The Twins entered the game Tuesday night 12 games ahead of the leading White Sox, who tied with the Tigers at the bottom of the American League Central.
But hours before the tough games against the New York Yankees and Houston Astros began, Thad Levine, general manager of the Twins, said the Twins were still at a point where they could be patient and needed more time, to evaluate the team before making a decision on whether or not to sell before July 30th close of trading.
“We can take a slightly longer route. They have tremendous weight here on this homestand, playing against two of the best American League teams out there and really getting a feel for where we’re going against them, ”said Levine. “But we will continue to evaluate the team and use any time we have to make our decisions. In this respect it’s a little different than in recent years. »
In contrast to the last two seasons, when the Twins were firmly in competition and trying to improve on a playoff team, the Twins were in an unexpected position and fell far short of expectations.
They have many expiring veterans, including Nelson Cruz, Michael Pineda, Andrelton Simmons, and Hansel Robles, who could be targets for other teams if the twins decide to become salespeople.
Levine said the twins would use this time to « make an objective assessment of our real opportunities and the best path to take » in an attempt to help the team win today or the franchise in the future.
And while the Twins haven’t seen themselves as sellers, other clubs haven’t started treating them as such.
« I think, like us, a lot of teams in the industry see us as a very talented club that is just ready to hit the streets, » said Levine. “I think there’s a certain amount of it’s early in the season. There may also be a degree of decency that they haven’t called us yet to suggest that they think we could sell. »
On Friday, Twins’ third baseman Josh Donaldson wondered if it was a coincidence that Gerrit Cole’s spin rate numbers had dropped during his last run after four lower division players were suspended after being caught when they treated baseballs with sticky foreign matter.
« I felt like it was a small fruit, especially about Josh, but he has the right to have his say and to speak his mind, » Cole told Yankees reporters of Zoom.
Cole was asked during the same zoom if he had used Spider Tack, a performance-enhancing substance that MLB wants to crack down on when pitching.
“Not me,” he said before pausing for a long time, “I don’t know. I don’t know if – I don’t know exactly how to answer that, to be honest. »
Byron Buxton started a rehab assignment in St. Paul on Tuesday that manager Rocco Baldelli said he believed would last at least three games.
Buxton (hip) served as Saints’ designated hitter on Tuesday, taking a walk 2 for 3, and Baldelli said he expected Buxton to play at least half, if not more, of the game on the field on Wednesday becomes. Buxton can then play on Thursday or take a day, Baldelli said.
« I think he will play at least three games, at least two on the field, » said Baldelli.
Kenta Maeda will accompany him to St. Paul on Wednesday, where he is expected to throw 50-55 litters on his rehab excursion.
Catcher Mitch Garver, who underwent surgery last week after placing a foul ball in a sensitive area, was at Target Field on Tuesday. Baldelli said he was rested and iced up, but he was feeling better.
« It looks like it will be a couple of weeks before he starts any kind of exercise, not even baseball moves, but actually gets more active, » said Baldelli. « And we start there and go from there. »
Max Kepler (thigh) is not yet running 100 percent, said Baldelli, so his stay on the injured list could be a little longer than the twins originally expected, said Baldelli. Kepler was added to the injured list on May 30, and the twins expected it to take between 10 days and two weeks to return.
The twins got a midfielder back on Tuesday and welcomed Rob Refsnyder off the seven-day concussion list, though his status is now in doubt after leaving the game Tuesday night with left hamstring tension. To make room for the squad, they chose Gilberto Celestino.
Refsnyder suffered a concussion when he hit the wall in Baltimore while trying to watch a home run. Refsnyder said he woke up in the middle of the night not feeling great and over time he got a little nauseous.
« (It) definitely won’t be the last embarrassing thing I do on a baseball field, » Refsnyder said. “If you play hard and try to make games, especially in our game, you are likely to screw up more than you will succeed. Just tried to keep an eye on that. I don’t want to be a prankster, but it won’t be the last embarrassing thing I do in the field. »
Lower division player Matt Canterino, one of the twins’ top pitching prospects, has no structural damage to his elbow, an MRI revealed. Canterino was put on the injured list with an elbow infection at the weekend. … Reliever Juan Minaya granted waivers and accepted his direct assignment to Triple-A St. Paul. … Randy Dobnak will start next to Cole on Wednesday. Dobnak has not competed against the Yankees since the 2019 American League Division Series.
On the subject of matching items
Twins’ Byron Buxton triples in first rehab game with Saints
Twins fall as Yankees score five points in late innings
Byron Buxton, Kenta Maeda ready for rehab at St. Paul
New affiliation in St. Paul relieves the conscription of the twins
Twins will triple play, beating Kansas City behind solid bullpen performances
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