Minnesota Twins Daily Clips. Friday, July 29, 2016

Transcription

1 Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Friday, July 29, 2016 Twins trade All-Star Eduardo Nunez to San Francisco. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 1 Max Kepler continues his sizzling July as Twins stop Orioles. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 2 Reusse: Twins employees learned loyalty, baseball decorum from ex-gm Ryan. Star Tribune (Reusse) p. 3 Brian Murphy: Trade Joe Mauer? No move in sight amid decline. Pioneer Press (Murphy) p. 4 Twins trade all-star Eduardo Nunez to Giants for minor league pitcher. Pioneer Press (Frederick) p. 6 Twins beat Baltimore as Eddie Rosario continues to roll. Pioneer Press (Frederick) p. 7 Byung Ho Park has three-homer game, but no call-up to Twins imminent. Pioneer Press (Frederick) p. 8 Twins get Minors lefty Mejia from Giants for Nunez. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 8 Kepler, Grossman rally Twins past O's in 7 th. MLB.com (Bollinger and Park) p. 9 Berrios, 3 other Twins prospects make Top 100. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 11 Murphy, Rutherford among top prospect performers Thursday. MLB.com (Boor) p thoughts: Twins trade Eduardo Nunez to Giants for good pitching prospect ESPN (Wetmore) p. 12 Twins trade Eduardo Nunez to Giants for pitching prospect. Fox Sports North p.14 Giants trade for All-Star SS Eduardo Nunez. Associated Press p. 15 Four-run seventh inning propels Twins to win over Orioles. Associated Press p. 15 Twins-Giants make win-win deal as Eduardo Nunez heads west. ESPN (Schoenfield) p. 17 BASEBALL AMERICA PROSPECT REPORT (JULY 29). Baseball America (Cooper) p. 17 Trade Central: Giants Add Infield Depth With Twins Nunez. Baseball America (Lara-Cinisomo) p. 18 Twins trade All-Star Eduardo Nunez to San Francisco Phil Miller Star Tribune July 29, 2016 The Twins expected midseason roster makeover started at the top Thursday: They traded their All-Star. Eduardo Nunez, the Twins lone representative in San Diego earlier this month, was dealt to the San Francisco Giants immediately after Minnesota s 6-2 victory over Baltimore. In return, the Twins received Adalberto Mejia, a 23-year-old lefthanded starting pitcher who was recently rated among baseball s top 100 prospects by Baseball America. We think he s fairly close to the big leagues, interim General Manager Rob Antony said after consummating his first transaction since replacing Terry Ryan last week. I don t know if he ll pitch up here this year, but we believe he s definitely a candidate to be in our rotation next season. Jorge Polanco, one of the Twins top infield prospects who has already spent three separate stints on the big-league roster this season, has been recalled from Class AAA Rochester to replace Nunez. It s a bittersweet departure for Nunez, whose career blossomed in Minnesota from a utility player begging for at-bats to an everyday shortstop ranked among the AL s best. The Twins are a great organization to play [for]. Great people, said Nunez, who was informed of the deal after going 0-for-4 in his Twins farewell. It made me feel like home. It made me feel like I was here for [longer] than I was. It s tough.

2 Nunez barely played during the season s first two weeks, and was ticketed for another season playing part-time at three infield positions. But after collecting nine hits in his first three starts of the season, Nunez suddenly found himself in the lineup every day for the first time in his seven-year career. He batted.296 with 12 home runs and a league-leading 27 stolen bases, and was selected to the All-Star team. He s certainly capitalized on his opportunity to play, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. I m happy for him. It s an opportunity to go out there and contribute to a team that s trying to set its sights fairly high. The Twins set their asking price high, too, and some people might have been scared off by that, Antony said. But six different clubs contacted him about acquiring Nunez, and the Giants offer of Mejia was the most intriguing. He s got a three-pitch mix. He s got a big, durable body, so we just think he profiles well, Antony said. He s pretty much what we were looking for. Mejia, ranked fifth among Giants prospects by Baseball America, began the season at Class AA Richmond. When he posted a 1.94 ERA in his first 11 starts, the 6-3 lefthander was promoted to Class AAA Sacramento, where he is 4-1 with a 4.20 ERA. Mejia features a 93-mph fastball, along with a changeup and slider. Mejia, who served a 50-game suspension in 2015 after testing positive for a banned stimulant, will be assigned to Rochester. Antony said he is continuing to negotiate with other teams ahead of Monday s 3 p.m. trade deadline, mostly with the same goal as the Nunez trade. We need to increase our pitching depth, said Antony, who acquired Nunez from the Yankees, in exchange for lefthander Miguel Sulbaran, early in the 2014 season while filling in during Ryan s cancer treatments. I d like to get some guys who are at the higher levels, but if we have a chance to get somebody with a high ceiling in [Class] A or lower in the minor leagues, we re not afraid to do that as well. Moving Nunez likely opens the shortstop position for Eduardo Escobar again, though Polanco and Danny Santana could earn playing time there as well. It still might be a challenge [for Polanco] to get at-bats, but he s the right guy to bring up. When we need somebody, he can come off the bench, Antony said of the 23-year-old Dominican, who is a career.262 hitter in 22 big-league games. Polanco was batting.271 with six triples and nine homers at Rochester this season. He has the ability to play short, Antony said, though we believe his best positions might be second and third. Max Kepler continues his sizzling July as Twins stop Orioles Phil Miller Star Tribune July 29, 2016 Max Kepler, it appears, will have plenty of Julys in his major league career. It just might be difficult for him to top his first one. Kepler stroked his eighth home run of the month, and 11th of the season, to tie the score in the sixth inning Thursday, then put himself in the middle of the game-winning, four-run rally an inning later, helping the Twins finally beat the Baltimore Orioles with a 6-2 victory at Target Field. The victory, in a makeup of a May 9 rainout, completes the season series with a 1-5 record for the Twins against the AL East leaders, but that record might have looked different if the rookie right fielder had been around for all of it. Kepler has made a habit of big hits, and the one he greeted Baltimore reliever Odrisamer Despaigne with in the sixth inning was particularly memorable. With the Twins trailing 2-1, having stranded three runners on third base in the first five innings, Kepler lifted a 2-2 changeup into the seats in right field. In the Target Field era, only Josh Willingham, with 11 in 2012, has had more home runs in July than Kepler. I like how he s making adjustments to how he s being pitched. People try to tie him up inside, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. He got a cutter in there pretty good, but he pulled his hands through and was able to hit the ball out of the park. The Twins broke the tie an inning later, and Kepler was in the middle of it. Robbie Grossman lined a one-out double, and Orioles manager Buck Showalter ordered Despaigne to walk Joe Mauer intentionally. Brian Dozier followed with an RBI single to left field and Grossman slid home just ahead of catcher Caleb Joseph s tag, his left arm sweeping the plate as Joseph lunged at him. Kepler then grounded a pitch from Chaz Roe into right field, and this time it was Mauer sliding home just ahead of the tag, making it 4-2. Then Eddie Rosario crushed a pitch over center fielder Adam Jones head, a triple that scored two more runs and helped the Twins improve to 7-4 against first-place teams this month. 2

3 Kyle Gibson pitched six strong innings for the Twins, even after allowing a home run to Jones with the first pitch of the game. Gibson didn t walk a batter and struck out six, allowing two runs, and three Twins relievers pitched a scoreless inning apiece to snap the Twins three-game losing streak. Push, but not rush Trevor Plouffe took batting practice before Thursday s game, moving up an already accelerated rehab plan by another couple of days. Molitor said he s happy Plouffe is feeling better but he s wary of rushing the veteran third baseman back. He s pushing to try to get out [on a rehab assignment] a little sooner, Molitor said. We ll see how he responds [Thursday] to moving around. Plouffe has been out since July 2 because of a fractured left rib, but has been adding more and more baseball activities every day. Molitor, however, recalled that when Plouffe returned from an intercostal strain in early May, he batted only.215 with one homer in the entire month. There have been times where he s given us a green light to go, and we found out when he returned he wasn t as good as we had thought it was, Molitor said. So that s why you have to be a little cautious. I m glad he s feeling well, glad he s able to do pretty much everything. There s just got to be a little bit of recovery time along the way. Players always think they need less. Reusse: Twins employees learned loyalty, baseball decorum from ex-gm Ryan Patrick Reusse Star Tribune July 29, 2016 Terry Ryan would have been an outstanding reporter. He has an eye trained for behavior out of the norm, and a curiosity to find out why. A hitter would come to the plate with a new piece of equipment, maybe an arm guard, Dustin Morse said. Terry would say, What do you suppose this is all about? He didn t miss a thing. Mike Herman laughed and said: When I was in media relations, in spring training, I would get a call from Terry and he d say, Who is that photographer wandering around Field 6 like he owns the place? And I d say, I ll check, Terry, and run over and find out if the photographer belonged there. Morse came to the Twins in 2006 to work as Herman s assistant in media relations. In the middle of 2012, Herman was put in charge of team travel and Morse of media relations. Ryan was back as general manager that season, after an earlier stint as GM from , and he was their boss. More than that, he was the source of almost-daily life lessons and humor particularly when Terry was on a Twins road trip and the day would start with breakfast. It usually would be 8, and Terry already would have his morning run in, Herman said. We would talk about last night s game. If we had lost, Terry would point to a half-dozen things and say, I don t know how we didn t win that game. Herman went to work as an intern for the Twins in 1999 and became full-time in I don t want to overstate it, but I spent more time with Terry Ryan than I did with my own father, he said. I look at him that way A father figure with a humorous insistence on following baseball decorum. The Twins were in the middle of batting practice in Oakland, Morse said. Terry sees Mike walking across that huge foul territory to Paul Molitor near first base. Terry says, What is he doing? He s still going? He wants to coach first base? That s a fine. Herman was asking for the manager s preference on a travel issue, but in Ryan s world, that s not supposed to happen during BP. So Herman had to pay a $1 fine, on Terry s list of violations. There was a more notorious violation on Herman s résumé. Years earlier, he showed up at spring training driving a Mercedes convertible loaned by a friend. The legend of Herman and the Mercedes It didn t even have a top! Terry would exclaim was not allowed to die. 3

4 Through the years, Ryan s spring training vehicle (in contrast to Herman s) went from a Ford Fusion, to a Ford Focus, to a vehicle that barely could make it across the parking lot. We would be on a bus going to the ballpark and a Mercedes would be next to us, Morse said. I d say to Terry, Is that as nice as Mike s Mercedes? Terry would say, Nah, it has a top. Morse s first lesson on baseball decorum came the first time he encountered Ryan in the Ballpark at Arlington. It was 2003 and Morse was in his first year as a Rangers media assistant. I stepped into an elevator and Terry was there, Morse said. I introduced myself and told Terry how I grew up a Twins fan and how much I d like to work for the Twins someday. He said, You re with the Texas Rangers. I m with the Twins. You be loyal to the Texas Rangers. That s your organization. Herman and Morse and Morse s assistant, Mitch Hestad, mentioned the delight of those occasional nights when Ryan would tell scouting stories. Everyone s favorite concerned a flight from the Caribbean when Terry was sitting next to one of the Twins employees from that era. Ryan kept hearing the tweet of a bird. In Terry s retelling, he was looking around, asking, Where s that coming from? and finally the scout went Ssshhh, opened his jacket and showed a small wild bird that he was smuggling into the United States. Terry says, Are you crazy? I m going to have to fire you, Morse said. And the guy with the bird says, If you fire me, I ll shoot you with a gun. One ritual with Ryan, Herman and Morse was to take a lap in Terry-ese, around a stadium concourse before a road game. Herman would bring four tickets to the Twins box behind the visitors dugout. We would look for a group in Twins gear, maybe a family, and then Terry would introduce himself, thank them for being Twins fans, and Mike would offer the box seats, Morse said. Herman smiled and said: We were in Cleveland last September and it was about 32 degrees. There were 4,000 people there and we almost froze to death looking, but Terry finally found some Twins fans. Ryan s tenure as Twins general manager ended when he was fired July 18. And Dustin Morse and the others who worked for him know this: Wherever he winds up scouting, Terry s loyalty to that organization will be unquestioned. Brian Murphy: Trade Joe Mauer? No move in sight amid decline Brian Murphy Pioneer Press July 29, 2016 Joe Mauer isn t going anywhere, not with his bulletproof no-trade clause, $46 million and two years remaining on his millstone contract. But the Twins first baseman isn t going anywhere, either, not with his.263 batting average and waning run production. The sample size is expanding and the trend line hardening on Mauer s decline. The 2009 American League MVP and six-time all-star has devolved into a middling singles hitter clogging up a power position on a degenerating team poised for seismic change in management. He explained away anomalies of 2015 and 2014 when he set career highs in strikeouts each season and watched his average plummet by admitting lingering concussion symptoms hampered his vision at the plate. This season the 13-year veteran is seeing the ball better but not the big picture. Mauer pushed back before Wednesday night s game against Atlanta at Target Field when asked whether hitting.260 is his new reality. No, he said flatly. My career average isn t.260. It s been some tough luck. A lot of things go into it. I always believe I can improve. I m going through a rough patch right now but you do that in baseball. It s been a very trying year, he continued. Teams are positioning me different. They re pitching me different. There are more pitchers. There 4

5 are always adjustments going on between pitchers and hitters. The pitchers are winning. Mauer is not the only hitter humbled by defensive shifts and flame-throwing bullpen specialists conspiring to suppress offense across baseball. Nor does he monopolize goat horns on a team trending toward 107 losses. But try to find another player whose hall-of-fame trajectory flat-lined so clinically and whose value has so warped the payroll. Mauer was mired in a 9-for-44 (.205) slump since the all-star break and had just six RBIs in July. His.310 career average had lost 13 points in the 2 1/2 seasons since a series of concussions ended his catching days. Ironically, Mauer s durability is unquestioned. He is on pace to play more than 150 games in consecutive seasons for the first time. He also is on pace to drive in 51 runs, which would be a career-low over a full season or about $450,000 per RBI. With Monday s deadline looming, Mauer said the Twins have not approached him about waiving his no-trade clause, an unthinkable notion in 2010 when the St. Paul native signed his eight-year, market-value, $184 million contract extension. Rationally, Mauer, 33, is the player the Twins should trade to break the logjam at first base and eliminate anxiety for their other corner infielders. Trevor Plouffe was assured by since-fired general manager Terry Ryan that the Twins never considered trading him last offseason. Accepting that at face value, he was perceived to be a valuable bargaining chip despite being three years younger than Mauer, with a club-friendly contract to boot. Miguel Sano s regrettable exile to right field proved disastrous. Defensively he s re-acclimating to third base like a punch-drunk boxer. Byung Ho Park failed to launch as a first-year major-leaguer, but his potential as a right-handed designated hitter would leave room for Plouffe and Sano to lock down third and first base, respectively or interchangeably, every day. What to do about No. 7? Pitchfork Nation would have stormed Twins Territory and torched the newly minted offices at Target Field if the club failed to secure Mauer long-term and allowed the Yankees or Red Sox to snatch their aw-shucks boy next door. The carnage would have been justifiable. Today the relationship is a shotgun marriage. Mauer has no interest in entertaining a trade, not with his deep Minnesotan roots scratching bedrock. Twitter trolls are no match to the withering fan criticism and tabloid venom Mauer and his sagging stats would be enduring in unsparing markets like New York, Boston or Chicago. Convincing a team to take on $46 million in salary for a diminishing asset would make shark-tank legends out of interim GM Rob Antony or his would-be successor. Regardless, it will not happen with Mauer yet to hit rock bottom. Moreover, it is impossible to see a scenario in which Mauer would agree to leave the warm bosom of Minnesota, where cynicism about his performance has morphed into resignation. Well, you never know, he said. I signed on to compete here, to play here and to win ballgames for the Twins. That s what I m going to keep doing. 5

6 Twins trade all-star Eduardo Nunez to Giants for minor league pitcher Jace Frederick Pioneer Press July 28, 2016 The Twins dealt their only all-star on Thursday night, sending shortstop Eduardo Nunez to the San Francisco Giants for left-handed pitcher Adalberto Mejia in a move announced immediately after their 6-2 win over Baltimore at Target Field. Mejia, 23, is 7-3 with a 2.98 earned-run average between the Giants Double-A and Triple-A affiliates this season with 101 strikeouts in 105 2/3 innings pitched. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound starter was ranked as the 91st-best minor league prospect on Baseball America s Midseason Top 100. Twins interim general manager Rob Antony has said pitching was Minnesota s top priority as the Twins looked to deal. Antony described Mejia as a pitcher who throws strikes, has a three-pitch mix and possesses good mound presence. Antony said he believes Mejia is fairly close to being big-league ready and is definitely a candidate to be in our rotation next season. We just think (Mejia) profiles well, Antony said. He was pretty much what we were looking for. Nunez was just one of a few veterans, along with catcher Kurt Suzuki and starter Ervin Santana, who figured to be likely trade bait. Antony hinted there could be more moves to come. I m not sure we re satisfied or done with this, he said. I think we need to increase our pitching depth. I m not overly particular. I would like to get some guys that are at the higher levels, but at the same time if we have an opportunity to get a high-ceiling pitcher in A-ball or a little bit lower in the minor leagues, we re not afraid of doing that, as well. Twins manager Paul Molitor said Mejia will be sent to Triple-A Rochester, while infielder Jorge Polanco will be recalled to fill out the 25-man roster. Antony said Polanco is a ready replacement who can play shortstop but noted the Twins see Polanco s best long-term fit at second base or third, and suspected Eduardo Escobar might get the first crack at the Twins starting shortstop job vacated by Nunez, though that decision will be left to Molitor. Nunez, acquired by Minnesota from the Yankees in 2014, received his first true crack at everyday playing time this season as the Twins shortstop and took advantage. The 29-year-old, previously known mostly for losing his helmet almost every time he was on the base paths, is hitting.296 this season with 12 home runs, 15 doubles, 47 runs batted in and an American League-leading 27 stolen bases. Antony said about six teams were interested in Nunez, adding the Twins got the type of return they were looking for in the deal. I appreciate everything he s done for this organization, Antony said. He always comes to play, he plays hard, he s created a lot of energy for this club. And he s shown leadership in this clubhouse with a lot of the younger players. He did everything we could have asked of him, and this was just an opportunity to get a starting pitcher. For the Giants, the trade for Nunez adds much-needed depth to an injury-plagued infield. Just to have a guy that has his experience, has served in that role in the past and done well and is off to a good start this season, we just feel like he can help us cover the tracks as we get 100 percent healthy, Giants general manager Bobby Evans said. Nunez thanked the Twins, saying people made him feel at home in Minnesota. But now he goes from a cellar dweller to a Giants team that is and in first place in the National League West Division. Any player wants to be in the playoffs, Nunez said. And (when) you have the opportunity to go to any team that will be in the playoff race, it s fun to be there. 6

7 Twins beat Baltimore as Eddie Rosario continues to roll Jace Frederick Pioneer Press July 28, 2016 Traditionally, Eddie Rosario feels good about his swing as he exits winter ball and heads to spring training each February. This year was different. Rosario didn t love the way his swing felt. It felt slow, he said. He wasn t hitting pitches hard. I started slow and in spring training and the start of the season, Rosario said. I didn t feel comfortable at home plate. The lack of comfort wasn t evident in Fort Myers, as Rosario, like many of his teammates, was red hot this spring, hitting.333 with nine extrabase hits in 60 at-bats. But Rosario whose electric rookie campaign was a big reason for Minnesota s success in 2015 struggled mightily in the first two months of the regular season. He hit just.200 in 32 games to earn a demotion to Triple-A Rochester. Things have changed. Since his recall to the Twins (38-63) in early July, Rosario has reverted back to his 2015 form. He s hitting.343 this month, and 10 of his 24 hits have been for extra bases. His resurgence has helped spark a Twins offense that d scored 125 runs in July prior to Thursday s game the third-highest total in baseball. Rosario continued his roll on Thursday night at Target Field, delivering a two-run triple in the seventh inning to bust the game open as a fourrunning inning powered a 6-2 Twins win over Baltimore with Max Kepler homering and Joe Mauer going 2 for 4 with a triple. It was Minnesota s first win over the Orioles (58-43) in six tries this season. As for Rosario s swing? He said it s feeling better and better each day. When I went down to Triple-A, I worked on hitting (the ball) hard, Rosario said. When I was in Triple-A I was doing good, and right now here I feel good in (the) Major Leagues. I feel like I m ready to hit whatever pitch. Twins manager Paul Molitor said it can be a difficult situation for players like Rosario to get sent down to the minors after previously flourishing at the highest level. It s not uncommon, but it s still tough, Molitor said. But he s done a good job of coming back here, being focused and playing some good baseball. Molitor said he s seen a lot of good things from Rosario since the young outfielder returned to Minnesota, one of those being patience at the plate. Rosario struck out on 26 percent of his at-bats prior to being demoted. It s not a negative to be able to handle some pitches out of the zone and do some damage, Molitor said, but I think if you do it on a constant basis and you get a reputation of a guy who you don t have to throw a strike to to get out, that s going to bite you over the long haul. Rosario s eye hasn t been light years better in July he s still struck out in 20 percent of his at-bats, including two punch outs on Thursday, and he s walked just once in that span but Molitor said the free-swinger has done a better job of working counts and waiting for pitches he can handle. And he s exciting, Molitor said. He brings another element to our team in terms of base running and defensive play, so I think he used the time well down there. 7

8 Byung Ho Park has three-homer game, but no call-up to Twins imminent Jace Frederick Pioneer Press July 28, 2016 Twins manager Paul Molitor is happy with the recent play of Korean slugger Byung Ho Park in Triple-A Rochester, and that was before he caught wind of Park s three-home run performance Thursday afternoon. Park has eight home runs in his past 10 games and is hitting.286 in 21 games in Rochester. On multiple occasions, Molitor has suggested Park fell victim to expectations in his first stint in Minnesota, where he hit.191 in 62 games before being sent down. The manager called Park s recent success really good news. We haven t decided or made any decisions about any potential returns for him yet, Molitor said, but obviously you pay attention. Molitor confirmed any pending roster moves are likely on hold until Monday s non-waiver trade deadline passes. PLOUFFE ON MEND Trevor Plouffe hit on the field before Thursday s game, a day or two earlier than the Twins anticipated. The third baseman has been on the disabled list since July 4 with a fractured left rib. Molitor said there have been talks about how quickly to push Plouffe through rehab and, unsurprisingly, Plouffe is pushing for an expedited return. As a player, you always think you need less (time), Molitor said. It s not like, Well, I think I better stay down (in the minors) a bit longer and work on my swing. Molitor said the Twins plan to trust medical recommendations, as well as Plouffe s desires. He plans to see how Plouffe feels after his work on the field Thursday. I m glad he s feeling better, and I m glad he s able to do pretty much everything right now, Molitor said. It s just you ve got to figure out there s got to still be a little bit of recovery time. Molitor planned to remind Plouffe that he already rushed back once this season. He returned from an intercostal strain in May, only to have to take a few days off again shortly after. So that s why you have to be a little cautious, Molitor said. I like players who want to try to get out there as quickly as they can, but he came back and he was still sore. Twins get Minors lefty Mejia from Giants for Nunez Rhett Bollinger MLB.com July 29, 2016 MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins lost their lone 2016 All-Star on Thursday, as shortstop Eduardo Nunez was the first Minnesota player to be dealt leading up to Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, getting sent to the Giants for left-handed pitching prospect Adalberto Mejia. Minnesota called up infielder Jorge Polanco after its 6-2 win over Baltimore to take Nunez's roster spot, with Mejia heading to Triple-A Rochester. Nunez, 29, is in the midst of a breakout season, hitting.296/.325/.439 with 12 homers, 15 doubles and 27 stolen bases in 91 games. But the Twins are in need of starting pitching and opted to trade Nunez, who doesn't become a free agent until after next season. They're hoping they sold high on Nunez, as this is the first time the seven-year MLB veteran has received regular playing time. He was previously a utility infielder until injuries to Trevor Plouffe and Eduardo Escobar opened up spots for him at shortstop and third this year. "It was difficult, but our perspective from the start of this process was to try to acquire starting pitching," Twins interim general manager Rob Antony said. "There was a lot of interest. There were at least six clubs I talked to about him. But this was an opportunity to get a young 23-yearold left-hander in Triple-A who has been pitching well." 8

9 Nunez, originally acquired in a trade with the Yankees before the 2014 season, was one of the popular players in the clubhouse and was a regarded as a leader, especially among the club's Latin players. Nunez found out about the trade while eating in the clubhouse dining room after Thursday's win, and he said he's excited to join a first-place team but enjoyed his time in Minnesota. "It's tough," Nunez said. "The Minnesota Twins are a great organization. They have great people. They made me feel like I was at home. They made me feel like I was here longer than I really was." In exchange for Nunez, the Twins get Mejia, who is regarded as being close to Major League ready. Mejia, ranked as San Francisco's No. 7 prospect by MLBPipeline.com, has posted a combined 2.81 ERA with 101 strikeouts and 27 walks in 105 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season. He was 4-1 with a 4.20 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings with Triple-A Sacramento. Mejia threw a scoreless inning in this year's All-Star Futures Game at Petco Park, striking out No. 1 overall MLB prospect Alex Bregman to finish the game. "We think he's fairly close to the big leagues," Antony said. "He has a three-pitch mix to start. He has a big durable body. We think he profiles well and was what we were looking for." Mejia, though, was suspended for 50 games last year after testing positive for stimulants, but the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder has bounced back this season after a solid stint in the Arizona Fall League last year. As Antony noted, he has a three-pitch mix with a fastball that ranges from mph to go along with his slider and changeup. "This was an opportunity where we need pitching," Antony said. "I don't know if he'll pitch up here this year, but he's definitely a candidate next year to be in our rotation." With Nunez gone, Escobar is expected to get more time at shortstop going forward, while Polanco could get a chance to finally show what he can do. Polanco, the Twins' No. 4 prospect and the No. 99 overall prospect in baseball, was hitting.276/.335/.457 with nine homers, 14 doubles and six triples in 75 games at Rochester. He also batted.231/.344/.462 with a homer and three doubles in 13 games with the Twins earlier this year. "He's really just looking for a spot," Antony said. "He really played well down there. He hit for more power than last year. We think he's pretty close to being a Major Leaguer. So having a ready replacement like him helps." Kepler, Grossman rally Twins past O's in 7 th Rhett Bollinger and Do-Hyoung Park MLB.com July 29, 2016 MINNESOTA -- When the Twins and Orioles were originally scheduled to play on May 9 before the game was rained out, neither Robbie Grossman nor Max Kepler were on Minnesota's roster. Baltimore likely wishes it stayed that way, as the pair combined to reach base safely seven times and score four runs to lift Minnesota to a 6-2 win in Thursday's makeup game at Target Field. Grossman, who didn't join the Twins until May 19 and has been one of the club's biggest surprises, went 2-for-3 with two walks and helped spark a four-run seventh inning with a one-out double. Kepler, in the midst of a breakout rookie season since being called up on June 1 after a short stint with the club early this year, went 2-for-3 with a walk and a game-tying solo homer in the sixth. The Twins broke the game open against Baltimore's bullpen in their four-run seventh, with Brian Dozier providing the go-ahead RBI single to score Grossman with one out, knocking reliever Odrisamer Despaigne from the game. Right-hander Chaz Roe replaced Despaigne, but he gave up an RBI single to Kepler and a two-run triple to Eddie Rosario. "Kepler's home run was a boost and got us back to even, which got us a little more life," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We found a way to add on there with some big hits with Dozier, Kepler and then Rosario finding a way to hit one over [Adam] Jones' head." Neither starting pitcher figured into the decision, but both Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez and Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson fared well. Jimenez, making his first start since July 8, went five innings, giving up one run on five hits with eight strikeouts. The lone run he allowed came on an RBI triple from Joe Mauer in the first. "That splitter was good and he was crisp, and he's pitched seven times here and pitched well just about every time, so we felt it was a good matchup coming in," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "We just didn't seize all of our opportunities." 9

10 Gibson was plagued by a leadoff homer from Adam Jones on his first pitch of the night, but settled down from there. The sinkerballer went six frames, surrendering two runs on nine hits with six strikeouts. The Orioles also scored in the fourth on a two-out RBI single from former Twins shortstop J.J. Hardy. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Twins get two at the plate: The Orioles ran themselves into two outs at home in the fourth inning, as they had three singles and a double, but came away with only one run. Chris Davis led off the frame with a single and went to third on a double from Mark Trumbo. Davis tried to score on a grounder hit to third baseman Eduardo Escobar, but Escobar was able to throw him out at home. Pedro Alvarez followed with a single to right, but Kepler threw out Trumbo as he tried to score from second. Kepler's throw was 92.5 mph and traveled 175 feet, per Statcast. "They made good plays," said Showalter, who didn't think his team was being too aggressive. "We've been scuffling to score runs. You take an opportunity to score like that any time." In the blink of an eye: Jones didn't waste any time getting Baltimore on the board, sending the game's first pitch from Gibson into the left-field seats for his 19th homer of the season and his third career leadoff long ball. The homer was only Jones' fifth extra-base hit of the month. It was the fourth time this season a Twins pitcher had allowed a homer on the first pitch of the game. Gibson had also allowed a leadoff homer in his last start to Mookie Betts of the Red Sox. "I'm going to have to start throwing first-pitch offspeed or something," Gibson said with a smile. "It's getting ridiculous. Maybe throw the first batter all offspeed." Max power: After Jimenez exited, Kepler promptly tied it up with a solo shot in the sixth off Despaigne. It was the 11th homer of the year for the rookie, and his first since July 20. The blast came on a 2-2 slider. He later added an RBI single in the seventh to give Minnesota an insurance run. "I like how he's making adjustments to how he's being pitched," Molitor said. "People try to tie him up inside. He got a cutter in there pretty good but was able to get his hands through and hit one out of the park." Ubaldo's home away from home: Making his first start in three weeks after a forgettable first half, Jimenez looked like a completely different pitcher in Minneapolis, allowing one run on five hits and striking out eight in five innings. That shouldn't come as a surprise: Jimenez is 4-1 with a 1.81 ERA in seven career starts at Target Field. His eight strikeouts were his most since he punched out nine on April 7 -- also against the Twins. "I really needed this," Jimenez said. "Like I said, it's been a long time since I've faced hitters, and it felt great to be out there and be with my teammates. That's what we play for -- to be out there and try to compete and win every night. We didn't get a win, but we have to move on. It felt really good." QUOTABLE "It's tough. The Minnesota Twins are a great organization. They have great people. They made me feel like I was at home. They made me feel like I was here longer than I really was." -- Twins shortstop Eduardo Nunez, on being traded to the Giants after the game for left-handed pitching prospect Adalberto Mejia WHAT'S NEXT Orioles: Right-hander Kevin Gausman (2-7, 3.77 ERA) will take the mound for Baltimore to open a three-game series in Toronto at 7:07 p.m. ET on Friday night. Gausman twirled seven shutout innings on Saturday against the Indians, allowing four hits and striking out seven in a 5-2 Orioles victory. Twins: Right-hander Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.40 ERA) is set to start for the Twins in the series opener against the White Sox at Target Field on Friday at 7:10 p.m. CT. Nolasco was roughed up last time out, lasting a season-low two innings and allowing six runs on six hits against the Red Sox on Saturday. 10

11 Berrios, 3 other Twins prospects make Top 100 Rhett Bollinger MLB.com July 28, 2016 MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins placed four players, led by right-hander Jose Berrios, in the midseason update to MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospect list released Thursday. Berrios, who entered the year as the No. 19 overall prospect, moved up to No. 16. He's joined by left-hander Tyler Jay, who moved up 13 spots to be ranked No. 47; shortstop Nick Gordon, who moved up 30 spots to be ranked No. 61, and infielder Jorge Polanco, who slid two spots to No. 99. Center fielder Byron Buxton, who entered the season as the No. 2 overall prospect, graduated from the list, as did right fielder Max Kepler, who was ranked No. 44. The ranking of baseball's top prospects is done by MLBPipeline.com Draft and prospect experts Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Mike Rosenbaum, who compile input from industry sources, including scouts and scouting directors. It is based on analysis of players' skill sets, upsides, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams. Only players with rookie status are eligible for the list. The rankings follow the Collective Bargaining Agreement guidelines for which players fall under the international pool money rules: Players who were at least 23 years old when they signed and played in leagues deemed to be professional (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Cuba) are not eligible. Berrios, 22, tops the Twins' Top 30 list and is 10-5 with a 2.44 ERA in 16 starts with Triple-A Rochester. He also has struck out 111 and walked 35 in 103 1/3 innings. He got his first taste of the Majors this season, going 1-1 with a ERA in four starts. He's expected to rejoin Minnesota's rotation soon, as he's posted a 1.46 ERA over his last eight starts. Jay, 22, has posted a combined 3.38 ERA with 76 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings between Class A Advanced Fort Myers and Double-A Chattanooga. Jay, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 Draft, will pitch in relief the rest of the year to limit his innings. Gordon is in the midst of a breakout year offensively, hitting.298/.346/.410 with three homers, 18 doubles and 11 stolen bases with Class A Advanced Fort Myers. The 20-year-old, who was taken as the No. 5 overall selection in the 2014 Draft, is the son of former Major League reliever Tom Gordon and the brother of Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon. Polanco is hitting.274/.332/.460 with nine homers, six triples and 14 doubles in 73 games with Triple-A Rochester. Polanco, who has seen action mostly at second base this year but can also play shortstop and third base, also appeared in 13 games with the Twins, batting.231/.344/.462 with a homer and three doubles. The 23-year-old has had short stints in the big leagues in each of the last three years. The club's Top 30 prospects list was also updated with left-hander Stephen Gonsalves and right-hander Kohl Stewart ranked as the club's No. 5 and No. 6 prospects, respectively. Both are in Double-A Chattanooga's rotation. Outfielder Alex Kirilloff, the club's first-round pick in the 2016 Draft, entered the list and is ranked as the organization's No. 7 prospect. Other 2016 Draft picks who joined the Top 30 include catcher Ben Rortvedt (No. 10) and outfielder Akil Baddoo (No. 27). Right-hander Fernando Romero, currently at Fort Myers, made the biggest jump, moving up 10 spots to No. 8, one ahead of reliever J.T. Chargois. Other players who shot up Minnesota's prospect list include Double-A reliever Trevor Hildenberger, who moved up five spots to No. 19 and Triple-A outfielder Daniel Palka, who jumped eight spots to No. 21. Among their top 30 prospects, the Twins have 11 right-handed pitchers, four left-handers, five shortstops, two third basemen, two catchers and six outfielders. Murphy, Rutherford among top prospect performers Thursday William Boor MLB.com July 29, 2016 Tom Murphy is likely hoping July never ends considering the Rockies' No. 11 prospect has raised his batting average over 100 points in 16 games so far this month. Murphy went 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBIs and two runs scored in Triple-A Albuquerque's 8-3 win over Salt Lake. The 25-year-old has been red-hot at the plate all month, hitting.569 with 21 RBIs in 16 games. 11

12 Murphy has hits in 14 of 16 games this month, but a batting average doesn't go from.208 to.309 with just one hit a night. The catcher has at least two hits in 11 games and three or more in five, including a July 14 performance in which he hit for the cycle. Murphy is likely to cool off at some point, of course, but after a rough June, Murphy has certainly dug himself out of a statistical hole and is now batting.309 with 15 homers and 44 RBIs through 55 games overall. The rest of the best performances from top prospects Thursday: Twins' No. 4 prospect Jorge Polanco (No. 99 overall) posted another three-hit game for Triple-A Rochester, going 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs. Polanco received some good news after the game, as the Twins announced they would be recalling him. Twins' No. 21 prospect Daniel Palka highlighted a sixth-run second inning with a three-run homer for Triple-A Rochester. The blast, Palka's 26th of the season, was the beginning of a 3-for-5, three-rbi day that also included a double. Palka is hitting.315 in 19 Triple-A games. 5 thoughts: Twins trade Eduardo Nunez to Giants for good pitching prospect Derek Wetmore 1500 ESPN July 29, 2016 Rob Antony has completed the first of what should be several trades ahead of Monday s non-waiver trade deadline. Eduardo Nunez is now a member of the San Francisco Giants, and the Twins got a pitching prospect in return. Adalberto Mejia will report to Triple-A Rochester, and represents a really solid return for the Twins. This column presents 5 thoughts from Thursday s trade: 1. Peak Value Eduardo Nunez entered this season as a consensus bench player on a Twins team that many expected to be around.500 or better if things broke in their favor. Things haven t broken in their favor, with one notable exception, Eduardo Nunez, who has exceeded even the most wildly optimistic projections for his performance this season. Nunez entered the year as a little-used backup, the former heir apparent to Derek Jeter on whom the Yankees gave up, trading him to the Twins, where defensive shortcomings limited him to a part-time role. In parts of seven seasons, Nunez has hit.275/.313/.402 in a reasonably large sample size of more than 1,600 plate appearances. Then, out of nowhere, he became the Twins best and most consistent hitter for the first half of the season, took over shortstop and the leadoff role, and made the all-star team. At the time of the trade, even after a dip in his numbers after the all-star break, Nunez is hitting.300/.326/.444 with 12 home runs and 27 stolen bases in 33 attempts (82 percent). Not that the Giants necessarily expect that type of production to continue indefinitely, but it would seem the Twins did well to ride the wave of his value surge and convert it into a usable pitcher down the road. 2. Jorge Polanco is back With the 25-man roster spot vacated when Nunez was sent packing, the Twins recalled infielder Jorge Polanco from Triple-A Rochester. Polanco has done more than enough with the bat in the minor leagues to demonstrate that he deserves a chance in the big leagues. The problem all year has been that the Twins couldn t find a spot for the infielder. At first, shortstop belonged to Eduardo Escobar, and then Nunez took the position and never relinquished it. There are some evaluators with the Twins who believe Polanco will be a better fit as a second baseman in the Majors, but that s currently home to Brian Dozier. And third base was Trevor Plouffe s until he got hurt and more recently Miguel Sano has played there. Polanco has hit.276/.335/.457 this season with 9 home runs and 6 triples. He used to look like a skinny kid but this winter he really packed on 12

13 some muscle, and he appeared to me anyway to be relatively at ease at the plate in the big leagues. I think he ll hit at the highest level and I think he deserves an audition at a defensive position. 3. Standings relative The Twins are buried in last place in the American League Central, and even if they think they re ready to compete at the beginning of the 2017 season, it s clear they should be selling off a few spare parts at the very least, to maximize the value of their roster. The Giants, meanwhile, are in first place in the National League West, in a competition with the Dodgers for the top spot. And the wild card figures to be tightly contested this year, too, with a handful of good teams left in the N.L. still battling for the postseason the Marlins, the Mets, the Cardinals, the Pirates and even the Rockies. I m not here to argue that being in last place is good and first place is bad. When it comes to trade leverage, though, the Twins are in the kind of position that they can float the asking price of several assets, and if they get a team to bite at a price they like, they can take the deal without worrying about hurting the current club. So while the Giants might feel compelled to swing a trade for a bench bat and are apparently willing to pay a reasonably high price to get it the Twins get a top-100 pitching prospect for one year and two-plus months of Eduardo Nunez. 4. Rob Antony said they d target pitching And they did. I asked Antony earlier this week what he d target in trades as the deadline approached. He pointed to the starting staff and said they needed to work to improve it, especially in the Majors. Ron Gardenhire, while on special assignment scouting the minor leagues, sang the praises of a handful of young pitchers in the low minors within the Twins system, but it s hard to count on that talent surfacing any time soon. I think it s fair to say we d like to bolster our pitching, Antony said earlier this week. The depth of our pitching, in particular starting pitching. I don t think we have a lot of guys that are right on the cusp. The Twins have one guy J.O. Berrios who is right on the cusp. And now they ve added another. I m not ready to start writing the 2017 starting rotation in pencil, but it s possible that Berrios and Mejia could be a part of it at some point. I m going to wait to see what the other moves look like this weekend. (Yes, I think the Twins will make more than one trade, although in terms of value for return, this one might be hard to top.) 5. Top-100 prospect The Twins got a solid player in return for one year plus what s left of this one from Eduardo Nunez. It s not as if they settled for a warm body Adalberto Mejia was ranked the 91st prospect in the minors by Baseball America in the publication s midseason update. The skinny from BA was that Mejia led a stable of big-league-ready arms for the Giants. In 105 2/3 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A this season, the lefty has a 2.81 ERA and a 101:27 strikeout-to-walk ratio. That s pretty solid, and a fairly good indicator that the 23-year-old could make his way to the big leagues either later this year or next season as a legitimate starting rotation candidate. He pitched in this year s All-Star Futures Game, and the Giants originally signed him in 2011 as an international free agent. The Twins needed to address their pitching staff in the worst way. Not only did they capitalize on Nunez s career year, but they cashed that in for a solid starting pitcher who is just about ready to break into the big leagues. Let s wait and see how it plays out, but for the process alone, chalk this one up as a win for Antony and the Twins. (I m of the belief that two teams can win a trade; the Twins, for their position, are winners here.) 13

14 Twins trade Eduardo Nunez to Giants for pitching prospect Fox Sports North July 29, 2016 The Minnesota Twins have traded All-Star shortstop Eduardo Nunez to the San Francisco Giants for left-handed pitching prospect Adalberto Mejia. Nunez was the Twins' lone All-Star selection this season, batting.296 (110-for-371) with 15 doubles, 12 home runs, 47 RBI and an American League-leading 27 stolen bases in 91 games. He broke into the Twins' lineup in April, batting.373 that month, and hit.320 in May and.289 in June. "The Twins are a great organization and made me feel like at home," Nunez said after the Twins' 6-2 win over Baltimore on Thursday. "But at the end of the day, it's business, baseball. You go wherever is best for you and the team. The Giants want me and I'm going to go there and do my best." The 29-year-old Nunez began his career with the New York Yankees before the Twins traded for him in He played 72 games each of the past two seasons, batting.250 in 2014 and.282 last year. "He's been a very polished professional this year in how he's handled everything," manager Paul Molitor said. "I'm happy for him. It's an opportunity to go out there and contribute to a team that's trying to set its sights fairly high." His former Minnesota teammates expressed a similar sentiment on social media. Mejia posted a 1.94 ERA in 11 starts in Double-A this season but has a 4.20 ERA in seven Triple-A starts. Baseball America ranked the 23-year-old 91st on its midseason list of the top-100 prospects. The Twins will assign Mejia to Triple-A Rochester. "We believe he's a guy who should surface up here fairly quickly," interim general manager Rob Antony said. "He's got the full three-pitch mix, he's got a big, durable body, and he's a guy that we think slots in well and should for hopefully several years in our rotation." The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Mejia signed with the Giants as an international free agent in February Milb.com ranked him as the Giants' No. 4 prospect at the end of the 2014 season. His ranking dropped, however, after the Commissioner's Office suspended him for 50 games that November for testing positive for a banned stimulant. Mejia rebounded to post a 2.45 ERA in 12 games (51 1/3 innings) in Double-A in For San Francisco, the move adds some much-needed depth to its infield, which is dealing with injuries to second baseman Joe Panik, third baseman Matt Duffy and backup infielder Ehire Adrianza. "We just feel like he can help us cover the tracks as we get 100 percent healthy and get Duffy and Panik back," Giants general manager Bobby Evans said. "It allows us to have the ability to still give them some rest even down the stretch." Nunez is likely to play third base until Duffy -- who could possibly begin a rehab assignment this weekend -- returns. He started 28 games there this season for the Twins while also splitting time at shortstop. The Twins will recall infielder Jorge Polanco from Rochester to replace Nunez on the 25-man roster. The 23-year-old is hitting.276 with 14 doubles, six triples, nine home runs and 39 RBI in 75 games for the Red Wings this season. Polanco hit.231 with three doubles, a home run and four RBI in 23 at-bats in three previous stints with the Twins this season. 14