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The 2019 Twins roster was firing on all cylinders, so the trade deadline offered the team an opportunity to supplement the roster. How would the acquired players help the Bomba Squad? Derek Falvey and Thad Levine took over Minnesota's baseball operations department leading into the 2017 season. Each season has taken on a different feel, but they have a track record of making moves at the trade deadline. This series will look back at each trade deadline under this regime. With the 2019 trade deadline approaching, the Twins were in a much different situation than the previous year as the club won over 100 games. At the 2018 deadline, Minnesota cleaned house and made multiple moves that still impact the 2022 roster. Many fans wanted the Twins to acquire a frontline starting pitcher, but few starters were moved at the deadline. This left Minnesota with holes in the bullpen that needed to be addressed. Trade 1 (July 27, 2019) Twins Receive: P Sergio Romo, P Chris Vallimont Marlins Receive: 1B/DH Lewin Diaz Sergio Romo brought new energy to the Twins clubhouse and veteran leadership to the bullpen. He had been a critical component of three World Championship teams in San Francisco. He posted a 3.18 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP down the stretch while posting a 10.7 K/9. Minnesota liked him so much they brought him back for the 2020 season, where he was a key part of the bullpen that won a second straight AL Central title. Chris Vallimont topped out at Double-A in the Twins' system, and Baltimore claimed him off waivers in May. Lewin Diaz had put himself back on the prospect map leading into the deadline, but he's struggled to stick at the big-league level. In 57 games, he has a 60 OPS+ with 50 strikeouts and 16 extra-base hits. Trade 2 (July 31, 2019) Twins Receive: P Sam Dyson Giants Receive: P Prelander Berroa, P Kai-Wei Teng, OF Jaylin Davis Sam Dyson was having a solid season as a reliever for the Giants before the Twins snagged him in a last-minute deal. Dyson had posted a 2.47 ERA with 0.90 WHIP in 49 appearances. Things didn't go as smoothly after he joined the Twins, as he allowed nine earned runs in 11 1/3 innings. Dyson went on the IL twice with the Twins and revealed he had been pitching through discomfort since mid-July. Minnesota even asked the Giants if they knew about the injury at the time of the trade. MLB also began investigating Dyson in 2019 after an ex-girlfriend accused him of multiple forms of domestic violence. MLB suspended Dyson for the 2021 season, but he hasn't appeared in a game since 2019. Prelander Berroa is at High-A in the Mariners organization, with a 2.42 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in 12 starts. He's over a year younger than the competition, so he still has a chance to continue developing. Kai-Wei Teng has a 4.96 ERA, and a 1.51 WHIP in 18 Double-A starts in the Giants organization. Jaylin Davis has played 28 big-league games with the Giants and Red Sox. For his career, he has a 40 OPS+ with three extra-base hits in 67 at-bats. The 2019 trade deadline might be similar to what will occur in 2022. It would be great for the team to acquire a frontline starter, but this front office hasn't been willing to pay the high price in the past. Minnesota will likely find multiple bullpen pieces to add to the mix, and hopefully, the results are closer to Romo than Dyson. What do you remember most about the 2019 trade deadline? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -2017 Trade Deadline -2018 Trade Deadline View full article

With the offseason upon us, the Get To Know 'Em podcast returns. Tonight, we talk about Tommy John surgery with RHP Tyler Wells, and then talk about home runs, getting traded and getting The Call with OF Jaylin Davis.In 2018, RHP Tyler Wells was selected the Twins Daily Starting Pitcher of the Year. Unfortunately, his 2019 season was over before it began. He felt some elbow pain before spring training, tried to rehab, but in late May he had Tommy John surgery. We discussed the entire process from initial pain, to "the pop," the surgery and early stages of his rehab. Wells will be a frequent (bi-weekly) guest of the show, and we will keep updated with his progress. But he is also open to answering any questions you may have about Tommy John, pitching, and really anything you may want to know about the minor league life and experiences. The second guest of the podcast was OF Jaylin Davis. It's likely that Davis wasn't a household name to Twins fans, and maybe even Twins prospect fans, but his career trajectory took off in 2019. He began at AA Pensacola, jumped up to AAA Rochester and hit a combined 25 homers before the July 31st trade deadline. He was sent to the San Francisco Giants as part of the Sam Dyson trade. He reported to AAA Sacramento where he added another 10 home runs before being called up to the Giants in early September. We discussed his season, the power outburst, getting traded, getting called up and much, much more. Leave questions or comments below on this podcast. Send me names of people you would like to see interviewed. And send your questions for Tyler Wells as well. You can subscribe to the Get to Know 'Em podcast on iTunes. or follow Libsyn for new episodes here as well. PAST EPISODES Episode 1: Get to know Niko Guardado (Actor and son of Eddie Guardado) Episode 2: Get to know Pat Dean, Brent Rooker Episode 3: Get to know Royce Lewis, AJ Achter Episode 4: Get to know Devin Smeltzer Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Not registered? Click here to create an account. To stay up to date, follow Twins Daily on Twitter and Facebook. Click here to view the article

Minnesota acquiring Sam Dyson at the trade deadline was one of the team’s highlight moves as the bullpen was conceived to be one of the team’s greatest weaknesses. He was in the middle of a terrific season with the Giants as he posted a 2.47 ERA and a 6.71 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He was brought into Minnesota to be one of the team’s late inning options, but that certainly hasn’t been the case. Dyson has pitched like he is damaged goods since he put on a Twins uniform and now it seems likely that he will undergo shoulder surgery that will cost him parts of this season and next season.In 12 appearances with the Twins, he has struggled to a 7.15 ERA and a 1.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio with multiple trips to the disabled list. His most recent prognosis is that he will miss the rest of the season with shoulder surgery and there’s no guarantee that he will be ready for the start of next season. This would mean the Twins traded three-prospects for 12 appearances from Dyson According to La Velle E. Neal III and the Star-Tribune, the Twins are investigating what San Francisco knew. "According to sources with knowledge of the situation, the Twins have investigated whether San Francisco was aware that Dyson had a sore shoulder when the Giants sent him to the Twins in exchange for three minor leaguers, pitchers Prelander Berroa and Kei-Wei Teng and outfielder Jaylin Davis. As standard procedure before trades are finalized, Dyson’s medical information was examined by the Twins. There were no red flags on the records they examined. Dyson, however, informed the Twins shortly after joining them on July 31 that he has been pitching with some discomfort, dating to a July 15-17 series against Colorado. He said he’s had aches before and and pitched through them." He goes on to say, “The situation led to discussions between the Twins and Giants to determine what they knew about Dyson's condition before the deal was made. The Twins have been unable to find any evidence that the Giants had knowledge of an injury.” Back in 2016, the San Diego Padres and general manager A.J. Peller were penalized for a similar situation that changed some of the medical record process for big-league squads. Peller was suspended for 30 days after the league determined the Padres had hidden some health issues regarding left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz. When Minnesota traded Jaylin Davis, Prelander Berroa, and Kai-Wei Teng, they had no idea this was the type of pitcher the club was getting in exchange. Dyson has one more year of team control, but it doesn’t seem likely for the Twins to pick-up his multi-million-dollar arbitration offer if he is going to miss a majority of the season while recovering from shoulder surgery. Do you think MLB should step in and deal with this trade between the Twins and the Giants? Were the Giants trying to hide something? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Note from John Bonnes: a paragraph in this original story has been edited as it was not accurate. Originally, the story stated: There seems to be something fishy happening from the Giants perspective and the Twins are trying to prove the Giants were aware of Dyson’s injury prior to their deadline deal. According to La Velle E. Neal III and the Star-Tribune: It is not reported that the Twins are “trying to prove” anything, though one is welcome to try and deduce that. The paragraph was changed to: According to La Velle E. Neal III and the Star-Tribune, the Twins are investigating what San Francisco knew. "According to sources with knowledge of the situation, the Twins have investigated whether San Francisco was aware that Dyson had a sore shoulder when the Giants sent him to the Twins in exchange for three minor leaguers, pitchers Prelander Berroa and Kei-Wei Teng and outfielder Jaylin Davis. As standard procedure before trades are finalized, Dyson’s medical information was examined by the Twins. There were no red flags on the records they examined." Click here to view the article

Throughout this week, Twins Daily has handed out our 2019 minor league awards. Today we continue the series by looking at the top hitters in the Twins organization this season. There were a lot of strong performances, and unlike last year, the vote was not unanimous. In fact, it was closer than you probably think and has a chance to create a lot of discussion. Previous 2019 Awards Short-Season Minor League Hitter of the Year: Matt Wallner Short-Season Minor League Hitter of the Year: Cody Laweryson Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year: Anthony Vizcaya Today: Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year: Randy Dobnak Minor League Hitter of the Year: See below… Previous Twins Daily Minor League Hitters of the Year: 2012 - Oswaldo Arcia 2013 - Miguel Sano 2014 - Mitch Garver 2015 - Max Kepler 2016 - Daniel Palka 2017 - Mitch Garver 2018 - Alex KirilloffBefore we get to the Top Eight, let’s take a look at the others who received votes. This year’s group is interesting. You’ll see players who spent time at a couple of levels. You’ll see a couple of players who finished the season elsewhere. We have some minor league veterans who signed, looking for an opportunity, and there are a few of the top prospects. The six Twins Daily Minor League writers were asked to vote for the various awards. For the hitter of the year, we each voted for eight players. The player who was voted as #1 received eight points, #2 received seven points and so on with the #8 vote receiving one point. Results were tabulated and can be found below. Short profiles of our top eight are to follow, but first, some players worthy of honorable mention. These players also received votes. Honorable Mention Tomas Telis - Rochester Red Wings - 82 games, 101-306, .330/.364/.490 (.946), 21-2B, 2-3B, 8 HR, 44 R, 46 RBITravis Blankenhorn - Ft. Myers Miracle/Pensacola Blue Wahoos - 108 games, 122-440, .277/.321/.466 (.787) with 22-2B, 2-3B, 19 HR, 56 R, 54 RBILuis Arraez - Rochester Red Wings - 54 games, 73-212, .344/.409/.401 (.810) with 10-2B, 1-3B, 0 HR, 26 R, 22 RBI.Jake Cave - Rochester Red Wings, 48 games, 69-146, .352/.393/.592 (.984) with 18-2B, 4-3B, 7 HR, 37 R, 39 RBISpencer Steer - Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels, 64 games, 70-250, .280/.385/.424 (.809) with 18-2B, 3-3B, 4 HR, 40 R, 33 RBINick Gordon - Rochester Red Wings, 70 games, 87-292, .298/.342/.459 (.801) with 29-2B, 3-3B, 4 HR, 49 R, 40 RBIGilberto Celestino - Cedar Rapids Kernels/Ft. Myers Miracle, 125 games, 133-480, .277/.349/.410 (.759) with 28-2B, 3-3B, 10 HR, 58 R, 54 RBI.Minor League Hitter of the Year Here are the top eight vote getters for Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year: 8. Gabe Snyder – Cedar Rapids Kernels - 114 games, 110-424, .259/.338/.462 (.800), 21-2B, 4-3B, 19 HR, 63 R, 58 RBI Snyder really had an impressive season. He was a Midwest League All-Star at the midseason and for the postseason. The burly first baseman was relatively consistent and quite productive at the top of in the middle of the Kernels lineup most of the year, but he was not on the team’s opening-day roster. That said, he was called up very quickly and made his debut on April 11th, the team’s eighth game. At 6-5 and 235 pounds, Snyder looks the part at first base and has the power to hit the ball a long way. The 24-year-old was the #MNTwins 21st-round pick in 2018 out of Wright State. 7. Ryan Jeffers – Ft. Myers Miracle/Pensacola Blue Wahoos – 103 games, 97-368, .264/.341/.421 (.762) with 16-2B, 14 HR, 48 R, 49 RBI. Jeffers was a surprise (to many) second-round pick for the Twins in 2018 out of UNC-Wilmington. He dominated at Elizabethton before ending his 2018 with 36 games in Cedar Rapids. Despite limited time in the Midwest League, Jeffers made the jump to Ft. Myers to start the 2019 season. After a slow start, he really got things going. In 79 games with the Miracle, he hit .256/.330/.402 (.732) with 11 doubles and ten homers. He earned a promotion to Double-A Pensacola where he hit .287/.374/.483 (.856) with five doubles and four homers in 24 games. The night that he was promoted to Pensacola, he didn’t start, but in the 14-inning game, he hit a walk-off double. 6. Wilin Rosario – Rochester Red Wings – 105 games, 124-413, .300/.339/.504 (.843) with 24-2B, 20 HR, 71 R, 91 RBI From 2011 through 2015, Rosario hit 71 home runs for the Colorado Rockies. He hit 28 homers in 2012 and another 21 homers in 2013. He spent some time in Korea and then in Japan. This past offseason, he wanted to get back to playing in affiliated ball and the Twins gave him an opportunity. He made the best of it by putting up fantastic numbers in Rochester. He hit for average. He hit for power. The Red Wings named him their team MVP this season. He did some catching early in the season, but he was mostly the team's DH. 5. Brent Rooker – Rochester Red Wings – 65 games, 64-228, .281/.398/.535 (.933) with 16-2B, 14 HR After a strong showing at Double-A Chattanooga in 2018, Rooker got his first big league spring training invitation and started the season at Triple-A Rochester, just one step away from the big leagues. It is fair to say that things started slowly for the slugger. In 16 April games, he hit just .214 and struck out 28 times in 56 at bats. After that, things changed. In 49 games from May 1st on, he hit .302/.432/.558 (.990) with 14 doubles and 10 homers. Along with the improved hitting, walk rate and power, he also reduced his strikeout rate from 45.9% in that first month to just 31.5% the rest of the season. Unfortunately, a mid-July injury prematurely ended his season. 4. Lewin Diaz – Ft. Myers Miracle/Pensacola Blue Wahoos – 90 games, 100-340, .294/.336/.553 (.889) with 27-2B, 2-3B, 19 HR, 46 R, 62 RBI 2018 was a frustrating year for Diaz. He had worked really hard and lost some weight, but he struggled in Ft. Myers until his season ended with a wrist injury. In 2019, he came to camp in even better shape and the work paid off. He returned to the Miracle where he hit .290/.333/.533 (.860) with 11 doubles and 13 homers in 57 games. He was again named a Florida State League All-Star and soon moved up to Pensacola. In 33 games, he hit .302/.341/.587 (.928) with 16 doubles and six homers. Then came the trade deadline and he was dealt to the Miami Marlins in exchange for RH RP Sergio Romo, RHP Chris Vallimont and Cash. In 31 more games for Jacksonville, he added six doubles and eight home runs. 3. Zander Wiel - Rochester Red Wings – 126 games, 119-469, .254/.320/.514 (.834) with 40-2B, 5-3B, 24 HR, 86 R, 78 RBI Zander Wiel has quietly put together a strong resume, moving up one level each year. While he ended the 2018 season with a few games with the Red Wings, he was a very productive hitting in their lineup in 2019. As you can see, the Vanderbilt product (12th-round pick in 2015) was an extra-base machine. He plays a good first base and generally puts together good at-bats, though he will strike out a lot. 2. Jaylin Davis - Pensacola Blue Wahoos/Rochester Red Wings – 99 games, 109-366, .298/.391/.563 (.954) with 20-2B, 1-3B, 25 HR, 73 R, 67 RBI Jaylin Davis had an incredible 2019 season, and it will continue through the end of the MLB season. His season began in Pensacola with the Blue Wahoos. In 58 games, he hit .274/.382/.458 (.840) with nine doubles and ten home runs. He was promoted to Rochester and just took off. In 41 games, he hit .331/.405/.708 (1.112) with 11 doubles, a triple and 15 home runs. The Twins wanted to add bullpen, and Davis headlined a trade in which the Twins sent three prospects to the Giants for Sam Dyson. He went to AAA Sacramento where he hit .333/.419/.686 (1.105) with six doubles and ten homers in just 27 games. And then, he got The Call. He joined the Giants in St. Louis and singled in his first at-bat. Obviously for this Twins award, only his numbers with the Twins were to be considered, and those numbers were incredible. Davis was the Twins 24th-round draft pick in 2015. Hitter of the Year Trevor Larnach – Ft. Myers/Pensacola Blue Wahoos – 127 games, 147-476, .309/.384, 458 (.842) with 30-2B, 1-3B, 13 HR, 59 R, 66 RBI. Trevor Larnach was named the Florida State League Player of the Year last week. As we end our week of Twins Daily Minor League awards, he has now been named the Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Year by our panel. I’m sure the honor are pretty equivalent. But it is very deserved. Trevor Larnach grew up in California. Following his high school career, he was the 40th-round pick in the 2015 draft by the Padres by chose to attend Oregon State. It was a decision that proved wise for him. Three years later, he had the opportunity to play hero and win a College World Series title. In June 2018, he was also the 20th overall draft pick of the Minnesota Twins. He split the remainder of that season between the Elizabethton Twins and Cedar Rapids Kernels. Despite just 24 games with the Kernels, he began 2019 with the Ft. Myers Miracle. Larnach put together a strong season. In 84 games with Ft. Myers, he hit .316/.382/.459 (842) with 26 doubles, a triple and six home runs. He was promoted to the Blue Wahoos where he hit .295/.387/.455 (.842) with four doubles and seven homers in 43 games. His 147 hits led the organization, as did his .309 batting average (for anyone with over 300 plate appearances). The Ballots In an attempt to be transparent, here are the votes from our Twins Daily minor league writers: Seth Stohs – 1) Jaylin Davis, 2) Trevor Larnach, 3) Zander Wiel, 4) Lewin Diaz, 5) Wilin Rosario, 6) Brent Rooker, 7) Spencer Steer, 8) Travis BlankenhornMatt Braun - 1) Jaylin Davis, 2) Lewin Diaz, 3) Trevor Larnach, 4) Luis Arraez, 5) Jake Cave, 6) Brent Rooker, 7) Ryan Jeffers, 8) Travis BlankenhornCody Christie – 1) Jaylin Davis, 2) Trevor Larnach, 3) Zander Wiel, 4) Wilin Rosario, 5) Lewin Diaz, 6) Brent Rooker, 7) Tomas Telis, 8) Gabe SnyderTom Froemming – 1) Jaylin Davis, 2) Trevor Larnach, 3) Lewin Diaz, 4) Ryan Jeffers, 5) Gabe Snyder, 6) Zander Wiel, 7) Wilin Rosario, 8) Travis BlankenhornSteve Lein – 1) Trevor Larnach, 2) Jaylin Davis, 3) Zander Wiel, 4) Lewin Diaz, 5) Brent Rooker, 6) Gabe Snyder, 7) Travis Blankenhorn, 8) Gilberto CelestinoTed Schwerzler – 1) Brent Rooker, 2) Zander Wiel, 3) Wilin Rosario, 4) Tomas Telis, 5) Travor Larnach, 6) Ryan Jeffers, 7) Nick Gordon, 8) Gabe SnyderFeel free to discuss. What do you think? Do you agree with our rankings? How would your ballot look? Click here to view the article

Quietly, Twins infield prospect Nick Gordon has put together some really strong numbers in 2019 for the Rochester Red Wings. Unfortunately, he has had a couple of stints on the injured list this season that have cost him almost half of the season. Recently, we caught up with Gordon, who is rehabbing in Ft. Myers, to talk about 2019, a new perspective, and several other topics.Nick Gordon had a strong spring training, but when teams broke camp to start their seasons, he found himself on the Rochester IL with a stomach ailment and missed all of April. He returned to the Red Wings at the start of May and began hitting right away. In 70 games this season, he has hit .298/.342/.459 (.801) with 29 doubles, three triples and four home runs. He also stole 14 based in 17 attempts. It was a terrific showing, especially after the struggles he endured in the second half of 2018 for Rochester when he hit just .212/.262/.283 (.544) in 99 games in the International League. Gordon has always worked hard to improve in the offseason. He continued to work out with his brother (Dee) and others such as Francisco Lindor under the tutelage of Hall of Famer Barry Larkin. However, he also took his struggles at minor league baseball’s highest level last year and learned from it. It has paid off with his much-improved stat line in 2019. Gordon said, “I’ve felt more like myself, knowing that last year I let a lot get to me and I changed a bunch of things. This year, it’s about trusting what I did (in the offseason) and what I’ve done.” Gordon, still just 23 years old, was competing with and against players several years older than him and many with big league service time. He continued, “Not getting into my own head. They (opponents) are going to be good, and I have to be good. You can’t just go out and beat up on everybody and then get down when you don’t. It doesn’t work that way. Just needed to stick to the things I worked with and the things I did during the offseason and stick with them, stick to a routine.” Unfortunately, as August started, Gordon was hit in the back leg by a pitch and was placed on the IL the next day.While it looked like a “normal” back-knee hit by pitch, it was anything but that. “I actually couldn’t walk. It was a little tough to walk for a week. It was difficult, a lot of pain. It was very unusual, kind of a freak accident.” As for a return, he hopes to get back “as soon as possible,” but he understands that it will be “however long it takes.” The reality is that Gordon has been very healthy for the most part since being the Twins first-round draft pick in 2014 out of high school in Orlando. By season, he has played in 120 games, 116 games, 122 games, and 141 games in 2018. It would be fair to say that he isn’t exactly enjoying his time on the IL either. “It isn’t a good feeling. The days are so much longer. It’s been tough.” But he has chosen not to sulk and to try to get some benefit from it, trying to make it into an opportunity for learning. “It’s been a lot of learning, a lot of self-time and picking up myself and paying attention to things around the game. I’ve taken the time and felt like I’ve learned, so I don’t feel like I wasted time but it’s been kind of frustrating not being out there.” Throughout the season, there have been very frequent Red Wing travelers on the flight between Rochester and Minneapolis. It’s been pretty exciting for him to see teammates get their call to the big leagues. One of his good friends in the Twins organization for several years is LaMonte Wade. They have played with each other each season since 2016. One night in late June, the two were hanging out together. “It was awesome. I was actually with him when he got called. It was a cool experience to see, knowing how hard he worked for it. He goes about it the right way. He wants to be better and he wants to win. When he got that call, that opportunity, I was so excited for him. I was really happy for him.” What did Gordon tell Wade? “I didn’t know what to tell him because I haven’t got that call. It was overwhelming. It was exciting. So I just told him to go up there and do your thing. Play your game. You’re there for a reason!” Has seeing several teammates get that call to the big leagues been motivating for Gordon, or has it been a source of frustration? “I don’t really believe much in being mad about things I can’t control. It doesn’t really frustrate me. Motivation? I mean, I’ve been motivated to get to the big leagues since I was a little kid. There is always more motivation there. When stuff like that happens, it’s more positive than negative (seeing teammates called up). It’s just so great seeing guys I’ve played with for years get a chance at the top level.” But through any frustrations and struggles, Gordon has had a very good support system. As we have discussed with him before, he gets a lot of support and encouragement from his family, including his father (Tom) and brother (Dee). But Nick spoke glowingly of the support players get from within the organization. “We were just talking about it today. There are a lot of guys in our organization that are good people, awesome human beings. It’s awesome to be around. In situations that are tough, your teammates are there.” In Rochester, Gordon is one of the youngest Red Wings. He is able to hear from older teammates who have spent time in the big leagues and experienced the highs and lows of this baseball life. In Ft. Myers, he is working and rehabbing with several other players who are injured. They are able to confide with and in each other. “Everybody understands that this game is hard. Everybody wants to be on the field. They are there for you, have your back. You can’t ask for more than that. I have a lot of guys that I’m close to. There are a lot of guys in the organization that are just awesome.” Gordon said that he stays away from rumors in the game as much as possible. While his name was occasionally mentioned in trade rumors, it was one of his teammates that ended up being traded at the deadline.. Regarding Jaylin Davis, Gordon noted, “He’s awesome. He’s just great. Every single time he steps in the box, a baseball is about to get hit hard. He’s getting an opportunity. He’s a great guy, a great hitter I’m happy for him.” He continued, “”But I didn’t want to see him go. I loved playing with him.” One thing is certain when speaking to Nick Gordon. He has a strong passion for the game of baseball. He speaks with such great perspective, and his perspective has changed to some degree since this time last year. Sure, the passion for baseball remains the same and his drive to play in the big leagues for a long time is still very strong. But he has other priorities in life too. At least one. Last September, Jaxon Nicholas Gordon was born. As excited as Gordon sounds when talking about baseball, you can hear the joy coming through the phone when he talks about his son. Has becoming a father changed his perspective or anything in his day-to-day life? “I would say it is more in my day-to-day. Having my son definitely does show me how to care and I feel like I care more for people. I’ve always loved kids, but I love this kid to an entirely different level. It’s a smile of joy. It’s everything that I wish for. I pray for him. I love him endlessly. It definitely drives me. I spend as much time as I can with him. It’s tough in the season. Down in Florida, I’ve seen him a lot more. He’s an awesome little man.” Congratulations to Nick and his family. Hopefully he can get healthy and get back on the field before season’s end, and maybe get a trip to Minneapolis in September. Click here to view the article

That trade deadline has passed. August marks the final month of the minor league season. In July, there were a lot of great offensive performances. For the first time, we include players from the Twins short-season, rookie league affiliates. Before we get to our Top 5 Twins prospects, there is a list of a dozen Honorable Mentions. This month’s group of Twins minor leaguers is quite diverse. There are players represented from all six affiliates in the States. There are 18-year-old players and there are 30-year-old players.There are even a couple of people who aren’t in the Twins organization in this month’s awards. Previous 2019 Hitters of the Month: April - Trey Cabbage May - Lewin Diaz June - Brent Rooker July - Keep Reading (or just look at the graphic of this article…)Let’s take a look at the Top 5 hitters for the month of July, but first here are some players deserving of honorable mention. HONORABLE MENTION Jimmy Kerrigan - Rochester Red Wings/Pensacola Blue Wahoos - 25-103, .243/.259/.534 (.793) with 6 doubles, 8 home runs and 16 RBI.Drew Maggi - Rochester Red Wings - 28-91, .308/.427/.484 (.911) with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs and 15 RBI.Ronald Torreyes - Rochester Red Wings - 33-105, .314/.345/.524 (.869) with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs and 16 RBI.Lewin Diaz - Ft. Myers Miracle/Pensacola Blue Wahoos - 23-79, .291/.352/.557 (.909) with 9 doubles, 4 homers and 17 RBI.Royce Lewis - Ft. Myers Miracle/Pensacola Blue Wahoos - 25-94, .266/.330/.457 (.788) with 6 doubles, 4 homers and 12 RBI.Gabe Snyder - Cedar Rapids Kernels - 30-104, .288/.361/.538 (.900) with 5 doubles, 7 homers and 16 RBI.Spencer Steer - Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels - 32-101, .317/.423/.485 (.908) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 11 RBI.Albee Weiss - Elizabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels - 21-86, .244/.272/581 (.853) with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs and 21 RBI.Alex Isola - Eliabethton Twins/Cedar Rapids Kernels - 14-54, .259/.317/.481 (.798) with 3 doubles, 3 homers and 11 RBI.Willie Joe Garry, Jr. - Elizabethton Twins - 26-93, .280/.356/.473 (.829) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers and 13 RBI.Max Smith - Elizabethton Twins - 26-85, .306/.344/.576 (.921) with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers and 13 RBI.Wander Valdez - GCL Twins - 21-59, .356/.415/.593 (1.009) with 2 doubles, 4 homers and 11 RBI.THE TOP FIVE HITTERS Number 5 - Elizabethton Twins – OF Matt Wallner - 30-104, .288/.393/.500 (.893) with 14 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 17 RBI. Wallner was born in Forest Lake, MN, which is where he graduated from high school and was named Mr. Baseball. He was set to go to the University of North Dakota but the school dropped its baseball program. Instead, he went to Southern Mississippi where he became an All-American. The Twins used the 39th overall pick in this June’s draft to select him. While he was a dominant reliever in college, the Twins will use him as a power-hitting outfielder. As you can see from his first full month in professional baseball, he has a chance to hit, and rack up a lot of extra-base hits. Number 4 - Rochester Red Wings - SS Nick Gordon - 39-112, .348/.402/.536 (.937), 13 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 18 RBI. Gordon’s introduction to Triple-A and the International League didn’t go so smoothly in 2018. His 2019 began on the injured list. However, Nick Gordon has been a doubles machine this season for the Red Wings. He’s hit for average, been able to get on base, and he’s displaying extra-base power. If the Twins have a need in the infield, he could get that call. Or, he could be a September call-up to provide depth. Number 3 – Cedar Rapids Kernels - OF Gilberto Celestino - 38-103, .369/.430/.563 (.993) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 14 RBI. Young Gilberto Celestino made his first appearance for a full-season affiliate and was also introduced to the early-season weather in the Midwest League. Celestino struggled. However, he made some adjustments and had a huge month in July. Celestino was a big international signing of the Astros and came to the Twins last July in the Ryan Pressly trade. He is very athletic and a good outfielder. He’s got speed and is very strong. Number 2 - Rochester Red Wings – C/1B/DH Wilin Rosario - 33-78, .423/.472/.744 (1.215) with 7 doubles, 6 home runs, ss RBI. The 30-year-old Rosario spent parts of the 2011-2015 seasons with the Colorado Rockies. He hit 83 doubles and 71 home runs in 447 games. Since then, he has played in Japan and Korea. The Twins signed him to a minor league deal over the winter. While he has mostly DHd for the Red Wings this year, he’s caught and played first base 16 times this year as well. He has been providing power throughout the season and had a huge month in July. He, and Tomas Telis, are providing strong catcher depth for the Twins in Rochester. And the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is: Rochester Red Wings – OF Jaylin Davis - 39-106, .368/.442/.755 (1.196) with 8 doubles, 11 homers, 27 RBI. Since his mid-June promotion to the Rochester Red Wings, Jaylin Davis has not stopped hitting. The hashtag #HasJaylinDavisHomeredYet became a thing. Well, I mean, I started it and did it a few times because the answer was usually Yes. Sure, the Triple-A baseballs probably don’t hurt, but Davis also made some adjustments this season, He hit 10 home runs in 58 games in Pensacola. After the promotion, he hit 15 homers in 41 games for the Red Wings. But he wasn’t “just” hitting for power. He has had a much better approach at the plate. He has cut down on the strikeouts. He hit for average. Some have told me that he is using the whole field better. Most of his Red Wings homers have been hit to center and right center. Jaylin Davis was well on his way toward the Twins Daily Minor League HItter of the Year award. And for his efforts, he was traded to the Giants as part of the July 31st deadline as part of a package that brought Sam Dyson to the Twins. And that may have been the best thing for Davis. The Giants have been looking for outfielders most of this season. In his first game for Sacramento, the Giants’ AAA affiliate, on Friday night. He went 3-for-3 with a walk and two doubles. We would like to congratulate Jaylin Davis, Twins Daily’s choice for Minor League Hitter of the Month for July 2019. Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions. Click here to view the article

According to Tommy Birch from the Des Moines Register, the Twins have acquired Giants relief pitcher Sam Dyson from the Giants. The Twins traded OF Jaylin Davis and right-handed pitchers Kai-Wei Teng and Prelander Berroa.In 49 games (51 innings), 31-year-old Sam Dyson is 4-1 with a 2.47 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP He's got seven walks and 47 strikeouts. Dyson also has one more year of arbitration remaining. The Twins had need in the bullpen and they added two arms that can work in the late innings. Jaylin Davis was well on his way to Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year this season. He began in AA Pensacola. He moved up to Rochester where he has hit over .330 and 15 homers in 41 games. Overall, he's not 25 homers in 99 games. Kai-Wei Teng, a righty from Taiwan, joined the Kernels less than two months ago. He was 4-0 with a 1.60 ERA in 9 games (8 starts). He was flashing 96 mph with his fastball. Prelander Berroa was the Elizabethton Twins opening day starter. The hard-throwing 19-year-old was 2-1 with a 4.55 ERA. He had 37 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. The Twins got better today. Click here to view the article

The Trade Deadline is fast approaching, so we'll check out lineups carefully these next couple of days. For instance, Alex Kirilloff was not in the Pensacola lineup on Monday night. Probably just a night off. Probably. The big news on Monday, however, was the return of Brusdar Graterol to the GCL mound, his first outing since mid-May. He sure looked good! In the same game, Yunior Severino made his first rehab appearance since his thumb injury. And, just to answer this one right away... Yes, Jaylin Davis did hit a home run today!Find out everything that happened happened in the Twins system on Thursday, starting with the transactions of the day. AWARDS RHP Randy Dobnak was named the Pitcher of the Week for the International League. Dobnak made two starts for the Red Wings and went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA. In 12 1/3 innings, he gave up just seven hits, hit one batter, walked three and struck out ten batters.TRANSACTIONSBlake Parker elected to become a free agent after being outrighted.Brusdar Graterol began his rehab assignment in the GCL.Yunior Severino began his rehab assignment in the GCL.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 5, Buffalo 6 Box Score The game was tied at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Cody Allen came on for the Red Wings. He gave up a single which was followed by a sacrifice bunt. After an error, a double put Buffalo ahead by one. Following a strikeout, Allen gave up a two-run single. The batter was thrown out at second by Alejandro de Aza to end the inning. Allen was charged with three runs (just one earned) on three hits. Drew Hutchison started and gave up three runs (2 earned) on three hits in the first five innings. He walked five and struck out four batters. Sam Clay struck out three over two scoreless, one-hit innings. He walked two. Down 6-3 going into the ninth inning, Jaylin Davis hit a two-run homer to cut the lead to one, but they were unable to score another. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 4, GCL Rays 1 Box Score The big news is that Brusdar Graterol made his return to the mound in a rehab start. He threw the first inning and worked a perfect first inning with two strikeouts. The fastball was mostly at 100 mph per reports. Other big news is the performance of 18-year-old Anthony Escobar. On this day, he worked seven innings and gave up just one run on five hits. He walked two and struck out six batters. He is now 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in 25 2/3 innings. Jose Guevara picked up the save with a scoreless ninth inning. There were other rehabbing players. Taylor Grzelakowski (ankle) went 0-for-2 with two walks in the game. Also, Yunior Severino (thumb) returned and played second base. He went 1-for-3 with a first-inning double. Francisco Martinez led the offense by hitting his third and fourth double of the season. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Anthony Escobar, GCL Twins Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Nick Gordon, Rochester Red Wings PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Pensacola) - 1-4, 2B(2) #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - Did Not Play #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - Rehab in GCL, 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K #4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) - 1-4, 3 K #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, 2 R, RBI, SB(2) #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Ft. Myers) - Temporary Inactive List (Pan Am Games) #7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL Twins) - 0-4, 2 K #8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Injured List (groin). #9 - Jhoan Duran (Pensacola) - Did Not Pitch #10 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch #11 - Lewis Thorpe (Minnesota) - No Game Scheduled #12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 2-4, 2-2B(27), HBP, R #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) - 0-4 #14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) - Did Not Play #15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) - 0-4, 2 K #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - Did Not Play #17 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - Injured (Tommy John) #18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did Not Pitch #19 - Misael Urbina (DSL Twins) - 0-3, BB, K, CS #20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - Injured List TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Buffalo (1:05 CST) - LHP Devin Smeltzer (1-3, 3.02 ERA) Pensacola @ Jacksonville (6:05 CST) - RHP Edwar Colina (1-0, 1.64 ERA) Dunedin @ Ft. Myers (6:00 CST) - RHP Dakota Chalmers (1st Miracle start) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:30 CST) - TBD Elizabethton @ Burlington (5:30 CST) - RHP Ben Gross (3-1, 2 64 ERA) GCL Twins @ GCL Rays (11:00 CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Monday games or any other minor league topics you would like. Click here to view the article

It was yet another great day in the Twins’ minor league system as they received some great pitching performances from some under-the-radar arms and a major promotion was announced. All that and more in this edition of the minor league report.TRANSACTIONS Twins acquired RHP Sergio Romo, RHP Chris Villamont and a PTBNL from the Marlins in exchange for 1B Lewin Diaz. OF Jake Cave optioned to AAA Rochester LHP Devin Smeltzer optioned to AAA Rochester RHP Cody Allen reinstated from the Temporary Inactive List LHP Gabriel Moya transferred to AA Pensacola OF Jimmy Kerrigan transferred to AA Pensacola RHP Dakota Chalmers returned to A+ Fort Myers from rehab assignment and activated OF Aaron Whitefield transferred to A+ Fort Myers from AA Pensacola 2B Yunior Severino sent to GCL Twins for rehab assignment 1B Taylor Grzelakowski sent to GCL Twins for rehab assignment SS Royce Lewis promoted to AA Pensacola https://twitter.com/...294494201470976 RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 6, Indianapolis 7 (10 innings) Box Score Kohl Stewart: 4 ⅔ IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 60.3% strikes (44 of 73 pitches) HR: Jaylin Davis (14), Drew Maggi (10) Multi-hit games: Jaylin Davis (2-for-5, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI) The Red Wings lost an extra-innings affair this Saturday. It was another game that needed to be played so it was another game where Jaylin Davis hit a home run. This was his fourteenth homer in just his thirty-eighth game at AAA, that’s almost a sixty homer pace over a full season, ridiculous. This one was off top prospect Mitch Keller as well. Cody Allen worked a pair of scoreless innings with two strikeouts, he may still be a potential cog in the Twins bullpen later in the season despite being passed up recently for other players. Jeremy Bleich made his Rochester debut and pitched a scoreless inning that came with two strikeouts. BLUE WAHOO BITES Pensacola 7, Jacksonville 1 Box Score Griffin Jax: 7 ⅓ IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 65.5% strikes (57 of 87 pitches) HR: Mark Contreras (7), Jimmy Kerrigan (7), Ryan Jeffers (1), Ivan De Jesús Jr. (1) Multi-hit games: Ryan Jeffers (3-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI), Jimmy Kerrigan (2-for-4, HR, 2B, R, RBI), The Blue Wahoos won a comfortable game this Saturday against the Jumbo Shrimp. Griffin Jax gave up a homer in the 1st inning but that was basically it as he silenced the Jumbo Shrimp offense the rest of the way. I watched some of the game and his command looked great while the slider was sharp, somehow he may be one of the more underrated arms in the Twins system which is wild to say about a guy with an ERA of 2.34 at AA. The Blue Wahoos offense refused to be shown up as they combined for four homers and seven runs in support of Jax. Ryan Jeffers was the biggest bat as he not only hit his first AA home run but also added a pair of singles for a nice three-hit performance. Andrew Vasquez came on in relief of Jax and ended the game without allowing a run, a good step in the right direction. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 4, Lakeland 3 Box Score Bailey Ober: 6 ⅓ IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 70.5% strikes (62 of 88 pitches) HR: None Multi-hit games: Aaron Whitefield (2-for-4, RBI), Jacob Pearson (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), Andrew Bechtold (2-for-4, R, RBI), David Banuelos (2-for-4, 2B, R) The Miracle won a close game this Saturday. Bailey Ober made his first home start since being activated from the IL and he was dominant as he allowed no earned runs in his start while striking out nine. When he has been healthy, he has been impressive to watch. All of the damage offensively came in the middle and a bit lower down in the lineup as each batter 4-7 had a single RBI in a collective effort to put together the runs needed to win the game. Jacob Pearson was one of the batters with a multi-hit game and he now holds an OPS of .804 at A+ since being promoted, he also stole a base. In total, the Miracle pitchers struck out twelve Lakeland batters while only walking one. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 3, Clinton 0 Box Score Kai-Wei Teng: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 66.7% strikes (60 of 90 pitches) HR: None Multi-hit games: Spencer Steer (2-for-4, 2B, R, BB), Trevor Casanova (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), Alex Isola (2-for-4) Hey look, the Blue Wahoos were not the only Twins minor league team with a great pitching performance! Kai-Wei Teng was electric as he threw seven scoreless innings en route to probably his best performance to date. Spencer Steer continues to be otherworldly as he had yet another multi-hit effort. His OPS at Cedar Rapids now sits at 1.029 and honestly that might not even fully reflect how well he has done so far. In addition to the Kernels’ eight hits, they also walked six times, giving them an impressive fourteen times on base in the game. How do you win games? Well just put up offense and have a great start from your starter, seems simple enough, more teams should try this. E-Town E-Notes Elizabethton 0, Bristol 1 Box Score Prelander Berroa: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Will Holland (2-for-3) The Elizabethton Twins lost a close game this Saturday. Elizabtheton’s hitters had just four hits total and none went for extra bases. They also struck out ten times and took no walks. Will Holland had the best game of any Elizabthton position player as he knocked two singles and stole a base. GCL Twins Takes GCL Twins 14, GCL Red Sox 13 (11 innings) Box Score Donny Breek: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K HR: None Multi-hit games: Jeferson Morales (2-for-3, 2B, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Francisco Martinez (2-for-5, 3B, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB) The GCL Twins had one absolutely wild game against the GCL Red Sox that included twenty-five total hits in the game. Somehow, neither squad hit a homerun so it was all the balls in play that ended up doing the damage. Yunior Severino played in first game since April, he went 0-for-2 before being replaced but this is just the start of his rehab assignment so his playing time will be ramped up soon before hopefully joining the Cedar Rapids Kernels soon. Yennier Cano threw two perfect innings with a pair of strikeouts, a much better outing than his first GCL appearance a few days ago that was disastrous. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Kai-Wei Teng Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Ryan Jeffers PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - 0-for-4 #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - 0-for-5, K #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - IL #4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) - 0-for-5, 3 K #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB, K #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL Twins) - 0-for-3, BB, K #8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Injured list #9 - Jhoan Duran (Pensacola) - Did not pitch #10 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch #11 - Lewis Thorpe (Twins) - Did not pitch #12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 1-for-5, 2B, R, 2 K #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) - 3-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI #14 - Luis Arraez (Twins) - Did not play #15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) - 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - Did not play #17 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - Out for year with Tommy John surgery #18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did not pitch #19 - Misael Urbina (DSL Twins) - 0-for-5, 2 K #20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - IL SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Indianapolis @ Rochester (12:05 A.M.) - RHP Randy Dobnak Pensacola @ Jacksonville (2:05 P.M.) - RHP Jhoan Duran Lakeland @ Fort Myers(12:00 P.M.) - LHP Lachlan Wells Clinton @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 P.M.) - RHP Austin Schulfer Elizabethton @ Bristol (5:00 P.M.) - LHP Ryley Widell Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Saturday’s games. Click here to view the article

The Minnesota Twins are playing their worst ball of the season, while the Cleveland Indians continue to steamroll inferior teams, and suddenly the AL Central race is very much alive. Brace yourselves, and let's take a look back at the season's toughest week, which saw Cleveland draw within three (and very nearly two) games of the division lead with the trade deadline bearing down. Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 7/15 through Sun, 7/21 *** Record Last Week: 2-4 (Overall: 60-38) Run Differential Last Week: -10 (Overall: +111) Standing: 1st Place in AL Central (3.0 GA) Willians Watch: Out Indefinitely There's been an exodus in the Twins bullpen. Adalberto Mejia, designated for assignment a week ago, was claimed on Saturday by the Angels. Mike Morin, designated a few days later, was traded to Philadelphia on the same day for cash considerations. And Matt Magill, the most recent cut after getting bombed by the Mets on Wednesday, found himself dealt to Seattle for cash on Sunday. That's the bottom three pieces of Minnesota's shaky bullpen, all cleared out in a matter of days. So, they're halfway to getting better. But meanwhile, everyone's wondering: When are they going to add some upgrades to replace these departed relievers? So far the only reinforcement called in to fill the void is Kohl Stewart, who has pitched one inning since being recalled on Thursday. The Twins curiously have four spots sitting open on their 40-man roster. With the trade deadline less than 10 days away, Minnesota is all but assured to make at least one deal, but in the meantime they are grinding out games and leaning hard on a stretched, shorthanded relief corps. On Sunday this meant leaving Trevor May on the hill for a grueling 49-pitch outing, and also sending Zack Littell (a full-time starter prior to this year) out to pitch for a third straight day. With an even more daunting offense coming to town, and no off days on the schedule in the coming week, the Twins are desperately in need of bullpen help. They announced on Sunday they've optioned Littell (who has a 1.50 ERA in 12 appearances since the start of June), and will have another arm coming up on Monday. Who will it be? Cody Allen is a possibility, though he's looked quite poor in Triple-A (5 BB and 3 K in 4 IP). Cody Stashak, who has a 1.61 ERA and 31-to-4 K/BB ratio in 22 1/3 innings at Rochester, would be the better option on merit. Either addition would require a 40-man move, but that's no problem. [uPDATE: Sounds like it'll be Stashak (per our own Jeremy Nygaard), pushing Minnesota's 40-man roster to 37.] Of course, neither of those two will do much to solve the team's need for credible late-inning support. And so the trade market will (rightfully) be an ongoing focal point of discussion in the days ahead. Urgency continues to build... HIGHLIGHTS The reemergence of Miguel Sano continues to be tremendously invigorating. He had a tough go in the Mets series, striking out five times in eight trips while collecting just one single, but rebounded in a big way over the weekend. Even with his 0-for-5 on Sunday, Sano reached eight times in 17 plate appearances against Oakland. Even more impressive to me than his mammoth third-deck homer, which put the Twins ahead (briefly) on Saturday, was the fact that he drew five walks with only three strikeouts in the four games. He is absolutely locked in at the plate, and the contrast from one month ago – when he was mired in a staggeringly hideous slump – is nothing short of mind-blowing. Since breaking out with a two-homer game in Chicago on June 28th, Sano is hitting .316/.426/.684 with five bombs, four doubles, and 11 walks in 18 games. During that span, he's struck out at just a 28% rate. The big third baseman has quietly reverted to All-Star form; unfortunately, it happens to be occurring at a time where most of the offense has fallen into a collective funk. Not everyone though. Despite his prodigious pop, Sano still isn't the most dangerous right-handed power bat on the Twins. That'd be Mitch Garver, who added three more home runs last week to go along with a pair of singles and three walks. Garver has now surpassed his rookie homer total by 10, in half the number of games. He continues to show incredible plate discipline combined with an ability to crush drives to all fields. Just an amazing transformation, and that's not even mentioning his enormous defensive advancements. His clutch three-run blast in the seventh put Minnesota ahead for good and snapped a three-game losing streak. Sadly, those moments of capitalization have been far and few between for this once-potent lineup, which has had to scratch and claw for everything lately. LOWLIGHTS The Twins offense, clicking pretty much nonstop over the first 10 weeks of the season, has fallen into a prolonged stretch of mediocrity. From the start of the year through June 15th, they were baseball's best offense by any measure, leading MLB in runs, homers, OPS, wOBA, wRC+, and WAR. Since June 16th, here are their rankings in those categories (entering Sunday) Runs: 22nd HR: 8th OPS: 17th wOBA: 16th wRC+: 17th WAR: 16th They've still been hitting the ball out of the yard at a decent clip, but in all other regards, the Twins have regressed hard into below-average territory offensively. Saturday's loss to Oakland perfectly encapsulates the frustrating trend plaguing this lineup: Three solo home runs, surrounded by inning after inning of lifeless out-making. When they would manage to mount a fledgling rally, it was always squandered – including the bottom of the ninth, where they loaded the bases with one out and came up empty. This freefalling regression starts at the top. Max Kepler was 4-for-19 on the week, and slashing .227/.257/.392 in the past month, before breaking out on Sunday with a 3-for-6 effort that included a double, a three-run homer, and a walk-off single. Jorge Polanco, who opened the scoring Sunday with an RBI double and added two walks, was 3-for-17 on the week and 13-for-59 (.220) in July coming into the game. These two hitters were the primary catalysts in Minnesota's offense for much of the first half, but of late, they've become much easier assignments for opposing pitchers. That's reflected by their K/BB ratios – Kepler has drawn three walks with 21 strikeouts over his past 25 games, while Polanco is at 10 BBs and 29 Ks since the start of June. Both players posted K/BB ratios that were close to even in the first two months. Other hitters continue to show pop, but are embodying the all-or-nothing (and more often the latter) nature of this offense right now. C.J. Cron chipped in a homer and two doubles last week, but otherwise went 1-for-16 with no walks. The RBI and run scored on his solo blast were the lone ones he tallied in five games. Nelson Cruz hit two solo homers, but finished with only those two RBIs in a week where he went 5-for-23 (.217). Yeah, the bullpen had a rough run, and is taking plenty of flack for it. But what we saw with May, Littell, Ryne Harper, and even Taylor Rogers blowing leads in eventual losses was a collection of pitchers who've been generally reliable, showing they're human against an extremely good and hot offense. It happens. That's not the problem. The problem is that the staff is undermanned (as we discussed earlier) and they are constantly pitching with razor-thin margins because the offense has been unable to build leads and breathing room. Relievers have also been asked to pitch more, with starters failing to last deep into games. Jose Berrios, who completed six-plus innings in all but one of his 17 starts through the end of June, has failed to do so in any of his three July outings. Jake Odorizzi hasn't gotten through six in any of his past five turns. Michael Pineda has pitched past the sixth only twice all year. The Twins need to add arms, and I'm certain they will. But let's not kid ourselves into thinking that even the addition of multiple high-caliber relievers is going to cure what's ailing this team, because it runs much deeper than a volatile bullpen – one which has, all things considered, actually performed reasonably well. In order to get back on track and rebuild some buffer in the AL Central, the Twins need their lineup to get rolling again, above all. Fortunately, there are numerous reasons to believe this will happen. Strong showings from Polanco and (especially) Kepler on Sunday were promising, as is the schedule, which eases up considerably following the impending Yankees series. But much will also hinge on the development we'll discuss next. TRENDING STORYLINE This team needs Byron Buxton back ASAP. The difference in their record with (48-23) and without (12-15) him in the lineup makes that abundantly clear. Not only is his defensive impact a regular game-changer, but Buxton also has the potential to get hot offensively and alter the dynamic for this lineup. At the same time, the Twins know all too well about the troublesome nature of concussions, especially when they begin to add up. (Buxton was knocked unconscious in a scary outfield collision in 2014, and has had plenty of scary run-ins with the wall and ground since.) This front office is conservative by nature when it comes to managing injuries, and in this case that approach is warranted more than ever. But... they need him back. When will he return? It could be as soon as Monday – which would be big, with a crucial series against the Yankees set to get underway – and seems to be trending that way, as he was able to participate in all baseball activities before Sunday's game. But all will depend on how he feels Monday morning. Any signs of trouble will surely prompt the Twins to back off. I wouldn't be surprised if he's in center field for Game 1 against New York, nor would I be surprised if he isn't activated in the coming week at all. DOWN ON THE FARM What Jaylin Davis is doing at Rochester cannot be ignored. In past years, Davis has never really been on the Twins prospect radar, at least beyond its fringes. A 24th-round draft pick out of college in 2015, he has risen steadily through the system – advancing about one level per season – while posting solid yet unspectacular numbers as mostly a right fielder. He opened the 2019 campaign at Pensacola, where he got off to an unusually strong start, slashing .274/.382/.458 with 10 home runs in 58 games. This earned him his first promotion to Triple-A, and since arriving in the International League, Davis has experienced a power surge of epic proportions. After launching three more home runs last week for the Red Wings, Davis is now up to 13 in just 33 games. That equates to a .729 slugging percentage to go along with his .331 average since moving up. The 25-year-old has already gone deep 23 times in 91 games this year between the top two levels of the minors; to put this in context, he homered 11 times in 120 games last year, and 15 times in 125 games the year before that. What to make of this? It's hard to say for sure. We might just be seeing a torrid and temporary hot streak, fueled partially by the hitter-friendly nature of Triple-A (which now uses MLB baseballs). But it's definitely a promising development, and one that puts Davis squarely on the radar as a potential late-bloomer. LOOKING AHEAD Just what the Twins need at a time where they've got fans bordering on panic mode: a date with their eternal tormenters. The Yankees are coming in red-hot, having won six of their last eight games and 23 of their last 30 to build a hulking 10-game lead in the AL East. These are two teams moving in very different directions. Can Minnesota shift the momentum while also vanquishing ghosts of the past? It's gonna be an interesting series. Unfortunately it coincides with Cleveland heading to Toronto for a three-game set against the 38-63 Blue Jays, before traveling to Kansas City to take on the 37-64 Royals. On the bright side, things ease up considerably at that point for the Twins, who get 10 games against the White Sox, Marlins and Royals starting next weekend. Let's just hope they still own sole possession of first place when that favorable stretch gets underway. MONDAY, 7/22: YANKEES @ TWINS – LHP CC Sabathia v. LHP Martin Perez TUESDAY, 7/23: YANKEES @ TWINS – RHP Domingo German v. RHP Kyle Gibson WEDNESDAY, 7/24: YANKEES @ TWINS – LHP J.A. Happ v. RHP Jake Odorizzi THURSDAY, 7/25: TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP Jose Berrios v. RHP Lucas Giolito FRIDAY, 7/26: TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP Michael Pineda v. RHP Dylan Cease SATURDAY, 7/27: TWINS @ WHITE SOX – LHP Martin Perez v. RHP Ivan Nova SUNDAY, 7/28: TWINS @ WHITE SOX – RHP Kyle Gibson v. RHP Dylan Covey Catch Up On Twins Daily Game Recaps Game 93 | NYM 3, MIN 2: Tough Luck Loss for the TwinsGame 94 | NYM 14, MIN 4: Mets Blow Out Twins, Complete Another Target Field SweepGame 95 | MIN 6, OAK 3: Rosario Ignites Late-Inning ComebackGame 96 | OAK 5, MIN 3: Twins Have No Answer To A’s pitchingGame 97 | OAK 5, MIN 4: Twins Offense and Bullpen Can’t Do Enough to Secure the WinGame 98 | MIN 7, OAK 6: Max Kepler Delivers Dramatic Walk-Off Win Click here to view the article

Jaylin Davis is as close to being automatic as you can get right now. He slugged his 13th home run in what was just his 31st game with Rochester tonight. Royce Lewis also had a nice night, going 3-for-5 to help to lead Fort Myers to a win. Come see what else happened across the system Friday.TRANSACTIONS LHP Sam Clay was promoted from Pensacola up to Rochester. Cedar Rapids activated LHP Kody Funderburk from the IL and placed RHP Carlos Suniaga on the IL with a forearm strain. RED WINGS REPORT Gwinnett 8, Rochester 4 Box Score Drew Hutchison: 5.1 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 66.0% strikes (64 of 97 pitches) HR: Jaylin Davis (13), Jimmy Kerrigan (3) Multi-hit games: Davis (2-for-4, HR), Nick Gordon (2-for-3, BB), Wilin Rosario (2-for-4, 2B) The Red Wings managed to tie this game up 4-4 on a Jaylin Davis two-run homer in the seventh. It was Davis’ 13th home run in just 31 games with Rochester, and 23rd of the year overall. Unfortunately, Gwinnett was able to bounce back with two runs in the bottom of that inning. Drew Hutchison had a rough start, but Sam Clay had a very nice Triple-A debut. Clay allowed an inherited runner to score, but pitched around an error and all five outs he recorded were via strikeouts. BLUE WAHOO BITES Mississippi 4, Pensacola 2 Box Score Charlie Barnes: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 2 K, 49.4% strikes (41 of 83 pitches) HR: None Multi-hit games: Mark Contreras (2-for-4) Ian Anderson, the No. 26 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, carved up the Blue Wahoos lineup in this one. He struck out 10 batters over seven innings of one-run ball. This was still a 1-1 game heading in to the bottom of the seventh. Charlie Barnes somehow managed to mostly pitch around a career-high six walks and Tom Hackimer pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in his first game action in nearly a month. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Florida 5 Box Score Blayne Enlow: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 71.4 % strikes (60 of 84 pitches) HR: None Multi-hit games: Royce Lewis (3-for-5, 2B), Ryan Costello (2-for-5) After a rough three months of the season, things are now trending the right direction for Royce Lewis. He had three more hits today, giving him five multi-hit games so far this month. He now has a .302/.387/.472 line (.859 OPS) so far in July. Blayne Enlow got knocked around a bit, giving up five runs (four earned) in his five innings, but the Miracle bullpen was outstanding. Johan Quezada struck out three batters in two one-hit innings before Joe Record picked up a two-inning save, holding Florida hitless while striking out a pair of batters. KERNELS NUGGETS Lake County 8, Cedar Rapids 3 Box Score Andrew Cabezas: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 59.0% strikes (49 of 83 pitches) HR: Gilberto Celestino (5), Gabe Snyder (11), Trevor Casanova (4) Multi-hit games: None All three of the Kernels’ runs came on solo homers. They went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and combined for 11 strikeouts as a team. Cedar Rapids entered the bottom of the eighth inning holding a 3-2 lead but that’s when things fell apart. Lake County sent 11 men to bat that inning and ended up scoring six runs. After another solid start today, Andrew Cabezas now has a 1.37 ERA over his last seven starts (39 1/3 innings). E-TWINS E-NOTES Greenville 4, Elizabethton 2 Box Score Sawyer Gipson-Long: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K HR: Charles Mack (5) Multi-hit games: Charles Mack (2-for-3, HR), Max Smith (2-for-4) Sawyer Gipson-Long was electric for Elizabethton today. He gave up only one hit over three scoreless innings and struck out six batters. The 2019 sixth-round pick now has nine Ks in five scoreless innings to start his professional career. The only E-Town runs came on a Charles Mack two-run homer that scored Matt Wallner. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 4, GCL Red Sox 1 Box Score Matt Canterino: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K HR: Wander Valdez 2 (3), Jesus Feliz (2) Multi-hit games: Jesus Feliz (3-for-4, 3B, HR), Wander Valdez (2-for-3, 2 HR, BB) Five of the six hits for the Twins came from Jesus Feliz and Wander Valdez. Feliz was a double short of the cycle and Valdez hit two home runs. Matt Canterino, the Twins’ second-round pick from this year’s draft, struck out four batters in three shutout innings. Miguel Rodriguez followed with three scoreless innings of his own before Matthew Swain held the Red Sox to one run over the final three frames. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Sawyer Gipson-Long, Elizabethton Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Wander Valdez, GCL Twins TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects performed: 1. Royce Lewis (FM): 3-for-5, 2B, 2 R 2. Alex Kirilloff (PNS): 0-for-4, K 4. Trevor Larnach (PNS): 1-for-4, RBI, 3 K 5. Wander Javier (CR): 0-for-3, BB, K, E (throw) 7: Keoni Cavaco (GCL): 0-for-4, R, K 10. Blayne Enlow (FM): 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 71.4 % strikes (60 of 84 pitches) 12. Nick Gordon (ROC): 2-for-3, BB, R, SB, CS 13. Ryan Jeffers (FM): 1-for-4, BB, RBI, R, K 15. Matt Wallner (ELZ): 1-for-4, 2B, R, 2 K 16. Ben Rortvedt (PNS): 1-for-4, K, E (catcher’s interference) 19. Misael Urbina (DSL): 1-for-4, 2B, R SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester at Gwinnett, 5:05 pm CT (Devin Smeltzer) Pensacola at Mississippi, 6:05 pm CT (Jorge Alcala) Fort Myers at Florida, 5:00 pm CT (Lachlan Wells) Cedar Rapids at Fort Wayne, 5:05 pm CT (Kai-Wei Teng) Elizabethton at Bluefield, 5:30 pm CT GCL Twins at GCL Red Sox, 9:00 am CT Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the games. Click here to view the article

There were plenty of exciting performances on the farm today in the Twins organization. Jaylin Davis has been a man on a mission since reaching Triple-A and his torrid pace didn’t end tonight. Willie Joe Garry Jr. was perfect at the dish for Elizabehton, and more than a couple of starters put up good efforts to lift their clubs. Read more about it below.TRANSACTIONS Rochester Red Wings ADD OF Alejandro De Aza signed by Minnesota RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 5, Norfolk 4 Box Score Lewis Thorpe was the scheduled starter for Rochester and he posted a pretty pedestrian stat line in this one. Going five innings, he gave up just a single earned run on four hits. Issuing four free passes and tallying three strikeouts highlights the kind of command night it was for the Aussie. All Jaylin Davis has done since getting to Triple-A is mash the baseball. He started tonight’s scoring with his 12th homer, going yard for the fourth straight game. Now 29 games in to his Rochester career he’s got a .340 average with a 1.162 OPS. Recently inked Alejandro De Aza singled in two runs during the fifth, Davis plated another, and Wynston Sawyer recorded his 16th double to drive in a fourth. The Tides pushed runs across in the fifth, sixth, and ninth innings but ultimately came up just short. BLUE WAHOOS BITES Scheduled Day Off MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 2, Tampa 0 Box Score After being doubled up on in the runs column yesterday the Miracle returned the favor this afternoon. Jhoan Duran took the ball and didn’t give it up for six innings. He was great allowing just five hits and walking two while striking out four. Fort Myers scored the game’s first run with Royce Lewis crossing the plate on a Ryan Costello fourth inning fielder’s choice. In the eighth inning Jacob Pearson nabbed his first Triple-A triple for the Miracle and then scored on a Michael Helman sacrifice bunt. Although the Tarpons collected six hits, as opposed to just three for Fort Myers, it was the home team walking away with the victory. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Lake County 4, Box Score The Kernels sent Tyler Palm to the hill tonight and he rewarded them with six innings of exceptional work. Allowing just a lone unearned run on four hits, he gave up a single free pass and recorded six punchouts. Cedar Rapids opened the scoring in the first inning on a wild pitch ball four to Jared Akins. In the second they doubled their tally as Spencer Steer picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice. With their lead halved going into the seventh, Akins stepped in to make a difference again. His 10th homer of the year was a three-run blast and put the Kernels up by a grand slam. Things got a bit hairy in the ninth as Lake County had the bases loaded with two outs, but ultimately just three runners came across the dish and the lead held. E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton 13, Greeneville 1 Box Score Ben Gross took the mound for the E-Twins tonight and he was spotted plenty of breathing room as Elizabethton broke out for 13 runs on 14 hits. Going five innings allowing just an unearned run, Gross fanned three and walked one. Willie Joe Garry Jr. put the visitors on the board in the second inning with his first triple of the season. Plating both Matt Wallner and Charles Mack we were off to the races. Five more runs scored in the fourth inning on four base hits. Seth Gray picked up his fifth double of the season driving in two fifth-inning runs and the Reds trailed 9-0 before they knew what hit them. Answering back with a lone run in the bottom half of that inning, Elizabethton pulled further away late. A four-run seventh was capped off by a throwing error that allowed Anthony Prato to trot home for the game’s final run. Eight of the nine starting batters picked up hits for Elizabethton and three guys recorded three-hit nights. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Braves 5, GCL Twins 2 Box Score Niklas Rimmel was on the bump and continued his strong 2019 season with six innings of three run ball (two earned). He picked up six strikeouts and didn’t issue a free pass. After the outing his ERA sits at 2.61. The Braves plated three runs in the second frame to jump out ahead. Adding a fourth in the seventh it wasn’t until the bottom half of the stretch inning that the Twins answered. Both runners, Kyle Schmidt and Jesus Feliz scored on a single wild pitch. Tallying just four hits in the contest, the GCL Twins weren’t able to get anything strung together. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Tyler Palm (Cedar Rapids) 6.0 IP, 4 H 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K Hitter of the Day – Jaylin Davis (Rochester) 2-5, HR(12), R, 2 RBI PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Fort Myers) –0-1, R, 2 BB, K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – No game #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - Injured List (shoulder) #4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) – No game #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, BB, 3 K #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Fort Myers) - Did not pitch #7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL) – Did not play #8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – Injured list #9 - Jhoan Duran (Fort Myers) – 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER 2 BB, 4 K #10 - Blayne Enlow (Fort Myers) - Did not pitch #11 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K #12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 0-for-5, 2 K #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Fort Myers) – Did not play #14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) – 1-4 #15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) – 1-4, R, RBI, BB, K #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) – No game #17 - Akil Baddoo (Fort Myers) - Injured List (Tommy John surgery) #18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) – No game #19 - Misael Urbina (DSL) – 1-4 #20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) – Injured list THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Norfolk (11:05AM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (5-5, 6.28 ERA) Pensacola @ Mississippi (6:35PM CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (4-1, 2.76 ERA) Tampa @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - RHP Jordan Balazovic (5-2, 2.76 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Lake County (10:00AM CST) - RHP Luis Rijo (2-6, 2.37 ERA) Elizabethton @ Greeneville (5:30PM CST) - TBD GCL Twins- Scheduled day off Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! 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