INSIDER
Higashioka's homer starts rally as Padres beat Braves 5-4 to sweep NL Wild Card Series
Read full article: Higashioka's homer starts rally as Padres beat Braves 5-4 to sweep NL Wild Card SeriesKyle Higashioka’s solo homer started a five-run rally against Max Fried with two outs in the second inning, and the San Diego Padres held on to sweep the Atlanta Braves with a 5-4 win in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series.
Arraez denies Ohtani NL Triple Crown, set to win batting title for 3rd team
Read full article: Arraez denies Ohtani NL Triple Crown, set to win batting title for 3rd teamLuis Arraez held off Shohei Ohtani’s bid to win the National League Triple Crown and was set to become the first player since the 1800s to earn batting titles with three teams.
2-time batting champ Luis Arraez dealt from Marlins to Padres along with nearly $7.9M
Read full article: 2-time batting champ Luis Arraez dealt from Marlins to Padres along with nearly $7.9MSan Diego acquired two-time batting champion Luis Arraez from the Miami Marlins along with nearly $7.9 million in a deal for four players that left the Padres responsible only for the major league minimum salary.
Triolo hits RBI single in 12th inning, Pittsburgh bullpen shines as Pirates beat Marlins 6-5
Read full article: Triolo hits RBI single in 12th inning, Pittsburgh bullpen shines as Pirates beat Marlins 6-5Jared Triolo hit an RBI single in the top of the 12th inning to finish the Pittsburgh Pirates’ rally and beat the Miami Marlins 6-5 on opening day.
Marlins' Jazz Chisholm loses in salary arbitration on his 26th birthday
Read full article: Marlins' Jazz Chisholm loses in salary arbitration on his 26th birthdayJazz Chisholm Jr. got disappointing news on his 26th birthday, losing to the Miami Marlins in the first salary arbitration decision of the year.
MLB game time drops 24 minutes to 2:40 with pitch clock. Players steal most bases since 1987
Read full article: MLB game time drops 24 minutes to 2:40 with pitch clock. Players steal most bases since 1987The average time of a nine-inning major league game dropped to 2 hours, 40 minutes in the first year of the pitch clock, a 24-minute decrease in a season of change that resulted in a spike in batting average and the most stolen bases in nearly 40 years.
Luis Arraez, Yandy Díaz win batting titles while sitting out on final day
Read full article: Luis Arraez, Yandy Díaz win batting titles while sitting out on final dayMiami’s Luis Arraez joined DJ LeMahieu as the only players with undisputed batting titles in both leagues, winning the National League crown as Yandy Díaz sat out Tampa Bay’s season finale and overtook Corey Seager for the American League championship.
Mike Trout elected to 11th All-Star Game, 4 Texas players chosen to start
Read full article: Mike Trout elected to 11th All-Star Game, 4 Texas players chosen to startLos Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout has been elected to his 11th All-Star Game and four Texas Rangers were chosen by fans for the American League’s lineup for the July 11 game at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.
Twins trade batting champ Arraez to Marlins for Pablo López
Read full article: Twins trade batting champ Arraez to Marlins for Pablo LópezThe Minnesota Twins have traded reigning American League batting champion Luis Arraez to the Miami Marlins for a three-player package featuring starting pitcher Pablo López.
Soto, Alonso, Guerrero get big deals, 33 head to arbitration
Read full article: Soto, Alonso, Guerrero get big deals, 33 head to arbitrationJuan Soto, Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached big-money agreements on one-year contracts as 170 players avoided salary arbitration with deals and 33 exchanged proposed figures with their teams.
Arraez, McNeil win batting titles, Judge misses Triple Crown
Read full article: Arraez, McNeil win batting titles, Judge misses Triple CrownMinnesota’s Luis Arraez finished with the lowest average for an American League batting champion since 1968, and the Mets’ Jeff McNeil won the National League title.
Judge out of Yankees starting lineup for finale after No. 62
Read full article: Judge out of Yankees starting lineup for finale after No. 62Yankees slugger Aaron Judge isn’t in the starting lineup for New York’s regular-season finale a day after his 62nd home run that broke Roger Maris’ 61-year-old American League single-season record.
Cueto helps White Sox beat Twins after La Russa steps down
Read full article: Cueto helps White Sox beat Twins after La Russa steps downThe Chicago White Sox watched manager Tony La Russa announce he was leaving his position, and then beat the Minnesota Twins 3-2 behind Johnny Cueto’s seven effective innings.
Judge still at 61 HRs, Severino 7 no-hit innings for Yanks
Read full article: Judge still at 61 HRs, Severino 7 no-hit innings for YanksAaron Judge remained at 61 home runs with three games remaining, and Luis Severino pitched seven no-hit innings before the Texas Rangers broke through against New York’s bullpen in the Yankees’ 3-1 win.
Yanks' Judge heads on road still at 61 homers; 4 games left
Read full article: Yanks' Judge heads on road still at 61 homers; 4 games leftAaron Judge won’t break the American League home run record at Yankee Stadium, remaining at 61 as New York headed on the road for its final four regular-season games after a 3-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
Judge stays at 61 homers on 61st anniversary of Maris' 61st
Read full article: Judge stays at 61 homers on 61st anniversary of Maris' 61stAaron Judge went 0 for 2 with two walks and was hit by a pitch, remaining at 61 homers on the 61st anniversary of Roger Maris setting the American League record, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-0.
Judge hits 58th and 59th homers, Yanks beat Brewers 12-8
Read full article: Judge hits 58th and 59th homers, Yanks beat Brewers 12-8Aaron Judge hit his 58th and 59th home runs of the season to move within two of Roger Maris’ American League record with 16 games remaining and lead the New York Yankees over the Milwaukee Brewers 12-8.
Blue Jays top Twins on overturned call; Baldelli ejected
Read full article: Blue Jays top Twins on overturned call; Baldelli ejectedCavan Biggio hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning and Whit Merrifield scored on an overturned call to lead the Blue Jays to a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins and split the four-game series.
LEADING OFF: O's get 1st pick in draft, M's win 13 in row
Read full article: LEADING OFF: O's get 1st pick in draft, M's win 13 in rowThe Baltimore Orioles have the first pick in the amateur draft for the second time in four years -- and they’ll be looking for someone who can join 2019 top pick Adley Rutschman in the core of their next contender.
Birthday boy LeMahieu scores in 10th, Yanks beat Reds 7-6
Read full article: Birthday boy LeMahieu scores in 10th, Yanks beat Reds 7-6DJ LeMahieu capped his 34th birthday by sliding across the plate on Alexis Díaz’s second straight wild pitch in the 10th inning, and the New York Yankees rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-6 and stop a three-game losing streak.
Ohtani a 2-way All-Star again; 6 Yankees, 5 Braves, Astros
Read full article: Ohtani a 2-way All-Star again; 6 Yankees, 5 Braves, AstrosLos Angeles Angels sensation Shohei Ohtani repeated as a two-way All-Star when he was picked for the AL pitching staff, two days after he was elected to start at designated hitter.
Naylor's 2-run HR in 10th gives Guardians 7-6 win over Twins
Read full article: Naylor's 2-run HR in 10th gives Guardians 7-6 win over TwinsJosh Naylor hit a two-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning, completing a four-run rally that gave the Cleveland Guardians a 7-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
LEADING OFF: Braves, Phils keep winning, Melvin out
Read full article: LEADING OFF: Braves, Phils keep winning, Melvin outOzzie Albies and the Atlanta Braves have won 10 straight going into their home game Sunday against Pittsburgh, while rookie Bryson Stott and the Phillies have a nine-game winning streak as they host Arizona.
Twins start with 3 HRs, Yanks' Cole gives up career-high 5
Read full article: Twins start with 3 HRs, Yanks' Cole gives up career-high 5Minnesota’s Luis Arraez, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa became the seventh trio of teammates to open a game with three straight home runs, starting a barrage of five long balls in 2 1/3 innings against New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.
Cleveland Guardians place slugger Naylor on COVID-19 list
Read full article: Cleveland Guardians place slugger Naylor on COVID-19 listCleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor has been added to the team’s COVID-19 injured list, marking the first player to be sidelined by the team’s recent outbreak.
Verlander loses no-hitter in 8th, Astros beat Twins 5-0
Read full article: Verlander loses no-hitter in 8th, Astros beat Twins 5-0Justin Verlander missed out on his fourth no-hitter by five outs but still faced the minimum through eight innings, and the Houston Astros beat the Minnesota Twins 5-0 for their eighth straight win.
LEADING OFF: Correa's finger not broken, 6 MLB rainouts
Read full article: LEADING OFF: Correa's finger not broken, 6 MLB rainoutsThe Minnesota Twins avoided a daunting injury when it was determined star shortstop Carlos Correa’s right middle finger is not broken as was initially feared after he was hit by a pitch this week.
Sandoval has no-hit bid end in 9th; Angels beat Twins 2-1
Read full article: Sandoval has no-hit bid end in 9th; Angels beat Twins 2-1Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1.
Brantley has 4 of Astros’ 20 hits in 14-3 rout of Twins
Read full article: Brantley has 4 of Astros’ 20 hits in 14-3 rout of TwinsMichael Brantley had his second four-hit game of the series and drove in four runs, and the Houston Astros had a season-high 20 hits and routed Minnesota 14-3 to take two of three from the Twins.
A's extend winning streak to 11, helped by 2 errors in 10th
Read full article: A's extend winning streak to 11, helped by 2 errors in 10thThe Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to 11, rallying from a two-run deficit to beat the Twins 13-12 when Luis Arraez threw away Ramón Laureano’s grounder for Minnesota’s second error of the 10th inning.
Streak breaker: Kepler singles in 9th, as Twins edge Red Sox
Read full article: Streak breaker: Kepler singles in 9th, as Twins edge Red SoxMax Kepler’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave Minnesota a 4-3 victory over Boston, stopping a five-game losing streak for the Twins and breaking a nine-game winning string for the Red Sox.
Bogaerts spring debut after shoulder woe, Tatis HR in return
Read full article: Bogaerts spring debut after shoulder woe, Tatis HR in returnOn that one, we are probably on the same page.”RED SOX 8, RAYS 2Garrett Richards struck out seven in four scoreless innings for Boston. ATHLETICS 5, PADRES 4Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the game with his second spring home run, a smashing return after missing six days with a non-virus bug. The 30-year-old left has pitched four scoreless innings this spring. BREWERS 8, CUBS 3 (7)Brandon Woodruff made his second start for Milwaukee, allowing five hits in two scoreless innings. BRAVES 8, TWINS 5Michael Pineda, who last pitched a full season in 2016, made his first spring start for Minnesota.
AP sources: Twins bring back DH Cruz, add Colome to bullpen
Read full article: AP sources: Twins bring back DH Cruz, add Colome to bullpenThe Minnesota Twins are bringing back designated hitter Nelson Cruz on a one-year, $13 million contract, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig, File)MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Twins are bringing back designated hitter Nelson Cruz and bolstering their bullpen with right-hander Alex Colomé, making two more major moves as spring training fast approaches. Cruz's one-year deal is worth $13 million, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The six-time All-Star won Silver Slugger awards in 2019 and 2020, and the Twins won the AL Central both seasons. Happ — on one-year commitments, as with Simmons, Colomé and Cruz — earlier this winter.
Astros sweep as Twins lose 18th straight in playoffs
Read full article: Astros sweep as Twins lose 18th straight in playoffs"But what are they going to say now?”Nine months after Houston's rules-breaking, sign-stealing system was revealed, the Astros advanced to the Division Series in Los Angeles. The Twins are 0-18 in the playoffs since winning Game 1 of their Division Series at the New York Yankees on Oct. 5, 2004, a total of seven rounds lost. Since that date, the Astros are 43-35 in postseason play, winning 10 of 15 rounds with three trips to the World Series. In a three-game division series sweep by the Yankees last year, the Twins totaled seven runs and 22 hits. Baldelli declined to confirm whether Buxton was experiencing a recurrence of concussion symptoms that kept him out of the last two regular season games.
Reds top Twins 7-2, clinch 1st playoff spot since 2013
Read full article: Reds top Twins 7-2, clinch 1st playoff spot since 2013Cincinnati Reds players climb over the dugout fence and head to celebrate with pitcher Wade Miley after the Reds earned a playoff berth with a 7-2 over the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)MINNEAPOLIS – Mike Moustakas homered twice, Freddy Galvis hit a solo shot and the Cincinnati Reds clinched their first playoff spot since 2013, beating the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins 7-2 Friday night. Joey Votto and the Reds had endured six straight losing seasons before advancing this year under manager David Bell. Twins: RHP Homer Bailey, who spent 12 of his 14 major league seasons with the Reds, was designated for assignment prior to the game. Twins: RHP Michael Pineda (2-0, 3.18 ERA) pitches the middle game of the series.
Twins clinch 2nd straight playoff spot, beat Mills, Cubs 8-1
Read full article: Twins clinch 2nd straight playoff spot, beat Mills, Cubs 8-1Minnesota Twins' Jake Cave (60) runs to score on a single hit by Eddie Rosario against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)CHICAGO – Eddie Rosario, Miguel Sanó and Josh Donaldson homered as the Minnesota Twins clinched a second straight postseason berth with an 8-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night. The Twins, who won the division last year, will make back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2009-10. After Mills struck out the first two batters of the game, Rosario homered on the first pitch he saw for a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, Rosario hit an RBI single for a 2-1 lead.
Bieber wins again, Lindor homers as Indians down Twins 4-2
Read full article: Bieber wins again, Lindor homers as Indians down Twins 4-2Cleveland Indians' Francisco Lindor reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning in a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, in Cleveland. Bieber (6-0) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings as the Indians ended a four-game losing streak to the Twins and pulled within 1 1/2 games of the division leaders. Bieber had three walks in the first three innings he came in with just six in 40 2/3 innings all season but regrouped. With the Indians down 2-1, Lindor connected in the sixth off reliever Jorge Alcala (1-1), who replaced starter Rich Hill to start the inning. Carlos Santana followed with a walk, and one out later, pinch-hitter Tyler Naquin delivered an RBI double to put the Indians ahead 4-2.
Maeda's no-hitter ends in 9th; Twins top Brewers 4-3 in 12
Read full article: Maeda's no-hitter ends in 9th; Twins top Brewers 4-3 in 12Minnesota Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda of Japan throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)MINNEAPOLIS Kenta Maeda lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning for the Minnesota Twins, who blew a three-run lead but came back to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 12 innings. Maeda's no-hit bid was ended by Eric Sogard's soft single that soared just over the glove of a leaping Polanco at shortstop. Maeda retired 21 straight batters in a stretch from the first to the eighth innings and finished with 12 strikeouts. Opponents are 0 for 22 against Hader this season, with four walks and one hit by pitch 12 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.