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Minnesota isn't going to end the team's playoff losing streak this year, but plenty of former Twins are helping their team fight for the playoffs. Here is one former Twin assisting each NL playoff contender. The National League isn't the only league with former Twins dotting potential playoff rosters. Some of the names below are fan favorites, and others exited Minnesota under very different circumstances. Division Leaders San Francisco: LaMonte Wade Jr., OF/1B This one hurts for many Twins fans as LaMonte Wade Jr. was traded for Shaun Anderson in February. Anderson appeared in four games for the Twins before being designated for assignment. Wade has posted a 129 OPS+ while being worth 1.8 WAR. Defensively, he has played all three outfield positions and logged over 186 innings at first base. The Giants are a surprise team, and Wade Jr. has been a surprise addition to their success. Milwaukee: Eduardo Escobar, INF Eduardo Escobar was a first-time All-Star this season before being dealt from Arizona to Milwaukee at the trade deadline. His OPS+ has jumped from 107 to 124 since the trade. For the season, his max exit velocity and xSLG rank in the 70th percentile or higher. Milwaukee's starting rotation is built for a deep October run, and Escobar was the team's upgrade for the stretch run. Atlanta: Huascar Ynoa, SP Former Twin Eddie Rosario made some history for the Braves over the weekend by hitting for the cycle, but Huascar Ynoa is more critical for the team's playoff success. Ynoa was traded to the Braves for Jaime Garcia and Anthony Recker in 2017. He has posted a 3.26 ERA and a 1.022 WHIP with a 10.0 strikeout per nine. At 23-years old, he has been a surprise for the Braves as they sit atop the AL East. Wild Card Contenders Los Angeles: Brusdar Graterol Graterol headed to the Dodgers as part of the Kenta Maeda deal, and he helped the Dodgers win the 2020 World Series. He was injured and ineffective in the first half, so his addition to the bullpen has provided a second-half boost. In 23 second-half appearances, he has a 3.24 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP. Any team competing in October needs a good bullpen, and Brusdar Graterol can help the Dodgers on their quest to repeat. St. Louis: J.A. Happ Many were surprised the Twins were able to get anything for Happ at the trade deadline. Now, J.A. Happ has been part of quite the turnaround in St. Louis. The Cardinals seem to do this on an annual basis where the club looks out of the race, and then they fight back into contention. His ERA dropped from 6.77 with the Twins to 4.33 with the Cardinals. He hasn't been outstanding, but he has helped take innings away from their bullpen. Philadelphia: Kyle Gibson Kyle Gibson compiled an impressive first half in Texas on his way to being named an AL All-Star. At the deadline, he was sent to Philadelphia, who now finds themselves fighting for the final Wild Card spot. His time in Philadelphia hasn't been nearly as outstanding as in Texas, but he has pitched six innings or more in six of his ten starts. Which of these players has the most significant impact on the playoff races? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

LaMonte Wade, Akil Baddoo, and Nick Anderson have all gone on to find success with other organizations. Teams need to be strong when it comes to scouting, so do the Twins have an issue when it comes to scouting their own talent? There’s no question that successful organizations need to have a strong scouting department. It is the job of this group to find talent at any level and decide if those players are a good fit for an organization. One undervalued scouting skill might be the ability of an organization to evaluate their own talent and decide which pieces are most critical for an organization’s long-term success. Unfortunately, these three players have all found success with other organizations without getting a long look at the big-league level by the Twins. Akil Baddoo, Detroit Tigers Minnesota drafted Baddoo in the second round back in 2016 and he played his first four professional seasons in the organization. Back in 2019, he topped out at High-A where he hit .214/.290/.393 in 29 games. Entering the 2021 season, he didn’t have an at-bat at the Double-A level and the lost 2020 season certainly took away some development time, so the Twins left him unprotected in the Rule 5 Draft. Now, it’s looking like the Twins might have given up on him too soon. Detroit is in rebuild mode so they can afford to take some chances in the Rule 5 Draft, and they were willing to give Baddoo a shot at the big-league level. His hot start to the season was well documented as he had a 1.024 OPS through his first 15 games. He may not be getting the hype he was at season’s start, but he entered play on Monday with a 142 OPS+ while leading the American League in triples. Minnesota had a lot of minor league outfield depth, but Baddoo is looking more like he can be a contributor for years to come. LaMonte Wade Jr., San Francisco Giants Wade was a ninth-round pick by the Twins in the 2015 MLB Draft and the Twins had used him throughout parts of the 2019 and 2020 season. In those two years, he compiled an 87 OPS+ in 42 games and he looked to have a shot at making the 2021 Twins. The decision came down to picking Wade or Jake Cave as the team’s fourth outfielder. Minnesota was able to trade Wade to the Giants in exchange for Shaun Anderson, who was recently claimed off waivers by the Rangers. It was a deal that couldn’t have gone more poorly for the Twins. In his age-27 season, Wade has found a role with the Giants, the first team to 50 wins this season. Through his first 28 games, he has posted a 136 OPS+ while playing all three outfield positions and first base. Cave compiled a 43 OPS+ in 31 games this year before ending up on the 60-day injured list with a stress reaction in his lower back. Wade is finding big-league success on one of baseball’s best teams while the Twins have been forced to shuffle through a variety of outfielders. Nick Anderson, Tampa Bay Rays Anderson, a Minnesota native, had to work his way into professional baseball after attending college at Mayville State University in North Dakota. The Twins signed him out of independent baseball and used him as a reliever in four different seasons as he topped out at Triple-A. In November 2018, the Twins traded him to the Miami Marlins for Brian Schales and Anderson has pitched at the big-league level ever since that deal. Anderson was a critical piece of the Rays bullpen that drove them to the 2020 World Series. Throughout the 2019-20 seasons, he has combined for a 155 ERA+ with a 0.96 WHIP and 15 SO/9. His 2021 season hasn’t started yet as he recovers from a partial torn ligament in his right elbow. The injury didn’t require surgery and he is supposed to return for the season’s second half. This will be a welcome boost to a Rays club that is fighting for an AL East crown. He would also be a welcome addition to a Twins bullpen that has seen it’s fair share of struggles this season. It’s great to see these players writing their own success story, but it’s too bad those achievements didn’t come in a Twins uniform. Minnesota needs to hang on to players like these that can add to their organizational depth and that process might start with looking in the mirror at their own self-scouting. Do you think the Twins have a self-scouting issue? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

We’ve made it, we have finally made it. The long-running national nightmare seems to be nearly over. On Friday night we will have a Twins baseball game that counts. Back in late June I projected the 30-man Opening Day roster for Minnesota. A few changes have been made and it’s time for an update. While Summer Camp has been relatively uneventful for the Twins, there have been a few key developments. Thankfully, Byron Buxton’s injury scare doesn’t seem like it will hold him back. Luis Arraez also tweaked his knee but when then immediately all systems go. Miguel Sano got a late start due to COVID-19 tests despite being asymptomatic, but he’s been back for a few days now as well. Only Nick Gordon and Willians Astudillo remain on the COVID related Injured List for the Twins. The former was never likely to make the Opening Day roster, while the latter definitely opens up a spot for Rocco Baldelli. Having just requested his release, rotation candidate Jhoulys Chacin also generates an opportunity for someone. Let’s get into who should be expected to make the club: Catchers (2): Mitch Garver, Alex Avila No surprises here. Astudillo is still looking to generate two negative COVID-19 tests which makes him ineligible to participate. With a catcher being available every night on the three-man taxi squad, carrying two to open the year is just fine. Infield (6): Miguel Sano, Luis Arraez, Jorge Polanco, Josh Donaldson, Ehire Adrianza, Travis Blankenhorn If there’s a guy that benefits from Astudillo’s absence, it’s probably Travis Blankenhorn. I loved what he could’ve provided during regular Spring Training, and think his skillset translates perfectly to a year needing depth. He can play second and third base while also having some outfield flexibility. The bat has pop and while he’s not a top tier prospect, there’s plenty of talent to contribute at the big-league level. Outfield (6): Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave, Marwin Gonzalez, LaMonte Wade Jr. This group adds one to it in the form of LaMonte Wade Jr. He’s had a strong Summer Camp and is showing that he’s more than just an on-base machine. Minnesota doesn’t have a true replacement in centerfield outside of Max Kepler, but both Cave and Wade should rotate in on the corners prior to any activation of the top prospects. Designated Hitter (1): Nelson Cruz As has always been the case, this one is as easy as it gets. Minnesota’s leader is ready to go following a very strong Summer Camp Rotation (5): Jose Berrios, Kenta Maeda, Jake Odorizzi, Rich Hill, Homer Bailey No changes here from the original group, but Jake Odorizzi slides back at least a spot in the rotation due to back stiffness. He’s going to have his last Summer Camp appearance shifted, and he’ll likely be moved off the Saturday game in Chicago. Bullpen (10): Taylor Rogers, Trevor May, Sergio Romo, Tyler Duffey, Zack Littell, Tyler Clippard, Matt Wisler, Cody Stashak, Randy Dobnak, Devin Smeltzer This group decreased by one with me no longer including Lewis Thorpe. I think the goal would be to have him throwing regular pens and staying stretched out at the alternate site in St. Paul. He was the first rotation option jettisoned during original Spring Training, and both Dobnak and Smeltzer are ahead of him still. Would have been nice to include Chacin as depth, but he’s miscast as a long reliever anyways. There you have it, your 2020 Minnesota Twins. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

When the calendar turns in just over a week the Minnesota Twins will play postseason baseball. They’ll host a game at Target Field for the first time since 2010. Rocco Baldelli will be looking to guide the franchise to its first October win since October 5, 2004. When constructing a 25-man roster for the playoffs teams often look to exploit opportunity on the fringes. An extra pen arm here, or a specific skill set off the bench. For the Twins, they could have a decision to make when it comes to the last position player.As the Houston Astros and New York Yankees battle back and forth for the number one seed, it’s the Bronx Bombers that Minnesotans should be welcoming. History can be cast aside as no one currently on this roster cares about previous futility. Aaron Boone’s squad has plenty of warts on the bump and the Twins lineup can go toe-to-toe with anyone. No matter who they face though, what happens in a late game situation when Baldelli needs to work some magic? Is it speed, or is it patience? Minnesota acquired Ian Miller from the Seattle Mariners in early August. He was a 14th-round pick in the 2013 draft and had yet to debut in the big leagues at 27-years-old. Not a top prospect by any means, Miller provided outfield depth on the farm but this move was about a specific asset. He’s fast and can steal a base. Even before Byron Buxton had his season come to an end due to shoulder surgery, the likelihood that he’d be available in a late game situation off the bench isn’t good (because he’d be starting). Miller fits the mold of a Terrance Gore type, and that’s exactly why the speedy outfielder (Gore) finds late season opportunity again in 2019, with the Yankees. Miller has stolen 243 bases in the minor leagues while being caught 51 times. That’s a success rate of 83% and puts him into the threshold of the additional 90 feet being a worthy gamble. Unfortunately he also has just a .340 OBP on the farm and isn’t typically heralded for his ability to get on base. Taking over on the basepaths may be beneficial, but could come at the cost of an additional at-bat later in the game. Despite being capable in the outfield there are a good deal of question marks outside of his ability to swipe bags. The aforementioned Gore has been inserted into nine playoff games over seven seasons. He’s stolen five bases, being caught once and has scored three runs. The Twins made the prudent move by adding him to the 40-man roster. He’s now eligible for the postseason, and they continued down their forward-thinking path at the beginning of September. Baldelli’s squad has stolen just three bases since the All-Star break though, and a team so capable of scoring from first base may not deem the gamble to second as a risk worth taking. On the flip side of the coin, I can’t help but be reminded of the at-bat Luis Arraez took in mid-July against Edwin Diaz. Regardless of the closer’s struggles this season, Minnesota’s rookie stepped in at an 0-2 count against a dominant arm and took a walk. Having the ability to generate a very strong at-bat against some of baseball’s best pen arms could prove invaluable during a big situation in October. Fortunately for Minnesota Arraez has worked his way into the starting lineup, but LaMonte Wade could represent a similar asset to consider. Despite missing a significant portion of his big league time this year due to injury, he hasn’t missed a beat in the time that he has played. Wade owns a career .389 OBP in the minors and has walked in 20% of his big league plate appearances. He’s struck out just three times in 41 opportunities, and has faced three-ball counts 32% of the time he’s stepped in. Despite a .161 batting average, he’s bolstered it with a .366 OBP and routinely makes pitchers work. Like Miller, Wade too plays the outfield and could take over for a starter as a defensive replacement. He’s got the ability to play all three outfield spots, and despite not being a speedster, can hold down all three roles at an above average clip. The decision here is an interesting one because it deals with two parts of the game that Minnesota has left largely unattended in 2019. The Twins have the fifth best OBP in baseball, but they’ve taken only the 18th most walks in the game. When constructing this lineup over the winter it was apparent that power production was a focus, and we’ve seen that play out at a record setting pace. No one has stolen fewer bases than Minnesota’s 26, and is postseason play the time to start looking for 90 extra feet? Both of these players probably found themselves on the outside looking in when the outfield was in its healthiest state. Now with some holes, the Twins will look to create opportunity through utility on the fringes. Miller and Wade present opportunity, but which way will Minnesota go, and will they consider either of them at all? Click here to view the article

Tonight on the farm there were a pair of affiliates that scored runs in bunches. The Red Wings put on a hitting clinic and the E-Twins saw every batter record a base hit. Jordan Balazovic had a shortened but strong outing, and a pair of outfielders showed progress in their rehab assignments. Read all about it below.TRANSACTIONS Rochester OF Luke Raley begins rehab assignment with GCL Pensacola OF LaMonte Wade Jr. rehab transferred from Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids LHP J.T. Perez placed on IL with lower back strain RHP Alex Schick activated from IL RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 20, Buffalo 3 Box Score After losing by three last night it didn’t matter who was on the mound as the Red Wings pounded out 20 runs on 19 hits. Kohl Stewart went five innings allowing just two hits and no runs while fanning two. This one was a laugher en route to his eighth win of the season. The scoring started early for Rochester with a four-run first being followed by a five- run second. The third inning came up, short generating just two runs, but after the first third of the game the good guys were ahead 11-0. Buffalo tried to make a game of it answering with a trio in the sixth, but Rochester responded with a nine-spot in the bottom half. Five of the Red Wings batters recorded three or more hits on the evening, with Tomas Telis going a perfect 4-for-4. Turtle man himself went 3-5 out of the two-hole, scoring three times. Brandon Barnes launched his 28th dinger of the season, a grand slam, and Ronald Torreyes grabbed his 11th. This one wasn’t competitive from the get go and the Red Wings pulverized the Bison, holding the opposition to just three hits. Zack Littell worked 2 1/3 scoreless while not allowing a hit and Jake Reed struck out the side to close out the contest. BLUE WAHOOS BITES Mississippi 3, Pensacola 1 Box Score Adam Bray was back in Florida for this one and he turned in four strong for the Wahoos. Keeping the Braves scoreless, he worked around three hits and three walks while striking out three. No one had pushed a run across when he had left the game, and it would be on Pensacola to try to strike first. The game’s first runs came in the sixth inning when Mississippi put up a crooked number. Tallying a three spot, Pensacola found themselves in a late hole. The only answer they could muster came on Jimmy Kerrigan’s ninth homer of the season in the eighth. It was his second in two days and as a solo shot, represented the lone offense for the visitors. Pensacola generated just four hits on the night, and two of them came from leadoff hitter Alex Kirilloff. LaMonte Wade joined Royce Lewis, Trevor Larnach, and Ryan Jeffers in the 0-fer department. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 5, Charlotte 2 Box Score Stud prospect Jordan Balazovic was on the bump for this one, and though he came up an out shy of completing five innings, he turned in a strong outing. The Canadian allowed just two runs on three hits while issuing a single free pass and posting seven strikeouts. The Miracle provide Balazovic some early breathing room by scoring five in the first three innings. Trey Cabbage drove in two in the first before Andrew Bechtold followed with another. Gilberto Celestino then scored in the second before Yelstin Encarnacion doubled home another in the third. Charlotte answered with two of their own in the fifth, but that was all the damage they did. Phenom Wander Franco was held to a 1-for-5 evening and fanned twice. KERNELS NUGGETS Clinton 6, Cedar Rapids 0 Box Score Unfortunately it was another ugly night for the Kernels. Aftering going down 9-0 last night, they made it 15-0 in the two day stretch. Matt Canterino was on the bump and gave up four runs (two earned) on two hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked two but it was a dropped third strike that cost him dearly. Clinton scored four times in the first, and tallied two on an ugly dropped third strike and then a follow-up throwing error from Canterino. They added single runs in both the sixth and eighth to widen the margin. Cedar Rapids generated just four hits in the game, and catcher Trevor Casanova was responsible for two of them out of the eight-hole. Alex Schick returned to the bump from the injured list and gave up a run on one hit in one inning of work. E-TWINS E-NOTES Elizabethton 14, Johnson City 4 Box Score Following up a close loss last night, it didn’t take long for the Twins to exact their revenge. Ryley Widell turned in a quality start going six innings allowing just three runs on three hits while fanning seven and walking two. It was his second win of the season, and among his better starts of 2019. The E-Twins motto in this one was early and often. They popped up with three first inning runs, took a break for just one in the second, and then added an eight-spot in the third. For good measure another pair crossed the plate in the eighth and this one was a ten-run-rule worthy affair by the time all was said and done. Elizabethton notched 15 hits in the contest but only Max Smith had more than a pair, as he went 3-for-5. Each E-Twins batter recorded a hit on the night, and five of the nine had multi-hit efforts. It was a singles barrage though as Smith accounted for the only double and homer (a grand slam) throughout the nine inning affair. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Orioles 13, GCL Twins 3 Box Score Two straight wins for the GCL Orioles were achieved by knocking off the GCL Twins in each of the past two days. Anthony Escobar gave up six earned runs before getting out of the first inning in this one, and it became a larger uphill battle than the visitors could overcome. The GCL Twins generated just four hits in the contest, and three runs came across in three separate innings. Rochester Red Wings outfielder Luke Raley made his rehab debut and went 1-for-4 on the day. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Jordan Balazovic (Fort Myers) - 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Hitter of the Day – Tomas Telis (Rochester) 4-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 6 RBI, 2 BB PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Pensacola) - 0-4, K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - 2-3, BB #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Rochester) - Did not pitch #4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) - 0-4, 2 K #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, K #6 - Jordan Balazovic (Fort Myers) - 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K #7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL) - Did not play #8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) - Injured List (groin) #9 - Jhoan Duran (Pensacola) - Did not pitch #10 - Blayne Enlow (Fort Myers) - Did not pitch #11 - Lewis Thorpe (Minnesota) - Did not pitch #12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Injured List (leg contusion) #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) - 0-4, K #14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) - 0-3, K #15 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 0-3, BB, K #16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - Did not play #17 - Akil Baddoo (Fort Myers) - Injured List (Tommy John surgery) #18 - Jorge Alcala (Rochester) - Did not pitch #19 - Misael Urbina (DSL) - Did not play #20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - 1-3, K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Syracuse (6:05PM CST) - TBD Jackson @ Pensacola (6:35PM CST) - TBD Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30PM CST) - RHP Blayne Enlow (3-3, 3.34 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Clinton (6:30PM CST) - RHP Tyler Palm (3-8, 3.84 ERA) Danville @ Elizabethton (5:30PM CST) - TBD GCL Twins @ GCL Red Sox (11:00AM CST) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! 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