Twins' Devin Kirby: Knuckleballer off to strong start
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Kirby is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 10:7 K:BB in nine innings over six appearances for Single-A Fort Myers.
Kirby isn't a top prospect, but he's worth tracking as a true knuckleball pitcher. He started throwing the knuckleball 70 percent of the time in the Arizona Fall League, Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline reports. At age 25, Kirby's a long shot to reach the majors and his usage only in relief at Single-A isn't a good sign. However, knuckleball pitchers tend to have very uncommon development paths.
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Twins' Simeon Woods Richardson: Limits Halos to one run in win
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Woods Richardson (2-2) earned the win against the Angels on Saturday, allowing one run on four hits while striking out seven in 5.1 innings. He did not issue a walk.
Woods Richardson limited the Angels to just four base runners, and his only blemish came in the third inning when gave up a solo homer to Zach Neto. It was the second time in his last three outings that Woods Richardson gave up just one earned run, and the 24-year-old right-hander has a 4.07 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 26:6 K:BB across 24.1 innings this season. His next start is slated for next week on the road against the Guardians.
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Twins' Carlos Correa: Drives in two runs
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Correa went 2-for-5 with one run scored and two RBI in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Angels.
Correa got the Twins on the board in the first inning on an RBI single, and he extended the lead to four in the second when he brought Byron Buxton on a single to left field. Correa has struggled at the dish this season, but he's 3-for-7 with two walks and three RBI through the first two games of the series.
Julien isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels.
Julien will get a breather Saturday after drawing four walks and scoring three runs in the series opener. Brooks Lee will shift to second base, allowing Jonah Bride to start at third base and bat sixth.
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Twins' Luke Keaschall: Officially placed on IL
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The Twins placed Keaschall (forearm) on the 10-day injured list Saturday.
Keaschall suffered a right forearm fracture after getting hit by a pitch in the first inning of Friday's game. The Twins haven't provided a timeline for the 22-year-old's return just yet, but it will likely be several weeks before he's ready to come off the IL.
Twins' Emmanuel Rodriguez: Sidelined with thumb strain
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Rodriguez did not play in Friday's doubleheader for Triple-A St. Paul due to a left thumb strain, MLB.com reports.
It is not the same thumb that required offseason surgery, according to the report. Rodriguez had surgery to repair a ligament tear in his right thumb last fall. The top prospect is off to a slow start at Triple-A, as he's hitting just .231/.359/.277 with three stolen bases in 17 games.
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Twins' Royce Lewis: Gets hit in first rehab game
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Lewis (hamstring) went 1-for-3 with a double and played third base in his first rehab game Friday for Triple-A St. Paul. He's not expected to play Saturday as the Twins ease him into action, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Lewis won't be activated from the injured list until he is able to play on consecutive days, according to the report, which means he likely won't return before a homestand that begins May 6. Lewis suffered the left hamstring strain March 16 while running to first base.
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Twins' Pablo Lopez: Fans six in return
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Lopez (2-1) earned the win against the Angels on Friday, giving up two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six batters across five innings.
Friday's start marked Lopez's first time on the mound for the Twins since he strained his right hamstring April 8. He wasn't incredibly efficient, needing 101 pitches to get through five, but he still did enough to qualify for a win in his return from the injured list. RBI singles from Jo Adell in the second inning and Mike Trout in the fifth were all the Halos could manage against Lopez, and the 29-year-old righty departed the game with a comfortable 9-2 lead. He'll look to keep his momentum going during a divisional matchup in Cleveland next week.
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Twins' Kody Clemens: Shipped to Minnesota
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The Phillies traded Clemens to the Twins on Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Clemens was dropped from Philadelphia's 40-man roster Wednesday after appearing in just seven games, during which he went 0-for-6 with a walk. His move to Minnesota will put him back on a team's 40-man, and he figures to have an easier path to playing time in the Twins' infield with Willi Castro (oblique), Royce Lewis (hamstring) and now Luke Keaschall (forearm) all dealing with injuries.
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Twins' Luke Keaschall: Suffers broken arm
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Keaschall suffered a fractured right forearm after getting hit by a pitch in Friday's game against the Angels, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Keaschall was taken out of the game in the third inning after taking a pitch off his arm in the first, and it now appears he'll miss at least several weeks as a result of the incident. The Twins are also navigating injuries to Willi Castro (oblique) and Royce Lewis (hamstring), so they may turn to their farm system for help filling the latest gap in their infield.
Keaschall was removed from Friday's game against the Angels after getting hit on the hand by a pitch, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Keaschall took a pitch off his hand/wrist in the first inning, and although he ran for himself after getting plunked, he didn't come out of the dugout for his next at-bat. The Twins should provide an update on the 22-year-old once they take a closer look at him, but he can be considered day-to-day for now.
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Twins' Diego Cartaya: Booted from 40-man roster
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The Twins outrighted Cartaya to Triple-A St. Paul on Friday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster. Cartaya was acquired via trade from the Dodgers over the offseason and is just 2-for-25 with an 18:4 K:BB in his first 29 plate appearances with St. Paul this season.
Twins' Pablo Lopez: Activated ahead of Friday's start
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The Twins activated Lopez (hamstring) from the 15-day injured list Friday.
Lopez will make his return to the Twins' rotation Friday against the Angels after missing the past two weeks with a right hamstring strain. He made one rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul this past Saturday, going 4.2 innings and throwing 63 pitches. Lopez hasn't reached the 80-pitch mark since April 2 versus the White Sox, so his workload could be limited Friday.
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Twins' Christian Vazquez: Heading for reduced role
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Manager Rocco Baldelli said Thursday that Ryan Jeffers will take on a larger role, which will result in fewer starts for Vazquez, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
The catching duo has split playing time fairly evenly across the past two seasons, and Jeffers has made 14 starts to Vazquez's 11 early in 2025. The Twins are changing their strategy behind the plate, however, with Vazquez's career .581 OPS with the club finally catching up to him. The veteran backstop still brings plenty of defensive value and is a good fit as a backup catcher, but it should be Jeffers that receives the lion's share of the starts from now on.
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Twins' Ryan Jeffers: Set for heavier workload
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Manager Rocco Baldelli said Thursday that Jeffers will operate as more of an everyday catcher going forward, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
Jeffers and Christian Vazquez each made 81 starts behind the plate last season, and they've had a fairly even split of playing time early in 2025 with 14 and 11 starts, respectively. Vazquez's continued offensive struggles (career .581 OPS with Minnesota) will finally prompt a strategy change, with Jeffers now poised to operate as more of a clear No. 1 catcher. The 27-year-old hasn't been particularly productive through 67 plate appearances himself with a .254/.343/.339 slash line, but he had a .732 OPS in 2024 and carries more upside than Vazquez.
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Twins' Christian Vazquez: Breaks out of slump
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Vazquez went 2-for-3 with two doubles in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the White Sox.
Vazquez entered the game hitting just .100/.152/.167 and was losing playing time, so this was a much needed performance. Manager Rocco Baldelli told the Minnesota Star Tribune Thursday that Ryan Jeffers will get more playing time with Vazquez's slow start.
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