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[Minnesota Twins]

Game 57: Twins at Mariners

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The sequel to a game with truly immaculate vibes.

First Pitch: 6:15 pm CDT​

TV: KMSP; FOX / ~ / Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM

Knowing they’d be on national television this evening, and needing to come up with something for the package of recent highlights, the Twins gave the FOX crew a lot to work with by executing an irrationally-unlikely three-run comeback against the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

In the kind of game that makes you go, “Wow! I’m glad I’m not James Fillmore!”, Minnesota came back from a 6-3 deficit with two outs already gone in the ninth inning. In doing so, they provided a boost to Trevor Larnachs’ OPS+ (it’s at 107 now), provided Carlos Correa more opportunities to aura farm (on both sides of the ball), and made sure they’d enter tonight’s game standing alone in second place, six back of the Detroit Tigers. (Cleveland sits seven back; Kansas City, eight.)

They also made sure that an impressive stretch of winning baseball continued. The club still only has single-digit losses since April 24th, and could end post a 19-7 May record if they pull one out tonight.

They’ll have some help, with DaShawn Keirsey Jr. finally running out of roster rope as Matt Wallner returns from the injured list tonight. In limited action, Wallner had slashed .263/.373/.474, with eight extra-base hits (including three triples) and an OPS behind only Kody Clemens and Luke Keaschall, naturally.

#MNTwins officially activated Matt Wallner from the injured list after he hit five homers in six rehab games.

DaShawn Keirsey Jr. was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul to make room on the roster.

And for the first time this season, the Twins have their intended lineup all healthy.

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) May 31, 2025​

Bailey Ober vs. Bryce Miller is our pitching matchup for tonight. Miller isn’t looking like his usual self, following up a 3.4 WAR, sub-3.00 ERA 2024 season with a 5.22 mark in under 40 innings so far. The walks are up, the strikeouts are down, and the hits just keep on coming (although the home runs are under control!)

Harrison Bader is back in the starting lineup for the first time since May 25th; the batting order is really only “missing” Keaschall now, although the Kody Clemens Experience does not appear to be over just yet. Byron Buxton retains control of the leadoff spot, and Larnach hits second again after a four-hit game yesterday.

Enjoy the weather, enjoy the vibes, and enjoy the game!

GO TWINS GO!

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/2025/5/31/24440712/game-57-twins-at-mariners

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Twins 10, Athletics 4: 14 hit night for Minnesota

Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Twins open with a win in West Sacramento

There was a lot of phone call/call me gestures Monday night for the Minnesota Twins. It has become a team signature celebration after really any hit big or small. It SEEMS to be poking fun at Harrison Bader who started doing the celebration, but the team claims they don’t know what it means. That’s according to an Audra Martin report. Either way, it’s fun to see because it means the Twins are hitting the ball.

A big second inning was the start the Twins needed to open a four-game series in West Sacramento against the A’s. In that inning, after a Wallner flyout to deep center, Correa managed a double, followed by a Castro infield single. A pitch hit Clemens, and then Ty France would have the first RBI of the game. That would lead to a six-run inning.

#MNTwins score FIVE runs in the second inning. The first RBI came from this single to right from Ty France

pic.twitter.com/vn9YCIyq03

— SleeperTwins (@SleeperMLBTwins) June 3, 2025​

No home runs for the Twins on Monday night, but the extra-base hits were abundant. Buxton, Correa, Lee and France all would have doubles on the day. The Twins' success against Luis Severino would continue. He has faced the Twins four times in his career, and he is now 0-3 in those outings. Monday, he pitched 5 2⁄3 giving up 9 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB with 1 K. This came after he had only given up three runs in his last three starts on the season combined.

Luis Severino's face says it all. #Athletics pic.twitter.com/o6UxzH55jG

— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) June 3, 2025​

Statlines:

Byron Buxton was 2-5 with 5 RBI

Brooks Lee was 2-5 with 2 RBI

Ty France 3-5 with 2 RBI, 2 R

Joe Ryan didn’t have his best stuff tonight. He would throw 97 pitches in 5 innings pitched. He gave up 4 ER, walked 3. His ERA now sits at 2.91.

Something to keep an eye on in this series into the weekend...the Twins bullpen. Before the win over the A’s on Monday, the Twins bullpen had the third-best ERA in the American League at 3.25, behind only Detroit and Tampa. The Twins bullpen has the second-best WHIP in the American League at 1.13, behind Toronto. Monday night the bullpen pitched four innings of scoreless baseball. Knock on wood, it’s something we haven’t been used to in Minnesota over the past few seasons. There has been some volatility.

Next Up

The battle of the Lopezes. Pablo Lopez (4-3, 2.75) is on the mound for Minnesota. Jacob Lopez (0-3, 6.32) is the southpaw who will be on the rubber for the Athletics Tuesday at 9:05 p.m. Jacob Lopez has only pitched 15.2 innings on the season.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/2025/6/3/24442116/twins-10-athletics-4-14-hit-night-for-minnesota

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Twins 10, Athletics 3: Twins power their way to a convincing win

Lot of potential in this image. | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images

A close game turned into a rout once the A’s bullpen got involved.

The Athletics got on the board right away in the 1st inning, after Lawrence Butler doubled and Brent Rooker singled against Pablo Lopez. In the bottom of the 3rd, Tyler Soderstrom tripled over Byron Buxton’s head, then Shea Langeliers hit a sac fly to make it a 2-0 game.

The Twins got their first run in the 4th inning thanks to Willi Castro’s solo home run off of the lefty Jacob Lopez. Twins batters had a tough time with Lopez, who struck out 9 in a little over 4 innings, but broke through in the 6th. Trevor Larnach tied the game with a solo blast, then Willi hit his 2nd homer of the game to give the Twins the lead. A single and 2 walks later, Buxton hit a 2-run single to put them up 5-2.

However, some bad news followed, as Pablo Lopez had to exit the game with right shoulder tightness after his warmup pitches going into the bottom of the 6th. Instead, Cole Sands entered and gave up a run but got Denzel Clarke to strikeout looking with the bases loaded to end the threat.

In the top of the 7th, the Twins loaded the bases with 1 out. Brooks Lee was then hit by a pitch to make the score 6-3. Royce Lewis, in the midst of an 0-32 streak at the plate, lined a double to left center to score 2 and break the game open. A wild pitch would later make it 9-3, Twins.

In the top of the 8th, Carlos Correa picked up an RBI groundout to make it 10-3, our final score. That’s back to back games putting up 10 runs. Justin Topa and Jorge Alcala got the remaining 9 outs in the game.

Now, please be ok, Pablo Lopez.

Studs:

Byron Buxton: 2-5, 2 RBI

Trevor Larnach: 3-5, HR, RBI

Willi Castro: 2-4, 2 HR, BB

Ty France: 2-4

Royce Lewis: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI

Duds:

NO DUDS TWINS WIN!

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/2025/6/...s-3-twins-power-their-way-to-a-convincing-win

 

[Minnesota Twins]

The Pohlads have an opportunity for one last legacy run—will they grasp it?

Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

A chance to go out on a high note

The legacy of Pohlad family ownership of the Minnesota Twins (1984-Present) will always be a checkered one.

On one hand...​

• Carl Pohlad rescued the franchise from Calvin Griffith’s 1970s malaise.

Photo by Marlin Levison/Star Tribune via Getty Images
Carl takes over from Cal

• By 1987, the team was winning two championships in the span of five years.
• The Twins were perennial contenders in the 2000s under Ron Gardenhire’s scrappy bunch.
• From 2017-2022 the Pohlads (primarily Jim & Bill) gave Twins GMs Derek Falvey & Thad Levine a payroll boost, which ultimately led to a 2023 playoff appearance and series victory.

Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Fun stuff!

On the other hand...​

• Carl Pohlad refused to invest a cent in the franchise from 1993-2000—and thus the team was the laughingstock of baseball.
• Carl nearly sold the franchise to Don Beaver (who would have moved it to North Carolina) in 1998, then essentially put the team up for contraction—thankfully averted—in 2001.

The “legal wrangling” years

• Even in those fun Gardy Era years, only one truly impactful acquisition was made. So many opportunities to go from playoff competitor to playoff powerhouse were cast aside by Pohlad payroll prohibition.
• Once a solid roster was assembled and playoff potency proven, the Joe Pohlad regime immediately announced payroll stagnation—making no meaningful additions to the roster since ‘23 & putting the team up for sale right before the ‘25 campaign began.

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
Not a good look post-2023

Though a bid from the Ishbia brothers fell through in February, the team remains on the market as far as anyone publicly knows. In other words, the Pohlads still seem sellers.

Having dug themselves out of an early-season hole, the ‘25 Twins have an intriguing roster...

• With all bats healthy (Wallner, Buxton, Lewis, & Correa) they are a scrappy offense—at best.
• The starting pitching is tremendous—Lopez, Ryan, Ober, & even Paddack have carried the club, while Woods-Richardson, Festa, & Matthews are solid 5-spot starters now and potential rotation stalwarts later.

Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Twins SP makes fans smile as wide as Pablo

• After some early hiccups, the bullpen is also strong with Jax, Duran, Sands & Varland having settled into dominant late-inning roles. Coulombe has been far better than expected (when healthy) & Stewart continues to look better and better coming off injury.

When the franchise sale was first announced, one of the speculative reasons was the younger Pohlad generation not necessarily enjoying the negative fan reaction to their surname. As the points above lay bare, their legacy can be bandied back and forth—and in all likelihood cannot be totally redeemed with an 11th-hour remedy.

But in the here and now, the Pohlads have a final opportunity to “Exit: Stage Right” on a high note (division title, playoff appearance, playoff series victory, etc.) rather than being yanked offstage by shepherd’s crook. An arm to replace now-injured Pablo? A bat (or two) to supplement a lineup prone to punchless funks? They could go a long way towards short-term 2025 success and long-term legacy establishment.

Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The choice is yours

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/2025/6/...3-payroll-playoffs-selling-team-one-last-ride

 

[Minnesota Twins]

Blue Jays 6, Twins 4: Twins bats canna da it after the second inning

This is their special Ontario celebratory thing | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Bailey Ober and the Twins’ offense not so hot, although Royce Lewis improves from hitting .139.

Bailey Ober’s miss-bats mojo goes missing after a strong early stretch, and the Twins tag Toronto’s “opener” but go quiet after that. Inning-by-inning notes:

1: Woo-hoo! We’re dogsitting for people who have MLB’s every-team package, and there’s no more blackouts here, so I get to watch the teevee!

Larnach LAUNCH! Way to beat on the “opener.” Actually beating the guy with soap in towels is not morally advisable, so scoring is better. Twins 1-0

2: Correa out for the third straight game with back issues; the crack Twins training/diagnostic staff strikes again.

Just like Bo Bichette is the son of Dante, and Vlad Guerrero the son of Vlad, Alejandro Kirk is the son of William Shatner. (Who is actually from Toronto, so...)

Leadoff Lee single followed by a struggling Mr. Royce double! Kody Klemens groundouts the RBI, Harrison Bader whiffs on his chance, and we’re in the hands of Christian Vázquez, so... a double! Saved by a Vázquez! Or, more accurately, saved by a Christian, which is very missionary of him. Missionary in the OTHER sense, you pervs. Little Canada 3-0

3: I had to use the restroom. Do you need notes? OK, Trevor Larnach flew out on the first pitch, and he usually takes first pitches. I washed my hands before typing this.

4: Second-year RF Addison Barger has been crazy hot of late, four dingers in his last six games; make that five in seven. And unfortunately Bailey plunked Vlad just before this, so that’s a safety. Per Wiki, “Elective safeties are more common in Canadian football, where they can result in better field position than a punt.” Now you know.

LHP Eric Lauer is doing better at this “bullpen game” thing than opener Paxton Schultz did. That’s now two ugly strikeouts for Bader so I say we demote him to Cedar Rapids.

5: Time #2 through the lineup not going well for Mr. Ober. A single, hard flyout, Andrés Giménez double, and duck fart give Toronto the lead. falcolntimmy types “Wallner needs to make that catch in his home ballpark. Really didn’t see the value of a drawn in infield in the 5th inning. Don’t know if Lee could have made a play on the pop fly playing back, but certainly didn’t playing in.” Hard to argue with that assessment of the outcome. Bigger Canada 4-3

6: Time #3 through the lineup not improving for Mr. Ober. Springer hits his longest dinger of the year. I shoulda stayed in the bathroom. LHP Mason Fluharty has a goofy name and stymied the Twins last inning. He still has a funny name and gets the first two Twins; the more normally-named Yariel Rodríguez finishes things off.

I’m watching the Toronto feed (not by choice) and I love how the stats in the corner are things like how a pitcher’s fastball speed has increased over the years. Not f***ing “prop bet” garbage like you get in America. Now just send me all the poutine and I’ll be happy. Maple Leafs 5-3

7: Bichette takes off too early from first with two outs, haha. At least Ober’s off night is not eating all the bullpen. The Twins look like they’re fooled by every pitch.

8: Justin Topa in. Vlad doubles and Kirk singles and Spock says that to believe in the Twins winning would be illogical.

A Larnach walk and France single put runners on the corners with nobody out. Ryan Jeffers PHs for Wallner and takes what’s clearly ball 4 for strike 3, and all hope dies. OK, Royce does have a two-out hit. Is he fixed now? I hope so. But I feel Helpless helpless helpless helpless 6-4

Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Who’s unhappy? We’re unhappy.

9: I’m gonna have a beer. ‘Cuz Jeffers got hisself ejected by Bad Strike Call ump, Vázquez has to hit again, and it’s not what you want. Jeff Hoffman gets the save, his dad’s name is not Trevor, Twins lose

Studs of the game: Twins middle-infield defense (good plays by Lee & Clemens), Lewis’s bat being fixed now. Duds: Ober second/third time thru lineup tonight, Bader (0-4, 4 K), Rob Manfred for worshiping the gambling that makes US broadcasts depressing/annoying

Good thread tonight, fun Twins broadcasters discussion. COTG go to nagurskiinnortheast for jinxy but fun “The gangly one is not to be f*****d with tonight..lfg!”, sandwiches for “The home plate ump needs a hug” after Jeffers got tossed, and Minnesota1952 for a Vanhattan recipe.

Tomorrow’s game is at 1:10, and features the very good Kevin Gausman against the not-awful-yet-this-year Chris Paddack.

Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/2025/6/...nna-da-it-after-the-second-inning-bailey-ober