Twins' Simeon Woods Richardson: Another abbreviated outing
Rotowire
Woods Richardson didn't factor into the decision Thursday against the Guardians, allowing one run on five hits and a walk across 4.2 innings. He struck out six.
Woods Richardson was solid Thursday, holding Cleveland to a lone run on Kyle Manzardo's solo homer in the first inning. However, the right-hander ultimately failed to make it through five innings for a fifth consecutive start. Overall, Woods Richardson is 5-5 with a 4.00 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 115:47 K:BB across 132.2 innings this year. He'll likely make one more regular-season start, tentatively scheduled for next week at home versus the Marlins.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Brooks Lee: Back on bench Thursday
Rotowire
Lee is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Guardians.
The switch-hitting Lee had started in each of the Twins' last three matchups with right-handed pitchers, but he'll hit the bench for a second straight matchup with a lefty (Joey Cantillo). Though Carlos Correa looks poised to serve as the Twins' primary shortstop down the stretch following his recent activation from the injured list, Lee could factor into the mix for playing time at second base, where Minnesota has been rotating three players (Lee, Edouard Julien and Kyle Farmer) of late. Super-utility man Willi Castro is typically picking up starts out of the outfield but could settle in as the primary option at the keystone once outfielder Max Kepler (knee) returns from the injured list.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Trevor Larnach: Sitting versus lefty
Rotowire
Larnach is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest in Cleveland.
The left-handed-hitting Larnach will grab a seat as the Guardians send southpaw Joey Cantillo to the bump. Manuel Margot will start in left field and occupy the leadoff spot for the Twins in the series finale.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Randy Dobnak: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Twins outrighted Dobnak to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.
Dobnak was removed from the 40-man roster earlier this week but will remain in the organization for now after passing through waivers unclaimed. The righty made it back to the majors this season for the first time in three years, allowing five runs over 7.2 innings during his brief time with the Twins.
Correa went 3-for-5 with four RBI in an extra-inning loss to the Guardians on Wednesday.
All three of Correa's hits were singles, but they collectively resulted in three Twins runs. The shortstop added another RBI with a first-inning fielder's choice, so all four of Minnesota's runs came on plays off his bat. Correa has gone 5-for-10 with two walks in three contests since returning from the injured list Sept. 14.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Bailey Ober: Racks up 12 punchouts Wednesday
Rotowire
Ober allowed two runs on four hits and no walks while striking out 12 batters over seven innings in a no-decision against Cleveland on Wednesday.
Ober tallied 17 whiffs while demonstrating excellent command by throwing 70 of 101 pitches for strikes. The only negative aspect of his performance is that two of the four hits against him left the park, which played a part in preventing him from emerging with a victory. Nonetheless, Ober picked up his third quality start across his past five outings, and in those trio of quality starts he's surrendered just six hits while allowing only three runs and posting a 27:3 K:BB across 20 frames. It should be mentioned, though, that in the two other starts during that five-game span, Ober has struggled, yielding 14 runs with an 8:4 K:BB over 8.2 frames.
Twins' Byron Buxton: Checking out of lineup Wednesday
Rotowire
Buxton is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians.
The Twins are easing Buxton back in the mix after he returned from the injured list last Thursday. He'll head to the bench for the second time in six games since being activated, but Buxton has looked healthy when he's been included in the lineup. Buxton has recorded exactly one hit in each of his last four starts while plating four runs and scoring three times.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Royce Lewis: Getting Wednesday off
Rotowire
Lewis is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians.
Lewis will get some rest after he had started at third base in each of the past six games while going 6-for-22 with two doubles, two walks, two RBI and two runs. Jose Miranda will spell Lewis at the hot corner Wednesday.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Edouard Julien: Losing work vs. righties
Rotowire
Julien is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians.
Julien looks like he could be moving out of the strong-side platoon role at second base that he's held since receiving a call-up from Triple-A St. Paul in mid-August. He'll hit the bench for the third time in four games Wednesday, with two of those absences coming against right-handed pitchers.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Ryan Jeffers: Retreating to bench
Rotowire
Jeffers is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians.
Jeffers will get a break Wednesday after he had started in each of the last three games (two at catcher, one at designated hitter). Christian Vazquez will step in behind the plate for Jeffers and will form a battery with starting pitcher Bailey Ober.
Twins' Willi Castro: Goes yard, steals base in win
Rotowire
Castro went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a stolen base in Tuesday's win against Cleveland.
The Twins' utility man garnered a start in left field and cracked his 12th long ball of the season off reliever Nick Sandlin in the eighth to extend the lead to 4-1. Castro previously swiped his 14th base in the contest, as this performance marks the third time in his career that he's collected a homer and a steal in the same game. Overall, the 27-year-old is now slashing .250/.334/.394 with 83 runs scored and 57 RBI in 592 plate appearances across 148 games.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Zebby Matthews: Yields one run in no-decision
Rotowire
Matthews did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's 4-1 victory over the Guardians, allowing one run on five hits and one walk over 4.1 innings. He struck out five.
The Minnesota rookie right-hander held his own against the division leaders in Cleveland, as he tallied five or more Ks for the fifth time in his seven starts. However, he allowed another long ball -- his ninth in 30 big-league innings - when Lane Thomas cracked a 424-foot solo shot in the fourth. With this effort, Matthews lowered his season ERA from 7.17 to 6.30, and he's also pitched to a 5.74 FIP, 1.60 WHIP and 32:6 K:BB. He currently projects to make his next start against the Red Sox on the road this weekend.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Griffin Jax: Secures ninth save
Rotowire
Jax earned the save in Tuesday's 3-1 win at Cleveland, pitching a scoreless two-thirds of an inning with one strikeout while allowing one hit.
After suffering the loss Monday night, Jax relieved Jhoan Duran with runners on first and second with one out in the ninth. Jax had struggled of late, as he entered this contest with a 6.14 ERA across 7.1 innings this month, so this performance was a welcome sight. Although he has been better than Duran -- pitching to a 2.16 ERA across 66.2 innings compared to Duran's 3.99 ERA across 49.2 innings -- Jax collected his first save since Aug. 5. The 29-year-old has been a stalwart in the Minnesota bullpen, pitching to a 2.08 FIP, 0.91 WHIP and 88:15 K:BB with nine saves and 24 holds this season.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Max Kepler: Closing in on rehab stint
Rotowire
Kepler (knee) received a cortisone injection for hip soreness Monday but is still expected to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul this weekend, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
The 31-year-old landed on the shelf due to knee tendinitis in early September but appears to be fully recovered from that injury. It's unclear how or when exactly the hip soreness surfaced for Kepler, but he should still have a chance to return from the injured list for the final homestand of the season next week.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Carlos Correa: Exiting lineup Tuesday
Rotowire
Correa is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Cleveland.
Correa has started every other game since returning from the injured list Saturday, as the Twins clearly don't want to overload him as he comes back from a two-month absence due to plantar fasciitis. Brooks Lee will be at shortstop Tuesday as Minnesota looks to even the series.
