RSS Twins Team Notes

[Minnesota Twins]

Game 151: Yankees at Twins

First Pitch: 6:40 PM CDT

TV: Twins.TV

Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy, LosTwins.com

Know thine enemy: Pinstripe Alley

Today’s Lineups​

Trent Grisham – CF	Byron Buxton – CF
Aaron Judge – RF	Austin Martin – 2B
Ben Rice – 1B	Trevor Larnach – DH
Cody Bellinger – LF	Kody Clemens – 1B
Giancarlo Stanton – DH	Royce Lewis – 3B
Jazz Chisholm – 2B	Matt Wallner – RF
Ryan McMahon – 3B	Mickey Gasper – C
Anthony Volpe – SS	Ryan Fitzgerald – SS
Austin Wells – C	James Outman – LF
Cam Schlittler – RHP	Zebby Matthews – RHP

[th]

YANKEES​

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[th]

TWINS​

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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-threads-2/49110/game-151-yankees-at-twins

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Yankees 10, Twins 5: New York homers, Minnesota goes home

Another day, another individual Yankee trouncing among that set. | Ellen Schmidt / Getty Images

Mes chèrs fans-in-hell,
It is with psyche fried in greatest measure that we watch the Twins tonight.
And now, it’s unlikely we relax; we just boggle and stare
As this Target Field club shall present…
…no winner.

Failed the test, failed the test,
Fans were nervous, rightly guessed
That the Yankees landed spankies
On our bottoms all abscessed.
No one spurs, just demurs
To the pinstripe-donned monsieurs;
As the rout gets ever vicious,
Are they trying? Not auspicious!
Take a swing? Not a chance,
Just a swivel in the pants
While the stadium in unison gets stressed;
Though it’s a lovely venue,
There’s no joy here when you
Failed the test, failed the test, failed the test!

Looked like poo in their play:
Bradley rocked and sent away,
Larnach’s grounders mean he founders;
Back to rounders or croquet.
At their home unprepared,
And the Pohlads haven’t cared:
None are lower than the owners—
Need a kick in their cojoners.
Trade the best, sack the scouts,
Plug their ears to all our pouts
While they’re crowing in their suits that they’re the best;
(Yes, I’m a caustic critic—
Joe is parasitic.)
Failed the test,
(And the rest? Many DUDS devoid of zest.)
Failed the test, failed the test, failed the test!

Still are some uncurving,
Of the STUD mark too deserving;
Brooks and Royce and Austin, choice with bat and ball.
Someday, there’ll be days when this is fruitful;
Currently, we doubt they’ll show at all.
For years they’ve been losing
In a streak that’s most confusing;
It’s a great surprise if they should end our ills.
Most days leave us feeling like an ass’le…
Strings a-snapping daily
Like a broken ukulele!

It’s a test, it’s a test,
Just another sporting quest.
(Goose’s cunning with this punning
Gets the Comment Here Addressed.)
Does it hurt? Does it sting?
Every evening, hands we wring.
While the offense fumbles rallies,
I’ll be sadly watching tallies;
Will they boil, getting hot?
It’s a wish, but likely not.
Clean it up? We know that Joe ain’t acquiesced.
We might be loyal, true,
But this is Number Two:
They failed the test,
Failed the test, failed the test, failed the test…

Failed the test, failed the test;
Why this passion we invest?
We’ve been fearing life of jeering,
But this year we can’t digest.
We’ve been had, we’ve been fleeced
By the owners’ pockets greased.
Now the exit queues are growing;
Our enthusiasm’s going…

…Score by score, run by run,
Making outs? The Twins aren’t fun!
That’s the season’s awful truth that we’ve confessed.
Tonight the Twins are beaten
‘Cause that wealthy cretin
Failed the test, failed the test, failed the test:
He failed the test!

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...-minnesota-goes-home-brooks-lee-austin-martin

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Joe Pohlad & how to better market the 2026 Twins

On the Pohlad Companies website, it lists members of the leadership team. Those bearing the Pohlad surname:

• James Pohlad
• Robert Pohlad
• William Pohlad
• Tom Pohlad
• Chris Pohlad
• Charlie Pohlad
• Allie Pohlad
• Joe Pohlad

One of the most interesting developments from the Minnesota Twins sale saga was that the last Pohlad—Joe—on that list is the one who actually wants to keep the team in the family. This isn’t a “Joe Pohlad hates baseball” scenario—rather, the exact opposite.

A part of me takes some hope in this—“hey, at least one Pohlad wants to keep the team!“. But another—larger—portion is worried that Joe may not have the chops to be Big Pohlad On Campus.

As such, I present to you the top five ways in which Joe needs to better market the 2026 Twins…

1: Be transparent about the TV situation​

It sounds like the Twins will be under the ESPN umbrella next season. This will almost certainly mean extra money spent by the MN consumer to view their favorite (still—hopefully) baseball squad. Argue amongst yourselves the ethics of that approach by MLB ownership groups.

But instead of obfuscating, the Twins need to be upfront. Tout how the new TV deal will raise revenue (and thus the ability to sign/spend)! Detail exact costs and how to watch/subscribe (don’t drop channel numbers hours before the opener). Some will balk, others will bite—but transparency is best.

2: Announce news as it happens​

One of the embarrassments of 2025 was having the news of manager Rocco Baldelli’s extension leak during the lackluster opening weeks. This could easily have been avoided by announcing the extension when it happened. Simple as that.

We live in a postmodern world. Everyone knows business-speak and can sniff out a rat from miles away. So just announce news as it happens and let the chips fall where they may. If anything, the Pohlads would gain respect for this approach rather than hiding news until it may be advantageous.

3: Lean into Twins history​

The Pohlads have done a remarkable job catering Target Field to general crowds with fun giveaways/promotions and trendy in-ballpark spots. Some might say this goes overboard at times—seemingly forgetting that a baseball game is actually being played. But a major opportunity exists to draw Twins history lovers back to the ballpark.

In 2025, what should have been a major franchise anniversary—the 1965 World Series appearance—was hastily thrown together and not even televised. Absolutely unacceptable. For ‘26, Owner Joe needs to lean into…

• The Twins HOF ceremony. I don’t care if it’s Denny Hocking & Mike Redmond being inducted—that needs to be on the promotional docket from Opening Day.
• The 35th anniversary of the 1991 World Championship team. Have starters go to their old positions in a pre-game ceremony—what a moment that would be (I don’t care how badly Herbie tears up the turf)!
• Perhaps a Paul Molitor Day, dedicated to his amazing age-39, .341 BA 1996 season in Twins pinstripes. He could split the game between TV/radio and tell late-90s Twins stories all night!
• Bring back as many of the 2006 Miracle Twins as possible—preferably in a game hosting the Detroit Tigers.

Also: make sure these events are highly publicized and fans know exactly what time they’ll begin pre-game. I guarantee higher-than-average crowds every time franchise history is feted.

4: Don’t get spooked by end-of-‘25 crowds​

One of the worst things that can happen to a baseball franchise is the downward spiral (see: Pittsburgh Pirates) of low ownership investment, which leads to sparse crowds, which leads to even less investment, which…well, you get the picture.

I’ll shout this from the rooftops (alas, I live in an apartment) if I have to: THE TWINS HAVE A DEVOTED FANBASE HERE IN THE TWIN CITIES!! The only caveat: Minnesota is a bastion for other outdoor activities—sporting or otherwise—during the summer. So if the paying cranks get wind of obsolescence at 1 Twins Way, other pastimes will fill the vacuum.

5: Don’t gut the roster (especially Pablo Lopez or Joe Ryan)​

The absolute Minnesota Twins die-hards (looks around and smiles) will largely root for laundry—next man up—over favorites. But that isn’t the case for every rooter.

Obviously Byron Buxton is here to stay—if as much by personal choice (praise be!) as anything. But Pablo Days give fans a reason to spent a night under the North Loop stars. The same goes for the Joe Ryan Experience. To the average fan—hell, to most of us here on Twinkie Town—they mean so much more than just “the next guy”.

If you’d like to prove your ownership mettle to Twins fans, Joe Pohlad, I hope you were taking notes.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...d-better-marketing-2026-tv-espn-crowds-roster

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Guardians 6, Twins 2: Penning down a dream

On Pablo López Night, López gets hurt; a forearm strain from a dive to make a defensive play. The Twins’ bullpen ain’t great. Inning-by-inning notes:

1: Stephen Kwan, who went to college in Oregon but attended high school at a place called Washington but is in California, so not confusing at all, any of that, breaks up the perfect game with his leadoff single. Which one of you started talking about it too early and JINXED EVERYTHING? Pablo walks José Ramírez, a flyout advances both runners, and both score on a single by .188-batting Bo Naylor. Hooray. Guardians 2-0

2: Radio going on about Joe Charboneau, who was originally drafted by Minnesota, but traded to Cleveland after getting into a barroom brawl in the minors. (Heck, I though that was almost REQUIRED of minor-leaguers back in the 1970s.) He got stabbed by a fan at an exhibition game in Mexico, won the Rookie of the Year award in 1980 (not exactly over stellar competition), and was out of MLB by 1983. Kris Atteberry says he was in The Natural, and yup, IMDb backs this up.

Is this worth discussing on radio? I guess so.

3: The Twins aren’t scoring and have six strikeouts already. I guess Parker Messick is the short Randy Johnson now. Pablo makes a slick defensive play.

View Link

4: Now Dan Gladden is discussing the unibrow of former Cardinals player Wally Moon. OK. He does have one.

5: Pablo is gone after throwing 61 pitches. Gladden says “we don’t want to speculate.” I will. It’s incurable Space Herpes. Cody Lawyerson is now pitching. I have no clue who this guy is. If he’s named for his father’s profession, as in Olde English, then his dad works for Meshbesher & Spence. Or is a civil rights attorney. You never know.

6: Austin Martin gets on the only way the Twins can against this guy; on a Messick error. So Martin gets to second. Luke Keaschall doubles, but Martin thought it was gonna be caught; he gets to third. And scores on a WP! Infield in, first batter, it works; for Royce Lewis, it doesn’t. This baby is all tied up. Lewis steals second; Trevor Larnach comes in to PH with two out. IBB; Ed Julien comes in. It doesn’t work; still 2-2

7: It’s All the Kodys, or at least another one. Funderburk pitching. He gives up the leadoff double to Gabriel Arias. Because Pareda was catching and pinch-hit for, Mickey Gasper is now doing that job. Gasper can’t corral a two-out WP and Arias gets to third, but Kody strikes the last guy out. Hooray for all Quodeez.

Jakob Junis now pitching for Cleveland; hey, a pitcher I’ve actually heard of! He is better than the Twins hitters here.

8: Cole “Alberta Tar” Sands in for the Twinsers. I thought he was the closer now? I guess not. With two outs, Ramírez doubles, and Atteberry thinks he’s gonna steal third’ Gladden doubts it with two outs. But he does. Here’s why:

The Twins IBBed Kyle Manzardo after Ramírez’s steal. And that means Manzardo can steal second against a guy who’s not usually a catcher. (He can’t throw to second, or Ramírez might take home.) And then Naylor singles both guys in. Oh, well. Former Spiders 4-2

9: Michael Tonkin, he of the three teams last year, gives up the leadoff single and WPs the guy to second. Brayan Rocchio doubles him in. Kwan doubles him in. The Guardians are the lowest-scoring team in baseball; not tonight. Cade Smith shuts the proverbial door. Twims lose (yes, we spell it wrong here sometimes).

Studs of the game? Um, Lewis, I guess. López for the great play, but alas, it messed him up. Duds of the game? The bullpenners not named Lawyeryson and Funderburk.

COTG go to Matt for explaining that the OK Computer album cover is a freeway interchange in Connecticut, BobbyDarwinFanClub for relating how Joe Charboneau crapped all over the city of Cleveland, and nagurskiinnortheast for identifying the true nature of our existential reality. Thanks to everyone on the gamethread, you folks are fun!

Tomorrow’s game is at 1:10 (weather permitting) and features something called a Slade Cecconi against our own Deadhead, Joe Ryan. Enjoy the weekend if ya got one, folks!

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...9183/guardians-6-twins-2-penning-down-a-dream

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Game 153: Guardians at Twins

“I appreciate all the hard work you’ve done to be worth the three low-level prospects I will trade you for in December.” (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty.)

First pitch: 7:10 Central​

Weather: National Weather Service somewhat still gutted, 50% chance of sky water​

Opponent’s SB site: Covering The Corner​

TV: Twins TV. Radio: Today, we escape, we escape​

Plane Guy Pablo López will be facing off against Cleveland’s Parker Messick, who was just promoted to MLB in August, so no stats for youuuuu. Is there anything particularly interesting about Messick? Not until he gets charged with illegally dealing in cocaine squirrels. Which are like regular squirrels, except their fur is entirely made of cocaine. Whenever you see what looks like an albino squirrel, it’s a cocaine squirrel. Since this blog is family friendly, I’ll advise against inhaling one.

I am, just a bit, pretty burnt-out on everything (writing, all of existence), and so I decided to try this Chat GPT thing that everybody’s talking about (since it’s so great, and A.I. is not a massive drain on electricity and cooling water and everything else). I for one welcome our new robot overlords.

So, Chat GPT, what can you give me for “preview of Minnesota Twins against Cleveland Guardians”?

The Minnesota Twins are set to face off against the Cleveland Guardians in what promises to be an exciting matchup. Here’s a preview of what to expect from this series:

Minnesota Twins (AL Central Leaders)​

• Record: As of now, the Twins have been holding steady atop the AL Central, thanks in large part to their solid pitching staff and offensive consistency. They’ve got some pop in the lineup, and their pitching rotation has been strong throughout the season.
• Key Players:
  • Carlos Correa: The former World Series champion continues to lead the offense with his clutch hitting and leadership in the field. He’s crucial in driving the Twins’ offense and could play a key role in this series.
  • Byron Buxton: When healthy, Buxton is one of the most dynamic players in baseball. His speed and power make him a potential game-changer every time he steps on the field.
  • Sonny Gray: The veteran starter has been stellar for the Twins and could be a key factor if he takes the mound during this series. His ability to limit hard contact has been a big part of Minnesota’s success.
• Strengths: The Twins have one of the best pitching staffs in the league, particularly their bullpen, which can close out tight games. Their lineup has power, but it’s the pitching that has carried them throughout the season.
• Weaknesses: At times, their offense can be streaky. If they’re not hitting consistently, they could struggle to put up runs against Cleveland’s pitchers. The Twins will need to stay disciplined at the plate.

There’s more along these lines. You get the gist.

In a way, I’m almost offended. The machine doesn’t care about baseball writing! Sonny Gray hasn’t been a Twins pitcher since 2023! Clearly, the wizards training A.I. to replace every office worker on Earth doesn’t think baseball writing is important enough to steal. They’ll steal from Sarah Silverman, but not us baseball writers? Granted, Silverman is funnier than most baseball writers (this link is NSFW), but still, I’m insulted.

I did like this disclaimer at the end of the A.I. preview: “ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.”

And this sentence shows that the bot has learned the basics of sports broadcasting: “Both teams have players who can rise to the occasion in late-inning situations” … “This series could come down to who can execute in pressure moments.”

That’s good enough to be on TV or radio, right there. Don’t get sentimental, it always end up drivel.

Speaking of stealing from writers, I’ll take a break from my usual stealing Neil deMause, and instead swipe some links from Craig Calcaterra. First off, the Twins have cut their five-person pro scouting staff down to one. Although some other teams are doing this, too, like the Cubs.

Next, a fellow named Tony Forbes has put together a site explaining baseball’s byzantine rules to newcomers, called Baseball by the Rules. Have you even tried explaining the game to someone who doesn’t know it? It can be frustrating for both parties. I had a job at a group home where one of the residents was a huge baseball fan, and we had a new co-worker from Somalia who was very bright and very eager to learn more about the residents. So, one night, when things were slow, we tried explaining it to her. And you’d be surprised how complex that can be! Like, strike three means you’re out… but not if it’s fouled off. But it is if it’s a foul tip and the catcher catches it. But if the catcher drops strike three, you can try running to first — but not if you fouled it into the dirt and then the ball got away.

And so on. The co-worker eventually gave up, saying “soccer is much easier to understand.” Um, sure… until you have to explain to a non-soccer fan how “offsides” works, and what kind of foul results in a yellow card or red card or free kick or penalty kick… all sports have crazy rules, when you come down to it. (That co-worker did enjoy the Abbott & Costello “Who’s on First” routine, though. Some things cross almost every cultural barrier.)

So good luck to Mr. Forbes, and hopefully his site will be helpful to people.

Finally, in Millburn, NJ, the Paper Mill Playhouse is going to be staging Bull Durham: The Musical. Hopefully with less awkward bathtub sex scenes than the 1988 movie. Before snickering at the idea of theatrical art coming from New Jersey, be aware that the theater was founded in 1934 and over the years has featured performers like Cab Calloway, Jane Fonda, Lillian Gish, Anthony Perkins, Bernadette Peters, William Shatner, Betty White, and Gene Wilder.

Although, honestly? If you’re gonna make a musical based on a famous baseball story? (One that doesn’t have Ray Walston as the Devil, that is.) I’d almost go with Major League, instead. But, an advantage of this one is that the film’s original screenwriter, Ron Shelton, did the adaptation himself. So, if you’re gonna be in Jersey and have $50 to drop on somebody singing “We need a live rooster to uncurse the glove / plus gift suggestions for our teammate in love,” you know what to do!

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-threads/49167/game-153-guardians-at-twins

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Game 155: Guardians at Twins

First Pitch: 6:10 pm CDT
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy

KNOW THINE ENEMY: Covering the Corner

We’re back for a little evening baseball!

The Twins and Guardians are pulling double duty today, Radcliffe-style. When last we left our heroes, the Guardians had just won their ninth straight, which means they’re not just 1.5 GB of the division title, they’re only a game out of the Wild Card, as well. All of a sudden, Cleveland has a bevy of options at the table, and the soup spoon in their hand. It’s up to Detroit to swat away the plates. (Huh?)

If you like David vs. Goliath matchups — where David has no money, no players, no talent, and no motivation, and Goliath is on a 9-game winning streak and also just beats David in direct combat — you’ll probably love tonight’s game, which ought to promise much of the same that could be seen this afternoon.

Logan Allen and Bailey Ober are the scheduled starters.

Bailey is hoping that Joe Ryan was possessed with his homer-happy spirit this afternoon, which would mean he has a chance to break out of his own unenergized stretch of outings and find something more positive to end his season on.

GO TWINS GO!

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-threads/49197/game-155-guardians-at-twins

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Guardians 8, Twins 0: Second Verse

I don’t know what to write anymore about this godforsaken team, who lost 6-0 in the matinee and then rolled it back with a 8-0 loss in the nightcap. Like, what are we doin’ here.

I debated a copy-paste job for the second recap, in a bit of fist-shaking performance art at this Pohlad-assembled monstrosity. After all, the song remains the same, for the most part — minor variations in Game Two included six earned runs charged to tonight’s starter, Bailey Ober, but none on the long ball (in a welcome change of pace from Joe Ryan’s effort earlier today.)

Instead, a crooked outburst from Cleveland in the fifth inning set the table:

• Bryan Rocchio singles
• Petey Halpin singles
• Austin Hedges bunts, 1 out
• Steven Kwan singles 2-0 CLE
• Daniel Schneeman 4-6 FC, 2out
• Jose Ramirez singles
• Kyle Manzardo singles 3-0 CLE
• Gabriel Arias doubles 5-0 CLE
• C.J. Kayfus singles 6-0 CLE

Kayfus would single and steal before Rocchio grounded out to end the inning with the damage done. They’d add insurance, if it can be called that, after Mick Abel walked the bases loaded in relief and gave up a two-run eighth-inning single to Kwan.

Abel piggybacked to completion with Ober (he what?), meaning that Rocco Baldelli got away with a four-pitcher doubleheader. You might expect the results to be a little better given those metrics, but the 2025 Minnesota Twins are no longer playing baseball games with results in mind.

After Logan Allen dominated with eight shutout innings in a heroic effort, it was a DaShawn Keirsey Jr. grounder that would end the game, and leave Clevelanders uproarious in celebration. For with this win tonight, the Guardians are on the doorstep of the division — literally a nigh-impossible one game back — with one more game against these doormats tomorrow, and then three head-to-head with the Detroit Tigers at home.

At the very least, you can’t say the Twins aren’t contributing something to the greater narrative of the game. Where would these teams be without all the free wins in Minnesota?

STUDS:

?!?!?!?!

DUDS:

SP Bailey Ober (5 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, K)

The Offense (4-for-28, BB, 9 K)

The Pohlad Family

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-recaps/49204/guardians-8-twins-0-second-verse

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Twins 6, Guardians 2: Playing Spoiler

The Cleveland Guardians have been doing their best 2024 Detroit Tigers impression, going on a late-season heater to push themselves squarely into the playoff picture. The Guardians had just a 10% chance to make the playoffs on August 31. Now with an MLB-best 16 wins in September, combined with the Tigers tying the Twins for the second-fewest wins this month, the Guardians sit just one game out of the AL Central title and half a game out of the Wild Card before their head-to-head matchup on Tuesday to decide the division.

In the meantime, the Twins were able to put a damper on Cleveland’s postseason hopes with a resilient win, avoiding a four game sweep. Simeon Woods Richardson took the mound and wasn’t quite as sharp as his last start against the Yankees. SWR allowed a homer to Steven Kwan to start the game and one more run came in later in the inning to put the Guardians up 2-0 in the first. That would, however, be the only runs Cleveland scratched across all afternoon.

The Guardians still hit the ball hard, but conveniently did it directly in the direction of Twins fielders more often than not. The offense, meanwhile, was a bit of a no-show for the first half of the game. The Twins’ first hit came off the bat of Byron Buxton, a bloop double into right field in the third inning, eventually scoring on a Kody Clemens RBI single.

The Twins had a chance in the fifth with the bases loaded and just one out, but Clemens and Austin Martin saw a total of five combined pitches and both popped out, a fitting metaphor for these Twins hitters in 2025. Luckily, Brooks Lee came up with a man on in the fifth and crushed his 16th homer of the season to put the Twins up 3-2.

Minnesota also had a two-out rally in the seventh. Clemens and Martin both reached base on infield hits to put two men on for pinch-hitter Royce Lewis, who decided to show us he still has a little magic left in the tank. His three-run dong gave a struggling Twins bullpen the breathing room they needed to close out the win and keep hope alive for the Detroit Tigers.

In a season full of disappointment and struggle, it’s nice to give fans a W on their final home game of the season.

STUDS

• Bullpen (Funderburk, Ohl, Sands, Adams): 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K
• Royce Lewis: 1-1, 1 HR, 3 RBI
• Brooks Lee: 2-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI

DUDS

• No duds Twins win!!!

Two series to go before we shift into offseason mode. First up, the Rangers on Tuesday who are all but eliminated from postseason contention despite their own second half surge.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-recaps/49236/twins-6-guardians-2-playing-spoiler

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Monday Morning Minnesota: The “Merciful End” Edition

The Twins wrapped up their home schedule for the 2025 season, dropping series to the Yankees and Guardians, bringing a merciful end to the hometown Twins fans who had to sit through this entire season. To add injury to insult, Pablo Lopez was placed on the injured list with a mild right forearm strain after fielding a ground ball, ending his season. Joe Ryan didn’t look great in his start on Saturday, giving up three solo homers. Maybe the silver lining here is that our two aces played so poorly that they are no longer trade assets in the offseason. Yay us?

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:

• Need to vent about the Twins? Or provide some reasons to calm down? Check out our Game Threads and join the conversation!
• In case you forgot what happened this past weekend, our Game Recaps are back as well!
• With the new site change, we also now have The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
• Zach Koenig has some suggestions for Joe Pohlad in the 2026 season.

Elsewhere in Twins Territory:

• Matthew Leach at MLB.com recaps Royce Lewis’ season and his outlook for next year.
• Phil Miller at the Star Tribune highlights one of the few remaining reliable arms in the bullpen, Kody Funderburk.
• Theo Tollefson profiles the “grandpa” of the clubhouse, infielder Ryan Fitzgerald, and what he’s doing to keep morale up in the Twins dugout.

In the World of Baseball:

• The Toronto Blue Jays clinched a spot in the playoffs and maintain a 2.0 game lead over the Yankees in the race for the top spot in the AL and the AL East, while the Tigers have been free-falling the past few weeks, going 1-9 in their last 10 games, and now only sit one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians. The Mariners now have a pretty good three-game cushion over the Houston Astros, after going 9-1 in their last 10. Currently, the Yankees and Red Sox are in the #1 and #2 wild card spots, while the Guardians and Astros are tied for the last spot.
• The Milwaukee Brewers now have a three-game lead over the Phillies and look poised to finish as the best team in the National League. The Dodgers clinched their spot in the playoffs and also have a three-game lead in the NL West over the Padres. The Chicago Cubs also punched their ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, and the floundering New York Mets are now tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the final wild card spot, with the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants still lurking.
• Jacob Young of the Washington Nationals had a ridiculous highlight catch yesterday to help send the Mets to an eventual defeat and a tie with the Reds for the last spot in the playoffs.
• Clayton Kershaw made his last regular-season start at Dodger Stadium last weekend, as he plans on retiring after the season. Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic has more on the historic night for the future hall-of-famer.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/general/49259/monday-morning-minnesota-the-merciful-end-edition

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Game 156: Guardians at Twins

FIRST PITCH: 1:10 PM CDT​

TV: Twins.TV​

RADIO: TREASURE ISLAND BASEBALL NETWORK​

KNOW THINE ENEMY: Covering the Corner​

A lot of things have gone wrong during this 2025 Minnesota Twins season—but the TV broadcast crew has not been one of them! The television denizens have posted a surprisingly solid showing for essentially being a self-run organization (freed from the bonds of Bally/Fanduel Sports Network and its near-constant bankruptcy).

For so long here in Twins Territory it was Dick-&-Bert calling 75%+ of the action, but that has shifted to a more rotating cast by region—which I like. The same voices day after day lead to stale commentary and repeated aphorisms (“downward plane”, anyone?) even if the overall pairing is solid.

A few thoughts on each member of the new crew:

Cory Provus​

• Remains a really solid play-by-play voice. His slightly goofy, unassuming presence sometimes is the antithesis of Dick Bremer’s booming baritone and “one of us” MN lineage, but his move from dial to tube has been seamless and even gotten him some FOX Game of the Week opportunities on national TV.

Justin Morneau​

• Remains a solid, comforting presence next to Cory. Really strong at diagnosing the X’s & O’s of any given on-field situation and he’s from that era of Twins baseball we all love. Sometimes overly stoic on the mic, but his personality really comes out when former playing buddies join the broadcast.

Glen Perkins​

• Perk may just be the rising star of this group. Whether on the radio or on TV, he seems a natural at commentary. As I’ve said on numerous occasions, when he’s in the booth it’s like watching the game with your quirky MN uncle—who in this case happens to be an ex-Major Leaguer. Extremely smooth in any medium. If he desires, I could easily see him carving out more air time going forward.

LaTroy Hawkins​

• Hawk has really built himself into an ambassador of the game—especially amongst the African American community where MLB is sagging at the moment. The guy played practically everywhere and in every pitching role imaginable, so his insights are never lacking. Needs to refine his on-air mannerisms—perhaps not loudly clapping upon each Twins success—but seems to get a little more polished each year.

Denard Span​

• Like Hawk, the Span Man needs “reps”. Stepping on Provus’ words and clearing his nose on-mic have been issues. He still seems to be finding his own style, meaning his analysis can sometimes be a bit stilted or overly articulated. But when he’s able to relax and let the personality shine through, he can be really fun to listen to. Remember when Torii Hunter used to do sporadic series? That’s sort of Span right now—he’ll either fade away (boo) or continue to improve and thrive (yay!).

Trevor Plouffe​

• Plouffe is one of those guys who is simply the coolest dude in the room without having to try too hard to arrive at that point. His madcap energy can be contagious and his insights on how current players think about the game—especially hitting approaches—can truly be enlightening. When Twins TV did the all-analyst booth, he stole the show! His self-deprecating, “I know I was good-not-great but it doesn’t matter because I’m California Cool” persona is often hilarious!

Paul Molitor​

• Molly can be found more frequently replacing Dazzle next to Atteberry on 830, but I think he does a little TV. The Ignitor doesn’t quite bring the cool-factor of the young guys, but his insights largely make up for it.

Audra Martin​

• Truth be told, I probably should have put Audra up top—she has been a show-stealer at times this year! Freed from the constraints of Bankruptcy Bally, the Twins have been able to utilize Audra for more than just a few in-game checkins and the postgame interview. She usually has a devoted player segment each game—which always seems to highlight a great interview/story she has cultivated—and sometimes even her off-field antics are shown, like hanging off the CN Tower in Toronto! As a ballpark quest-er, I love when Audra highlights a fun food or place to go in the area of an opposing ballpark.

It sounds like ESPN will be the new home of Twins TV in 2026. I hope they retain the services of all these fine individuals and continue to allow their roles to grow.

I’ll be back for the final 162 recap next Sunday, but today I again have Purple Pride commitments to attend to so someone else will be recapping the action. A lefty starter on the mound against MN bats—so I’m sure nothing can possibly go wrong.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...tor-latroy-hawkins-trevor-plouffe-denard-span

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Twins 4, Rangers 1: Zebby tosses a gem

The night started inauspiciously for Zebby Matthews, allowing a solo homer to Joc Pederson on the second pitch. After giving up 9 runs over 3 innings in his last start, it was not a great omen. However, Matthews settled in and only allowed 3 more hits the rest of his start, tossing 7 innings, allowing no more runs, while striking out 6.

On the offensive side of things, the Twins took the lead in the 3rd inning. Kody Clemens doubled, then Christian Vazquez singled, moving Clemens to 3rd. Byron Buxton grounded out, scoring Clemens. Later, Ryan Jeffers hit an RBI single to put the Twins up 2-1.

In the 6th, Carson McCusker drew his first career walk (and was pinch ran for by James Outman), then Brooks Lee singled. Clemens followed with another single, scoring Outman. After Vazquez was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Austin Martin grounded out to 3rd, scoring Lee and giving the Twins a 4-1 lead.

Kody Funderburk took over for Zebby in the 8th, striking out 2 in a scoreless inning. Cole Sands closed the game out, tossing a 1-2-3 9th.

This was my last game thread of the year, unless maybe MLB decides to let the Twins into the playoffs (I think it would be fun). Thanks for joining these all year, despite how the season ended up going, it was always fun to chat with you all.

Studs:

Zebby Matthews: 7.0 IP, 4 H, ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Edouard Julien: 2-2, 2B, BB

Kody Clemens: 2-4, 2B, R, RBI

Duds:

NO DUDS TWINS WIN!

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-recaps/49315/twins-4-rangers-1-zebby-tosses-a-gem

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Game 157: Twins at Rangers

First Pitch: 7:05 PM CDT

TV: Twins.TV

Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy, LosTwins.com

Know thine enemy: Lone Star Ball

Today’s Lineups​

Byron Buxton – CF	Joc Pederson – DH
Austin Martin – LF	Wyatt Langford – CF
Ryan Jeffers – DH	Alejandro Osuna – LF
Luke Keaschall – 2B	Jake Burger – 1B
Royce Lewis – 3B	Adolis Garcia – RF
Carson McCusker – RF	Josh Jung – 3B
Brooks Lee – SS	Kyle Higashioka – C
Kody Clemens – 1B	Cody Freeman – 2B
Christian Vazquez – C	Ezequiel Duran – SS
Zebby Matthews – RHP	Patrick Corbin – LHP

[th]

TWINS​

[/th]​

[th]

RANGERS​

[/th]​

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-threads-2/49312/game-157-twins-at-rangers

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Rangers 4, Twins 2: I say “bye” with a little help from the pen

Pointing the Twins directly to the exit. | Jerome Miron / Imagn Images

Hell, this year of Twins was long:
I’d like to drown it in a beer.
And here’s a game where near the end went wrong,
A prime example shining clear.
Can’t hit with RISP and can’t drive with juice;
Ain’t here we want to be.
We hoped the squad would turn things on,
But we’re out of Twinsball to see, yeah.

That’s it for Twinsball here in September,
This was not a season we want to remember.
Four games to play and we’re waiting ‘til next year;
That’s it for Twinsball ‘til the spring premiere…

Well, Buxton launched a leadoff jack,
Taj had Rangers lumber dazed,
But Adams and Cabrera? Painful,
No one at all amazed.
A very Twins loss, same as all,
We knew just how this would be.
It’s not the type of game we like
Running out of Twinsball to see…

That’s it for Twinsball here in September,
This was not a season we want to remember.
Four games to play and we’re waiting ‘til next year;
That’s it for Twinsball ‘til the spring premiere…

Hell, this year of Twins was long,
It’s winding down to disappear.
Tonight, the Comment of the Game was strong:
It’s Zach with Doomy Bullpen Tier.
And as a bonus, have him and Goose
Debating music with glee.
The telly’s done, so turn it off,
Now we’re out of Twinsball to see.

That’s it for Twinsball here in September,
This was not a season we want to remember.
Four games to play and we’re waiting ‘til next year;
That’s it for Twinsball, not a lot to cheer…

That’s it for Twinsball here in September,
This was not a season we want to remember.
Four games to play and we’re waiting ‘til next year;
That’s it for Twinsball ‘til the spring premiere…

That’s it for Twinsball here in September,
This was not a season we want to remember.
Four games to play and we’re waiting ‘til next year;
That’s it for Twinsball, now get out of here…

Yeah, that’s it for Twinsball;
No, we oughtn’t remember.
Yeah, turn off the TV,
Ah-ah-ah…

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...le-help-from-the-pen-byron-buxton-taj-bradley

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Game 158: Twins at Rangers

First Pitch: 7:05 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy
Know Yo’ Foe: Lone Star Ball

The season is over — was that a rum year,
Blundering and chundering with plenty to jeer.
They sold half the guys which we can’t overcome,
Then pulled off the market and left us all numb,
No room to be jolly ’cause ownership blows;
You want to kick buttocks? Get started with Joe’s.
Each season, we’ve hopes up, then trouble begins;
If you want to see crazy, then look at the Twins.

It started in spring with a thirteen-game streak
That left us excited for week after week.
The pen was amazing, a wonderful gift,
They would fire it past hitters and all of them whiffed.
Our bats inconsistent but sometimes came clutch
With timely walk-offs that thrilled all the audience much.
The Pohlads announced they’d be selling at last;
Just imagine: this hope was mere months in the past.

The season is over — was that a rum year,
Blundering and chundering with plenty to jeer.
Quadruple-A team and the owners are scum,
With this in September, you see why we’re glum?
They call this Twinsball where I’m from.

But then came July and the deadline for trades,
And moves were announced coming down in cascades.
A week after this came the news of no selling,
And down off the cliffside we were jointly propelling.
Now in the cellar we don’t want to reside,
So thanks to the White Sox, too low for our slide.
Despite all the rubbish that’s left us this mess,
At our core, we are fans of the Twins nonetheless.

The season is over — was that a rum year,
Blundering and chundering with plenty to jeer.
It’s clubbed out a beat like a harbinger’s drum;
We’ve suffered so long, every fan is a chum;
They call this Twinsball where I’m from.

The field is set; we raise a glass:
Joe Pohlad, shove it right up your ass.
Now plop in your seat and crack open a beer,
There’s a game and we live in the present, so stand up and cheer!
They call this Twinsball where I’m from,
They call this Twinsball where I’m from.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...just-five-games-to-go-have-an-early-christmas

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Twins 4, Rangers 0: 34-24 for Buck

Byron Buxton hits another leadoff home run for the Minnesota Twins in the rubber match between the Rangers and Twins who are both out of playoff contention.

Buxton was responsible for all four runs crossing home. He hit a home run also in the eighth with two runners on, and that one secured him a nice bag of cash.

Double cha-ching: Byron Buxton netted another $500,000 on this home run swing, after reaching 533 plate appearances this season.

He’s totaled $1 million via contract incentives. He can add another $3M if he finishes in the top 10 of AL MVP voting. pic.twitter.com/G2NrtJ1ZSD

— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) September 25, 2025

This was Byron Buxton’s 10th leadoff homer of the season. It’s the second time this season he has had back-to-back games with leadoff jacks. Now Buxton has 34 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He will need six swiped bags in the Phillies series to become the first Twin to ever record at least 30 home runs and at least 30 stolen bases.

Bailey Ober threw six innings with 5 K and 2 H. This tied his season low in hits and he did not allow a run for the first time this year. As for the rest of the pitching today, Funderburk threw a hitless seventh and Cole Sands struck out one in the ninth.

Twins head to the Phillies Friday to finish out the season against many former Twins. The Phillies have clinched a first round bye in the NL as they are the NL East champions.

First pitch tomorrow is 5:45 p.m. Joe Ryan is on the mound for the Twins.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-recaps/49365/twins-4-rangers-0-34-24-for-buck

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Game 159: Twins vs. Rangers

First Pitch: 1:35 p.m.
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM
Know Yo’ Foe: Lone Star Ball

Twins rubber match lineup:

1. Buxton CF
2. Martin LF
3. Larnach DH
4. Clemens 2B
5. Lewis 3B
6. Lee SS
7. McCusker RF
8. Julien 1B
9. Vazquez C

P. Ober

Rangers rubber match lineup:

1. Pederson DH
2. Smith SS
3. Jung 3B
4. Tellez 1B
5. Osuna LF
6. Higashioka C
7. McKinney RF
8. Duran 2B
9. Helman CF

P. Mahle

It’s a rubber match today. Both teams are out of playoff contention as the Minnesota Twins wrap up their final road trip of the season this afternoon as they face the Texas Rangers in the finale of a three-game set in Arlington.

Minnesota (68-90) will hand the ball to right-hander Bailey Ober (5-9, 5.32 ERA.) Texas (80-78), who will start right-hander Tyler Mahle (6-3, 2.20 ERA), saw their slim playoff hopes officially dashed on Tuesday following a 4-1 loss to the Twins — their eighth straight defeat.

Buxton Watch:

Byron Buxton hit his career-high 32nd home run in last night’s game.

It's always nice to be up 1-0 before you get to your seat. Byron Buxton hits his 9th leadoff home run this season (18th career). #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/E6lZPmTJG5

— Dustin Morse (@morsecode) September 25, 2025

He is the first Twin surprisingly since Kirby Puckett to join the 30-20 club for the Minnesota Twins with 30 or more home runs and 20 or more stolen bases. Those have been the only two Twins to do it. Buxton is six stolen bases shy of 30 this season. It is very unlikely he will join that 30-30 club this year, but I say let him run! Overall the best season for Byron yet in his career, staying healthy and taking away runs in the outfield, on top of an electric bat in the lineup. The centerfielder turns 32 in December.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-threads/49339/game-159-twins-vs-rangers

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Phillies 3, Twins 1: In binary it’s 11-1

The COTG is also the “lede.” (We journos call the first paragraph the “lede” because of weird 1920s newspaper printer terminology.) From nagurskiinnortheast: “Nice little rebound from Joe here unfortunately Nola is doing his best Gibson impression”

(At first I wondered “do you mean Kyle?” But he meant Bob. Anyhoo, onto the crappy recap.)

A write a little bit for this baseball blog, and another one with a post about Emile Zola. Z-O-L-A, Zola.

For the intro here, for the gamethread, you see, the pitcher’s name was listed TBD, but it’s Nola. N-O-L-A Nola.

Now I have written some bad recaps before

And intros that made some people snore

But Nola’s on, and I just can’t reisist

Although Matt Monitto would sure say “I insist.”

So, OK, enough of that.

Sad thing: Aaron Nola is from Baton Rouge, LA. Nothing wrong with Baton Rouge; I’ve never been there, but I’m sure it’s a perfectly decent place full of 60% good people, 30% boring people, and 10% a**holes, like most places.

But — if only Aaron Nola was from New Orleans. Which is commonly abbreviated as NOLA.

Alas, his parents did not take advantage of this opportunity to have their son born in the perfect place. Their loss, and a loss for us all.

Radio’s Kris Atteberry at one point talks about a giant spider feature in the outfield, and says it’s big enough “to put a saddle on it.”

I have no clue what this means. I think it means Kris Atteberry lives in a kind of alternate mental universe, where reality and fantasy are inextricably intertwined, and in this universe, there’s a saddle on a spider. I’m all for living an an alternate mental universe; I’d prefer one to the reality that exists in my head. But my alternative fantasy mental universe wouldn’t involve saddling spiders. (There’s a whole “metal universe” thing, which is a different thing, go learn about it!) My fantasy mental universe would probably be a lot of naked gorgeous people or something along those lines.

I typed “naked lady riding spider with saddle” into my search engine and this is the best it came up with:

OK. that’s pretty good. I almost want to make this the header image but I don’t think the site boss would approve. The horse seems to be doing fairly well despite missing a leg, or the fourth one being REALLY messed-up.

Atteberry says, of Kyle Schwarber: “do you think he presses? I don’t think he presses. He just impresses.”

Look, Kris, I wanna love ya, man. You’re a nerd. I love nerds. I wanna think of ya as the guy who actually still keeps score at ballgames, and has opinions on which is the best Twilight Zone episode. (I couldn’t pick one, but I’m partial to the one where a T.V. writer uses an occult spell to summon Shakespeare from the dead, and the idiot studio execs hate Shakespeare’s script. A bit too on the nose, Rod Serling, but you’re ALWAYS a bit too on the nose, and that’s why we love ya… plus, you’re never gonna get me mad suggesting that Hollywood studio executives are a bunch of tasteless dingbats.)

Not somebody who “presses.” I mean, that’s like Kamail Nanjani from The Big Sick roiding up for a Marvel movie. (You haven’t seen The Big Sick yet? See it! Your library has it! It’s also on Bald Facebook Supervillain channel, but nah, use your library. If you can.)

Probably the key game moment is Edmundo Sosa banging a dinger. (No relation to Sammy Sosa, S-O-S-A corked bat.) Joe Ryan absolutely fooled him on a breaking pitch, and Sosa was strong enough to mistime his swing and park it, anyways. Sometimes that just happens. You make a good pitch and fool the guy, and he happens to luck out and make contact in just the perfect way to get the maximum bat/ball bounce action.

View Link

Christian Rafael Vázquez hit a single in the ninth to make this slightly less dull, and other radio guy Dan Gladden thinks it was closer Jhoan “Dances on the Sand” Duran serving up a cookie, as a thank-you to his former teammate. I mean, I dunno? I generally think every MLB player wants to beat every other MLB player at everything, including who can finish crossword puzzles faster or scarf a pizza in record time. But, as much as I kid Gladden, when he talks about what he thinks he’s seeing on the field, he’s right more often than he’s wrong. So maybe he’s right here.

Second COTG goes to sandwiches for “James, I have your recap for you:

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”

Sure to get this post adored on Apple News.

Studs: all of you readers who’ve tolerated my bullcrap for 11 years. Duds: me for this crummy recap. I will have better stuff for you folks soon! I’m just a bit beat down at the moment. There’s always gonna be more bizarre baseball players and stupid Manfred decisions to write about. Plus, you know, John Fisher exists.

Tomorrow’s game is at 5:05, and features one Ranger Suárez pitching against one Mick Abel, and 30 seconds ago I had no idea a person named Mick Abel played for the Twins. Sorry I’m not professional enough to know about Abel, except that Lorenzo Cain would have absolutely crushed him.

Enjoy your weekend if you got one!

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-recaps/49385/phillies-3-twins-1-in-binary-its-11-1

 

[Minnesota Twins]

The 2015 Twins take it down to the wire

As the dog days of August 2015 came to a close, the Minnesota Twins looked to be falling out of the playoff race—even Wild Card contention. The early season mega-optimism had seemingly given way to regression to the mean.

But then, an amazing thing happened…

From late-August into early-September, the ‘15 Twins ripped off a 10-2 stretch—vaulting them back into the Wild Card hunt (the KC Royals were running away with the Central)!

Hope had been renewed for the home stretch!

But then—another stumble: five consecutive losses in mid-September looked to again drop the surprising Twins from postseason contention.

I wasn’t giving up—but things looked grim.

Yet, the rollercoaster would still continue clacking: an 8-3 run in late September!!! There was that “white-hot winning play” referenced above!

Heading into the 2015 season’s final weekend, the Twins found themselves a single game behind the Houston Astros (surprise, surprise—although it very much was back in ‘15) in the race for the final Wild Card slot.

The final obstacle: a 3-game Target Field series with the eventual World Series champion Royals. Despite jumping out to a lead in Game 1 and getting a gem—7 IP, 2 ER—from Ervin Santana, the Twins crashed out versus the Crowns, 3-1.

Game 161 was also meaningful—but again heartbreaking: Not Mommy Tilone Tommy Milone, Blaine Boyer, nor Neal Cotts could do much from the mound—5-1 KC.

Game 162 would be the only meaningless contest of 2015 for our Twins.

One could argue that 2015 was one of the most exciting and important seasons of Twins baseball ever played. After the 2011-2014 doldrums, this winning bunch brought an energy back to the ballpark—whether Twinkle Toes Torii or Bashing Brian—that revitalized interest in the franchise.

They simply came one game short of extending the fun into spooky season.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...-2015-wild-card-race-eliminated-final-weekend

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Twins 5, Phillies 0: One More For the Road

Mick Abel ended his Twins debut season on a high note, turning in arguably the best start of his young career against the team that traded him away just two months prior. Turning six shutout innings with nine strikeouts and only three hits, Abel led the 2025 Twins to a rare complete late-season victory against the Fightin’ Phils, as Minnesota shut out the home team by a 5-0 margin.

That tally started very quickly, with Byron Buxton launching another leadoff homer in the first. For the Truck Driver, it was bomba number 35 on his dazzling season, a round-enough number that will give him plenty to be proud of over the winter.

For his part, it also seemed to inspire some of the fringe position players on the roster to show they had a little left in the tank at the end of a long season. James Outman hit a solo homer in the fifth, and Ryan Fitzgerald hit the fourth of his career in the seventh.

Also in the seventh came a Ryan Jeffers double — number 25 on the year, fielded by Harrison Bader, and scoring Austin Martin.

Beyond that, fans enjoyed seeing the first major-league RBI for Carson McCusker, who grounded into a fourth-inning forceout that plated Kody Clemens.

The Twins had 11 hits tonight, nine of which came against Ranger Suarez in a start that did not make it through the fifth inning. Philadelphia burned four more relivers to finish the game; the Twins were able to get by with Pierson Ohl and Kody Funderburk alone.

But most importantly, the streak is finally over. The Twins decided to win a game for my last recap of ‘25 after not winning on any other Saturday since before the All-Star Break (and losing both games of a Sunday doubleheader that I covered, just for style points.) As I’m sure you’d agree, the real joy of TwinkieTown.com is not keeping up with the Twins, it’s keeping up with me.

And tonight, I’m doin’ just fine.

STUDS:

SP Mick Abel (6 IP, 3 H, BB, 9 K)

RP Pierson Ohl (2 IP, 2 H, 3 K)

DH Byron Buxton (2-for-5, R, RBI, HR)

LF Austin Martin (2-for-4, R, BB)

C Ryan Jeffers (2-for-4, RBI, 2B)

DUDS:

NO DUDS! TWINS WIN! TWINS WIN!

(The Pohlad Family)

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...9421/twins-5-phillies-0-one-more-for-the-road

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Game 161: Twins at Phillies

First Pitch: 5:05 pm CDT
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy

KNOW THINE ENEMY: The Good Phight

Every year, for quite a long time now, I write a preview for Game 161. Something about the nature of this game is more melancholy to me than Game 162; that game is final, the foregone conclusion of a long season. Game 161 is more of an acknowledgment — and for some reason, the feeling that something is almost over can be more sentimental than the actual finish.

Today we get to experience that “almost-over” feeling, as this is the last Twins game of the year before the last one, period. It’s usually a game ripe for waxing poetic, an effect amplified by the fact that former Phillie starter Mick Abel will be squaring up against the likes of Jhoan Duran, Harrison Bader, and Max Kepler, in what would have been a head-scratching matchup about 12 months ago.

The Twins are playing mostly to avoid 93 total losses — the tally stands at 91 — as well as get a couple of last looks at some of the guys who might actually be here in 2026. Abel is one, but the lineup is full of question marks, as it’s comprised entirely of fringe major-leaguers and winter trade candidates.

For now, they remain, and this evening at Citizens Bank Park, they play a much more interesting ballclub who is about to make some noise in their fourth straight postseason following an 11-year hiatus.

GO TWINS GO!

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-game-threads/49413/game-161-twins-at-phillies