Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Tuesday, August 2, 2016 Kepler's three homers, six RBI carry Twins. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 1 Twins trade Nolasco, Meyer and Abad. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 2 Twins' trade shuffle puts Duffey in rotation, Milone in bullpen. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 3 Twins Max Kepler homers three times in rout of first-place Indians. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 4 Minnesota Twins Byron Buxton passes latest test on his balky knee. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 5 Twins send Ricky Nolasco, millions to Angels in 4-player deal. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 6 Tom Powers: Twins trades provide addition by subtraction. Pioneer Press (Powers) p. 8 Twins trade Fernando Abad to Boston Red Sox. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 9 Kepler belts 3 HRs to back Berrios in return. MLB.com (Jackson and Bollinger) p. 9 Power to the Max: Kepler blasts three homers. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 11 Berrios bounces back early, attacks zone. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 11 Twins add Santiago, 2 prospects on Deadline day. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 12 Buxton day to day with bone bruise on right knee. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 13 Gibson-Carrasco matchup continues series. MLB.com (Jackson) p. 14 Twins trade Fernando Abad to Red Sox for reliever Pat Light. 1500 ESPN (Wetmore) p. 14 Twins sending money to Angels to make Nolasco/Meyer trade happen. 1500 ESPN (Wetmore) p. 15 Zulgad: Alex Meyer trade is example of the fact that Terry Ryan lost his touch. 1500 ESPN (Zulgad) p. 16 Wetmore s 5 thoughts: Twins deadline wins (and losses), Rob Antony, uncertainty. 1500 ESPN (Wetmore) p. 17 Eins, zwei, drei! German-born Kepler hits 3 HRs for Twins. Associated Press (Herrick) p. 19 Preview: Twins at Indians. The Sports Xchange p. 20 Twins, Angels Swap Ricky Nolasco, Hector Santiago In Four-Player Deal. MLB Trade Rumors (Adams) p. 21 Kepler's three homers, six RBI carry Twins Phil Miller Star Tribune August 2, 2016 Once Max Kepler reached historic territory, once he had smacked three home runs and inserted his name alongside Twins immortals such as Tony Oliva and Harmon Killebrew, that s when the pressure began to mount in the dugout. Get him another at-bat, the Twins told each other. Give him a chance to reach the baseball pinnacle occupied by Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt and Lou Gehrig. We talked in the eighth inning about, Let s get a couple hits here, so Kepler could bat again in the ninth inning, manager Paul Molitor said. Guys were pulling for him. They accomplished it with a four-hit eighth, but Kepler managed only a single in the ninth inning to wrap up a memorable night for not just one rookie, not just two rookies, but three Twins rookies in a 12-5 rout of AL Central-leading Cleveland. How s this for rookie hazing: On a night when Jose Berrios returned to the major leagues by retiring 16 of the final 18 hitters he faced; a night when Jorge Polanco became just the 25th Twins player, and only the fourth Twins rookie, to triple twice in the same game; Kepler one-upped three-upped, actually them all by becoming the first rookie in Twins history to put on such a display of power.
It s a cool feeling, ecstatic. Real excited, Kepler said. I wasn t trying at all for home runs. I never do. That might be his secret, Molitor said: His smooth, level, controlled swing. It s fun to watch. He does a really nice job as far as his swing being a downward plane, and that s why he gets that backspin, Molitor said. Those balls are basically line drives that went really far. They weren t lifted. They were just hit the way you want to hit a baseball. Yep up the middle and hit really hard. Kepler twice ripped fastballs from Danny Salazar toward the center field picnic area at Progressive Field, once in the first inning and once in the third, then launched a Cody Anderson fastball onto the stairs in the right-center stands in the sixth. Three fastballs, three majestic line drives, six RBI and a pretty hallowed spot in Twins history. Kepler is the fifth Twins player to collect three homers in a game, and the other four are (or will someday be) in the Twins Hall of Fame: Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva already are, and Justin Morneau, the last to do it back on July 6, 2007, against the White Sox in Chicago, figures to be elected a few years after he retires. I m honored. It s definitely an honor to be added to that list, Kepler said. All those guys have almost legend status. Maybe Kepler will be, too, because in only three months, he has proved to be more than ready for the big leagues. His big night gives him 14 home runs on the season; only teammate Miguel Sano, with 17 last year, has had more for the Twins in his first 65 career games. But Kepler couldn t join Gehrig, Mays, Schmidt and the 11 other big-leaguers who have four homers in a game, a feat last achieved by Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton on May 8, 2012. The rookies attention-grabbing performances powered the Twins to their seventh double-digit offensive output all of them coming since July 2. Eddie Rosario and Joe Mauer also homered, the latter off newly acquired Indians reliever Andrew Miller, giving Mauer his first four-hit night since July 4, 2015. The Twins tied their season high with 19 hits. And, oh yes: Berrios, his second chance at starting his MLB career long-awaited by Twins fans, lived up to his billing. After two quick outs in the first inning, the righthander allowed four consecutive Indians to reach base and three runs to score, but then he suddenly settled in. Berrios retired the next 15 batters he faced before a Rosario error and a Jose Ramirez single broke the streak, but he simply induced a pop-up from Lonnie Chisenhall to finish his night at 99 pitches and earn his second career victory. Be consistent with my stuff, and be aggressive all the time that s what I did, and what I ll do now for the rest of the year, said Berrios, whom Molitor judged as significantly improved from his earlier stint with the Twins. Get ahead with my first strike. That s what I did after the first inning. Berrios said he greatly appreciated the offense behind him, particularly by his fellow rookies. Hopefully he ll keep doing that, the pitcher said of Kepler, and he ll be Rookie of the Year. Twins trade Nolasco, Meyer and Abad Phil Miller Star Tribune August 2, 2016 The Twins were willing and able to trade away a starting pitcher after all. Just not the one everybody expected. Ervin Santana remains with the Twins despite several inquiries from interested teams, as does catcher Kurt Suzuki and closer Brandon Kintzler. But just before Monday s 3 p.m. trade deadline, the Twins upgraded their rotation by dealing Ricky Nolasco to the Angels in exchange for lefthander Hector Santiago, a 2015 All-Star. The Twins included righthander Alex Meyer, apparently the Angels top priority, in the deal, and $4 million in cash to offset the anticipated differences in the veteran pitchers 2017 salaries. In addition, Minnesota received Class AA righthander Alan Busenitz. Earlier in the day, Twins interim General Manager Rob Antony also swapped relief pitchers with Boston, sending veteran lefthander Fernando Abad to the Red Sox for hard-throwing righthander Pat Light, currently at Class AAA. Including Thursday s trade of Eduardo Nunez, Antony acquired four pitchers at the deadline, three of them 25 or younger. We get younger and we re hoping to build a nucleus and a core, Antony said at Target Field. 2
At 28 and with five seasons of major league experience, Santiago might or might not be part of that, but he certainly knows how to pitch, manager Paul Molitor said. We re getting a starter we can plug right in in Hector. He s excited. It s a change of scenery. He s not an overpowering guy, but he s lefthanded and when he s good he s really good. Santiago, originally drafted by the White Sox in the 30th round in 2006, had a breakout season for much of 2015 his ERA in mid-august was 2.91 before he faded in September and was selected to the AL All-Star team. He s 10-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 22 starts this season, though he leads the AL in walks with 57 in 120 innings. His ERA over five major league seasons, two with the White Sox and three with the Angels, is 3.68. He s got a four-pitch mix, and throws enough strikes, Antony said. He s not a big strikeout pitcher, but he s always been a guy who has some damage control. Santiago, who earns $5 million this season and cannot become a free agent until after next season, will start Thursday s game against the Indians. Antony acquired the veteran by cutting ties with two of the Twins most disappointing pitchers. Nolasco is 4-8 with a 5.13 ERA this season, but that s by far the best of his three seasons in Minnesota since he signed a four-year, $49 million contract in December 2013. Nolasco is 15-22 with a 5.44 ERA during his time with the Twins, though he finished with a flourish, holding the White Sox to one run and three hits over eight innings on Friday. [Telling] Ricky was tough for me. His tenure might not have left the best taste in the mouths of Twins fans. But that was misguided, Molitor said. He brought it all out there on the mound in every start this year, the way he competed, and I m grateful for that. Meyer was the Twins top pitching prospect for a couple of seasons after he was acquired in December 2012 from Washington in exchange for outfielder Denard Span. A former first-round pick with a 98-mph fastball, Meyer never could harness his 6-10 frame well enough to command his pitches, and injuries have marred his career. Meyer has pitched only four games in the major leagues, allowing 10 runs in 6 ⅓ innings. His lone start, May 3 at Houston, lasted only eight outs, and included three hits, three walks and three runs, and he hasn t pitched since then due to shoulder stiffness. Still, the Angels insisted that Meyer, 26, be part of the trade. That s who they wanted and they keep pushing for that, Antony said. For us to make the deal work, we had to part with him. They re parting with Abad, too, a nonroster player who made the team in spring training and resurrected his career, becoming a valuable situational reliever. In Light, the Twins exchanged the veteran for a 6-5 righthander whose fastball can approach 100 mph. He will be assigned to Class AAA Rochester and will be a candidate to be called up in September. Busenitz, a 25th-round pick in 2013, had a 1.93 ERA with three saves in 24 games for Class AA Arkansas before being promoted to Class AAA Salt Lake. In 10 games there, he had a 7.62 ERA, with 13 strikeouts in 13 innings. He will be assigned to Class AA Chattanooga. Twins' trade shuffle puts Duffey in rotation, Milone in bullpen Phil Miller Star Tribune August 1, 2016 Tyler Duffey s demotion to the Twins bullpen lasted one day, and didn t involve any actual relief appearances. The righthander was restored to the Twins rotation Monday after lefthander Fernando Abad was traded to Boston. Manager Paul Molitor decided that with the increased likelihood that Taylor Rogers or perhaps Buddy Boshers might be needed for late-inning work that once went to Abad, he needed another lefthander in the bullpen. That lefthander will be Tommy Milone, at least for now. Milone was informed of the change Monday, and Duffey, who has recorded only 11 outs combined in his past two starts while allowing 11 runs, was restored to the rotation. He will take his normal turn on Wednesday, and newcomer Hector Santiago, a lefthander to replace Milone, will make his Twins debut on Thursday. Tommy s going out there to give me some length, and not to fill Abad s old role, Molitor said. I m going to have to move some other people around, mix-and-match that eighth inning [role] for now. Molitor said he s inclined to use either Rogers or righthander Ryan Pressly in the eighth inning to set up closer Brandon Kintzler, but he s not 3
ready to commit to either one in that job full-time. He also has Trevor May for late-inning work. Buxton s knee is OK Byron Buxton told the Twins athletic training staff that he heard a pop in his right knee as he approached second base during a steal attempt on Sunday, which is why he didn t slide. So the team was relieved Monday when a magnetic resonance imaging test turned up no structural damage in the knee, just some lingering bruises from the series of collisions he has had with outfield fences lately. He aggravated [the bruising] somewhat peculiarly just by running, Molitor said. It prevented him from going into a slide. But we re fairly optimistic he s going to be available in the short term. I m hoping it s only a day-to-day thing. Buxton flew to Cleveland after his MRI, arriving at Progressive Field just before the game s first pitch. Sano sits again For the third time in five days, Miguel Sano was left off Molitor s lineup card, an indication, the manager said, that he is trying to find a solution to the young third baseman s ongoing problems. I m trying to get him back on track, Molitor said. We re trying to get him a little more confident on both sides of the ball right now. Sano committed 11 errors at third base in July, after returning from a strained hamstring that kept him on the disabled list in June. He s also committed a couple of costly base-running gaffes, and has struck out 13 times with no walks in his past 23 plate appearances. His slugging percentage is off 80 points from his rookie season, and his on-base percentage is down 50 points. Twins Max Kepler homers three times in rout of first-place Indians Mike Berardino Pioneer Press August 1, 2016 Max Kepler etched his name into some pretty exclusive company Monday night. Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva and Justin Morneau had been the only players in Twins history to hit three home runs in a game until the rookie right fielder joined them in a 12-5 win over the Cleveland Indians. That s pretty cool, Kepler said. I m honored to be the next one. It s definitely an honor to be added to that list. All those guys are almost legend status. Kepler connected twice off 94-mph fastballs from Indians ace right-hander Danny Salazar, chased in the third inning. After grounding out to second his next time up, Kepler crushed a 93-mph offering from righty Cody Anderson in the sixth. A runner was on each time for Kepler, who still fell one shy of his career-best seven runs batted in on July 2 against the Texas Rangers. Kepler actually had two cracks at a fourth homer, but newly acquired lefty Andrew Miller got him on a sharp groundout to first and righty Zach McAllister gave up a ringing single to center in the ninth. That left Kepler with 13 total bases, one shy of Kirby Puckett s Twins club record from 1987. It s historic, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. Guys were pulling for it. We talked about it in the eighth inning: Let s get a couple hits here and get Max up there for another shot. Kepler was pretty much wiped out by the end. Once you get to six at-bats, you re kind of like, Let s slow down, he said. Six at-bats in one day is a lot. Joe (Mauer) getting on (nearly) every time I came up to bat was awesome. You should be thankful for stuff like that as a hitter. With 14 homers in 203 at-bats this season, the reigning Southern League player of the year is opening eyes and vaulting himself into the discussion for American League top-rookie honors. Kepler passed Nomar Mazara of Texas on Monday for the AL rookie homer lead. 4
Only two big leaguers, both shortstops, have more homers than Kepler: Trevor Story (27) of the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers Corey Seager (18). Eddie Rosario and Mauer also homered as the Twins helped rookie right-hander Jose Berrios (2-1) overcome a three-run first inning and win in his return to the majors. Before Monday, Morneau s three-homer game on July 6, 2007 at the Chicago White Sox had been the last such feat in club history. Allison was the first to do it, on May 17, 1963 at Cleveland s old Municipal Stadium, followed four months later by Killebrew at Boston s Fenway Park. A full decade passed before Oliva joined them on July 3, 1973 at Kansas City. It then took nearly three and a half decades for the Morneau game to happen. Now along comes Kepler, not known for his power as he made his steady climb through the Twins minor-league system after signing out of Germany for $800,000 at age 16 in July 2009. I m just trying to hit singles, he said. I m not a home run hitter. It s rare for me. He totaled 35 homers in more than 1,700 career minor-league at-bats over seven seasons. His top single-season output was 10 in just 232 atbats at hitter-friendly Elizabethton in 2012. Last year at Double-A, even while claiming Twins minor league player of the year honors, he managed just nine homers in 431 at-bats. But he also hit 34 doubles and 13 triples while showing he could control the strike zone (69 walks to 68 strikeouts). Kepler is now four behind Miguel Sano s total of 18 homers last year, which was the most by any Twins rookie since Marty Cordova s 24 in 1995. His swing has downward plane and that s why he gets that backspin, Molitor said of Kepler. Those balls basically are line drives that went really far. They weren t lifted. They were just hit the way you want to hit a baseball. As for Berrios, it was a seven-run first inning he failed to survive on May 16 at Detroit that got him sent back to Triple-A Rochester. After needing just eight pitches to record two quick outs, the 22-year-old ran into trouble. Four straight batters reached before Berrios got Rajai Davis on a pop to second to escape the first, and he didn t stop until he had set down 15 straight. Berrios gave up four hits and no walks in his six innings, extending his run of quality starts to nine (including the past eight in Triple-A). He struck out five, but even he was in awe of Kepler. Wow, Berrios said. That was impressive. Minnesota Twins Byron Buxton passes latest test on his balky knee Mike Berardino Pioneer Press August 1, 2016 Another magnetic resonance imaging exam Monday on the right knee of Twins center fielder Byron Buxton came back negative. According to Twins manager Paul Molitor, Buxton felt a popping sensation as he stole second base in the second inning of Sunday s win over the Chicago White Sox. After Buxton raced for third on a Robbie Grossman groundball and a return throw from first on a call that was later overturned Buxton came up limping and was removed from the game with a bone bruise. It was maybe my third step going toward the steal, Buxton said after rejoining the team on Monday. Kind of felt it in the back of my leg. Kind of like a balloon that popped. The more steps I took it felt like it was stretching out a little bit more and I just tried to focus on getting to the bag because I couldn t slide or anything. It s the same knee that has bothered him since he banged it into the outfield wall on consecutive Friday s just before the all-star break, but Buxton said he didn t want to undergo more tests to rule out a more serious injury. He plans to take batting practice on the field Tuesday in 5
hopes of a quick return to action. I d rather be playing than be in the training room, Buxton said. Some things happen, and you can t get over there. Just to hear it s only a bruise is definitely 100 percent better. SANO SITS AGAIN Miguel Sano sat again Monday as he battles deepening slumps both in the field (11 errors in 19 games at third base) and at the plate. This marked his third time out of the lineup in the past five games. I m trying to get him to get back on track, Molitor said. We re trying to get him a little more confident, I think, on both sides of the ball right now. Just looking for opportunities. Since a pair of three-hit games at Fenway Park, Sano is 3 for 23 (.130) with 13 strikeouts and no walks. His season average is down to.214. Asked how long this sort of sporadic play might continue for Sano, Molitor said he wasn t sure. I can t really tell you that, he said. I ve been talking to him a lot lately about where s he at and where he can go and short-term goals and what we can try to accomplish between now and the end of the season. I m sure he doesn t particularly enjoy when he doesn t see his name in there. We ll get him back in there in the short term. KINTZLER STAYS Brandon Kintzler is only three months into his Twins tenure, but the fill-in closer was still relieved not to be moved at the trade deadline. It was a positive in the end, he said. This is where I want to be. I get to help this team move forward and see these young kids win some games. Hopefully I can be a part of that. Throughout July there was an expectation the Twins would deal the journeyman reliever, but no contending suitor made it worth their while to deal the former Milwaukee Brewer. The Texas Rangers were known to have interest in the right-hander, so when he saw ex-brewers teammates Jonathan Lucroy and Jeremy Jeffress were headed there, Kintzler walked out of the clubhouse. I figured that was it, he said. Jeffress is very similar. He throws a little harder. They get a guy like that, obviously I don t need to go there. It was a big relief. It works out great for me. Kintzler, who shares an agent with Twins bullpen coach Eddie Guardado, can be a free agent after 2017. Kintzler blew his first save in nine chances on Saturday night. I feel like the last month I was auditioning for people; it s not a good feeling, he said. It s nice to be wanted but it still wears on you a little bit. Now I can just focus on my job and helping the team win and not worry about if I m going to be here the next day or not. BRIEFLY With Monday s trade of Fernando Abad to Boston, right-hander Ryan Pressly and rookie left-hander Taylor Rogers will split setup duties in the eighth inning. Lefty Tommy Milone was bumped to long relief with Tyler Duffey now scheduled to start Wednesday, a day before newly acquired lefty Hector Santiago makes his Twins debut on Thursday afternoon against the Indians. Twins send Ricky Nolasco, millions to Angels in 4-player deal Mike Berardino Pioneer Press August 1, 2016 It took plenty of creativity and a good bit of cash, but the Twins finally managed to find a taker for Ricky Nolasco. Interim general manager Rob Antony capped a furious push to Monday s non-waiver trade deadline by sending Nolasco, the oft-injured right- 6
hander, to the Los Angeles Angels in a four-player deal that brought 2015 all-star left-hander Hector Santiago in return. The Twins also included Alex Meyer, on the disabled list at Triple-A Rochester the past three months, and will receive Double-A right-hander Alan Busenitz. In order to balance the deal, the Twins are effectively absorbing at least $5.4 million of the $17.1 million that remained on Nolasco s deal through next season, including a $1 million buyout on his 2018 option. (Losing) Ricky was tough for me, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. I know there s a persona out there about his tenure here that might not have left the best taste in the mouths of some of the Twins fans, but that was misguided. He brought it all out there on the mound with him every start this year in the way he competed and what he gave us. Earlier Monday, the Twins traded veteran left-handed reliever Fernando Abad to the Boston Red Sox for Triple-A closer Pat Light. On July 28 they dealt all-star shortstop Eduardo Nunez to the San Francisco Giants for Triple-A left-hander Adalberto Mejia, who makes his Rochester debut on Thursday. That same night Santiago, 28, will take the mound for the Twins here at Progressive Field. A finesse left-hander, Santiago is 10-4 with a 4.25 earned run average in 22 starts for the disappointing Angels. His 57 walks in 120 2/3 innings lead the American League. Last year his 29 homers allowed led the league. He certainly knows how to pitch, Molitor said. It s not like you re getting a young kid. He s got a little bit of experience. Not an overpowering guy but left-handed. When he s good, he s really good. We re hoping we see a lot of that. For accounting purposes, the Twins are sending along $4 million next season while paying the rest of Nolasco s salary this season ($4.13 million). Santiago is projected to receive $8 million to $9 million in arbitration next season, his final year before reaching free agency. The Angels will cover Santiago s remaining $1.72 million this year from a $5 million total salary. Nolasco, 33, gets to head home to southern California after 2 1/2 disappointing seasons with the Twins. He is 4-8 with a 5.13 ERA in 21 starts this year, but failed to stay healthy in his first two years after signing a four-year, $49 million deal in November 2013 that set a Twins record for an outside free agent. Overall Nolasco made 56 starts for the Twins and went 15-22 with a 5.44 ERA. He missed six weeks with a strained elbow in 2014 and 3 1/2 months last season with a right ankle injury that required surgery. The way he s been pitching. I think he s going to do the same over there, Twins right-hander Ervin Santana said. The trade deadline, you never know what s going to happen. That s going to be a good thing for him. He s going to be excited. He s going to be happy to be home. Santana, still due $32.65 million through 2018, stayed put despite a late attempt by the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire him. The Jays instead grabbed ex-twins lefty Francisco Liriano from the Pittsburgh Pirates. I m glad we were able to hang onto him, Molitor said. If you have a chance to do something that s going to be a total upgrade in terms of the future and where we re trying to go, you d have to listen. Catcher Kurt Suzuki and closer Brandon Kintzler also were retained despite significant interest among contenders. Light, 25, was taken five picks after Jose Berrios in the 2012 draft out of Monmouth University. Armed with a 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame and a fastball that has reached 100 mph, Light has posted a 2.32 earned run average with seven saves in 25 games at Triple-A Pawtucket this year. Control remains an issue for Light, who has walked 4.94 batters per nine innings in 31 Triple-A innings this year. He is, however, striking out 10.45 batters per nine. The Twins drafted Light in the 28th round in 2009 out of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, N.J., but were unable to sign him. Light, who also features a power split changeup, had two separate stints in the majors this year with the Red Sox that left him with a 23.63 ERA. Abad, coming off a down year with the Oakland A s, signed a minor-league deal with the Twins in December. Making just $1.25 million this year, 7
he had a 0.79 earned run average after two scoreless innings against the Red Sox on June 12. A lower back strain slowed him later in the month, however, and Abad went 38 games with just nine appearances before working three straight games over the weekend for the first time all year. Abad, 30, has another year of club control before he can reach free agency. Tom Powers: Twins trades provide addition by subtraction Tom Powers Pioneer Press August 1, 2016 Chomp, chomp, crunch, crunch gulp! Ugh, pass the Tabasco. The sound you hear is that of the Twins eating a significant chunk of Ricky Nolasco s contract. That s an unheard-of tactic by the local nine, yet it was considered well worth the indigestion in order to make Nolasco disappear. Twins fans no longer have the most meticulously trimmed beard in professional sports to kick around. How a fellow can remain so well-groomed while dodging line drives is beyond me. But it just never worked out for Ricky here. Injuries, including a touchy ankle that apparently has been an issue since his high school days in the 1990s, played a part in that. So interim general manager Rob Antony was willing to toss in $4 million and Alex Meyer, which brought the total to $4,000,050, for Hector Santiago and Alan Busenitz. The two new fellows could get run over by a bus while reporting to the Twins and the trade still would be considered an unqualified success. Such were the bad feelings generated by the Nolasco signing. People in these parts waited a long time for a big-money free agent. And this is what they got? In the past two weeks, the Twins have fired longtime general manager and organization man Terry Ryan and then hired a search firm to help find a replacement outside of their own corporate walls. And they ve forked over $4 million to eat a contract. These are very un-twins-like moves. If Carl Pohlad were alive today well, he d be taking a nap. If he ever were to find out, however, there would be hell to pay! Yet the non-waiver trade deadline has passed and the Twins were able to accomplish a few things. New, or at least newer, faces will compete for spots on the roster. The departures of Eddie Nunez and Fernando Abad, as well as Nolasco s, ensure as much. They also were able to minimize the damage from a bad investment, although not as much as they would have liked. The Twins had to throw good money after bad to get out from under the Nolasco deal. I d say all three of Antony s trade moves have been OK. Nunez was a good player this season, but he is not the future. Chances are, Antony isn t finished, either. Traditionally, the Twins do more business in August than July. They have been able to work around the waiver wire and make deals. Antony is in a difficult, even awkward, position. It s doubtful that Jim Pohlad broke precedent and fired Ryan, and then engaged the services of a search firm, just to name the departed GM s right-hand man as the replacement. That s a real long shot. It just seems as if they ve come this far so they might as well follow through with creating a fresh start. All Antony can do is handle his situation with grace and dignity and continue to put the organization s interests first. That type of person usually winds up landing on his feet. People notice. Especially baseball people. It must be tempting to wheel and deal at a furious pace if for no other reason than to attract notice. After all, he doesn t appear to have much to lose. Yet his moves have been measured and in conjunction with the original plan of adding pitching depth. And, I might add, subtracting pitching flotsam and jetsam. I am surprised that Kurt Suzuki still is on the team, although the notion of seeing John Ryan Murphy again behind the plate is frightening. Still, Suzuki is a valuable trading asset. It s understandable that Trevor Plouffe still is a Twin. He got hurt at the worst possible time in terms of trade value. He could wind up on the move in August, however, after showing the opposition he is in good form. The Twins are committed to using Miguel Sano at third, where his errors usually just cost them one base instead of the two or three bases he costs them in the outfield. My guess is that there will be several more moves. There still are pitchers (Kintzler, Milone) and bench players (Grossman, Escobar) with at least some immediate trade value. We ll see what happens. Meanwhile, we ll call the non-waiver trade period a moderate success. There was addition by addition and addition by subtraction. 8
So what if there was a little bit of heartburn involved. Twins trade Fernando Abad to Boston Red Sox Mike Berardino Pioneer Press August 1, 2016 The Twins agreed Monday to trade veteran reliever Fernando Abad to the Boston Red Sox for Triple-A closer Pat Light. Light, 25, was taken five picks after Jose Berrios in the 2012 draft out of Monmouth University. Armed with a 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame and a fastball that has reached 100 mph, Light has posted a 2.32 earned-run average with seven saves in 25 games at Triple-A Pawtucket this year. Control remains an issue for Light, who has walked 4.94 batters per nine innings in 31 Triple-A innings this year. He is, however, striking out 10.45 batters per nine. The Twins drafted Light in the 28th round in 2009 out of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, N.J., but were unable to sign him. Baseball America rated Light the No. 11 prospect in the Red Sox system before the season. MLB.com recently had him at No. 14 for the Red Sox in its midseason rankings. Light, who also features a power split changeup, had two separate stints in the majors this year with the Red Sox. He made his big-league debut on April 26 in Atlanta, allowing two runs in one inning of work. On July 2 at Fenway Park, the Los Angeles Angels bashed him for six runs (five earned) and two home runs as he recorded five outs in relief. That left him with a 23.63 ERA in the majors. Abad, coming off a down year with the Oakland A s, signed a minor-league deal with the Twins in December. Making just $1.25 million this year, he had a 0.79 earned-run average after two scoreless innings against the Red Sox on June 12. A lower back strain slowed him later in the month, however, and Abad went 38 games with just nine appearances before working three straight games over the weekend for the first time all year. Abad, 30, has another year of club control before he can reach free agency. Kepler belts 3 HRs to back Berrios in return Shane Jackson and Rhett Bollinger MLB.com August 2, 2016 The Twins continued their success against the American League Central-leading Indians on Monday night, as right fielder Max Kepler put on a stellar performance with three of Minnesota's five home runs in a 12-5 win in the series opener at Progressive Field. All three of Kepler's homers were two-run shots. He hit one in the first, third and sixth to log the fifth three-homer game in Twins history. It was the first since Justin Morneau on July 6, 2007, at the White Sox. Kepler became the first player to hit three homers with six RBIs against the Indians since Paul Konerko did it on July 7, 2009. "I'm not a home run hitter, so it's rare," Kepler said. "I'm just trying to hit singles. I'm just trying to put the ball in play and hit it hard. I'm thankful for the backspin I was blessed with." Minnesota starter Jose Berrios posted his longest outing of his career. The right-hander, ranked as the No. 16 overall prospect by MLBPipeline.com, made his Major League debut against the Tribe earlier this season on April 27. In his first start since rejoining the club, Berrios held the Indians to three runs on four hits over six innings. All three runs came in the first. Tribe starter Danny Salazar was on the receiving end of two Kepler jacks. Salazar surrendered three total homers in the shortest outing of his career. The right-hander was pulled after three batters in the third without recording an out. Salazar gave up six runs on six hits across two frames. "He obviously doesn't look like himself the last couple games," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "So what we're going to do is we're going to get him looked at tomorrow, mostly, I hope, just for his peace of mind. Hopefully, nothing, and then we can move forward, and I think Danny 9
can relax a little bit, and if there's a need to look at it further, we can." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Max power: Kepler put on a historic performance against the Indians by crushing three homers that went a combined 1,234 feet, per Statcast. He also became the fourth player this season to hit three homers at least 400 feet. It marked the second multi-homer game of Kepler's young career, as he also hit two against the Rangers on July 2. He has firmly established himself in the mix for the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Kepler came up with two late chances to hit a fourth homer, but he grounded out to first against newly acquired Andrew Miller in the eighth and singled off reliever Zach McAllister in the ninth. "It's historic in the sense that you don't see three home runs all the time, and he's just one of a handful of Twins to do it," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It's fun to watch. He does a really nice job as far as his swing being on a downward plane and getting that backspin. Those balls are basically line drives that went really far and weren't lifted." Homers haunt Salazar: Salazar's struggles continued with the long ball on Monday. The 26-year-old hurler coughed up three home runs for the first time in his career. But it has been a trending issue for Salazar. He has allowed seven homers over his last five starts after allowing just six through his first 15 nods. This has led to a 8.84 ERA over his past four starts. Prior to that, the AL All-Star posted a 2.36 ERA. "It's bad for me and for the team," Salazar said. "I think the sooner we [find out what it is], then the sooner we'll get through this. I know if I keep pitching like this, I'd be doing damage for the team." Mauer power: Kepler's three homers overshadowed his performance, but Joe Mauer also went 4-for-5 with a homer, a walk and four runs scored. It marked Mauer's first four-hit, four-run game since July 6, 2007. Mauer greeted Miller with a solo shot to right to open the eighth. "I think we were all hoping Joe is getting into a little of a run," Molitor said. "He's been tweaking a few things, trying to find a rhythm. Tonight was a good sign." Chisen-wall: The Indians called on Cody Anderson with runners at the corners to get the final out in the fifth. Twins second baseman Brian Dozier ripped a pitch from Anderson into right for what appeared to be an extra-base hit. However, Lonnie Chisenhall was able to cover enough ground and make the grab before smacking into the wall. Despite the contact, he was able to hang on and keep the deficit at the time to five runs. "I thought Lonnie was really active out there," Francona said. "Even the ball he didn't get, he went all out. I like when he plays that way because when he's aggressive out there, he's one of the better outfielders around." QUOTABLE "It's definitely an honor to be added to that list. Those guys are almost legend status." -- Kepler, on joining Morneau, Bob Allison (1963), Harmon Killebrew (1963) and Tony Oliva (1973) as the only Twins players with a three-homer game SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Kepler never hit more than 10 homers in any Minor League season, but he leads the Majors with 11 homers since July 1. His 14 long balls also pace all American League rookies. MILLER MAKES DEBUT Newly acquired Miller made his Indians debut in the eighth inning with his new team trailing, 10-3. The former Yankees lefty hadn't pitched since Tuesday, contributing to the decision to insert him into the lopsided affair. Miller was greeted with a standing ovation as he jogged from the bullpen. He surrendered a solo shot to Mauer and then got Kepler to ground out before exiting the game in his brief outing. UPON FURTHER REVIEW Dozier led off the game with a single to center. During Mauer's at-bat, Dozier attempted to swipe second base and was initially awarded the bag as he appeared to have avoided the tag from Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor. The Indians elected to challenge the ruling, and after one minute and one second of review time, the play was overturned and deemed a 2-6 putout. WHAT'S NEXT Twins: Right-hander Kyle Gibson (3-6, 4.54 ERA) is set to start for the Twins in the second-game of the series at 6:10 p.m. CT on Tuesday. Gibson has pitched well recently, posting a 3.03 ERA over his last six starts. Indians: Right-hander Carlos Carrasco (7-4, 2.45 ERA) will get the nod for the Tribe. The big righty has strung three consecutive starts of at least six innings. During that span, Carrasco has allowed a total of five runs in 18 2/3 innings. He is 2-5 with a 4.02 ERA in 10 career starts against the 10
Twins. Power to the Max: Kepler blasts three homers Rhett Bollinger MLB.com August 1, 2016 Coming up as one of the Twins' top prospects, one of the only concerns about Max Kepler was how much power he'd produce in the Majors. Kepler has put that to rest during his breakout rookie season, and it was especially evident on Monday, as the German-born right fielder hit three homers and drove in six runs in a 12-5 win over the Indians at Progressive Field. Kepler, who also grounded out in the fourth, had two chances to hit a fourth homer, but he grounded out to first against newly acquired Andrew Miller in the eighth and singled off reliever Zach McAllister in the ninth. It still marked the fifth three-homer game in Twins history, and the first since Justin Morneau hit three blasts against the White Sox on July 6, 2007. The other Twins to accomplish the feat are Bob Allison (1963), Harmon Killebrew (1963) and Tony Oliva (1973). "It's definitely an honor to be added to that list," Kepler said. "Those guys are almost legend status." Kepler's first homer came in the first inning against Indians right-hander Danny Salazar. The two-run shot was on a 1-0 fastball and left the bat at 106.7 mph, going a projected 403 feet from home plate, according to Statcast. It helped Minnesota jump out to an early 3-0 lead. Kepler recorded his second career multi-homer game with another two-run blast off Salazar in the third on a 3-1 fastball. It was nearly identical to his first homer, leaving the bat at 103.6 mph and going a projected 405 feet, per Statcast. The 23-year-old made history with his third homer -- another two-run shot -- in the sixth off reliever Cody Anderson. It also came on a fastball, and it was hit even harder than the first two, as it had an exit velocity of 108.7 mph and traveled a projected 426 feet. "It's historic in the sense that you don't see three home runs all the time, and he's just one of a handful of Twins to do it," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It's fun to watch. He does a really nice job as far as his swing being on a downward plane and getting that backspin. Those balls are basically line drives that went really far and weren't lifted." Kepler, who is hitting.256/.332/.547 with 14 homers, 13 doubles and 44 RBIs in 62 games this season, got his final chance in the ninth after the Twins put together a two-out rally in the eighth. Molitor said his teammates were rooting hard for him in the dugout to become the 15th player in Major League history to hit four homers. "We talked about in the eighth inning getting some hits to give Max another shot," Molitor said. "His first out was a good one because he advanced the runner. The second one, he got an angry Andrew Miller after the home run, and we got him another shot. Guys were pulling for him." Kepler never hit more than 10 long balls in any Minor League season, but he already has 14 homers in 62 contests with the Twins this season. His 14 homers lead all American League rookies, and he also paces the Majors with 11 dingers since July 1. "I'm not a home run hitter, so it's rare," Kepler said. "I'm just trying to hit singles. I'm just trying to put the ball in play and hit it hard. I'm thankful for the backspin I was blessed with." Berrios bounces back early, attacks zone Rhett Bollinger MLB.com August 2, 2016 After giving up three runs to the Indians in the first inning, it looked like it could be another rough showing for top pitching prospect Jose Berrios, who made his long-awaited return to Minnesota's rotation on Monday. But Berrios, who posted a 10.20 ERA in his first four Major League starts before being sent back to down to Triple-A Rochester in mid-may, was able to turn it around for his best big league start to get his second career win. The right-hander, ranked as the No. 16 overall prospect by MLBPipeline.com, went six innings, allowing three runs on four hits with five strikeouts in a 12-5 victory at Progressive Field. Berrios quickly retired the first two batters he faced, but he ran into trouble when Francisco Lindor singled and Mike Napoli was hit by a pitch 11
before an RBI single from Jose Ramirez and a two-run double from Lonnie Chisenhall. Berrios went on to retire 15 in a row, and he didn't give up another hit until a two-out single from Ramirez in the sixth after Napoli reached on an error by center fielder Eddie Rosario. "I was missing my spots, trying to throw fastballs in but throwing them over the middle," Berrios said of his rough opening frame. "After the first inning, through the second to the sixth, I was able to make my pitches and be more successful." Twins manager Paul Molitor said he talked to Berrios after Rosario hit a game-tying solo homer in the second, and it helped the 22-year-old rookie relax. "I told him we were back at square one, and let's get back to work," Molitor said. "He settled in. Sometimes early in the game, it takes a while. But I thought he was better than the first time around in terms of using his fastball and getting ahead." Berrios, who was 10-5 with a 2.44 ERA in 16 starts with Rochester, including a 1.46 ERA over his last eight outings, also credited a change in mentality for his better showing in his return. He attacked the strike zone more, as evidenced by the fact he didn't walk a batter for the first time in his five career starts. "In my mind now, I'm up here to compete and be here for a long time," Berrios said. "I need to be consistent with my off-speed stuff and be aggressive all the time. That's what I did and what I want to do the rest of the year." Twins add Santiago, 2 prospects on Deadline day Rhett Bollinger MLB.com August 1, 2016 The Twins didn't surprise anyone with their first trade of the day when they dealt reliever Fernando Abad to the Red Sox for relief prospect Pat Light. But their second deal came as more of a shock, as right-hander Ricky Nolasco and injured pitching prospect Alex Meyer were sent to the Angels for left-hander Hector Santiago and relief prospect Alan Busenitz shortly before the non-waiver Trade Deadline on Monday. It was also somewhat of a surprise the Twins didn't trade catcher Kurt Suzuki, who will be a free agent after the season, and they also didn't move reliever Brandon Kintzler or lefty Tommy Milone. Twins interim general manager Rob Antony was happy with the moves, but he admitted he was hoping to make more. The Twins, though, can still execute trades in August, but players must be placed on waivers before being dealt. "I think we accomplished some of the things we wanted to do," Antony said. "There are other things that we would have liked to have done, but like I said from the beginning, we weren't going to make a deal just to make a deal. It had to make sense for us. We think that these two deals made sense for us, and so we're happy. We're satisfied with that." The Twins were looking to move Nolasco, but a deal seemed unlikely because he's due $12 million next year with a $13 million club option in 2018 with a $1 million buyout. He compiled a 5.44 ERA with Minnesota over the last three seasons. The Twins are paying Nolasco's contract this year, while the Angels are doing the same with Santiago. Minnesota will send $4 million next year to offset their salaries. Nolasco was Minnesota's most durable starter in 2016, leading the team with 21 starts and 124 2/3 innings, but he also posted a 5.13 ERA. "Ricky was tough for me," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "I know he had a persona that maybe didn't leave the best taste in the mouths of Twins fans, but that's misguided in terms of my opinion getting to know him and what he brought." Meyer, meanwhile, hasn't pitched since May 3 because of a right shoulder strain. He was once considered a top prospect, but he has seen his stock fall because of shoulder injuries and inconsistent mechanics. Meyer has bounced between starting and relieving in recent years, allowing 10 runs in 6 1/3 innings in the Majors over the last two seasons. "I think for us to do this deal, I think they needed to get another reliever back that they thought was close to the big leagues," Antony said. "It wasn't a matter of being frustrated with him or wanting to get rid of him; it was more a matter of that's who they wanted, and they kept pushing for that." Santiago is the centerpiece of the deal for the Twins, and he is under team control through next season. He's 10-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 22 starts. But he has struggled with his control, leading the American League with 57 walks. Santiago has struck out 107 in 120 2/3 innings. A career 3.68 ERA, Santiago has been pitching better recently, posting a 2.52 ERA over his last nine starts. 12
"He's not a big strikeout pitcher, but he's always been a guy who has some damage control," Antony said. "He's a veteran guy that every fifth day we believe he's gonna give us a chance to win, and that's kinda what we're trying to build." Busenitz, who turns 26 on Aug. 22, has posted a combined 3.55 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings between two Minor League levels. He has struggled in Triple-A with a 7.62 ERA in 10 appearances. He was assigned to Double-A Chattanooga. In their first trade, the Twins moved Abad, who was a pleasant surprise for the Twins this season after being signed to a Minor League deal in the offseason. The 30-year-old lefty, who introduced a pitch he called a super changeup this season, posted a 2.65 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 14 walks in 34 innings. The seven-year veteran has a career 3.58 ERA with the Astros, Nationals, A's and Twins. Light, meanwhile, is a hard-thrower who was ranked as Boston's No. 14 overall prospect by MLBPipeline.com. Light, 25, has a fastball that reaches triple digits as well as a splitter and slider. He posted a 2.32 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 17 walks in 31 innings at Triple-A Pawtucket. Light made his Major League debut earlier this season, allowing seven runs in 2 2/3 innings over two relief appearances. "We like his arm," Antony said. "We like how he fits in the role in the bullpen, so we thought that was a fair return for Abad." Light was originally drafted by the Twins in the 28th round of the 2009 Draft but opted to go to Monmouth University, where he set a school record with 102 strikeouts in 2012. Boston took him with the 37th pick in the 2012 Draft. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder has a career 4.40 ERA in the Minor Leagues with 240 strikeouts in 290 2/3 innings, but he has had more success since being converted into a reliever last year. Buxton day to day with bone bruise on right knee Rhett Bollinger MLB.com August 1, 2016 The Twins received good news on Byron Buxton on Monday, as the MRI exam taken on his right knee showed no structural damage. He has been dealing with a bone bruise that was aggravated while running the bases on Sunday, but he's considered day to day. The Twins don't believe a stint on the 15-day disabled list is necessary. Buxton initially injured his knee while running into the center-field wall trying to make a catch against the Rangers on July 8 in Texas. He has been able to play through the injury, but he came out of Sunday's game after reinjuring his knee while stealing second base in the second inning. Buxton did it while running, causing him to ditch his slide attempt into second and stealing second base standing up as a result. "The MRI came back negative, but the bone bruise he got from crashing into the wall continues to be a problem to a degree," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "He aggravated it yesterday somewhat peculiarly while running. He felt a popping sensation, which I'm not sure if that's totally been explained, but it prevented him from going into a slide." Buxton, who underwent the MRI exam in Minnesota, was given clearance to rejoin the Twins in Cleveland on Monday, and Molitor said he expects him to be available, although he wasn't in the starting lineup against the Indians. As Molitor noted, Buxton didn't sustain the injury on the non-slide, as he felt it while running into second base. Buxton initially remained in the game but came out after running to third base on a grounder that ended the inning. Worth noting Lefty Hector Santiago, who was acquired by the Twins from the Angels in a four-player trade that sent right-hander Ricky Nolasco to Los Angeles, will make his Twins debut on Thursday against the Indians. Fellow lefty Tommy Milone will head to the bullpen, while Tyler Duffey will rejoin the rotation to start on Wednesday. With the Twins trading lefty reliever Fernando Abad to the Red Sox for Triple-A reliever Pat Light, Molitor said he'll use a combination of righthander Ryan Pressly and left-hander Taylor Rogers in the eighth inning leading up to closer Brandon Kintzler. 13