as the offense started for the Twins, the defense had some notable plays that saved the bottom of innings and more runs from scoring. Gilberto Celestino chased down a fly ball to the warning track in center field off the bat of Andres Gimenez. Jose Miranda dove to catch a line drive hit by Jose Ramirez and tagged out Reyes who took a large lead off first and got tagged trying to scramble back. The out closed out the inning leaving players stranded for the Guardians. In true Twins fashion, the fun started late in the game when Alex Kirilloff hit a heater off of Quantrill, his first home run of the season. It was a two-run shot in the top of the sixth. Gio Urshela followed with a solo home run to tie the game! Quantrill was now under threat of his first loss. Quantrill had not lost a game against the Twins at Progressive Field. Jhoan Duran held the Guardians in the eighth and ninth innings and just like that the Twins were in another extra-inning game. Byron Buxton, who came on to pinch-hit in the eighth inning, He gave the fans a scare when he took off toward third base on a foul ball off the bat of Luis Arraez. Richie Palacios made a great catch against the netting. Buxton got up and appeared fine and Twins Territory sighed a breath of relief (I'm sure). Carlos Correa, who came into to pinch hit for Jose Miranda in the 10th inning, took advantage of having the first part of the evening off and through the reluctant loud “Boos” of the stadium, worked up a full count before poking a ball into right, scoring Buxton giving the Twins their first lead of the night and landing on first. The Twins piled on in the tenth with a home run from Max Kepler bringing the lead 6-3 before ending the inning. The Twins went into the bottom of the tenth inning with a three-run lead, but again, the bullpen imploded, Emilio Pagan came on to start the inning, and he got the first batter that he faced out. But, he issued a walk and a run-scoring single to Amed Rosario. Jharel Cotton was summoned, and he got Jose Ramirez on a pop out to center. Unfortunately after a passed ball, the Guardians got within one run of a tie. Unfortunately, after working Josh Naylor with fastballs up in the zone, Cotton served up a fastball down in the zone, and Naylor hit a bomb to left field for a two-run, walk-off homer. Another very frustrating end to looked like a solid win and just like that the Twins are in the losing bracket of extra-innings going 1-and-4 for the season. What’s Next? The Twins finish out the five-game series with a chance to take the series win with the Guardians tomorrow afternoon. Pitching matchups for the series include: Thursday 1:05pm est: Chris Archer (2-3, 3.14 ERA) vs RHP Shane Bieber (3-4, 3.07ERA) Postgame Interview Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

The Minnesota Twins’ bullpen has been struggling all season. The Twins need pitching now to make it to win the division and reach the postseason. With that said, maybe the best way for the Twins to capitalize is to bring Kyle Gibson home. Kyle Gibson , a first-round pick in the 2009 draft (22nd overall). He spent the first nine years of his baseball career with the club. After a challenging 2019 season on and off the field, he signed a three-year deal with the Texas Rangers. Even with the health struggles, in 2018 and 2019, Gibson was among the top 20 pitchers in MLB He became an All Star last year and should again be available at the trade deadline. Veteran Stability Gibson would provide stability for the Twins that they do not have right now. Sonny Gray is one of the Twins’ best pitchers; he went seven innings against Detroit and then struggled for five innings against the Guardians on Wednesday night. Dylan Bundy is the only pitcher this season to pitch through eight innings. The Twins’ bullpen is exhausted. Bringing a veteran pitcher into the rotation would increase the rest time for the key bullpen arms. While the Twins do need bullpen pitchers, they also need pitching that is not on restrictions or struggles once they get past the fourth inning. With Josh Winder being optioned back to St. Paul, Chris Paddack, Bailey Ober, and a handful of relievers not playing right now, the rotation the Twins have is not effective and it shows. Gibson has already seen long games this season and the biggest let down hasn't been his pitching, it's been the Phillies offense, or lack there of. If the argument against bringing Gibson home is his pitching stats, I suggest reviewing how the Twins are doing before turning a nose up at the concept. Gibson can go deep into games, which no Twins pitchers have rarely been able to do. Even some Twins fans agree, it's time to bring Gibson home. Gibson, after ten-plus years in the big leagues, his goal this season was not to reinvent himself or his pitching but to work on trying new things to catch hitters off guard. Gibson already had six pitches in his arsenal, but the pitch he has been working on lately is the cutter. The cutter is all about deception, and it’s a nasty pitch. If he can continue to perfect it, he will be one of the most dangerous pitchers in the league. Gibson’s goal is to perfect the cutter on both the throwing and glove sides. As a righty, the glove side is more manageable. Gibson spent a lot of the lockout working on his cutter and now uses it about 20% of the time. His determination to consistently improve shows on the mound and in the clubhouse. Leadership in the House Gibson is a leader who the Twins need for the remainder of the season. Since his contract ends after 2022 there is no commitment. Gibson is a good person, a leader, and a rally-man when the chips are down. The Rangers manager referred to Target Field as “The House that Kyle Gibson Built,” which tells you a lot. Gibson went to the Rangers and didn’t waste any time bringing his infectious attitude into the clubhouse, becoming a role model for the younger players. A true leader wants everyone on their team to succeed, and that’s what Kyle Gibson wants, no matter where he is. He doesn’t hold the business of baseball against other players or coaches. He sits with the younger guys and hears their concerns, answering their questions and creating dialogue. Most recently, the Phillies have had a rough season and, for the first time since 2020, dipped below .500, and Gibson noticed. Knowing what the team needs, he rallied the guys by reminding them to have fun. In an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer he told reporter Alex Coffey, “You are beating yourself if you are getting bogged down by the losses and not enjoying the wins.” He has told some of the younger hitters, “pretend they are playing backyard Wiffle ball,” meaning have fun and don’t forget why they love playing the game. The Twins hitters are having fun, but the pitchers look like they are going to a funeral every time they step onto the mound. There is a sense of dread and mistrust, not only from the fanbase, but fans also see the struggles and dread on the faces of the players. Low Cost, High Return The cost of bringing Gibson on board is minimal. He has a $7 million payout left on his contract for 2022, making a trade for him one of the best things the Twins could do with minimal financial impact or player loss on the team. The Phillies certainly will want a decent return on one of their best pitchers because the Phillies rely on their starting pitching and offense. Giving away the farm for Gibson would not be wise, but luckily the Phillies like guys they can grow. They are looking for a center-fielder and some bullpen help, and while the Twins are also looking for that additional bullpen help, they do have some outfielders they could part with and some lower-level pitchers that are up and coming. If the Twins mean business and want to sweeten the pot, they could send minor-league pitchers Yennier Cano or Marco Raya as part of a package. The great thing about bringing home Gibson is that for the Twins, it could be an excellent value, much like bringing Gio Urshela and Gary Sánchez, who have both been a part of the Twins’ offense, has been. You can’t put a price on the return of leadership, a solid arm, and rotation relief, but if you could. Should the Twins consider a reunion with Kyle Gibson? View full article

lol i was so tired!!!! also, it is inconceivable. ha ha

Dylan Bundy and the Twins seemed to gather themselves for the Saturday game, getting ahead of Arizona in the third inning and keeping the momentum going throughout the game. Box Score SP: Dylan Bundy: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K (107 pitches, 74 strikes (69%)) Home Runs: Gary Sanchez (8), Ryan Jeffers (5) Top 3 WPA: Dylan Bundy (.137), Luis Arraez (.108), Alex Kiriloff (.106) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The game started out a little slow, a battle of the pitching in which Bundy was very solid for eight innings. Nick Gordon and Luis Arraez got on base to start the third inning followed by an RBI Single when Carlos Correa poked a ball into right field,. Max Kepler, who was 0-for-1 to start the night, followed Correa to the plate and hit the ball into the gap, scoring Arraez on an RBI double. The third inning was exciting to say the least as the players continued to carry the momentum, Alex Kirilloff worked a 3-2 count and ripped a ball into right field scoring both Correa and Kepler on a beautiful double. Gary Sanchez joined in on the fun as he hit his eighth home run, giving the Twins a 6-0 lead as pitcher Luke Weaver struggled throwing 52 pitches in the first three innings, most of those in the third. Bundy looked the best he has all season with finding the strike zone, keeping the pitch count low, and moving quickly through each inning with three-up three-down until the fourth when Alek Thomas got on first base, breaking up Bundy's no-hitter. Bundy struggled to get through the end of the inning but managed to get out of it without anyone coming home. Bundy only allowed one run in his eight innings. His impressive mound appearance allowed the Twins to capitalize on offensive opportunities. Bundy going eight innings shows that Manager Rocco Baldelli certainly wants to see his pitching staff go as long as they can, and that Wes Johnson is getting them there. Bundy had outstanding command and control. The Twins have a long two weeks against division rivals Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox, so preserving the bullpen can prove very important. Bundy left the game with his fourth win of the season, his best outing of the season, and his 50th career win. He truly looked great. The Diamondbacks left Weaver in to start the fourth inning and the Twins lineup for the third time. The Twins took advantage of every ball over the plate and blew open the lead 9-0 before Weaver was pulled from the game and replaced by Arizona’s Joe Smith. With the exception of Sanchez and Jeffers home runs, the rest of the Twins hits were all singles and doubles. The Twins three seasons ago were known for hitting “bombas” all over the parks and small ball was not even a thought. This season, there seems to be almost a focus on getting the bat on the ball and putting it into play and it’s worked out for them more than it hasn’t. Their dominant offense tonight allowed Gilbert Celestino to replace Arraez in the fifth inning, giving the All-Star a chance to rest. The Twins were up 9-0 and there was no need to leave Arraez in against a lefty when Celestino could get some at-bats in and improve. Gordon moved up to cover second base and Celestino took over in centerfield. Trevor Larnach broke up his small slump of going 0-for-17 in his last few appearances and the best feelings of the night: Ryan Jeffers, who has been struggling at the plate, hit a fantastic home run into left field to start out the seventh inning. Jeffers was the only Twin tonight in the starting lineup without a hit before his two-run homer. Even if Jeffers is struggling at the plate, he is certainly not struggling behind it. Dick Bremer mentioned during the broadcast that this is the 21st game for the Twins where they have had two or fewer runs and of those 21, Jeffers caught 15 of those games. The Twins offense and defense were both on fire. They kept the same energy all the way through the ninth inning for reliever Jharel Cotton. Correa showed off his defensive moves as Alek Thomas hit a line drive to the shortstop, who spun his body around with a solid throw to first base getting the out, A fly ball to Larnach ended the game. The energy of the team was constant all night long, ending in a Twins win. What’s Next? The Twins finish out their series this weekend with Arizona and the west coast tour. Pitching matchups for the series finale: Sunday 1:05: Chris Archer (1-2, 3.35 ERA) vs RHP Merrill Kelly (5-4, 3.68 ERA) Postgame Interview Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

Thursday night, we watched as the Twins imploded late in the game against the Yankees. The depleted pitching staff struggled to keep the Yankees off the board and ultimately cost the Twins a win. The offense is on a trajectory for postseason action, but the pitching rotation and bullpen aren't even close. With the trade deadline coming in just under two months, the Twins need to capitalize on trades for available starting and back-end bullpen help. With several recent graduations, the Twins’ farm system is middle of the pack in the league. Sitting at 15 on Bleacher Report’s organizational, the Twins' depth has three top 100 players and more with the capability to get there. The Twins have acquired a lot of talent through the draft but also in some quality trades. Last year's Jose Berrios trade with the Blue Jays left many in the Twins community unhappy. He was an All-Star caliber pitcher for the Twins, the best one they had at the time. Berrios pitched one of his best games against the Twins last week reminding fans how much his arm is missed. At that time, many fans thought that was the most painful trade and left a sinking hole in people's hearts, but not as much as the trade with Tampa sending the fan and clubhouse favorite Nelson Cruz to the Rays. Those trades brought pitchers Joe Ryan, Drew Strotman, and Simeon Woods Richardson, as well as consensus Top 100 prospect, Austin Martin. To this point, only Joe Ryan has made a significant impact on the big-league club and bolstered them to where they are now. The Twins have an above .500 record, first place in the division, and three games ahead of the second-place Guardians. If it weren't for the trades, the team may not be stacked like it is. The only place the Twins seem to be struggling is the pitching, which is a nice change for the club, which seemed to struggle in all aspects of the game last year. This season though, it’s starting rotation has taken a huge hit. Even with the extra few roster spots and time to stretch out, we have seen several pitchers lose time due to injury. Josh Winder is out with a shoulder impingement, Sonny Gray is on the IL with a pectoral strain after making a comeback from a previous trip to the IL with a leg injury. Bailey Ober is back on the IL with the groin injury that cost him three weeks earlier this season. Joe Ryan is rehabbing after missing time on the COVID-IL. Chris Paddack had Tommy John surgery last month, and Cody Stashak needs season-ending biceps/shoulder surgery. Even if they get healthy, having another starting pitcher makes all the sense. At the end of the lockout, the Twins started by making some strong trades to bolster their roster, but at the end of all of the amazing acquisitions, the fan base was left wondering one question: "Where Frankie?” Frankie Montas, the right-handed starter from Oakland, is still there, beefing up his trade value and becoming one of the most significant assets at the trade deadline. To make this deal, the Twins would have to give the A's several players that would bolster their talent base and, hopefully, their fan base. Last week, Montas had a strong appearance, a win against the Astros, something the Twins lacked early on in the season. Montas has been doing his work to keep his trade value up. He has posted a 3.20 ERA and a 0.99 WHiP in his 64 2/3 innings entering Friday, striking out 71 batters with 15 walks. The Athletics know that he is a substantial piece of everyone's puzzle and will be looking for the best trade pieces to deal him. The A's spent the offseason cutting payroll, again. They traded Matt Chapman to the Blue Jays, Matt Olson to Atlanta, and Sean Manaea to the Padres. First-year manager Mark Kotsay has done a nice job working with the team in what is clearly a rebuilding phase. They acquired a lot of talent for those players, and will expect a ton in return for Montas. Keeping in mind that the Twins also need to acquire at least two relief pitchers without giving away the farm for Montas, the best trade pieces for the right-hander are Alex Kirilloff, José Miranda and Jovani Moran. Kirilloff and Miranda have quickly settled into the majors. Kirilloff struggled at the beginning of the season with an injury, but the outfielder has been cleaning up in St. Paul. He could be a home run hitter for the West Coast team. He has a good trade value. With all the depth in the Minnesota outfield with players like Trevor Larnach, Kyle Garlick, Gilberto Celestino, Nick Gordon, and Max Kepler, to name a few. Miranda, who looked a little shaky early in his big-league time, has grown into his swing. The corner infielder has been a surprising member of the home run club that the Twins have this season, and while it's not all the time, his batting certainly has come in clutch several times. Because the Athletics are struggling this season with pitching, giving them a player like Jovani Moran would give them another arm to fall back on. While The Twins are seemingly struggling with their bullpen, the pitchers there, given the ability to rest, can be effective for the team. Moran has a low ERA, and 13 strikeouts in his eight innings pitched. He hasn't been a massive contributor to the Twins’ bullpen and could easily be part of a package deal. Adding one more starting pitcher to the rotation, along with getting their starters healthy, would be good for the Twins. Another option might come from Cincinnati, like Sonny Gray did. Or, maybe both? Tyler Mahle has had a tough season for the Reds. He is 2-5 with a 5.07 ERA in 13 starts. The starting pitcher has not impacted the Reds' losses or wins, and they are several years from competing, so Mahle (and Luis Castillo) should be available. The Twins could easily trade for Montas and Mahle and still have a solid chance at making the postseason. Mahle has gone strong in six innings in his most recent appearances with a .193 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18 innings. Most of the Twins pitching staff are just now working up to pitching six innings, Chris Archer just recently pitched five. While the trade with the Reds would not be as costly as the trade with the Athletics, Mahle would still carry a high enough price that Twins fans would have to understand another significant asset from the organization would be a part of a trade. Austin Martin is a great piece to make a trade. When acquired in the trade of Berríos, Martin was a top prospect and looked promising coming into the organization. Since arriving at the Twins, however, Martin’s trade value has declined some as his power has not yet developed in-game. He is not a bad player and is hitting .244 with a .366 OBP at Double-A Wichita. Like Gary Sánchez, a change of scenery may do him well. The Twins have plenty of depth at shortstop and can afford to part with Martin as part of a package deal with Noah Miller. Noah Miller, a shortstop with the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels, was a 2021 draftee in the first round (36th overall) from Ozaukee High School in Fredonia, Wisconsin. With a similar batting average to Martin, and since the Twins have Carlos Correa and Jermaine Palacios and hopefully Royce Lewis, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear will bounce back and get healthy. There wouldn't be any logistical reasoning to keep Miller and Martin as players in the system. Making these two pitching acquisitions would allow the Twins to bring on at least one or two more bullpen acquisitions or give a player like Jharel Cotton more growth opportunities. The bullpen would be more successful with a solid, healthy starting rotation. Forcing the bullpen to pitch as much as they have will end their season sooner than fans and the team want. With the offense as solid as it is, the organization and the fans deserve pitching that is just as solid. Everyone is looking at Mahle and Montas, so the Twins and the fans need to be ready to wheel and deal. What do you think the Twins should do about pitching? Are you willing to trade your favorite player? Who are other pitchers you think the Twins should look at getting before the deadline? View full article

No Buxton. No Correa. No Urshela. But Luis Arraez, the best hitter right now in baseball, was still in the lineup and provided the power. Chi Chi Gonzalez was promoted for his second start of the season, it was likely to be a bullpen-heavy game. The Twins faced Shane Baz, making his first start of the season after being on the IL all season. Box Score SP: Chi Chi Gonzalez: 4 IP, 8 H, 3R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (67 pitches, 46 strikes (68.6%)) Home Runs: Luis Arraez (Grand Slam) (3), Top 3 WPA: Luis Arraez (.265), Jorge Polanco (.133), Jhoan Duran (.117) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Rays wasted no time getting ahead of Chi Chi Gonzalez and the Twins with three runs in the first inning. . Gonzalez on Friday triggered a minor-league opt-out with the Twins forcing their hand to decide if they will keep the pitcher on the Major League roster or release him. Gonzalez has only one game in the Majors with the Twins, against the Blue Jays where he allowed three runs in three innings before being pulled. The Twins won that game 9-3. Gonzalez got out of the subsequent innings in a quick 1, 2, 3 fashion not allowing more runs during his four complete innings in the game before turning it over to the Bullpen at the top of the fifth. Where the Twins were not getting hits initially in the game, they capitalized on the Rays' mistakes. In the second inning, Kevin Keirmaier slid past second base followed by Randy Arozarena the next inning who got picked off at first base after attempting to take second base during a fly-out from Ji-Man Choi. Gonzalez settled down and settled into a rhythm to continue the game. The lineup for the game was something that felt a little like spring training. Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton were resting today giving the Twins game a small-ball feel as they started piecing runs together in the third inning. First, Gilberto Celestino got on first base. He took advantage of a wild pitch advancing to second base, while Gordon and Jeffers were walked as Baz struggled to maintain control of the strike zone, bringing up Arraez to bat and hitting a 403-foot grand slam, his first-ever, into the right-field seats to give the Twins a 4-3 lead. Arraez raised his batting average up to .369 after his hit in the sixth inning, going 3-for-5 on the day. As odd as the lineup seemed, it worked. Audra Martin shared on the broadcast that during an interview with Rocco Baldelli before the game about resting both Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton on the same day. The Rays had used six pitchers by the sixth inning and the Twins took advantage of the rotating door of pitchers. Aside from Luis Arraez, Gilbert Celestino, Jorge Polanco and Ryan Jeffers had strong days at the plate. All three players were crucial in the success of today's outcome as they took turns bringing each other home in the third and sixth innings. Jeffers recently broke out of a 0-21 slump in the series against the Yankees and has continued to make contact with every at-bat. The Rays made an attempt to come back, but the Twins bullpen was on fire and managed to keep the Rays from garnering any more runs. Do you think the Twins should keep Chi Chi Gonzalez, or DFA him and put the decision back in the veteran's hands? Well, they quickly made their decision. Minutes after the game, it was announced. What’s Next? The Twins finish out their series with Tampa Bay before another series with the Mariners. Pitching matchups for Sunday: 1:05: Cole Sands (0-2, 8.49 ERA) vs LHP Jeffrey Springs (2-2, 1.62 ERA) Postgame Interview Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article