Twins To Place Chris Archer On IL, Select Jharel Cotton
The Twins are placing right-hander Chris Archer on the 15-day injured list due to a pectoral injury, per Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. Fellow righty Jharel Cotton will have his contract selected to take Archer’s place on the active roster. The club already had a vacancy on their 40-man roster.
Archer, 33, started yesterday’s game but was removed after two innings and 40 pitches due to this pec issue. Park relays that Archer is confident he can return after the 15-day minimum, though it’s still a noteworthy development for the club. With just over three weeks remaining in the season, even a minimum stay on the IL will keep Archer out of action until there’s only about a week remaining.
With Tyler Mahle also landing on the IL about a week ago, the club’s rotation has taken a couple of blows at a crucial time of the year. The Twins are 3 1/2 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central race, with the White Sox in between. Minnesota will be trying to play catch-up in the home stretch with a diminished pitching staff. Josh Winder was recalled today and will take a spot in the rotation next to Dylan Bundy, Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan. That four-man crew will need reinforcements as the club has an off-day on Monday before embarking on a stretch of 14 games in 13 days, with a doubleheader on September 17.
Archer is taking on a significant workload for the first time since 2019, as he missed the 2020 season entirely and only logged 19 1/3 innings last year. Through 102 2/3 frames this season, he has a 4.56 ERA, though his 19.2% strikeout rate and 11% walk rate are both career worsts. He’s likely returning to free agency this winter, as his deal with the Twins has a mutual option for 2023, with those rarely being executed by both sides.
Cotton, 30, has already been designated for assignment by the Twins three times this year, each time accepting an outright assignment to St. Paul and getting selected back to the roster later. He’s pitched well when called upon, registering a 2.83 ERA in 35 big league innings on the year. A .182 BABIP and 89.7% strand rate are likely putting a little shine on that, however, with advanced metrics like FIP and xFIP pushing over 5.00.
Outrights: VanMeter, Vieaux, Bard, Araúz, Medina, Castro, Jewell
Catching up on some players who were recently designated for assignment…
Latest Moves
- The Pirates outrighted left-hander Cam Vieaux and infielder Josh VanMeter to Triple-A after the duo each cleared waivers, according to John Dreker of Pirates Prospects (Twitter link). Vieaux and VanMeter were each designated for assignment earlier this week. VanMeter hit .187/.266/.292 over 192 PA with Pittsburgh this season, while playing all over the field as a defensive fill-in. Vieaux made his MLB debut this year, with a 10.38 ERA over 8 2/3 innings in his first taste of big league action.
- The Yankees announced that right-hander Luke Bard has been outrighted to Triple-A. Since this isn’t the first time Bard has been outrighted in his career, he can opt for free agency rather than accept the Triple-A assignment. The righty pitched one game in the pinstripes after being claimed off waivers from the Rays in early August, and for the 2022 season in total, Bard has a 1.80 ERA over 15 innings with Tampa Bay and New York.
Earlier Today
- The Orioles announced that infielder Jonathan Araúz cleared outright waivers and has been assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. He was claimed off waivers from the Red Sox in June and has gotten into 15 games at the big league level this year between the two clubs. The 24-year-old hit just .132/.150/.211 in that time but provided defensive versatility by playing second base, third base and shortstop. In 35 Triple-A games this year, he’s hit .192/.264/.238. Since this is the first outright of his career and he has less than three years of MLB service time, he won’t have the right to reject the assignment and become a free agent.
- The Mets outrighted right-hander Adonis Medina, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Medina, 25, was acquired from the Pirates in April for cash considerations and has been tossed between Triple-A and the majors all year long. In 23 2/3 MLB innings, he has a 6.08 ERA, 15.5% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate. In 26 2/3 innings for Syracuse, he has a much better 3.71 ERA and 20.2% strikeout rate, though a much higher walk rate of 12.1%. This is the first outright of his career and he has less than three years of MLB service time, meaning he will have to accept the outright assignment to Syracuse.
- The Cubs sent right-hander Kervin Castro outright to Triple-A Iowa, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The 23-year-old began the season with the Giants but went to the Cubs on a waiver claim in August. Between the two clubs, he’s thrown 12 1/3 MLB innings this year, but with a 10.22 ERA and 12.3% walk rate. In 34 2/3 Triple-A innings between the two organizations, he has a 5.19 ERA with a 16% walk rate. He has less than three years of MLB service time and this is his first career outright, meaning he will not be eligible to reject this assignment.
- The Twins sent right-hander Jake Jewell outright to Triple-A St. Paul, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The 29-year-old began the year with the Guardians on a minor league deal, getting selected to the big league roster in August but getting optioned before appearing in a game. He lasted just over a week on the 40-man roster before getting designated for assignment and landing with Minnesota on waivers. In 48 2/3 Triple-A innings between the two organizations, he has a 3.14 ERA, 25.9% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate. Unlike the others on this list, he has been previously outrighted in his career. That gives him the right to reject this assignment and elect free agency, though it’s unclear at this point if he has done so.
Twins Select Louie Varland, Designate Jake Jewell
TODAY: The Twins designated right-hander Jake Jewell for assignment, as Varland’s selection is now official. Jewell had just been claimed off waivers from the Guardians three weeks ago,
SEPTEMBER 6: The Twins are calling up one of the top pitching prospects in their system, as they’ll select the contract of right-hander Louie Varland to make his big league debut Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, per Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (Twitter link).
Varland’s call to the Majors continues a nice development story for a North St. Paul native who’ll now suit up for his hometown club. He’s one of just four players ever to be drafted out of Division-II Concordia University in St. Paul — older brother Gus Varland, currently in the Dodgers’ system, is another — and the Twins grabbed him well down the board, in the 15th round. (The Varland brothers, just one year apart in age, faced off against one another earlier this season, when both started the same game for their respective teams’ Double-A affiliates.) The younger Varland pitched just 8 2/3 innings in the Twins organization in 2019 after being drafted and didn’t pitch in 2020, when there was no minor league season.
A D-II 15th-round pick with 8 2/3 professional innings (all coming in Rookie ball) obviously isn’t going to carry much prospect fanfare, but Varland erupted with a 2021 breakout that saw him named the Twins organization’s minor league pitcher of the year. Beginning the season in Class-A Fort Myers, Varland came roaring out of the gates with a 2.09 ERA and a massive 38% strikeout rate before being promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids, where he largely repeated that success. In 55 2/3 frames with the Kernels, he posted a 2.10 ERA with a 29.9% strikeout rate. Varland walked just 7.1% of his opponents between the two levels, and by the conclusion of the ’21 season, he featured prominently among Twins prospect rankings.
It’s been more of the same for Varland in 2022 — this time between Double-A (105 innings, 3.34 ERA, 26.4% strikeout rate) and Triple-A (21 1/3 innings, 1.69 ERA, 32.1% strikeout rate). The right-hander explained to FanGraphs’ David Laurila this time last year that despite throwing just 90-92 mph during his college days, he’s now sitting 94-95 mph and peaking in the upper 90s after working with the Twins’ development staff.
“I would put it to our pitching coordinators and the pitching coaches with my teams,” Varland told Laurila. “But also Martijn [Verhoeven], our [motion performance] coach. He really cleaned up my mechanics so that I could pitch with an efficient arm path. That was really the root of it all; everything has stemmed from that.”
The results speak for themselves, as Varland has ascended from obscurity to the Major Leagues in short order — and with a career 2.61 ERA, 30% strikeout rate and 7.6% walk rate in the minor leagues. MLB.com ranks him 10th among Twins prospects, while Baseball America has him listed 16th and FanGraphs at No. 25. Varland complements a high-spin four-seamer that now draws plus grades with a trio of offspeed offerings: a changeup, a slider and a seldom-used curveball. Both the changeup and slider have potential to be above-average pitches, per that group of scouting reports, with MLB.com suggesting the changeup is already there. He’ll be controllable through at least the 2028 season.
Once he’s formally selected to the roster — which may not happen until tomorrow, if he is indeed slated for a Wednesday debut — Varland will immediately join the Twins’ rotation mix for the remainder of the season and for the 2023 campaign as well. He’ll have a full slate of three minor league option years, meaning he could be moved up and down on an as-needed basis for awhile he doesn’t immediately seize a starting job. And, with the reworked arm slot and mechanics unlocking some additional velocity, it remains possible that Varland could eventually end up a hard-throwing bullpen piece, should a role in the rotation not pan out.
Twins Place Tyler Mahle On 15-Day Injured List
In his first start back from the injured list, Tyler Mahle lasted only two innings before leaving last night’s game due to inflammation in his right shoulder. As a result, Mahle has been returned to the 15-day IL, with left-hander Jovani Moran recalled from Triple-A. Moran was only optioned to Triple-A yesterday as the corresponding move for Mahle’s activation.
Shoulder inflammation was responsible for Mahle’s previous IL stint, and he also missed three weeks in July due to a right shoulder strain. Since July 3, Mahle has appeared in only six games and tossed 28 1/3 innings, with his last four starts coming with Minnesota after being acquired by the Reds at the trade deadline.
The Twins hoped that Mahle would be a big boost to the rotation down the stretch, and he did at least contribute a 2.51 ERA over his first three outings in a Minnesota uniform (with the Twins winning all three of those games). However, given the recurring nature of his shoulder problems, it is fair to wonder if Mahle’s season could be in jeopardy.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters (including MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park) yesterday that Mahle was slated to undergo more examinations today, and implied that another IL stint was forthcoming, “What that means going forward? No one knows the answer to that yet. I’m not closing the book on him, this season, pitching for us,” Baldelli said.
As Park noted, Mahle’s start yesterday bore several similarities to the August 17 start that preceded his last IL visit. In both outings, Mahle’s velocity was down, and he threw only 37 pitches. The difference was that on August 17, Mahle still managed to hold the Royals scoreless in 2 1/3 innings, whereas the White Sox scored four runs in Mahle’s two innings yesterday en route to a 13-0 Chicago victory.
That loss dropped the Twins to 6-9 over their last 15 games. Despite a losing record (37-43) since the start of June, Minnesota remains only one game back of the Guardians for the AL Central lead, with the White Sox a game behind in third place. The division title may be the Twins’ best path to the postseason, as the Twins have fallen five games back of the last wild card berth.
Getting to the playoffs will be more difficult without Mahle, who is now the 17th player on the Twins’ extensive injured list. This list includes several notable regulars (i.e. Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach) who are tentatively expected to return in September, but the Twins can hardly afford to be without such key personnel for so long.
Sonny Gray is also a question mark after leaving his start on Friday due to hamstring tightness, as Baldelli said Gray would have to throw a bullpen session and pass other tests before being allowed to make his next start. Gray is tentatively slated to start for Minnesota on Wednesday against the Yankees, but if he can’t pitch, that leaves the rotation even more short-handed.
Twins Place Jorge Polanco On IL, Select Jermaine Palacios
The Twins announced that they have placed infielder Jorge Polanco on the 10-day injured list due to left knee inflammation, retroactive to August 31. To take his place on the active roster, they selected the contract of infielder Jermaine Palacios. To open a spot for Palacios on the 40-man roster, catcher Ryan Jeffers was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Polanco, 29, has been dealing with this knee issue for a while, having last played on August 27. IL placements can be retroactive but only to a maximum of three days. Minnesota’s primary shortstop for much of his career, Polanco has slid over to second base for the past couple of campaigns, yielding to Andrelton Simmons last year and Carlos Correa here in 2022. His bat has been just as productive as ever this year, as he’s hit 16 home runs and is slashing .235/.346/.405 on the season. That production is 20% better than league average, by measure of wRC+, just shy of his career best wRC+ of 124, outside of a five-game cameo in 2014.
With Polanco on the shelf, Nick Gordon has been manning the keystone this week. For the season, he’s hitting .279/.322/.440 for a wRC+ of 118. That should allow the club to avoid a significant downgrade on the infield, though it means Gordon is subtracted from an outfield mix that has lost Byron Buxton and Alex Kirilloff to the IL in the past month. The Twins are just a single game behind the Guardians in the Central division and four games back of the Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot in the American League.
Palacios, 26, briefly made his MLB debut earlier this year when selected as a “substitute” while Correa was on the COVID IL. He got into eight games before being returned to the minors. He’s played 101 Triple-A games and hit .283/.341/.462 on the year for a wRC+ of 112. Defensively, he’s played primarily shortstop but also spent some time at each of the other infield positions as well as the outfield corners, giving the club some extra depth all around.
As for Jeffers, this move is largely a formality as he has been out of action since mid-July due to a thumb contusion. He will now be ineligible to return until 60 days from his initial IL placement, which would be mid-September. He recently resumed baseball activities but hasn’t yet started a rehab assignment and was targeting a late September return to action.
Twins Reinstate Tyler Mahle From 15-Day Injured List
The Twins officially reinstated Tyler Mahle from the 15-day injured list, prior to Mahle’s scheduled start tonight against the White Sox. Left-hander Jovani Moran was optioned to Triple-A to create roster space.
Mahle missed just a little beyond the 15-day minimum, as he was retroactively placed on the IL on August 18 due to inflammation his right shoulder. The issue caused Mahle to leave his last start after 2 1/3 innings, but an MRI came back clean, and the Twins even considered only skipping Mahle for a single start in the hopes that he could avoid the injured list altogether. However, the team opted for some caution given that Mahle also missed three weeks in July due to a shoulder strain.
That injury created doubt as to whether or not Mahle would be healthy enough to be traded by the August 2 deadline, but after he returned from the IL, the Reds indeed moved Mahle in exchange for three prospects. Mahle was off to a nice start with Minnesota before his injury, posting a 2.51 ERA over three outings and 14 1/3 innings in a Twins uniform.
Getting Mahle back in pretty short order is a sign of relief for a Twins club that is battling for both the AL Central (one game behind the Guardians) and for a wild card spot (four games behind the Blue Jays). Today’s game has particular import for the Twins, as the White Sox are only two games behind Minnesota in the standings.
AL Notes: Rizzo, Aguilar, Guardians, Pagan, Rangers, Heim, Huff
Anthony Rizzo has been dealing with back problems for much of the season, and the Yankees first baseman received an epidural on Thursday that will sideline him for the next few games. The plan is to have Rizzo in the lineup on Monday when the Yankees open a homestand against the Twins, manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News). “This is something that should give him a lot of relief the rest of the way this season,” Boone said, also noting that Rizzo received a clean MRI on his back earlier in August.
The lingering back problems are a likely cause of Rizzo’s slump in August, as the first baseman has hit only .200/.282/.371 in his last 78 plate appearances. Rizzo still has a healthy 136 wRC+ for the season even despite these recent struggles, but the Yankees surely need him back at full production for both the playoffs and what has become a surprisingly competitive AL East race with the surging Rays.
More from around the American League…
- The Guardians didn’t have interest in Jesus Aguilar before the first baseman signed with the Orioles, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Aguilar spent his first three MLB seasons with Cleveland in 2014-16, playing in only 35 big league games before being claimed by the Brewers in February 2017. While he has enjoyed some success in his career, Aguilar has struggled in 2022, with only a .232/.282/.382 slash line over 463 plate appearances. While the Guards are lacking in offense and Aguilar makes some sense as a first base/DH platoon partner with Josh Naylor, there’s no guarantee that Aguilar would’ve suddenly turned things around in Cleveland.
- Emilio Pagan drew some “mild interest” in trade talks before the deadline, The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman reports. Acquired as part of a notable four-player swap with the Padres before the season, Pagan’s first Twins season has difficult, with the reliever posting a 4.94 ERA over 51 innings. Though Pagan has a very good 29.8% strikeout rate, he has been homer-prone, his 9.3% walk rate is well below average, and opposing batters are making tons of hard contact. Pagan is arbitration-eligible this winter and might be a non-tender candidate, except the Twins feel they might still be able to deal the right-hander rather than let him go for nothing in a non-tender.
- Rangers prospect Sam Huff has yet to receive a true extended look in the majors, with 10 games in 2020 and 30 games this season. While Texas might call Huff up at some point before 2022 is over, the team will continue giving Huff regular work behind the plate at Triple-A while Jonah Heim continues as the regular catcher for the big league team, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. Heim still needs some seasoning in his own right, with interim manager Tony Beasley noting that Heim “needs to feel [an incresed workload] a little bit. That’s part of getting through the season, something that all everyday catchers have to feel.” Heim has enjoyed a quality season on the whole, but his production has dropped off since the All-Star break, quite possibly because of his career-high number of MLB plate appearances and games played.
Every Team’s Initial September Call-Ups
Each season as the calendar flips to September, we see a flurry of transactions around Major League Baseball. Active roster sizes jump from 26 to 28 for the season’s final month, with teams permitted to bring up no more than one additional pitcher. We’ve already covered a host of transactions with 40-man roster implications throughout the day at MLBTR. Here’s a full round-up of teams’ initial September roster moves.
American League West
Houston Astros:
- Selected contract of RHP Hunter Brown
- Selected contract of C Yainer Diaz
- Corresponding moves: IF Niko Goodrum and RHP Peter Solomon designated for assignment
Los Angeles Angels:
- Selected contract of OF Ryan Aguilar
- Selected contract of RHP Zack Weiss
- Corresponding moves: OF Steven Duggar and INF Jose Rojas designated for assignment
Oakland Athletics
- Selected contract of LHP Ken Waldichuk from Triple-A Las vegas
- Recalled OF Cody Thomas from Triple-A Las Vegas
- Corresponding move: RHP David McKay designated for assignment
Seattle Mariners
- Reinstated LHP Matthew Boyd from 60-day injured list
- Recalled OF Taylor Trammell from Triple-A Tacoma
- Corresponding moves: None required
Texas Rangers
- Selected contract of RHP Jesus Tinoco from Triple-A Round Rock
- Recalled OF Nick Solak from Triple-A Round Rock
- Corresponding move: Transferred RHP Josh Sborz to 60-day injured list
American League Central
Chicago White Sox
- Recalled OF Adam Haseley from Triple-A Charlotte
- Recalled RHP Matt Foster from Triple-A Charlotte
- Corresponding move: None required
Cleveland Guardians
- Recalled SS Ernie Clement from Triple-A Columbus
- Reinstated RHP Cody Morris from 60-day injured list
- Corresponding move: Designated RHP Anthony Castro for assignment
Detroit Tigers
- Recalled 1B Spencer Torkelson from Triple-A Toledo
- Selected contract of INF Ryan Kreidler from Triple-A Toledo
- Corresponding move: Transferred RHP Rony Garcia to 60-day injured list
Kansas City Royals
- Selected contract of RHP Daniel Mengden from Triple-A Omaha
- Recalled OF Nate Eaton from Triple-A Omaha
- Corresponding move: None required
Minnesota Twins
- Added LHP Austin Davis (previously claimed off waivers from Red Sox) to active roster
- Selected contract of OF Billy Hamilton from Triple-A St. Paul
- Corresponding move: Transferred OF Trevor Larnach to 60-day injured list
American League East
Baltimore Orioles
- Selected contract of 1B Jesus Aguilar from Triple-A Norfolk
- Recalled LHP DL Hall from Triple-A Norfolk
- Corresponding move: Designated INF Richie Martin for assignment
Boston Red Sox
- Recalled C Connor Wong from Triple-A Worcester
- Selected contract of RHP Eduard Bazardo
- Corresponding moves: None required
New York Yankees
- Recalled SS Oswald Peraza from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
- Activated INF Marwin Gonzalez from paternity list
- Corresponding moves: None required
Tampa Bay Rays
- Reinstated RHP Matt Wisler from the 15-day injured list
- Recalled INF Jonathan Aranda from Triple-A Durham
- Corresponding moves: None required
Toronto Blue Jays
- Recalled RHP Casey Lawrence from Triple-A Buffalo
- Added OF Bradley Zimmer (claimed off waivers from Phillies this week) to active roster
- Corresponding moves: None required
National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks
- Selected contract of IF Wilmer Difo from Triple-A Reno
- Reinstated RHP Keynan Middleton and LHP Kyle Nelson from 15-day injured list
- Corresponding move: Designated RHP Noe Ramirez for assignment
Colorado Rockies
- Recalled INF Alan Trejo from Triple-A Albuquerque
- Recalled RHP Chad Smith from Triple-A Albuquerque
- Corresponding moves: None required
Los Angeles Dodgers
- Reinstated LHP Clayton Kershaw from 15-day injured list
- Recalled 3B Miguel Vargas from Triple-A Oklahoma City
- Corresponding moves: None required
San Diego Padres
- Recalled INF Matt Beaty from Triple-A El Paso
- Recalled RHP Reiss Knehr from Triple-A El Paso
- Corresponding moves: None required
San Francisco Giants
- Selected contract of recently-acquired OF Lewis Brinson
- Recalled IF David Villar from Triple-A Sacramento
- Corresponding move: Outrighted LHP Jonathan Bermudez to Triple-A Sacramento
National League Central
Chicago Cubs
- Selected contract of RHP Jeremiah Estrada from Triple-A Iowa
- Recalled INF David Bote from Triple-A Iowa
- Corresponding move: Transferred Wade Miley from 15-day injured list to 60-day injured list
Cincinnati Reds
- Selected contract of 2B/3B Spencer Steer
- Selected contract of RHP Fernando Cruz
- Corresponding moves: Transferred INF Mike Moustakas and RHP Jeff Hoffman from 10-day injured list to 60-day injured list
Milwaukee Brewers
- Recalled RHP Luis Perdomo from Triple-A Nashville
- Recalled OF Esteury Ruiz from Triple-A Nashville
- Corresponding moves: None required
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Recalled RHP Johan Oviedo from Triple-A Indianapolis
- Recalled OF Calvin Mitchell from Triple-A Indianapolis
- Corresponding moves: None required
St. Louis Cardinals
- Selected contract of OF Ben DeLuzio from Triple-A Memphis
- Recalled RHP James Naile from Triple-A Memphis
- Corresponding moves: None required
National League East
Atlanta Braves
- Reinstated IF Orlando Arcia from 10-day injured list
- Added recently-claimed RHP Jesse Chavez to active roster
- Corresponding moves: None required
Miami Marlins*
- To recall OF Bryan De La Cruz
- To recall RHP Jeff Brigham
- Corresponding moves: None required
New York Mets
- Selected contract of INF Deven Marrero from Triple-A Syracuse
- Recalled RHP Adonis Medina from Triple-A Syracuse
- Corresponding move: Designated RHP Connor Grey for assignment
Philadelphia Phillies
- Selected contract of RHP Vinny Nittoli from Triple-A Lehigh Valley
- Recalled C Donny Sands from Triple-A Lehigh Valley
- Corresponding moves: None required
Washington Nationals
- Recalled C Tres Barrera from Triple-A Rochester
- Recalled RHP Mason Thompson from Triple-A Rochester
- Corresponding moves: None required
*Marlins moves reported by Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link)
Twins Select Billy Hamilton
12:23pm: The Twins announced that Hamilton’s contract has been selected and that lefty Austin Davis, whom they claimed off waivers from the Red Sox earlier this week, has been added to the active roster. Outfielder Trevor Larnach was moved from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL to open a 40-man spot for Hamilton. Larnach has been out more than 60 days already after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia back in late June, so the move to the 60-day IL is a pure formality. The Twins are still hopeful that he can return this month.
8:53am: The Twins are set to select the contract of veteran speedster Billy Hamilton, as first reported by TwinsDaily’s Ted Schwerzler. It’s an off-day for Minnesota, but Hamilton will be with the team for tomorrow’s series opener against the division-rival White Sox, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 SKOR North radio. The team will need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move for Hamilton, as they’re currently at capacity.
Hamilton, 32 next week, signed a minor league deal with the Twins last month after declining an outright assignment with the Marlins, for whom he went 1-for-13 while appearing in 20 games (mostly as a defensive replacement) earlier this summer. He’ll be joining his eighth Major League team when he suits up for Minnesota. The longtime Reds center fielder is considered one of the best defensive players in the sport and will give the Twins two of the game’s most dynamic outfield gloves once Byron Buxton returns from the 10-day IL. (He’s eligible this weekend, though the team has not yet indicated when he’ll be reinstated.)
Hamilton’s blistering speed and glovework helped to overshadow perennial lackluster showings at the plate for the first several seasons of his career in Cincinnati. He hit just .244/.297/.332 in 2714 plate appearances from 2014-18 but remained the Reds’ everyday option in center thanks to his glove and an average of 53 stolen bases per season. His offense fell off even harder in 2019, however, and the switch-hitting Hamilton has moved into journeyman status, batting a combined .209/.266/.293 in 539 plate appearances spread across six teams in the past four years.
With the Twins, Hamilton will provide a valuable late-game defensive replacement and pinch-running option as Minnesota looks to close a 1.5-game deficit and retake the AL Central lead from the Guardians. And, at least for now, with Buxton, Trevor Larnach and Alex Kirilloff all on the injured list — Kirilloff’s season is over, following August wrist surgery — there could be some additional opportunities to make a few starts. At present, the Twins have shortstop-turned-outfielder Nick Gordon in left field, Gilberto Celestino in center and stalwart Max Kepler in right field. Kyle Garlick gives them a corner option against left-handed pitching, and lefty-swinging Jake Cave gives them another outfielder capable of playing any of the three positions.
Because Hamilton was in the organization prior to Sept. 1, he’ll be postseason-eligible, although the fact that he wasn’t on the 40-man roster as of midnight last night means he’d require league approval as postseason replacement for a player on the injured list. Still, teams make such swaps every year, so if Minnesota ultimately qualifies for the playoffs and wants to roster Hamilton as a bench option, they’ll be able to do so.
Twins Claim Austin Davis From Red Sox
The Twins have claimed reliever Austin Davis off waivers from the Red Sox, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Davis had been designated for assignment on Sunday.
The 29-year-old left-hander spent some time with the Phillies and Pirates to begin his career. The Red Sox acquired him from the Bucs in a July 2021 trade that sent Michael Chavis to Pittsburgh. After the trade, Davis put up a 4.86 ERA in 16 2/3 innings, along with a 22.7% strikeout rate, 9.3% walk rate and 47.1% ground ball rate. This year, he has a 5.47 ERA through 54 1/3 innings, striking out 24% of batters but walking 11.4% of them.
Boston decided to shake up their struggling bullpen recently, with Davis among those to get the cut. The Twins had an open spot on their 40-man roster and used it to pick him up. Active rosters expand from 26 to 28 tomorrow, which should make it easy for Davis to fit in there. He will join Caleb Thielbar and Jovani Moran as lefty options out of Minnesota’s bullpen. Because he has joined the club’s 40-man roster prior to tonight’s 11:59pm ET postseason eligibility deadline, he will have the chance to earn a spot on the club’s playoff team. That will likely involve him having improved results in his new uniform, in addition to the Twins gaining ground in the Wild Card race, where they are currently three games behind the Blue Jays for the last spot.