Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Saturday, June 3, 2017

Kyle Gibson settles in with big lead as Twins rout Angels. (Neal) p. 1 Reusse: Mauer, Peterson have similar careers but different perception. Star Tribune. (Reusse) p. 2 Randy Rosario feels like 'I'm home' in making leap to Twins from Class AA .(Neal) p. 3 Twins’ Kyle Gibson sharp again in Twins win. Pioneer Press (Driver) p. 5 Twins ‘reliever’ Chris Gimenez already in rare company. Pioneer Press (Driver) p. 6 Twins report: Matt Belilse familiar with Albert Pujols milestones. Pioneer Press (Driver) p. 7 Escobar earns Green Card, Twins throw party. MLB (Bollinger) p. 7 Santana puts stellar ERA on line vs. Angels. MLB (Jones) p. 8 Mauer continues dominance over Angels. MLB (Bollinger) p. 9 Three two-run homers lift Twins over Angels. MLB (Bollinger & Guardado) p. 9 Double-A manager Jake Mauer gives a scouting report on new Twins lefty Randy Rosario. 1500 ESPN (Wetmore) p. 10 ESPN suggests Twins should trade closer Brandon Kintzler while value is highest. 1500 ESPN (Wetmore) p. 11 Mining the Minors: 2 Twins prospects hurt; top pitching prospect returns. 1500 ESPN (Depue) p. 13 Twins top Angels after Gibson’s best start of season. AP p. 14

Kyle Gibson settles in with big lead as Twins rout Angels La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | June 2, 2017

HEIM, CALIF. – Kyle Gibson entered Angel Stadium on Friday from the right field corner while carrying a box filled with sacks of hamburgers. Not just any burger, but In-N-Out burger. It's not established in the Upper Midwest, but the neatly- wrapped and flavor-packed burger is the preferred fare on this end of the country. And Gibson had his teammates chowing down on them before they warmed up for Friday's game against the Angels. Their bellies full of greasy energy, the Twins went out and beat the Angels 11-5 and have won the first two games of this four-game series. So In-N-Out might have hits in them. "They might, because even I got a hit tonight," said catcher Chris Gimenez, who was 1-for-5. The Twins collected 14 hits off Angels pitching and belted three home runs. Joe Mauer went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI as he raised his batting average to .294, the highest it has been this late in a season since the end of 2013. "It was one of those nights where I got good pitches to hit and didn't miss them," Mauer said. "The night before, I got a couple good pitches and missed, so it was good to come back today and get them." Robbie Grossman and Max Kepler each homered and collected two hits. Grossman, Kepler and manager Paul Molitor all wanted to eat a burger too, but they were gone before they could get to Gibson. "Mollie wanted one, and there weren't enough to go around," Gimenez said. Well, there are two days left to make burger runs - and score runs. It was just the third time this season the Twins have reached double digits in runs scored. And the Twins improved their impressive road record to 16-5.

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And, with the Indians being shut out by the Royals on Friday, the Twins took sole possession of first place in the American League Central Division. Did the burger bash help Gibson? Yes and no. Gibson, 2-4, retired 11 of 12 batters at one point and took a shutout into the sixth inning. He ran out of gas there as Los Angeles scored twice and knocked him from the game. But that run in the early innings is the type of pitcher the Twins think Gibson is capable of. "That's what we think he can be," Molitor said. "It's not like he hasn't done it. At times, he's just gotten away from those things. He's a thinker on the mound, sometimes to a fault." Gibson, as well as Twins relievers, were able to keep Albert Pujols stuck on 599 career home runs in front of an announced crowd of 39,042. Pujols went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts against the Twins, including a groundout in the eighth inning against lefthander Randy Rosario, who was making his major league debut. Mauer bashed a two-run home run to left-center in the first inning to open the scoring. It was his fourth homer of the season and 10th in 80 games against the Angels. Grossman and Kepler each connected for two run home run off of Angels starter J.C. Ramirez in the third as the Twins took a 6-0 lead. Miguel Sano added a RBI single in the fifth to give the Twins a 7-0 lead. After the Angels chased Gibson with two runs in the sixth, the Twins added four more runs on the eighth. That included a two-run double by Byron Buxton. The next step for Gibson is to get into the seventh inning. But he felt he made progress. And he might have to continue the burger runs this weekend. The idea was hatched after a conversation between him and Ervin Santana about their favorite burger joints. "He's a big In-N-Out fan," Gibson said. "I don't have In-N-Out on the top of my list, so I decided I would try it today and bring Erv a burger and everyone else who wanted one." Has Gibson changed his mind? "It's a good burger," Gibson said, "but I like Five Guys a little better." Reusse: Mauer, Peterson have similar careers but different perception Patrick Reusse | Star Tribune | June 2, 2017

Rick Spielman was making one of his frequent national media appearances this week and covered the departure of Adrian Peterson with this quote to radio host Jim Rome: “Adrian has been here since I’ve been here. He’s maybe one of the all-time great running backs to ever play. He will always be a Minnesota Viking, no matter where he ends up or how he finishes. “I think he will be a future Hall of Famer that will go in as a Minnesota Viking …” A couple of points: the “to ever play” is redundant when you already have used “all-time great,” Rick, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame — unlike baseball — does not have players choose a team that they are representing. No doubt, Peterson’s link to the NFL always will be the Vikings, since he’s now 32 and considered so far removed from his best days that the only job he could find for 2017 was as the backup to Mark Ingram in New Orleans. There are few Purple loyalists who would argue with Spielman on Peterson’s greatness as a Viking. For all the embarrassment of 2014 and also the unforgettable fumbles, there’s a strong chance the 18-to-35 demographic would rate Peterson second only to Randy Moss on its list of greatest Vikings.

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Spielman’s comments were being played on a local AM sports station during a commute this week. Traffic being what it is in this bustling metropolis, there was plenty of time to digest this and come up with a big thought: There is little difference in Peterson’s decade as a running back with the Vikings, and Joe Mauer’s decade as a catcher with the Twins, yet the popular perception has been Peterson as the warrior doing fierce battles against the ravages of carrying the ball in the NFL, while Mauer was conceding too easily to the rigors of catching. Peterson was 22 when he broke in with the Vikings on Sept. 9, 2007, at the Metrodome, during a 24-3 victory over Atlanta. He had 19 carries for 103 yards, and he also took a pass from Tarvaris Jackson for 60 yards and a touchdown. It turned out to be the second-longest reception of his career. Mauer was 21 when he broke in with the Twins on April 5, 2004, at the Metrodome, during a 7-4 victory over Cleveland. He was 2-for-3 with two walks, a precursor of what became his notorious patience as a hitter. Peterson missed 2½ games late in his rookie season after spraining a knee ligament. Mauer wasn’t that lucky as a rookie. In the season’s second game, he was sliding to a catch a pop-up near the screen, cleats stuck in the turf, the meniscus was torn in his left knee and required a surgical repair. He was limited to 35 games as a rookie. Peterson ripped the major ligaments in his left knee Dec. 24, 2011, and underwent reconstruction surgery. He came back the next season to rush for 2,097 yards, the second-highest total in NFL history. This became his legend as a player — the crazed workout regiment that allowed Adrian to come back from a serious knee injury to have a spectacular season. Is it any more amazing than a catcher needing a knee fixed in his second game as a rookie, and then being the best the position had to offer in the big leagues over the next six seasons? Carrying the ball an average of 290 times per season from 2007 to 2013 was hard duty. No more difficult than starting an average of 111 games as a catcher from 2005 through 2010, to go with other appearances and designated hitter duty. Leading the NFL three times in rushing is terrific. No more terrific than becoming the first catcher to win an American League batting title in 2006, and then doing it twice more in the next three seasons. Rushing for 2,097 yards in 2012 was mind-boggling. No more mind-boggling than batting .365 and leading the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage in 2009 … the highest average ever for a catcher, and the first catcher to lead a league in the three percentage categories. Peterson played in 73 percent of the Vikings games during his decade (2007-16) as the running back. Mauer played in 71 percent of the Twins games during his decade as the catcher (2004-13). Adrian would have pleased us more if he was a better receiver and interested in pass protection. Joe would have been more appreciated if he had hit with power (as he did in 2009). You can’t always get what you want. Peterson is gone and Mauer is in his fourth season at first base, and when you compare the decade of hard duty at running back and catcher, you find the same level of greatness. Randy Rosario feels like 'I'm home' in making leap to Twins from Class AA La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | June 2, 2017

ANAHEIM, CALIF. – The jump from Class AA Chattanooga didn’t surprise Randy Rosario as much trying to jump from one plane to another did. The 23-year-old lefthander got the call to the majors Wednesday when Lookouts manager Jake Mauer, during a presentation for a teammate, added something at the end.

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“I just want to say Randy got a call up,” Mauer said. Said Rosario, “Everyone was hitting me and joking with me.” Rosario, with a 1.90 ERA in 10 games at Chattanooga, was happy but not surprised. “I saw my stats,” he said. “I was saying in my mind, ‘Randy, just get ready for it.’ ” He hopped a plane from Birmingham, Ala., to catch a connecting flight in Dallas. But storms in the Dallas area forced the plane into a holding pattern for a while before it was rerouted to Killeen-Fort Hood (Texas) Regional Airport for refueling. By the time the plane arrived in Dallas, his connecting flight had departed. Then the next flight out was delayed another two hours. “It’s really hard to make it to the big leagues, huh?” Rosario said. Rosario arrived during the second half of Thursday night’s Twins-Angels game and went straight to the bullpen. Friday, he stood in a clubhouse full of familiar faces, thanks to pitching in spring training with them. “I feel like I’m home,” said Rosario, who then pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning but gave up three runs in the ninth inning of an 11-5 Twins victory. “I feel like I’m at spring training, but with less guys.” In 23⅔ innings at Chattanooga, he gave up 14 hits and six walks while striking out 20. In seven minor league seasons, he has given up only eight home runs in 318⅔ innings. His low- to mid-90s fastball is complemented by a slider and changeup. Rosario was signed by the Twins in 2010 out of the Dominican Republic. “I don’t think he’s intimidated by the game,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “Obviously, the big-league spotlight will be a little bit of a test in that regard.” Touched by speech Hall of Famer Rod Carew met with the Twins on Thursday, delivering a speech that touched everyone in the clubhouse as he described his fight to stay alive. “It was very cool,” catcher Chris Gimenez said. “Just to see him out and about. “The really cool part is that he brought with him the pump that was inside of his body. He talked about not taking any day for granted, which I think is a good idea for everybody to hear, younger guys or older guys.” The pump Gimenez spoke of was part of the left ventricular assist device that Carew wore to keep his heart pumping until a donor heart became available. “It gave guys a glimpse of where we were at in terms of what we can do to keep people going,” Molitor said. “It’s amazing.” Carew’s heart came from former NFL player Konrad Reuland, who played at Stanford and roamed the halls there at the same time Twins catcher Jason Castro did. Castro knew of Reuland but never met him. Udder disappointment It was the 41st annual dairy day at Angel Stadium, which includes a cow-milking contest between a player from each team. The Twins initially tabbed Gimenez, who has won three milking contests in his career, but Molitor had him in the starting lineup. So the Twins went with infielder Eduardo Escobar, who got off to a slow start and saw his rally fall short. Angels reliever Blake Parker won with 6 pounds of milk to Escobar’s 4. Twins President Dave St. Peter took to Twitter to suggest the milking contest be brought to Target Field. The event used to be held at Metropolitan Stadium.

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Wheeler traded The Twins sent lefthander Jason Wheeler to the Dodgers for cash considerations. Wheeler was called up from Class AAA Rochester on Tuesday, made his major league debut Tuesday and was designated for assignment Wednesday as the Twins looked for arms to prop up a beleaguered bullpen. Twins’ Kyle Gibson sharp again in Twins win David Driver | Pioneer Press | June 2, 2017

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Right-handed starter Kyle Gibson not only kept Albert Pujols at bay here Friday night, but he shut down the Angels until the sixth inning. Gibson picked up his second win in a row as Joe Mauer had four hits and three RBIs in an 11-5 victory. The Twins hit three homers. Pujols is sitting on 599 career homers after he struck out twice and hit into a double play against Gibson. “He has had a couple of homers off me in the past,” Gibson said of Pujols. “It is just about executing pitches. I was able to get a couple of down and in fastballs.” Robbie Grossman and Max Kepler both homered, as the first-place Twins (28-23) improved to 16-5 on the road with 15 hits. The Angels (28-30) have lost seven of 11. “That is huge for a starting pitcher,” Gibson said of his run support. “The offense did a great job of adding on there in the third inning.” Twins reliever Randy Rosario, called up from Double-A on Thursday, made his major league debut in the eighth. He pitched a scoreless inning and retired Pujols on a grounder. Rosario also pitched the ninth and gave up a run-scoring double by Martin Maldonado and a two-run homer to Danny Espinosa. Gibson (2-4), who was sent to Triple-A Rochester after giving up eight hits and four runs in four innings against Oakland on May 4, turned in one of his best starts of the season. He allowed no runs and three hits in the first five innings Friday before running into trouble in the sixth. “There is no question … his strike ratio was up there,” manager Paul Molitor said. “I thought he threw better. He sort of lost it there in the sixth for whatever reason. But overall I thought he did a good job. Joe got us going and had a big night.” The shutout was broken as Kole Calhoun had an RBI single in the sixth to cut the Twins lead to 7-1. Gibson then induced Pujols to hit into a double play, which began with a nice stop by third baseman Miguel Sano. A run scored on the play to make it 7-2, and Gibson was removed in favor of Alex Wimmers after the starter walked Luis Valbuena. Wimmers retired all four batters he faced in his first Twins outing of the year. The Twins made it 8-2 in the eighth as Kepler scored on a wild pitch by reliever Deolis Guerra. Byron Buxton then had a two-run double to make it 10-2. Mauer added an RBI single to lift the margin to 11-2. Gibson fanned a season-high six batters, including Pujols in the first and fourth. Gibson gave up six hits, two walks and two runs in 5 2/3 innings and threw 98 pitches. In his previous start, Gibson allowed a then season-low two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings while getting a no-decision against Tampa Bay on May 28. “I am just trying to be in the zone a little better,” Gibson said. “I tried to have more pitches that started in the strike zone.” Mauer hit a two-run homer in the first to give the Twins a 2-0 lead. “He has been on a tear the last month and half really,” Gibson said of Mauer. Grossman then hit his own two-run homer, a blast to right in the third that gave the Twins a 4-0 lead after Brian Dozier had singled in front of Grossman.

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Three batters later Kepler hit another two-run shot to make it 6-0. Sano had an RBI single in the fifth to give the Twins a 7-0 lead and chase Angels’ starter JC Ramirez, who gave up seven runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Rameriz (5-4) had allowed just four earned runs in his previous three starts. BRIEFLY The Twins traded left-handed reliever Jason Wheeler to the Dodgers for cash. Wheeler had been designated for assignment by the Twins on Wednesday after posting a 9.00 ERA in two games this year. He was an eighth-round pick in 2011 by the Twins out of Loyola Marymount … The Twins signed catcher Yeison Perez to a minor league contract. He played for the Twins in the Dominican Summer League last year and hit .272 in 31 games … Twins infielder Eduardo Escobar lost a pregame milking contest to Angels’ reliever Blake Parker. The annual event was part of a promotion for California dairy farmers. Both cows were a little feisty but there were no injuries to man or animal. Twins ‘reliever’ Chris Gimenez already in rare company David Driver | Pioneer Press | June 2, 2017

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Chris Gimenez’s wife, Kellie, sent him a Sports Illustrated story this week. He was the featured subject. The story had nothing to do with Gimenez’s ability to frame pitches, or that he is now playing for his fifth major league organization since signing a minor league, free-agent deal with the Twins in January. Instead, it was about Gimenez’s big-league pitching exploits, such as they are. On Wednesday, Gimenez mopped up a 17-6 loss to the Houston Astros at Target Field, giving up a two-run home run in the ninth. It was his third pitching appearance this year, making Gimenez just the sixth position player since 1969 to pitch at least three games in one season. And it’s only June 2. Afterward, starter Hector Santiago had nothing but praise for Gimenez’s work. “He said, ‘I can’t believe I gave up a home run,’ ” Santiago told reporters. “I said, ‘So what? You save a bullpen arm.’ ” “You are going to have some clunkers. That is baseball,” Gimenez said Thursday. “I know I am not a pitcher, number one. I am throwing 62 (mph) for a reason. I don’t want to get hurt. I don’t care what my ERA is. I am out there to try to get as many outs in as little pitches as possible. I am not throwing a curve or change up.” His first big league pitching appearance was with the Texas Rangers, against the Angels, in 2014. He pitched in two games while with the American League champion Cleveland Indians last season. Gimenez, 34, was mainly an outfielder at his California high school but did pitch in a few games. He broke into the majors with the Indians in 2009 and has also been a part of the organizations at Seattle, Tampa Bay and Texas. The well-travelled catcher knows that Twins manager Paul Molitor and pitching coach Neil Allen can rely on him if things get out of hand. “I am not a pitcher. I told him that,” Gimenez said of talking to Molitor. Gimenez has made six relief outings in the majors and given up six earned runs with one strikeout. This year, prior to Friday, he had a 9.00 ERA in two innings of work. Overall, he has surrendered six runs on six hits and no walks in six major-league innings. So what if he had to pitch to Albert Pujols, and the Angels slugger who needs a homer to reach 600 in his career? “If someone is going to give it up to him, it might as well be me,” Gimenez said. The California native feels he is helping to save his bullpen with a big-picture approach. “This isn’t last year. It is June 1 and we are still in first place,” he said Thursday. “We are all pulling on the same rope here.” Twins report: Matt Belilse familiar with Albert Pujols milestones David Driver | Pioneer Press | June 2, 2017

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ANAHEIM, Calif — Angels slugger Albert Pujols entered Friday’s game one home run shy of becoming the ninth player in major league history with 600. Twins reliever Matt Belisle is no stranger to Pujols milestones. The right-hander from Texas served up the 200th career homer to Pujols, a grand slam on Sept. 30, 2005. Belisle was pitching for the Cincinnati Reds and gave up the two-out homer to Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals in the last of the seventh. PRAISE FOR ROSARIO Young pitcher Randy Rosario, 23, was not listed among the top 30 prospects in the Twins system by Baseball America prior to this season. But after starting the season at high Single-A Fort Myers in the Florida State League, he was called up from Double-A Chattanooga on Thursday to aid the Minnesota bullpen. “He has a lot of poise for a young kid,” said Molitor, who didn’t need Rosario on Thursday. “I don’t think he is intimidated by the game. He has an above-average fastball and the slider is his best pitch.” Rosario gave up just 14 hits in 23 2/3 innings at Double-A this year. The Twins were in a good mood after rallying for a 4-2 victory over the Angels with three ninth-inning runs win to snap a four-game losing streak. “We have had success on the road. That was good to continue tonight,” Molitor said after the Twins improved to 15-5 away from Target Field. SANTANA ROLLING Ervin Santana will try to stay on a roll Saturday when he starts against the Angels in a night game in Anaheim. Santana is 7-2 with a 1.75 ERA this season but 1-2 with a 4.35 ERA in three career starts against the Angels, his former team. Santana was signed by the Angels as a minor league free agent in 2000 and he pitched in the majors with them from 2005-12, collecting 96 wins and taking part in the 2005 post-season run. Twins reliever Buddy Boshers was drafted by the Angels in the fourth round in 2008 and made 25 appearances for the club in 2013. Escobar earns Green Card, Twins throw party Rhett Bollinger | MLB | June 2, 2017

ANAHEIM -- Twins infielder Eduardo Escobar will never forget Memorial Day 2017. Escobar flew to Miami on Monday for his final interview as part of his process to get a Green Card in his quest to become a U.S. citizen. It was a major step for the Venezuela-born Escobar and his family, who make their offseason home in Miami, and he now must wait five years to apply for U.S. citizenship. He missed Tuesday's game as a result, but when he returned on Wednesday, the Twins held a special celebration in the clubhouse before the game to honor Escobar. "It means a lot," Escobar said through a translator. "It's an opportunity that not everybody can get. I feel like this country has given me a lot. It's given my family a future, especially my kids. It's an opportunity I wanted to take advantage of. I still love my country of Venezuela, but it's a good thing for us to be residents." Twins second baseman Brian Dozier orchestrated the surprise celebration, getting Escobar to wear a U.S.-themed tank top, answer eight basic questions about the United States and sing Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" in front of his teammates. And of course, there was a stuffed animal horse that Escobar rode, as his nickname is el caballo, the Spanish word for horse. "It was Esky so we had to do something funny, obviously," Dozier said. "It was pretty special. I made sure every single person affiliated with the team came."

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As Dozier noted, Escobar is the club's funniest personality, keeping his teammates loose with his jokes, including volunteering to milk a cow on the field prior to Friday's game against the Angels. "He's one of the leaders on the team, but he's kind of the glue," Dozier said. "You get so caught up on serious things all the time, like winning or losing, but he keeps everything humorous. You have to have someone on the team like that, and he's definitely ours." Twins manager Paul Molitor called the clubhouse celebration one of the highlights of the season, as it clearly meant a lot to Escobar to complete an arduous process that included a blood test and Tuesday's interview with the help of an immigration attorney. "Esky has a special place in that clubhouse," Molitor said. "A lot of our daily humor and lightheartedness revolves around Esky. To be able to have some humor involved in it, but there was a lot of guys who really cared about the fact that this guy has done what he had to do to get set up here." Escobar said he loved the experience with his teammates, and even came to the plate with "God Bless the USA" as his walk-up music during his first at-bat on Wednesday. "It was great," Escobar said. "I don't know how to describe it. Thanks to Brian and my teammates for doing that. It was unexpected but makes me feel loved and that I'm doing a good thing." Worth noting • The Twins traded left-hander Jason Wheeler to the Dodgers for cash on Friday. Wheeler, who allowed three runs in three innings with the Twins, had been designated for assignment on Wednesday. Santana puts stellar ERA on line vs. Angels Kaelen Jones| MLB | June 2, 2017

Right-hander Ervin Santana leads the Twins into a matchup against the Angels, his former club, on Saturday night at Angel Stadium. Los Angeles will counter with right-hander Matt Shoemaker. Albert Pujols will continue his quest for his 600th career home run. Santana pitched for the Halos for eight seasons, from 2005-12. He has a 1.75 ERA in 11 starts -- the lowest mark in the Major Leagues. The 34-year-old also leads the league in WHIP (0.84) and opponent's average (.140), and his seven wins already match his win totals from each of the past two seasons. Santana is 1-2 with a 4.35 ERA (10 earned runs allowed through 20 2/3 innings) in three career starts vs. Los Angeles. Santana's latest start was a no-decision against the Astros. He tossed seven innings, limiting Houston to two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks along with six strikeouts, only to see Minnesota's bullpen relinquish 14 runs over the final two innings of a 16-8 loss. Shoemaker enters Saturday looking to bounce back from his rough start at Miami on Sunday. He lasted 4 2/3 innings -- his second-shortest outing of the year -- and allowed four earned runs on seven hits, including two home runs, while permitting no walks and striking out three in a 9-2 loss. Things to know about this game • Despite Santana's hot start in April (4-0, 0.77 ERA), he wasn't as successful in the win column through May (3-2, 2.57). In his five April starts, the Twins went 4-1; in his six May starts, the club went 3-3. • Shoemaker's loss at Miami snapped a streak of three consecutive starts as a winning pitcher. He's the only Angels pitcher to win three straight starts this season. • Shoemaker is 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA (seven earned runs allowed through 13 2/3 innings) in four career starts against Minnesota. Mauer continues dominance over Angels Rhett Bollinger | MLB | June 2, 2017

ANAHEIM -- With his .308 career batting average, Twins first baseman Joe Mauer has strong numbers against a lot of teams, but the Angels are one club he's particularly tormented throughout his career. It was again the case Friday night, as Mauer stayed hot, going 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs to lead the Twins to an 11-5 win over the

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Angels at Angel Stadium. It helped Mauer improve his career average to .349 with 10 homers and 53 RBIs in 80 games against Los Angeles. It's his second-highest average against an American League team, trailing his .364 career mark against the Rays. Full Game Coverage "It was one of those nights where I got some good pitches to hit and I didn't miss them," Mauer said. "The night before, I had a couple good pitches I missed. So it was good to come back today and get 'em." He also improved to a career .366 hitter at Angel Stadium with five homers and 25 RBIs in 39 games, which is his second-highest average against an AL club behind his .392 mark at Tropicana Field. It also marked his 27th four-hit game of his career, which is tied for the eighth-most among active players. "This has been a good park for him to hit in," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "Even his out was hit to the warning track. He seemed to be on everything. He got a fastball first time, a changeup off [Deolis] Guerra in the hole, a curveball to right-center. He was just on everything." It's been part of a larger trend for Mauer going back to early May, as he's been on a tear, raising his slash line to .294/.368/.424 on the season. Mauer is hitting .356/.448/.556 since May 1. "I felt really good early this season, but didn't have a lot to show for it," Mauer said. "But I've feeling good here the last couple weeks. I'm just trying to hold onto that feeling. I felt like early in the season I was hitting a lot of line drives, but I was making a lot of outs. So I'm just trying to do what I do, and hit the ball hard." Mauer put the Twins up early with his two-run homer off right-hander JC Ramirez, adding singles in the fifth, seventh and eighth, with his final hit bringing home Minnesota's last run of the night. He said he hasn't actively changed anything during his hot streak, and the fact that he's driving the ball into the air more this season isn't on purpose. His average launch angle has gone from 3.7 degrees last year to 7.4 degrees this year, per Statcast™, causing fewer grounders and more line drives and fly balls. "Just trying to keep driving the ball," Mauer said. "I couldn't tell you what my launch angle is. I'm more about having good at-bats and a good plan. It's more sticking with my approach." Three two-run homers lift Twins over Angels Rhett Bollinger and Maria Guardado | MLB | June 2, 2017

ANAHEIM -- The Twins flashed their power against the Angels on Friday night, launching three home runs off JC Ramirez to cruise to an 11-5 win at Angel Stadium. Joe Mauer, Robbie Grossman and Max Kepler crushed two-run shots to build a six-run lead for the Twins by the third inning and secure their second straight victory over the Halos. "I was just trying to get a fastball up because he's got pretty good sink," said Mauer, who went 4-for-5 with three RBIs. "Got a couple good pitches to hit and didn't miss them." Ramirez lasted only 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits in the worst outing of his burgeoning career as a starter. The 28-year-old converted reliever had a 1.74 ERA in his previous three starts, but he struggled from the outset against the Twins, surrendering a two-run homer to Mauer in the first inning. He gave up two more homers in the third before Miguel Sano chased him from the game with an RBI single in the fifth. "I feel really good, I just tip the hat," Ramirez said. "They were able to hit my stuff today." Minnesota produced more than enough run support for right-hander Kyle Gibson, who allowed two runs on six hits while walking two and striking out six over 5 2/3 innings. Gibson kept the Angels scoreless through five innings before conceding two runs in the sixth. The Twins broke open the game by scoring four runs off Angels reliever Deolis Guerra in the eighth. Mauer collected four hits and three RBIs in a vintage showing for Minnesota. Albert Pujols, who has been sitting on 599 career home runs since Tuesday, came up short in his quest for No. 600, finishing 0-for-4.

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"I think his first couple at-bats tonight, there's no doubt, he was coming out of his swing a little bit," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He was swinging hard. But his last couple, he settled in. He hit two bullets, just didn't get them up. He'll settle in and be fine." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Grossman, Kepler go deep in the third: After Mauer's homer put the Twins ahead, 2-0, in the first, Ramirez appeared to get back on track with a 1-2-3 second. But he stumbled again in the third inning, yielding a one-out single to Brian Dozier followed by a two-run blast to right-center field from Grossman. Ramirez couldn't avoid further damage, as Sano later singled with two outs to set up Kepler's two-run homer, extending Minnesota's lead to 6-0. Angels get on the board: The Angels cut the deficit to 7-2 by scoring a pair of runs off Gibson in the sixth. Eric Young Jr. led off the inning with a double and Andrelton Simmons walked to bring up Kole Calhoun, who delivered an RBI single to center. Gibson then induced a 5-4-3 double play from Pujols, which allowed Simmons to score from third. Yunel Escobar and Luis Valbuena kept the inning alive with a double and a walk, respectively, prompting Twins manager Paul Monitor to lift Gibson in favor of Alex Wimmers. Martin Maldonado then lined out to end the inning. "Gibson threw the ball well," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "I thought he threw better, but he kind of lost it there in the sixth with the bloop double, a base-on-balls and a couple well-hit balls. But overall, he did a good job." ROSARIO MAKES DEBUT Twins left-hander Randy Rosario, recalled from Double-A Chattanooga on Thursday, made his Major League debut, throwing a scoreless eighth inning before allowing three runs in the ninth on an RBI double from Martin Maldonado and a two-run homer from Danny Espinosa. His first career strikeout came against former Twins outfielder Shane Robinson, and he retired Pujols on a hard grounder to third to end the eighth. WHAT'S NEXT Twins: Right-hander Ervin Santana (7-2, 1.75 ERA) is set to face his former team when the Twins play the Angels in the third game of the series on Saturday at 9:07 p.m. CT. Santana, who pitched with the Angels from 2005-12, allowed one earned run over seven innings in a no-decision against the Astros on Monday. Angels: Right-hander Matt Shoemaker (4-3, 4.26 ERA) will face the Twins in the third game of the series on Saturday night at 7:07 p.m. PT at Angel Stadium. Shoemaker is 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA in four career starts against Minnesota. Double-A manager Jake Mauer gives a scouting report on new Twins lefty Randy Rosario Derek Wetmore | 1500 ESPN | June 2, 2017

The Twins won a beautiful ballgame Thursday in Orange County, and they needed a good performance from their bullpen. Specifically, Brandon Kintzler, Taylor Rogers and Tyler Duffey pitched and got through things just fine in the taut contest. (Even though Rogers gave up a home run in a critical spot, he was awarded a “Win” because of the timing of the Twins’ comeback rally). That’s a stark contrast from their previous series, in which the Astros scored a ridiculous number of runs in a short span against Twins’ relievers. I suppose you can never really know what rock-bottom is until you’ve emerged on the other side, but this week’s home series against the Astros sure felt like rock-bottom for Twins relievers. Now, the team called up a couple reinforcements – Alex Wimmers and Randy Rosario. Rosario, 23, is the kind of young left-hander who will catch your attention during spring training, when 4 or 5 bullpen sessions happen all in the same space and time. He was called up straight from Double-A Chattanooga, at least in part because he’s on the 40-man roster. But so is Mason Melotakis, another lefty who’s a few years older and also has good numbers, so it’s not as if Rosario was merely the next default option. Chattanooga manager Jake Mauer joined Pat on the Ride With Reusse on Thursday, and he gave his view of the young lefty from the Dominican Republic. “He’s got a good fastball, he’s going to throw it in the low-to-mid-90s,” Mauer said. “His motion is pretty smooth, it looks pretty effortless, and it really comes out of his hand. Breaking ball can be pretty sharp at times, cane be a strikeout pitch. He was a starter in the minor leagues, so he’s got a bit of a changeup that he can use as a weapon, too. Hopefully he’ll go up there and give him some quality innings and give some of those

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of guys that have been pitching quite a bit a rest.” Mauer is in his first season as manager of the Lookouts after managing in the lower minors in the Twins’ system previously. Rosario is a starter-turned-reliever and has pitched 23 2/3 innings for the Lookouts this season. He sports a 1.90 ERA, which he pairs that with a 20:6 strikeout-to-walk ratio. And as Mauer suggested, he relies primarily on the two-pitch mix of a fastball and breaking ball. He’s a hard thrower, and I’d consider him part of the wave of yet-to-surface relievers the Twins are hoping will pan out over the next several seasons. That list includes, in my opinion, pitchers like J.T. Chargois (who has pitched in the big leagues but is not yet established), Nick Burdi (currently out for the year after Tommy John surgery), Melotakis, John Curtiss, Jake Reed and even Tyler Jay. Each of those is relievers is either a high draft pick, has posted good numbers with good velocity and strikeout totals in the minors, and all have yet to find their way at the highest level. Since both Melotakis and Rosario are both on the 40-man roster, the Twins in theory could have chosen either one of them for this promotion. Or, they could have promoted both lefties and passed over Alex Wimmers, which would have saved them from having to designate Jason Wheeler to create a 40-man roster opening. So, why Rosario over Melotakis? “I would say a little more velocity with Rosario. And he can give up a little more long innings,” Mauer said in the radio interview. “Obviously with having that experience of being a starter, he can give you more than three outs at times. Not to say that Melotakis can’t; he’s a guy, too, that’s learning to pitch a little bit more than three outs at a time.” A lot of teams like to try to keep starting pitchers in that role as long as possible. It’s typically only once it becomes clear that the bullpen is the best option that they’ll make that switch, like in the case of Glen Perkins, or, more recently, Rosario, Jay and Curtiss. So, what excites the Twins about Rosario in short relief? “His two-pitch mix – his breaking ball and fastball – could potentially be two plus-pitches,” Mauer said. ESPN suggests Twins should trade closer Brandon Kintzler while value is highest Derek Wetmore | 1500 ESPN | June 2, 2017

This winter, not many people expected the Twins to contend following a 103-loss season and a change at the top of the team’s front office. I don’t know how many skeptics they’ve converted by racing out to a 27-23 record and a share of first place in the American League Central. One thing seems clear. ESPN is not buying the Twins as contenders. Contenders don’t trade their veterans at the non-waiver trade deadline – they typically trade for veterans. And ESPN has run multiple pieces in the past few weeks that feature players that this team or that team should trade away to get the best value, either before the deadline or, like, right now. Brandon Kintzler is the latest Twins veteran featured in a story about trade chips. Tony Blengino, in a column for ESPN, writes that Kintzler should be on the block with his market seemingly at an all-time high. Keep in mind, he was pitching in independent league baseball, and now he’s the closer for a first-place ball club in the Majors. Here’s what Blengino writes: “Even if they decide that they have a real shot at a playoff berth this season, I’d argue that they should still move him. A big return isn’t guaranteed, as he’s a free agent at year’s end. Get what you can at his market’s apex and go with the next man up in the closer role.” Kintzler, the Twins’ current closer, has acquitted himself well since taking over for the injured Glen Perkins last year. It wasn’t even Kintzler’s job right when Perkins went down, but eventually his 94 mph sinker and groundball-heavy ways led to late-inning trust from manager Paul Molitor, and Kintzler hasn’t looked back since taking over the job. If the Twins fall out of contention, there are a few interesting players I believe they should consider trading, and Kintzler is one of them. As it stands right now, I don’t believe the Twins should be looking to host a yard sale, and they’re not especially well-positioned to deal relievers. At

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least, they won’t be unless some of their crop of relief prospects starts to surface in the big leagues, like Randy Rosario has. As of this writing, the Twins rank last in reliever ERA (5.29), last in FIP among bullpens (5.12), second-to-last in reliever home run rate (1.64 homers per 9 innings), tied-for-last in bullpen strikeout rate (19 %), and last by a wide margin in swing strike rate by relievers (8.6%). So, yeah, if they’re going to contend, they’ll probably need a big upgrade to their bullpen. Dealing Kintzler would be a clear sign that the Twins are folding up the tents for the season, and I’m not sure that it’s the right time to do that just yet. One last note from that ESPN column. The author notes that Kintzler doesn’t miss many bats and that he’s more of a ground ball guy. This year, he hasn’t missed many bats, his ground-ball dominance has dried up, and yet, he’s still getting fairly good results for the Twins. There are a number of ways to get a hitter out, and the current conventional wisdom is that the strikeout is the safest path. Not a lot can go wrong on a strikeout, except for the occasional wild pitch or passed ball, and even those unlikely events aren’t a good bet for a hitter trying to reach base. But after that, infield popups are a nice get, when they come around. And ground balls are superior to deep fly balls or line drives. Kintzler doesn’t strike out many hitters, and he doesn’t miss very many bats at all. His 5.5% swinging strike rate is one of the lowest in the Twins’ bullpen. That pales in comparison to Tyler Duffey’s 13.1% rate, for example. Kintzler was, however, one of the top ground ball pitchers last year (61.9% ground ball rate). He hasn’t killed as many worms this year – less than half the time, actually, a pretty significant drop – but he’s still had the results. He’s racked up 14 saves in 16 chances and has a 2.66 ERA. Some of his peripheral stats suggest he could hit a rough patch at some point this summer. Still, he’s been good in the role the Twins have asked him to play. He’s a calm presence on the mound, even when his best weapon isn’t working for him. From my perspective, he’s also a quiet leader in the clubhouse that other Twins relievers have leaned on this year in times of need. None of this is to say that the Twins should never trade Kintzler. He’ll be a free agent this winter. It’s just to say that it’s too early to give up on the idea that the surprising Twins can continue to over-perform expectations and find their way into a postseason run. Twins reinforce 'pen with Rosario, Wimmers Rhett Bollinger | MLB | June 1, 2017

ANAHEIM -- After their bullpen was beat up by the Astros in a three-game sweep, the Twins brought in reinforcements for their series opener against the Angels on Thursday, recalling left-hander Randy Rosario from Double-A Chattanooga and selecting the contract of right-hander Alex Wimmers from Triple-A Rochester. The moves came after right-hander Ryan Pressly was optioned to Rochester and left-hander Jason Wheeler was designated for assignment on Wednesday. Rosario, 23, was called up for the first time, while Wimmers, 28 posted a 4.15 ERA in 16 appearances as a rookie with the Twins last year. "We've had a little bit of a revolving door," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We tapped into two guys we know pretty well." Wimmers pitched well in Spring Training but was the victim of a roster crunch and didn't make the club. He posted a 3.94 ERA with 13 strikeouts and seven walks in 16 innings at Rochester. Wimmers, the club's first-round Draft pick in 2010, had pitched well with a 1.64 ERA over his last 11 innings. "Alex got an opportunity last year after some of the trials he had to endure early in his professional career," Molitor said. "I liked having him around last year. He's versatile and can give you some length and is a little different as a reliever with a four-pitch mix." Rosario, ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the Twins' No. 27 prospect, was converted to relief this year, posting a 1.90 ERA with 20 strikeouts and six walks in 23 2/3 innings. He had a 3.13 ERA with 264 strikeouts in 318 2/3 innings as a starter since joining the organization out of the Dominican Republic in 2011. He's made three-inning appearances twice over the last two weeks, so he gives the Twins some potential length. "Randy, we've had in camp for a couple years," Molitor said. "He's young and coming out of Double-A. We think he has a lot of moxie and poise for a young kid. Not much seems to affect him. He doesn't seem to be intimidated by the game but obviously the big league spotlight will be a test in that category. But he's basically a two-pitch guy with a fastball, and his slider is his best pitch."

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Mining the Minors: 2 Twins prospects hurt; top pitching prospect returns Jake Depue | ESPN 1500 | June 2, 2017

Well, a lot has happened since last week’s Mining the Minors column, and unfortunately, much of it isn’t good. Two of the five prospects I’ve been profiling here—Nick Burdi and Daniel Palka—suffered significant injuries and will miss a substantial amount of time. Burdi’s injury is particularly devastating. He suffered a torn UCL and had Tommy John surgery Wednesday. It’s a tough blow for Burdi for a couple of reasons. First, he was having a great year at Double-A Chattanooga. In 17 IP, he had a 0.53 ERA, 0.765 WHIP and 10.6 K/9. His fastball velocity was back in the triple digits, and his walk rate was down. With the state of the Twins’ bullpen, it’s not unreasonable to think he could have been in a big league uniform sometime this summer. Second, the injury comes on the heels of a 2016 arm injury that caused him to miss nearly all of 2016. He was pitching with new mechanics this season in hopes of staying healthy. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Hopefully Burdi will be back and pitching well at some point next season. Palka’s injury—a fractured index finger on his left hand—isn’t nearly as severe as Burdi’s, but will keep him out an extended period of time; I’ve heard a minimum of four weeks. The good news is the injury shouldn’t end Palka’s season. The bad news is it will delay his development and probably push back Palka’s chances of making his big league debut until at least late 2017. Palka’s hitting has been a bit streaky this year. He got off to a huge start, slumped in late April and Early May, and was hitting well again prior to sustaining the injury. Overall this year, he’s hitting .261/.316/.452. Because of the injuries to Burdi and Palka, I’m going to replace them in the column with two new Twins’ prospects. When Palka comes back later this season, though, he’ll get his starting spot back. (I’m sure he’s thrilled.) Until then, let’s meet the two new additions. Fernando Romero, RHP: There are some in the organization who believe the Twins’ No. 4 overall prospect has the potential to be a No. 1 or No. 2 starter in the big leagues, and it’s easy to see why. Romero throws a mid to upper 90s fastball, in addition to a slider and changeup. As a 21-year-old last season, he dominated two levels of A-ball, posting a 1.89 ERA and 0.897 WHIP while striking out a batter an inning over 90.1 IP. Jason Castro described his stuff as “electric” during spring training, singling out Romero and Felix Jorge when I asked him which minor leaguers in camp had impressed him. There are some durability concerns for Romero, who doesn’t have an overly-imposing frame. If he can stay healthy and demonstrate that he can pitch 150-200 innings, though, there’s reason to believe he could be a consistent top-of-the-rotation starter for the Twins, potentially as soon as 2018. So far this season in Chattanooga, he’s pitched 52 innings and has a 3.63 ERA, 1.365 WHIP and 8.5 K/9. In his last two starts, he’s pitched 12 scoreless innings while giving up just 5 hits and striking out 12. Given the limited innings he’s thrown to this point and his age, I’d be very surprised if he’s up with the Twins this season, but a good 2017 at Double-A would set him up well next spring. Zack Granite, OF: I’ve written a bit about Granite in the past. He’s an intriguing player because of the value he provides defensively and on the base paths. Granite serves as Rochester’s starting center fielder, but has the versatility to play all three outfield spots. He’s also a huge threat on the base paths—he swiped 56 bags last year and has nine so far this year. Granite’s not a power guy—he has only six career home runs—but his speed allows him to frequently take the extra base. “Low line drives is my game,” Granite said last month. “A single could be a double, double could be a triple. I’m not trying to hit the ball in the air.” Granite’s not off to a huge start so far this season in Triple-A, hitting .237/.275/.309 in 23 games with the Red Wings. He’s an intriguing prospect, though, who could help the Twins at some point this year. The next time the Twins need an outfielder, look for Granite to get the call, especially with Palka on the DL. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP: After missing nearly the first two months of the season with a nagging shoulder issue, the top 100 overall prospect is back in Chattanooga, and pitching as though he never left. In his first three starts, Gonsalves has done exactly what he’s done throughout his minor league career—put up consistently strong numbers. In 17 IP, he has a 3.18 ERA, 0.765 WHIP and 9.5 K/9. At the beginning of the year, before the injury, I thought he’d start the year at Triple-A and be in Minnesota by midseason. That timeline’s obviously been pushed back, and he’ll likely have at least a few more starts in Chattanooga before the organization considered a promotion to Triple-A or possibly the majors. With the Twins struggling to find consistency from their No. 5 starter, though, Gonsalves could be an option sometime after the all-star break, if he continues to pitch well. Either way, a rotation led by J.O. Berrios, Gonsalves and Romero could be in place as early as 2018, and that should get Twins fans legitimately excited. Nick Gordon, SS: Nick Gordon continues to mash Double-A pitching. As the youngest position player in the Southern League, Gordon’s hitting .306/.377/.490. Those would be good numbers for a corner outfielder, let alone a shortstop. One of the most encouraging parts of Gordon’s

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year has been the increase in extra base power. Gordon already has more home runs this year (4), than he had all of last year, to go along with 14 doubles and 5 triples. He’s also walked as many times this season (23) as he did all of last year, in less than half the plate appearances. Offensively, Gordon is perhaps exceeding what were already lofty expectations. The bat is legit. Defensively, he’ll now have a chance to show the Twins he can stick as an everyday shortstop, with fellow shortstop Engelb Vielma now in Rochester. Gordon’s started every game at the position since Vielma moved up in mid-May. If the organization feels Gordon has the defensive acumen to stick there, it presents an interesting dilemma. With Jorge Polanco playing well at shortstop in Minnesota and Brian Dozier entrenched at second, they’ll have to make some big decisions, potentially as soon as next year. Dozier, of course, was rumored to be on the trading block all offseason. If the Twins eventually decide they want to move the all-star 2B, it would open up a spot in the infield. Regardless, Gordon’s making a strong push to be in the big league mix by the start of next year. Engelb Vielma, SS: After hitting well enough in Double-A to earn a promotion, the slick fielding shortstop is holding his own in a small sample size in Triple-A. In 11 Triple-A games, he’s hitting .279/.295/.326. Across both levels, he has 7 extra base hits on the year. That won’t blow anyone away, but he’s showing slightly more power than he has in the past—last year he had 11 extra base hits in about twice as many plate appearances as he’s had so far this season. Barring injuries in Minnesota, Vielma will likely spend the rest of the season in Triple-A. However, if the Twins are still contending late in the year, Vielma, who’s on the 40-man roster, could be a September call-up. He’d provide infield depth and could serve as a defensive replacement late in games. Wild Card: Jermaine Palacios, SS: I typically focus on high minors prospects in this column, but Single-A Cedar Rapids shortstop Jermaine Palacios deserves recognition. In 49 games this season, the 20-year-old Venezuelan is hitting .318/.366/.517, with 7 home runs, 5 triples and 9 doubles for the Kernels. Palacios is displaying impressive power for his age, particularly given his position. He’s a name to watch as he progresses through the system over the next few years. Twins top Angels after Gibson’s best start of season Associated Press | June 2, 2017

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The power numbers have not always been there for the Minnesota Twins this season, but they hit three home runs Friday night. oe Mauer, Robbie Grossman and Max Kepler each hit a two-run shot to lead the Twins to an 11-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels. For Mauer, his fourth home run was one of his four hits on the night. He has hit in 11 of his last 12 games against the Angels (.423). “He just seems like he’s on everything right now,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. For the third consecutive game, the Angels’ Albert Pujols remained at 599 career home runs while going 0 for 4 with two early strikeouts. He has now gone 15 at-bats without a home run. “The last couple, he hit two bullets but just didn’t get them up,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “He hit the ball hard. He’ll settle in and be fine.” Kyle Gibson, in his third start since a brief minor-league demotion, turned in his best game of the season for Minnesota. Gibson (2-4) took a shutout into the sixth inning before tiring and giving up two runs. He allowed six hits in a season-high 5 2/3 innings while throwing 98 pitches – also a season-high. “I’m just trying to be in the zone a little more, and when I miss, miss over the plate but down or up,” the right-hander said. “It’s something I really tried to focus on today, more balls that started in the strike zone.” JC Ramirez (5-4) suffered his worst start of the season for the Angels, giving up the seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. In his previous seven starts, the converted reliever had a 2.35 ERA and the Angels had won six times. Ramirez said he actually felt better than he had all season. “I knew a day like this was coming,” Ramirez said. “It’s not every time going to be good, good, good. I just have to keep my head up and I think work extra for my next start.” Mauer started the two-run homer parade for the Twins in the first inning with his fourth home run of the season. Grossman and Kepler both hit their two-run shots in the third to give Gibson an early 6-0 lead.

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“That’s huge for a starting pitcher,” Gibson said. “Then the offense did a good job of adding on in the third inning.” The Twins added to their lead with a four-run eighth, two coming on a double from Byron Buxton. They finished with 15 hits. Danny Espinosa hit a two-run homer for the Angels in the ninth. The Twins came to Anaheim on a four-game losing streak, but have won the first two games of the four-game series against the Angels. TRAINER’S ROOM Twins: C Chris Gimenez was scratched from the pregame cow-milking contest because he was starting in the game. INF Edwardo Escobar filled in, but lost to Angels reliever Blake Parker. Escobar later struck out against Parker in the ninth. … LHP Jason Wheeler was traded to the Dodgers for cash. Angels: Reliever Huston Street said he doesn’t expect to pitch again for a week after his right triceps stiffened up on him when pitching on back-to-back days on a rehab assignment. He has been out all season with a strained lat. ANGELS SIGN BOURN With outfielders Mike Trout and Cameron Maybin on the disabled list, the Angels signed veteran Michael Bourn, 34, to a minor-league contract. He started for their triple-A Salt Lake team Friday, going 0 for 2 with a run. He had been released from the Orioles’ Triple-A team last month. MAUER HOT Minnesota’s first baseman started the year slowly, .225 in the first 21 games, but hit .346 in 22 May games even before Friday’s outburst. Said Gibson: “He’s been on a tear the last month and a half. It’s been fun to watch.” UP NEXT Twins: RHP Ervin Santana (7-2) looks to continue his strong start Saturday against the Angels. In nine of his previous 11 starts, he has allowed one or no earned runs. His 1.75 ERA is the best in baseball. Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker will try to bounce back from one of his worst starts in weeks. He allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings Sunday in Miami. He is 3-1 with a 5.20 ERA in five home starts.