Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Tuesday, April 17, 2018

 Tribe, Twins ready for 'crazy' atmosphere in PR, Sunday. MLB.com (Bollinger) p.1  'A lot of emotion': Rosario visits his PR school.. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 2  Pitching in PR exciting, significant to Odorizzi. MLB.com (Morosi) p. 3  Twins bring smiles to PR children's hospital. MLB.com (Venn) p. 4  Twins-Indians series in is about more than for many. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 4  Ryan LaMarre officially added for Twins' Puerto Rican trip. Star Tribune (Miller) p.6  Twins announce makeup dates for postponed White Sox games. Star Tribune (Staff) p.7  Twins-Cleveland series preview. Star Tribune (Neal) p.7  Here’s why Twins lost two home games for Puerto Rico series vs. . Pioneer Press (Berardino) p.7  It turns out Ryan LaMarre will be with the Twins in Puerto Rico after all. ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p.8  Twins reschedule three games with White Sox. Associated Press (Staff) p. 9  Twins to thaw out vs. Indians in Puerto Rico. Fox Sports North (STATS) p.9  MLBRank 100-51: Impressive young stars move up the rankings. ESPN (Staff) p.10  Puerto Rico series a homecoming for Twins, Indians. Associated Press (Staff) p.11  Twins' trip to Puerto Rico gives a chance to go home again. The Athletic (Hayes) p. 12  Corcoran: Diving into the shenanigans behind major-league service time The Athletic (Corcoran) p. 13

Tribe, Twins ready for 'crazy' atmosphere in PR Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | April 16, 2018

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The Indians and Twins both have Puerto Rican stars on their teams and now is their time to shine on their native island in a two-game series at that begins Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET. It's the first regular-season Major League action in Puerto Rico since 2010, with FS1 broadcasting Tuesday's game and ESPN airing Wednesday's game. Both games will also be available on MLB.TV.

Indians shortstop , a native of Caguas, is a two-time All-Star looking to make an impact in front of sold-out crowds at the stadium, while the Twins counter with left fielder Eddie Rosario, who is from Guayama and is coming off a breakout year that saw him rack up 27 homers and 33 doubles. Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez hails from Mayaguez but won't be behind the plate until Wednesday, while Minnesota right-hander Jose Berrios, a Bayamon native, gets the start on Wednesday opposite right-hander Carlos Carrasco.

"Fans are going to go crazy," Rosario said. "Everyone is going to cry and be so happy. It's going to be so much fun."

Lindor, one of baseball's biggest rising stars, figures to get a hero's welcome at the stadium where he grew up watching games before he moved to Florida as a teenager.

"I have said many times that playing in Puerto Rico is a dream come true," Lindor said. "I can't wait to take the field in front of the fans in my homeland. I'm sure it is going to be a moment that I'll never forget."

Along with seeing some of their players lifted emotionally by returning home, the Indians and Twins are doing their part to help those affected by Hurricane Maria, which hit Puerto Rico hard in September. Berrios and many of his teammates visited patients at San Jorge Children's Hospital in San Juan on Sunday night, while the Indians decided to donate a full postseason share from last year to Nuestra Escuela, a high school in Caguas.

Tuesday features a strong pitching matchup led by two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber (1-1, 1.57 ERA), while the Twins will start right-hander Jake Odorizzi (1-0, 2.20 ERA), who is off to a strong start since being traded from the Rays in .

"I'm excited," Odorizzi said. "It might be a hostile crowd when you're facing the local guys, but that's OK. This is going to be a really cool event."

Weather has affected both clubs early in the season, as the Twins haven't played since Thursday, while the Indians saw their games on Saturday and Sunday postponed.

Cleveland originally had Josh Tomlin slated to start on Wednesday, but Carrasco will take the mound instead, while the Twins made sure to get Berrios a start in Puerto Rico despite several members of the rotation, such as Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, getting extended breaks because of the postponed games.

Berrios has looked like an ace in the early going with a shutout in his first outing and 11 in his last outing against the White Sox on Thursday.

"I'm extremely anxious right now," Berrios said. "I get to step on the mound in front of my fans and my family and my country, and I'm looking forward to it."

Perez will also get the chance the play in front of his home fans on Wednesday when he catches Carrasco. And Indians first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. also gets the opportunity to go home as well.

"For Frankie, Roberto and Sandy, it will be really special," Indians manager said. "Again, you've got to remember that they're not exhibition games, because sometimes you get [distracted] in that atmosphere. But, I think it's good for baseball, and I think our guys will enjoy it."

'A lot of emotion': Rosario visits his PR school Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | April 16, 2018

GUAYAMA, Puerto Rico -- As Twins left fielder Eddie Rosario stepped out of a black SUV onto familiar ground at his old high school on Monday, he was greeted by those who helped shape him as a youngster growing up in Puerto Rico.

Rosario, visiting Escuela Dr. Rafael Lopez Landron for the first time in seven years as part of 's "Players Going Home" initiative, immediately gave a big hug to the school's principal, Edna Rodriguez Alvarez, who served as his English teacher in summer school. There was also his youth baseball coach, Alfredo Ortiz Martinez, who greeted Rosario with a leaping forearm bump before embracing each other.

It was quite the scene for Rosario, who was able to thank those who helped him reach the Major Leagues and also met with current students, including 75 who participated in a baseball clinic with Rosario at a local baseball field near the high school. It's all leading up the Puerto Rico series between the Twins and Indians, which begins on Tuesday night at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

"There's a lot of emotion right here," Rosario said. "Tomorrow, I want to try to have fun every moment. I know I'll remember this moment for all my life. I'll remember everything."

Those who knew Rosario best growing up could tell he had that special something, as he possessed more than just natural talent. He was a hard worker who remained coachable and respectful because he grew up in a tight-knit family with deep roots in Guayama, which is about 75 minutes south of San Juan.

"He was unique," said Martinez, who coached him on the Rangers from ages 4-12. "Since he was a little kid, you could tell he was going to be a big leaguer. He had a baseball sense. He was so disciplined. He was just a very nice kid. Whatever we told him, he'd go. The most important thing was his parents always supported him and were at every game."

Of course, Rosario had plenty of talent, including a strong throwing arm he's since shown off in left field, leading the league in outfield assists with 12 as a rookie in 2015. He played both shortstop and center field growing up, but also pitched in big games, although he mostly scared the opposing teams when he was on the mound.

"You had to be careful when he was pitching," Martinez said. "Because he had such great speed in his pitches, we were worried that if he hit one kid, the other eight kids wouldn't want to hit."

Of course, Rosario's upbringing involved more than just baseball, as he pointed to the classrooms where he was taught English and Spanish as a high schooler. Rosario has worked hard at becoming a better English speaker and conducted interviews at the school on Monday in both languages, which impressed the school's principal.

"It's great to see him," said Alvarez, who presented him with a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion. "Being able to watch him express himself in English, I was part of that. Everybody loves him." It's evident that Rosario is beloved in his hometown, as he's the most successful baseball player from the area and he continues to give back to his 2 community. Rosario made two different trips back to his home island in the offseason as part of the Hurricane Maria recovery efforts, going door to door to bring supplies to those in need, especially in the mountainous region that didn't have access to safe roads or water.

"The people were so desperate and so excited when he brought help with supplies, food and all those things," Eddie's father said. "Everyone was so happy to see him. People were so grateful. People were crying. I was crying. People were so desperate."

The hurricane damage forced Eddie Sr. and the family to move in December to Orlando, Fla., which is where Rosario spends his offseasons with his wife, Milany, and their three young children. But Rosario has made it a point to continue the relief efforts, as the island has still not fully recovered from the devastation brought by the hurricane.

"I see the people happy," Rosario said. "I know that people need that. I try to help, to say to the people, 'Hey, everything is going to be better. Everything is going to be good.' I'm here to help them. I feel comfortable to help the people. It makes me feel good inside."

Rosario kept that same optimism when talking to the students at the school, letting them know that achieving their goals is possible with hard work and they can look to him as an example of someone who came from the same area and achieved his ultimate dream of playing in the Majors.

"Maybe the guys think it's difficult to go to the Major Leagues, but I'm here to say, 'No,'" Rosario said. "Work, study and keep your dream. I'm doing it. I'm doing my dream and I want the young guys to know anything is possible."

Pitching in PR exciting, significant to Odorizzi Jon Paul Morosi | MLB.com | April 16, 2018

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Monday marked the fourth consecutive day the Twins did not play a baseball game for which a weekend snowout in Minneapolis was chiefly to blame.

That's the longest combination of weather-related postponements and scheduled off-days for a Major League Baseball team since the Mariners were idle for five days in April 2007, according to MLB Network.

"Just your average April All-Star break," Twins right-hander Jake Odorizzi quipped Monday.

The respite is due to end at a jubilant Hiram Bithorn Stadium on Tuesday, as the Twins and Indians play the first MLB game in Puerto Rico since 2010. As Minnesota's starting , Odorizzi will throw the pitch that brings big league baseball back to the island.

Odorizzi has had six days of rest since his last outing. Fellow starter Lance Lynn will pitch on 10 days' rest when he returns to the mound Friday. But neither is complaining, because they're committed to a goal the Twins have shared since the start of Spring Training: Jose Berrios -- the Bayamon, Puerto Rico, native who grew up less than 10 miles away from the ballpark -- must start one of the two games in his homeland.

In fact, Lynn approached Twins manager Paul Molitor to suggest that his start be moved back, out of respect to Berrios.

"He beat me to the punch," Odorizzi said. "He volunteered for it. We both wanted Jose to throw down here. This is a very special thing. We're excited to see him in his homeland, getting to throw in front of a bunch of family."

Berrios, 23, would have been a strong candidate to start Minnesota's season opener, but this week's Puerto Rico Series took precedent. The honor instead belonged to Odorizzi, who had arrived from Tampa Bay in a trade only six weeks before.

Odorizzi has validated that trust, going 1-0 with a 2.20 ERA in his first three starts with the Twins.

"He has all the ability to be the Opening Day starter," Odorizzi said of Berrios. "He's got plenty of Opening Days ahead of him, and I think we can see why that is. For him, on a personal note -- not to speak for him -- but I think this is more important, all things considered, especially with what they went through with [Hurricane Maria]. This brings a lot of light and a lot of joy to a lot of people here. I'm excited for him."

The Twins and Indians each have two Puerto Rican natives on their roster: Berrios and outfielder Eddie Rosario for Minnesota; Francisco Lindor and Roberto Perez for Cleveland.

Odorizzi was among the Twins players who embraced the island ethos with their sartorial choices for Sunday's team charter to San Juan. He wore white jeans and a white jean jacket, along with a red button-down shirt and bright red shoes.

"After the first hour [of the flight], there was a lot of excitement, a lot of Latin music on the plane," Odorizzi said. "Everyone was getting in the mood. You could tell [Berrios and Rosario] were happy. As soon as we landed, there was a lot of 'Puerto Rico!' screams and yells in the back, 3 letting everyone know we're here. You can see the energy -- for a lot of people around the park, too. This is a big thing."

Both of the games are sold out, and Odorizzi acknowledged the uniqueness of pitching before a raucous neutral-site crowd that isn't necessarily aligned with one team over the other.

"I'm excited," he said. "It might be a hostile crowd when you're facing the local guys, but that's OK. This is going to be a really cool event. ... It's one of those things where you might gain fans as the game goes on, depending on how you're doing. It'll be unique. I've never played winter ball, but I've heard it's a lot of excitement, a lot of music. It'll be a fun environment, and I think a lot of guys are going to feed off that."

Former Indians All-Star infielder , who grew up in the San Juan area, said in an interview Monday with MLB.com that Puerto Rico is "75 percent" back to normal after Hurricane Maria. During his first 24 hours on the island, Odorizzi said he's seen evidence of that resurgence.

"I've never been here [before], but I feel like there's a lot of work that's been done since then, a lot of people getting their lives back together," Odorizzi said. "I'm sure once you get outside of the city, there's a lot of rebuilding to this day. But where we're at, everything looks beautiful. They've done a really good job of getting things back in order. I know the power situation was a very tough thing to deal with, and still is today, but I think they've done a fantastic job."

While the greater significance of this week's series will be on Odorizzi's mind Tuesday night, he also won't forget the more basic circumstances: Two division rivals and 2017 playoff teams are playing for the first time this season. The team that wins Tuesday's game will occupy first place in the Central.

"These are important games," Odorizzi said. "We're playing against the team that won the division last year, and this is our first time facing them [this season]. It's a big two-game series. For us to do what we want to do this year, we have to be able to beat them. This will be a good test of where we're at."

26th man Outfielder Ryan LaMarre, who was optioned on Sunday to make room for right-handed pitcher Alan Busenitz, is expected to be recalled as the 26th man on Tuesday for the Puerto Rico Series.

Twins bring smiles to PR children's hospital David Venn | MLB.com | April 16, 2018

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Just a few hours after landing late Sunday night, Jose Berrios and several of his Twins teammates spent the bulk of Monday afternoon visiting patients at San Jorge Children's Hospital in San Juan.

Berrios, a native of Puerto Rico and slated to start for Minnesota on Wednesday evening at Hiram Bithorn Stadium against the Cleveland Indians, was accompanied by Joe Mauer, Kyle Gibson, Jake Odorizzi, Trevor Hildenberger, Tyler Kinley, Alan Busenitz, and Twins legend in bringing smiles to young faces.

The group, which also included Twins mascot TC, handed out signed jerseys, balls, photos and other souvenirs, as they went ward by ward to room by room.

"It's big for us to have the chance to see these kids," said Berrios, a father of three. "I know how hard it must be for a parent to see these children in this situation. It makes us really happy to be here for the time that we can to give some joy to these kids."

San Jorge Children's Hospital opened in 1962, and it treats patients aged newborn to 21. It is supported by the San Jorge Foundation in Puerto Rico, and it also has centers in Arecibo, Bayamon, Ponce, Caguas and Santurce.

"This is one of the things that I wanted to do," Mauer said. "We have a chance to do that and guys are great back home, but coming down here and seeing the excitement from everybody, you want to give something back. I wanted to come here and hopefully put a smile on a couple kids' faces."

Twins-Indians series in Puerto Rico is about more than baseball for many La Velle E. Neal | Star Tribune | April 16, 2018

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – Moises Roman knew he was wrong. But he did it anyway.

Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in late September of last year, and in early October there was still no power or internet service in the San Juan area — and there wouldn’t be a long time. 4

Flouting a 10 p.m. curfew, Roman got in his car and drove for 30 minutes, pulling into the parking lot of a hospital that was powered by generators so he could tap into its wireless signal. Then he watched the Twins play the Yankees in a wild-card game.

“I was ready to spend the night in jail just to be able to watch the game,” said Roman, a loan officer at a bank who lives in Canovanas, the home of Twins minor leaguer . “I had no choice. I was already affected by Maria, but there was no way I was going to miss those games. I’m not a Yankee fan. I’m a huge Yankee fan.”

Puerto Rico is full of passionate baseball fans. As the island gets back on its feet following the devastating Category 4 hurricane, baseball has been its crutch. It can show the baseball world how much progress it has made Tuesday and Wednesday when it hosts the Twins and Cleveland in the Puerto Rico Series.

“This is huge for us,” said Roman, 37, “especially after Maria.”

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jose Berrios leads a group of his Twins teammates during a visit to the San Jorge Children's Hospital in San Juan, Pu

• • •

Maria caused about $85 billion in damage in Puerto Rico. Depending on who you ask, 5 to 10 percent of the country remains without power, mostly in mountainous areas in the middle of the island.

The series between the Twins and Indians was announced before the hurricane hit, but despite the damage, locals were undeterred. The games are sold out, and Hiram Bithorn Stadium (which holds slightly more than 18,000) will be overflowing with 39,000 tickets sold.

These two days will celebrate what some consider to be a golden age for the sport of the island, as young products such as Houston shortstop and Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor have become stars. Puerto Rican Twins Jose Berrios and Eddie Rosario have gotten heroes’ welcomes.

The series will show how much progress the country has made, post-Maria. And, in a place in which tourism fuels the economy, Puerto Ricans want to prove they remain a vacation destination.

“The message to the United States is that Puerto Rico is open for business,” said Rosario, who spent Monday visiting schools in his home near Guayama. “It is still a beautiful island. Yes, there are still places in recovery mode, but most of the island is back up and is good and everyone is working hard to make it better.”

• • •

Bithorn, who pitched for the Cubs and White Sox from 1942-47, was the first Puerto Rican player in Major League Baseball. More than 260 have reached the major leagues since then. Four — Ivan Rodriguez, Roberto Alomar, Orlando Cepeda and the incomparable Roberto Clemente — are in the Hall of Fame.

Many here are excited about the current group in the majors. In addition to Correa, Lindor, Berrios and Rosario, there are Cubs infielder Javier Baez, Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez and Cardinals catcher . Most were part of a Puerto Rican team that finished second in the last year. The run to the title game energized the island. Everyone on the team dyed their hair blond, even the venerable Carlos Beltran, and the country took note.

“Half of the island had blond hair,” said Tuti Munoz, vice president of MB Sports, which helped promote the series. “It was collective pride. A lot of the kids were looking at soccer or something else to play, but they changed their minds. There was one report that in the next Little League season, there was an increase in registration.”

Like other Latin countries and colleges in the United States, there are cycles in which top players are produced. Twins scout Freddie Thon, who works in Puerto Rico, pointed out a gap between the Alomar-Rodriguez era and the current one.

“Players like Correa, Lindor, Berrios and down to Rosario are just so talented,” Thon said. “They were developed well in Puerto Rico but are just so talented. Especially Correa and Lindor and the people they are. It’s kind of generational. It’s exciting for the island, obviously.”

• • •

There are plenty of good coaches around Puerto Rico, many of them former major leaguers. There are two major baseball academies on the island 5

— the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy (PRBA), located in Gurabo, which is about 30 minutes outside of San Juan; and the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy, located in Florida, near San Juan.

Correa said he was one of about 250 players at the PRBA who took classes from 8 a.m.-noon, then worked on baseball from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“They taught me to play baseball the right way, and that is the most important thing,” he said. “They prepare you physically and mentally to be ready.

Twins pitcher Jose Berrios, a Puerto Rico native, shook hands with 7-year-old Lucas Suarez during a visit Monday by a group of Twins at the San Jorge

“School was not my favorite part. I went to the academy to play. They do a pretty good job combining both. The perfect environment to play every single day.”

Other players from the island, such as Berrios and Rosario, were scouted while playing in Puerto Rico’s version of Legion baseball, as well as showcases. Lindor lived in Puerto Rico until he was 12 before going to a prep school in Florida. Fans here still claim him, as his jersey is for sale outside the stadium this week along with those of Berrios, Rosario, Correa and Indians catcher Roberto Perez, who’s from Mayaguez.

• • •

One of the lasting images in the aftermath of Maria was the damage at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Trees were snapped in half. Branches were stuck in the honeycomb-like siding of the park. And the statue of Bithorn in mid-delivery fell off its base and was smashed on the ground. The base, which holds a plaque detailing Bithorn’s career, has been repaired, but not the statue yet.

The stadium lights have been replaced. The outfield bleachers, bullpens and batting cages had to be repaired or replaced. And a fresh coat of paint was slapped on the exterior over the weekend.

The Twins and Indians arrived Sunday and are staying at the same hotel. Players mingled on Sunday night.

On Monday, Rosario and Berrios made public appearances while a handful of players worked out at the stadium. The Twins haven’t played a game since Thursday because of snowstorms in the Twin Cities, so manager Paul Molitor seeks a return to normalcy.

But this week is more than two games between two American League Central clubs in another country.

“I don’t know how to measure how big it is,” Molitor said. “Obviously, we have been given opportunities, in the position that we take in our game, people look up to it, and we have a chance to have influence.”

Roman not only will be at Tuesday’s game; he’s headed to New York next week when the Twins face the Yankees to watch some games as well. He estimated the crowd will be split on Tuesday but, when Berrios starts Wednesday, it will favor the Twins.

He promised an atmosphere with music, singing and plenty of spirit. Because that’s how it’s done on the island.

“You’re going to feel it when you arrive at the game,” Roman said. “It’s like a carnival and the players are going feed from that, especially the Latino players. You guys are going to have good weather this week!”

Ryan LaMarre officially added for Twins' Puerto Rican trip Chris Miller | Star Tribune | April 16, 2018

The Twins are allowed to have a 26th player to their roster for the international two-game series in San Juan against Cleveland, so they added outfielder Ryan LaMarre on Monday.

The 26th player has to be a position player. The Twins sent LaMarre to Class AAA Rochester on Friday, then added pitcher Alan Busenitz to the roster on Sunday so they could follow the rules properly.

Earlier Monday the Twins announced their makeup dates for the three postponed games from last weekend.

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Twins announce makeup dates for postponed White Sox games Staff Report | Star Tribune | April 16, 2018

The Twins announced makeup dates for their three games against the White Sox that were postponed because of inclement weather over the weekend.

Friday’s postponed game will be made up at 3:10 p.m. Tuesday, June 5 at 3:10 p.m. as part of a straight doubleheader. The second game will start approximately 30 minutes after the first game ends. Jackie Robinson Day festivities that were scheduled for this past weekend will be celebrated during Game 1 of the doubleheader.

Saturday’s postponed game has been moved to 1:10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28 at 1:10 p.m. as part of a split doubleheader. The second game of the doubleheader will be the already scheduled 7:10 p.m. game.

Sunday’s postponed game was moved to 6:10 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20, which was a previously scheduled off day for both teams.

Per the Twins, fans who had tickets to Friday’s game “can utilize the value of their ticket as a voucher toward any future Twins regular-season game in 2018.” Fans who had tickets to Saturday or Sunday’s postponed games can either “utilize their tickets for admission into the rescheduled game” or “exchange their unused ticket for any future Twins regular season game in 2018 [subject to ticket availability].”

Those who have a Spring Ballpark Pass can use the pass for both games of the straight doubleheader June 5, but for only the rescheduled game in the other two cases.

Twins-Cleveland series preview La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | April 16, 2018

Two-Game Series at Hiram Bithorn Stadium

Tuesday, 6:10 p.m. • FS1, 830-AM: RHP Jake Odorizzi (1-0, 2.20 ERA) vs. RHP Corey Kluber (1-1, 1.57)

Wednesday, 6:10 p.m. • ESPN, 830-FM RHP Jose Berrios (2-1, 2.18) vs. RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-0, 3.48)

TWINS UPDATE

This will be the Twins’ first game since Thursday when they defeated the White Sox; three weekend games were snowed out. … Players went through an optional workout on Sunday before leaving for Puerto Rico. Joe Mauer, who leads the major leagues with a .412 batting average, was among a group of players that worked out Monday on the FieldTurf at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. ... Berrios is 2-2, 5.31 ERA in four career starts against the Indians. ... has hit six home runs against the Indians in games away from Target Field.

INDIANS UPDATE

Cleveland won the season series last year 12-7, including nine of 10 at Target Field. ... Carlos Santana hit .338 vs. the Twins and Austin Jackson hit .333, but neither are with the team this year. Edwin Encarnacion, however, remains. He hit .277 vs. the Twins last season but six of his 18 hits were home runs. ... Outfielder Greg Allen will be Cleveland’s 26th player for the series. ... Kluber has 27 strikeouts in 23 innings. … Former Twin RHP Matt Belisle, now with the Indians, gave up three runs over 1⅓ innings in his most recent outing Friday.

Here’s why Twins lost two home games for Puerto Rico series vs. Cleveland Indians Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | April 16, 2018

Some have wondered why the Twins are considered the home team for both games this week against the Cleveland Indians at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

What’s more, the question of competitive disadvantage has been raised as the Twins will play host to the two-time defending American League Central champions just seven times at Target Field this season while visiting Progressive Field 10 times, including seven times in August alone.

“The Twins were first approached about being part of a Puerto Rico (series) in February of 2017,” Twins President Dave St. Peter wrote Monday in an email response. “As ardent supporters of Commissioner Manfred’s push to celebrate and expand our game internationally, the Twins accepted said invitation. While discussions with the Commissioner’s Office focused on various options in terms of dates, home/road, etc., we ultimately landed with an April 17-18 series and the Twins being the home team for both games.” 7

The Indians were not publicly announced as the Twins’ opponent for this week’s games until last June 21.

“Clearly there is a weather benefit of playing these April games in (Puerto Rico) instead of (Minnesota),” St. Peter continued. “Big picture, we are not overly concerned about any competitive impact.”

The Twins have gone a combined 5-14 at home against the Indians over the past two seasons, including 1-9 last season. Meanwhile, they are a combined 17-12 on the road against the Indians since the start of 2015.

Over the past five seasons, the Twins have won the season series against the Indians just once. That came in 2015, when they took 12 of 19 meetings.

The Indians’ two visits to Target Field this year will come May 31-June 3 and July 30-Aug. 1. The two teams are widely expected to battle for division supremacy throughout the year as the other three AL Central clubs are in various stages of rebuilding projects.

MAKEUP DATES ANNOUNCED

Snowmageddon 2018 has reached its conclusion for the Twins and , who have scheduled three makeup dates for the weekend games they lost because of this historic blizzard.

The April 13 game will be made up on June 5 at Target Field at 3:10 p.m. as part of a straight double-header, meaning the second game will start approximately 30 minutes after the first game ends. Game 1 is also when the Twins will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day, which was originally planned for Sunday.

The April 14 game will be made up on Friday Sept. 28 at 1:10 p.m. as part of a split double-header. The second game remains at its original 7:10 p.m. start, giving the Twins and White Sox a four-game series on the final weekend of the regular season.

The April 15 game will be made up on Monday, Aug. 20, which had been a mutually scheduled off day. The Twins and White Sox will then play a regularly scheduled two-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field on Aug. 21-22.

With the adjustments, the Twins will now play 23 out of 29 games against American League Central foes from July 30 through Aug. 30. They still have three scheduled off days in August.

MAUER’S FREE PASS

Twins first baseman Joe Mauer, who reached 2,000 career hits on April 12, has drawn 10 walks through his first 10 games this season.

Now at 898 for his career, fourth among active players, Mauer has already passed the following this season: Reggie Smith, Andruw Jones, Johnny Bench, Paul O’Neill and Dick Allen. Mauer is currently tied with Jose Cruz Sr. for 175th all-time and is about to pass former third baseman Scott Rolen (899).

Only Hall of Famer (1,321) has more career walks for the Twins than Mauer. Among active players Mauer, who turns 35 on Thursday, trails only Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera and Joey Votto.

That trio has combined to win six league MVP awards and earn 26 all-star selections. All three seem ticketed for Cooperstown.

BRIEFLY The Twins added outfielder Ryan LaMarre as their 26th man for the Puerto Rico series under a provision in the Collective Bargaining Agreement for international games. LaMarre was optioned to -A Rochester on April 13 and reliever Alan Busenitz was recalled on Sunday.

It turns out Ryan LaMarre will be with the Twins in Puerto Rico after all Derek Wetmore | ESPN 1500 | April 16, 2018

Outfielder Ryan LaMarre has been announced as the 26th man for the Twins for their series in Puerto Rico.

He had been optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Friday, and then the Twins had all 3 games this weekend postponed for weather concerns. (Playing baseball in a blizzard is suboptimal.) During that stretch of called games, the Twins used the free roster spot to call up reliever Alan Busenitz.

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LaMarre had gone 4-for-8 in limited trips to the plate but was optioned off the 25-man roster just before the Puerto Rico trip. Now, he’ll make the trip after all. The Twins are scheduled to play Tuesday and Wednesday in two ‘home’ games against the Indians.

LaMarre was one of the stories of Twins spring training, and he made the club in part on the strength of his good month in Florida.

But with the way the Twins’ roster is built, LaMarre basically is a little-used fifth outfielder. Robbie Grossman gets into games before him offensively, and the three starters — , Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario — spend a lot of time in the everyday lineup.

Twins reschedule three games with White Sox Staff Writer | Associated Press | April 16, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins have rescheduled three games with the Chicago White Sox that were postponed by wintry weather.

The Twins set a straight doubleheader for June 5, when the White Sox return to Minnesota for what will now be a four-game series. The original game will start a half-hour after the makeup game is finished.

The White Sox will make a one-game stop on Aug. 20, what was an off day for both clubs. The Twins begin a two-game series in Chicago the following day.

Then the two teams will play a split doubleheader on Sept. 28, setting up a four-game series to finish the regular season.

The Twins beat the White Sox on Thursday, before the storm arrived and dropped 15 inches of snow on Minneapolis over the weekend.

Twins to thaw out vs. Indians in Puerto Rico STATS | Fox Sports North | April 16, 2018

The Minnesota Twins finally found a way to beat the elements and get back to playing baseball.

All it took was a flight to Puerto Rico.

The Twins lost four games to weather last week, including the last three games of what was supposed to have been a four-game weekend series with the Chicago White Sox after blizzard dumped nearly a foot of snow on the Twin Cities.

Now, after sitting idle for four days, they’ll finally get back to work Tuesday when they “host” the Cleveland Indians for a quick two-game set at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan.

“Just your average April All-Star break,” quipped Twins right-hander Jake Odorizzi, who will start Tuesday for the Twins.

It will be Odorizzi’s first action in six days and his fourth appearance of the season for the Twins, who acquired him in a trade with Tampa Bay early in spring training. He picked up his first victory as a Twin his last time out, getting past some early-inning command issues to go six innings while holding the Housto Astros to a run, five hits and five walks while striking out four.

“It’s an ugly one,” he said. “But an ugly win’s better than a good loss any day of the week.”

He’s expecting a raucous atmosphere in San Juan, where Major League Baseball is playing games for the first time since 2010 in an effort to restore some normalcy after the island was devastated by hurricanes last season.

Odorizzi knows the games will be a big deal for the fans, but also for the Puerto Rican natives on the Twins’ roster who will get a chance to play before their family, friends and countrymen.

But they’re also important from a strictly baseball standpoint, too. The Twins are hoping to challenge Cleveland in the American League Central this year so it will be business as usual — as much as possible — when the game begins.

“These are important games,” Odorizzi said. “We’re playing against the team that won the division last year, and this is our first time facing them (this season). It’s a big two-game series. For us to do what we want to do this year, we have to be able to beat them. This will be a good test of where we’re at.”

Cleveland has had its share of weather woes this season, too, and had the last two games of a weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays 9 washed out by rain. Right-hander Corey Kluber was originally slated to start Saturday and will be on eight days’ rest when he faces the Twins on Tuesday.

Kluber, 8-5 with a 3.31 ERA in 19 career starts against the Twins, has gotten off to a quick start this season. Through three starts, he’s 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA and has struck out 27 while walking just four in 23 innings.

“It’s exciting,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said of Kluber’s work so far. “We’ve all seen that when he gets on a roll, he can maintain it for, sometimes, shoot, as long as you can play. And that’s a really good feeling, because he’ll be in here tomorrow working his tail off, doing his routine. That’s why I think he’s able to be so consistent.”

Cleveland won the season series over Minnesota a year ago, taking 12 of the 19 meetings between the teams and cruised to the AL Central title with a 17-game cushion over the second-place Twins.

MLBRank 100-51: Impressive young stars move up the rankings Staff Writers | ESPN | April 17, 2018

Who are the best players going to be in Major League Baseball for the 2018 season? To determine this, ESPN formed a panel of MLB writers, analysts, contributors and Insiders to rank the top 100. We polled almost 40 experts who voted from a list of just under 300 players.

We're starting with Nos. 100-51, which includes 23 new players from last season's top 100. We'll reveal Nos. 50-1 on Wednesday. We've included Dan Szymborski's preseason ZiPS projected WAR for every player, starting with a young Phillies pitcher.

No. 77: Miguel Sano, 3B, Minnesota Twins 2017 Rank: 34

ZiPS Projected 2018 WAR: 2.7

Did you know?

Sanó was an All Star for the first time last season, becoming the youngest Twins third baseman to make the All-Star team since Rich Rollins in 1962. Sanó also had a 92.3 mph average exit velocity in 2017, the fourth highest of any player with at least 100 batted ball results. -- Harrison Marder, ESPN Stats & Information

No. 60: , 2B, Minnesota Twins 2017 Rank: 75

ZiPS Projected 2018 WAR: 3.6

Did you know?

During the past five seasons, Dozier leads all primary second basemen in home runs (131), walks (292) and XBH (283). Last season, Dozier hit 34 home runs and drove in 93 runs, all from the leadoff spot. He became one of five players in MLB history with at least 30 home runs and 90 RBIs in a season from the leadoff spot. -- DeAngelis, ESPN Stats & Information

No. 56: Byron Buxton, CF, Minnesota Twins 2017 Rank: NR

ZiPS Projected 2018 WAR: 3.2

Did you know?

Buxton's game is his speed -- and it helps him excel both on the field and on the basepath. He had a sprint speed of 30.1 feet per second last season, the fastest of anyone in the majors, according to Statcast. He also recorded 29 Outs Above Average, the most of any outfielder, also according to Statcast. -- Langs, ESPN Stats & Information

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Puerto Rico series a homecoming for Twins, Indians Staff Writer | Associated Press | April 16, 2018

GUYABO, Puerto Rico — Cleveland star Francisco Lindor held a baseball in his hand, ready to pitch, and asked the young boy standing at home plate if he knew how to swing a bat.

The kid said no.

The kid might have been fibbing. Lindor’s soft-toss pitch became a line drive, and the kid at Escuela Villa Marina — the same grammar school that Lindor attended years ago — looked at the All-Star shortstop and grinned as onlookers applauded.

“This is what it’s about,” Lindor said.

Cleveland and Minnesota are in Puerto Rico to play a two-game series in San Juan starting Tuesday night. But the Indians and Twins also know they’re serving a larger purpose on this trip, which is why many of the players from both teams ventured out among the Puerto Rican people Monday to give back to an island that was robbed of so much by Hurricane Maria last September.

Lindor went back to his first school in Guyabo, his hometown. Minnesota’s Jose Berrios, who will start on the mound for the Twins in his homeland on Wednesday night, visited a children’s hospital in San Juan and was flanked by many of his teammates. Twins outfielder Eddie Rosario, like Lindor, also went home — he was headlining a clinic in Guayama, the city where he grew up.

“It’s an honor. It’s a privilege,” Lindor said at the school where some local residents were standing outside the chain-link fence more than an hour before he arrived, hoping to just catch a glimpse of Guyabo’s favorite son. “I’m blessed to be here. It’s a dream and I’m excited. Stuff like that is something I always wanted to do. As soon as I was a player, I always wanted to come back and do something like this special for the kids — not for me, for the kids, for the community.”

Berrios knows exactly what Lindor is feeling. On Wednesday night, the right-hander from Bayamon — located just south of San Juan — is expected to become the second Puerto Rican pitcher to start a regular-season big-league game at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Javier Vazquez started four in 2003, when the park was used as an alternate home field by the .

“It’s emotional,” Berrios said. “I feel it already. The stadium where we’re playing, Roberto Clemente played there. My dad watched him play there. Growing up, I watched baseball there. And now we’re going to play there.”

Part of this trip is about giving, and the Indians elected to give a full playoff share, roughly $37,000, from last season to causes in Puerto Rico. Some of that money is going to the Nuestra Escuela school, which was hit hard by Hurricane Maria. The wives of Indians players collaborated on a separate donation as well.

“Absolutely honored,” said Ana Yris Gusman Torres, the school’s principal, as she clutched the check that was brought in an Indians envelope. “We will make the best use of it that we can.”

Much more is coming over the next couple days on the donation fronts.

Tuesday, a cargo van and truck that will serve as mobile response units — financed by MLB — will be delivered, both vehicles outfitted and loaded with supplies to in the ongoing home-repair and construction efforts in Puerto Rico. Wednesday, another check from MLB will be delivered to give more than 2,000 Little League players new uniforms and apparel, as well as a donation from the MLB Players Association and Players Trust to Feeding America.

“Sports, it’s underrated,” former big-league great Bobby Bonilla, who was born in New York but is of Puerto Rican descent, said as he watched Lindor interact with hundreds of kids — with a tattered blue tarp blowing off one roof in the distance. “Sports heals. Big time.”

Hiram Bithorn has hosted about four dozen MLB regular-season games over the last two decades.

There was a Texas-Toronto game in 2001, then 43 more in the 2003 and 2004 seasons when the Expos relocated there on occasion, and a three- game set between the then-Florida Marlins and the New York Mets in 2010. The Marlins and Pittsburgh were to play a two-game series in San Juan in honor of Roberto Clemente Day in 2016, but the games were relocated to Miami over concerns about the Zika virus.

But the scene Tuesday night is expected to just be different.

“Extremely emotional,” Lindor said. “It’s something that I don’t take for granted. Take in every little second of it. I’m blessed. I’m blessed to see how everything’s coming along … it’s a dream come true.” 11

NOTES: The Twins and Indians are the only two teams with winning records in the AL Central. … These will count as home games for Minnesota. … Minnesota hasn’t played since Thursday because of weather, and Cleveland hasn’t played since Friday. … Cleveland sends RHP Corey Kluber (1-1, 1.57) out Tuesday against Minnesota RHP Jake Odorizzi (1-0, 2.20). Wednesday, it’s Cleveland RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-0, 3.48) against Berrios (2-1, 2.18).

Twins' trip to Puerto Rico gives Eddie Rosario a chance to go home again Dan Hayes | The Athletic | April 17, 2018

GUAYAMA, Puerto Rico — Imagine returning to your high school to hold a press conference.

Twins outfielder Eddie Rosario experienced such a scenario on Monday afternoon in a physical education class toward the back of Escuela Dr. Rafael Lopez Landron.

Nearly eight years after he was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 baseball draft, Rosario returned home a conquering hero as part of Major League Baseball’s two-game foray in Puerto Rico. The Twins host the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan.

But on Monday, Rosario made the 75-minute drive to his hometown from the team hotel in San Juan to tour his old stomping grounds, see friends and teachers, and hold a baseball clinic for 75 students.

Under normal circumstances, the experience would have been surreal for most anyone. But given the gravity of what has taken place here in the past year, how his country is still recovering seven months after Hurricane Maria tore through it, causing hundreds of deaths and leaving many of the island’s three million inhabitants without power for months, Rosario admitted he was overcome with emotion.

“I see the people happy,” Rosario said. “I know that people need that. I (want to try) to help, to say to (them), ‘Hey, everything is going to be better. Everything is going to be good.’ I’m here to help them. I feel comfortable to help the people. I see their faces … I feel good inside.

“There’s a lot of emotion right here.”

This isn’t the first time Rosario has returned to Puerto Rico since Maria made its destructive landfall on Sept. 20 and swept across the middle, doing significant damage in the mountainous regions and in San Juan. He’d made several previous trips to do charity work.

But Monday’s journey was different as he returned to a country in recovery mode rather than one in dire need. It also included his first tour of his old high school in seven years.

As he stepped out of an SUV in the back lot, Rosario was greeted by a number of adults who had an impact on his life when he was a student athlete. The school’s principal, Edna Rodriguez Alvarez, taught Rosario English in summer school. Speaking in English while walking through the school’s main courtyard, Rosario pointed out the classroom where he learned to speak his second language. Alvarez was struck by how confidently Rosario spoke English during several interviews.

“It’s great to see him,” Alvarez said. “Being able to watch him express himself in English, I was part of that.

“It’s something great. Everybody loves him. He’s a player from Puerto Rico and he’s from our town. It’s big. It’s great having somebody from Puerto Rico, especially from Guayama. The community. It’s great.”

One of Rosario’s first coaches, Alfredo Ortiz Martinez, greeted the 26-year-old with a flying forearm. Martinez coached Rosario, who started to play for the Rangers baseball program at age 4. Back then, Rosario played pitcher, shortstop and center field. Even though they tried to convince Rosario to hit from the right side, he had too much left-handed power to make the switch.

Martinez, who coached Rosario until he was 12, said the youngster always stood out because of his strong baseball IQ. Though he only gets to see his former player via highlights on MLB Network’s Quick Pitch, Martinez isn’t surprised by Rosario’s success.

“He was unique,” Martinez said through an interpreter. “Since he was a little kid, you could tell he was going to be a big-leaguer. He had a baseball sense since he was a little kid. His talents were greatly developed and he was ahead. He was unique because he would field to the right side right-handed and would hit lefty.

“He always had the mettle, the makeup to be a big-leaguer. I think he has a lot of room to improve. Because he’s able to see more baseball and he’s maturing.” 12

Martinez thinks the support Rosario received from his parents, Eddie Sr. and Maria, played a significant role in his success. Rosario’s parents always attended his games. Even though they recently moved to Orlando, Fla., in the wake of Maria after living without power for several months, Rosario’s family was on hand for Monday’s festivities.

Rosario’s father was taken aback by the crowd that had gathered to watch his son host a clinic and hand out Twins hats to the 75 students in attendance. Rosario moved from station to station at the clinic, pitching Wiffle balls to hitters and working on drills with the outfielders. He also stopped to take pictures with anyone who asked.

“It’s awesome,” Eddie Rosario Sr. said. “It’s very nice for the people of Guayama. He was born here, grew up here and played ball here. All these fans and parents here and have known me, him and our family. It’s awesome.

“I’m getting used to (the attention he receives). I’m very proud. I enjoy the moment every time he’s at-bat. I’m an excited person. If you see, I might be jumping up, because I get so happy.”

Rosario Sr. had a chance to experience this before with his son in the months after Maria. Shortly after his wild-card game heroics in October, Rosario and his father brought supplies to hurricane victims in the mountainous region of the island. Though it lies near the coast on the Southeastern portion of the island, Guayama isn’t far from the mountains.

“We mostly went into the mountainside because there was more damage up there than down here,” Rosario Sr. said. “They didn’t have any roads. People were so grateful. People were crying. I was crying. People were so desperate. No power, no water. Food wasn’t a problem. It was water.”

“Everyone was so happy to see him.”

They were just as elated on Monday to have the fourth-year major-leaguer in their presence. Teachers and coaches shared quick stories or stopped for a photo. Rosario said he was flooded with memories as he walked through the quad, which had a volleyball net hanging between two trees.

“I know I’ll remember this moment for all my life,” Rosario said. “I’ll remember everything.”

But the oddest moment arrived a few minutes later when Rosario sat at a desk in a PE room where the walls were lined with tributes to the late Roberto Clemente. Rosario had several cameras trained on him and a boom mic above his head to capture the audio. Asked about holding a press conference at the school where he grew up, Rosario quickly smiled before he laughed aloud.

“That’s different. I’ve never felt like that in my life,” Rosario said. “It’s awesome. It’s awesome.”

Corcoran: Diving into the shenanigans behind major-league service time Cliff Corcoran | The Athletic | April 16, 2018

The Yankees have a decision to make this Wednesday. Should they call up top prospect Gleyber Torres to shore up their injury-riddled and underperforming infield, or should they wait? The decision isn’t purely about on-field performance. It is also about Torres’ service time and just how willing the team is to expose itself to accusations of shenanigans regarding that service time.

To qualify for free agency, a player must accrue six full years of service time at the major-league level. To qualify for a full year of service time, a player must spend 172 days in the major leagues. As of Friday, there were just 171 days left in the 2018 Major League Baseball season. However, for minor leaguers such as Torres, who are already on their teams’ 40-man rosters, there is an extra layer of complexity involved.

Players on a major-league team’s 40-man roster who appear in the minor leagues are there on assignment: either a rehabilitation assignment at the tail end of a disabled list stint, or an optional assignment. Rehab assignments count as major-league service time. Optional assignments typically don’t, but there is an important exception. If the player in question spends fewer than 20 days of the season in question on optional assignment and the remainder of the year in the majors, the player is credited with a full year of major-league service time. Tuesday, April 17, is the 20th day of the 2018 major-league season. Thus, any player on optional assignment recalled on or before Tuesday who does not return to the minor leagues later in the year will be credited a full year of major league service for 2018.

As the relative value of young, team-controlled talent has increased, teams have begun to manipulate their top prospects' major-league debuts in order to delay their free agency. The most blatant example of a team manipulating a player’s service time to delay his free agency occurred three years ago. In 2015, Cubs third-base prospect Kris Bryant hit .425/.477/1.175 in spring training, leading the majors with nine home runs, but spent the first two weeks of the season in Triple A, ostensibly to work on his fielding. As soon as there were just 171 days left in the major-league season, however, Bryant was in the majors, starting at third base. As with Torres and the Yankees this week, there were injury and performance reasons to motivate Bryant’s promotion that April. However, it was clear from the end of spring training just how long Bryant would be in the minors and why. 13

In April 2016, the Rangers called up outfield prospect Nomar Mazara with 176 days remaining in the season, five days before the service-time cutoff. However, four notable pitching prospects — the Rays’ Blake Snell, the Twins’ José Berríos, the A’s Sean Manaea, and the Tigers’ Michael Fulmer — made their major-league debuts just a couple of weeks later, in a six-day span from April 23-29. All will be eligible for free agency a year later than Mazara. Last year, the most notable late-April call-up was Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger. He debuted on April 25 and will thus be under the Dodgers’ control through the 2023 season.

Of those late-April call-ups, Bryant, Fulmer, and Bellinger all won their league’s Rookie of the Year award. Here, separated into a few distinct categories, are a dozen top prospects who could follow in their footsteps this season — as soon as they get past those service-time cutoffs, of course.

Stephen Gonsalves, LHP, Twins

Gonsalves isn’t a blue-chip prospect like the other players listed here. He just snuck onto Baseball America’s top 100 at No. 97 — and missed Baseball Prospectus’ top 101 entirely — but he might have the clearest path to major-league playing time. The Twins have yet to use a fifth starter this season and won’t need one until next Tuesday, giving Gonsalves time to make his third minor-league start of the season, rest and recover. Minnesota’s top pitching prospect, the 23-year-old lefty hasn’t allowed a run in either of his first two starts for Double-A Chattanooga this season and worked 5 1/3 hitless frames in the first of those two outings. The Twins might prefer to give Gonsalves more development time and plug the remainder of Ervin Santana’s absence with Phil Hughes, but a setback in Hughes’ recovery from his oblique injury and another strong outing by Gonsalves could change their mind. Either way, Gonsalves seems likely to be in the major-league rotation before the year is out.

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