bighat

Nice haul for the Yanks. Ooof, gonna be tough to beat.

The Milwaukee Brewers' 3-4 & 5 batters went on the paternity list last week because they all demonstrated they were Joe Smith's daddy.

Totally agree - they're in it, which is something.

The problem with the Twins young talent is they are virtually ALL on the IL. So their value is about as low as can be right now - and you can add Kirilloff to the list also. It's incredibly bad luck. They are in need but the cupboard of prospects is bare.

I don't think they'll win the division, but I do think that with Buxton, Correa, Polanco and Arraez they stand a chance of getting hot and maybe pulling it off. So I wouldn't sell, I'd just add a couple of bullpen fliers for some A-ball prospects and see if you catch lightening in a bottle. That way you're not abandoning the season and you're also not burning up your future either. That's just me.

Twins shouldn't sell, but they shouldn't mortgage the future either. Get a couple relievers for some lottery-ticket prospects and see what happens. No need to give up the farm for Montas, having a guy who can only play every 5th day just isn't enough to help this team. It's been much more interesting than last year, most of us had checked out by June in '21 and the whole year was miserable. That said, with such horrific pitching and an inconsistent offense that's been known to run ice-cold for an entire series, I just don't think the Twins have enough to win the division this year. We should all be realistic about that, it'll make the inevitable pain much easier to swallow.

C'mon Bux go yard here.

Pagan gets out of the inning with 0 earned runs and his ERA goes down to 4.75. Good job buddy, hope that's the last we see of you in a Twins uniform. Pa-GONE.

And there goes the lead. Why was Celestino playing that right-handed batter so deep?

Pagan about to load the bases here? Edit: whoop, no he gave up a hit and is likely to give the lead back in a jiffy here. Unreal this team feels they can continue to give away game after game. Make the trades already!

It's very early to make any kind of judgement on Hamilton but.....so far, doesn't look close to ready for MLB action.

Smalley talking over Tim Beckham's first big league AB since 2019.

Two bad ABs from Garlick and Miranda there, swinging right through meatballs and then offering at some garbage.

Just saw that, both games are in the 8th. Assuming both CLE and CHW will win today.

Yes it is - corrected! Thx.

There’s nothing like a rubber match between two teams fighting for a playoff spot in late July, and that’s what’s on tap today at 3:10pm CT as the Twins take on the Padres. Manager Rocco Baldelli is throwing the kitchen sink at this one, with Buxton, Correa, Arraez and Polanco all getting the starting nod. Some new faces highlight the bottom third of the Twins roster today, including Tim Beckham making his first MLB start since 2019. The 2008 #1 overall draft pick will slot in the DH spot, batting 7th. Caleb Hamilton will catch and bat 9th, and recently recalled Gilberto Clestino gets the call in RF batting 8th. The Twins will be without Max Kepler (IL), Miguel Sano (IL), and Alex Kirilloff, who left last night’s game with a wrist injury. Reading the tea leaves, it’s easy to expect the worst for AK as it appears to be the same injury that ended his season last year. Dylan Bundy (6-4, 5.02 ERA) will take the mound for Minnesota. Bundy, who in June looked on the brink of at least a demotion, has surprised Twins fans to become an anchor of a reeling rotation in July. Over his past 7 starts, Bundy is 3-1 with a 3.99 ERA - not perfect by any means but the Twins have to be happy with his resurgence as the summer’s progressed. San Diego counters with Sean Manaea (5-5, 4.33 ERA) who will be facing his second straight AL Central opponent after losing to Detroit last Monday. Manaea has been hittable as of late, giving up 43 hits and 23 earned runs over his last 35 innings pitched. Off the field today, the biggest story in town might be what isn’t happening. At least not yet. With the trade deadline now just 2 days away, whispers and rumors surrounding deals have gone silent. The Twins are looking to add some arms as the team is 9-11 since June 30th with a 5.55 ERA. Only the Boston Red Sox (6.46 ERA) have given up more runs in MLB over the past month. Picks to click: let’s break out the Webb Telescope and look a bit deeper into the stat-osphere. When the Twins go against lefties on the road this season, Byron Buxton (.286 BA, .690 SLG, .429 wOBA, 99.2 EV), Kyle Garlick (.286, .738, .426, 94.2) and Luis Arraez (.375, .469, .410, 86.8) have performed the best. Scoreboard watching: Cleveland has a tough draw today in Florida against Tampa ace Shane McClanahan. Chicago has a much easier matchup as Dylan Cease takes the mound for the Pale Hose at home against Oakland. Weather: 78 degrees with light WSW winds, a small chance of rain but nothing that will threaten the ballgame. Odds: San Diego -145, Twins +122, O/U is 8.5 Play ball! Twins Lineup: 1. Byron Buxton (R) CF 2. Carlos Correa (R) SS 3. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B 4. Kyle Garlick (R) LF 5. Jose Miranda (R) 3B 6. Luis Arraez (L) 1B 7. Tim Beckham (R) DH 8. Gilberto Celestino (R) RF 9. Caleb Hamilton (R) C P. Dylan Bundy (R) SD Lineup: 1. Jurickson Profar (S) LF 2. Manny Machado (R) 3B 3. Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B 4. Luke Voit (R) DH 5. Eric Hosmer (L) 1B 6. Jorge Alfaro (R) C 7. Nomar Mazara (L) RF 8. Ha-Seong Kim (R) SS 9. Trent Grisham (L) CF P. Sean Manaea (L)

I think this is the part 3/4 through the movie "Major Leagues" when the team starts to struggle, loses a bunch of games, falls from first place and the fans say "eh, what'd I tell ya, these guys s*ck". In the movie, frustration comes to a boiling point and there's a big locker room fight which brings the team together and ignites a new winning streak. But this ain't the movies. Seriously, the front office doesn't really have any more time to waste before they make a trade. I know there are 3 days remaining, but if the Twins wait 3 more days, at this rate they're going to lose 3 games in the standings. They're limping along out of the break just like they have been for the last month and a half. We're either watching the calm before the storm of the last gasp of a team that made an early run but just didn't have the talent to hold on to the lead.

Agreed. At this point it's pretty much a given that he wins Comeback Player of the Year Award next year. I'm not being sarcastic, I wish I was being sarcastic.

Nothing about this particular game upsets me - but what does grind my gears is that this is exactly why you can't give away games like they did on Tuesday. The Twins were soundly beaten by the Brewers in every department yesterday, they were going against Milwaukee's best pitcher, it was just a baseball game where they got smoked. It happens. But to leave this series 0-2 instead of 1-1 is unforgiveable, and this is exactly the type of thing that could very well keep this team out of the playoffs.

We have such low standards, it's ridiculous. If this team played in New York they'd be ripped to shreds by the media and fans would be throwing tomatoes at them from left field. This Midwestern warm-milk pollyanna 'good-try-boys' attitude from Twins fans is as old and washed up as Will Smith. Fans need to drum up a little self respect and realize we collectively deserve better than a team who at best is going to add to a world-ever-worst 0-19 playoff record.

Rocco never calls individuals out in the press. If Buxton strikes out 4 times and he is asked about it, Baldelli will say something like "yeah, tough day for a lot of bats out there today" and then add "defensively he had a great game", or something like that and switch the subject. He's never once called a guy out, if anything he'll publicly heap praise on guys who are clearly struggling. To some it makes Rocco look clueless, but he's clearly just the type of manager who would never be critical of his own players to the press. I know the players like it, but as a fan it can be very frustrating.

Twins starter stumbles, the offense make a dramatic and inspiring comeback, bullpen immediately gives momentum away and the Twins lose late. The W-L record in games when the Twins hit a go-ahead HR in the 5th inning or later is probably something like 2-8. It's unbelievable. This team is still limping along. Go get 'em today, I guess.

Might be time to tell Correa to take a few pitches next time he gets up. Good grief.

Eee, hard disagree from me on that one. I think Gordon is hands down a better fielder than Garlick. I don't think Garlick is a terrible defensive player but....it's really not close IMO.

I am not looking forward to the Rowdy Tellez AB this inning...