Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Thursday, September 15, 2016

 Brian Dozier hits 41st home but late rally gives Detroit 9-6 victory over Twins. Star Tribune (Neal lll) p. 1  Reusse: Twins' new boss will need authority to clean house. Star Tribune (Reusse) p. 2  Joe Mauer sits again, but works out with hopes to return soon. Star Tribune (Neal lll) p. 3  Brian Dozier hits 41st homer, but Twins lose 9-6. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 4  Twins give September coaching call-up to Doug Mientkiewicz. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 5  Twins’ 2017 schedule features 13 of first 19 games at . Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 6  Dozier belts 41st jack as Twins fall to Tigers. MLB.com (Beck and Bollinger) p. 7  Suzuki gets stitches to close chin laceration. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 9  Twins will open 2017 season against Royals. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 9  Hall of Fame Tour arriving in Minnesota. MLB.com (Sparacio) p. 9  Pelfrey returns to rotation as Tigers push for playoffs. MLB.com (Beery) p. 10  Wetmore: It’s a bad look for franchise if top execs don’t want Twins’ job. 1500 ESPN (Wetmore) p. 11  Suzuki hits 3 run homer, but Tigers rally for win over Twins. Associated Press p. 12  Multiple Candidates Have Declined To Interview With Twins. MLBTradeRumors (Todd and Adams) p. 13

Brian Dozier hits 41st but late rally gives Detroit 9-6 victory over Twins

La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | September 15, 2016

While the Twins inched toward 100 losses Wednesday, Brian Dozier continued his power surge.

Not only does he have a chance to more home runs in a season than any in MLB history, but he has chased down Mark Trumbo of the Orioles in the race for the MLB home run lead.

Dozier popped his 41st home run of the season during the Twins’ 9-6 loss to the Tigers, keeping him one homer behind Trumbo for the MLB lead. Edwin Encarnacion of the Blue Jays isn’t far behind with 39. Chris Davis of the Orioles, Khris Davis of the Athletics, Nolan Arenado of the Rockies and Kris Bryant of the Cubs all sit at 37.

Of course, the only Twin to win a home run title is Harmon Killebrew, who took five AL titles during his prolific power-hitting career. That doesn’t include one while with the Senators before the franchise’s move to Minnesota. Dozier has hit nine home runs in 13 games this month, an amazing run.

The Elias Sports Bureau recognizes home runs hit while playing that position. In that case, Dozier has hit 39 home runs, with two coming as a designated hitter on July 31. The MLB record is 42 hit by in 1973 — with one home run hit during a pinch-hit appearance.

The Twins trailed 2-0 in the third and didn’t have a hit when they erupted for five fourth-inning runs off Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez. Dozier launched a first-pitch curveball into the seats in left. Kennys Vargas added an RBI single and followed with a three-run homer to give the Twins a 5-2 lead.

“My routine is when I face a , I watch what he did to me last time and then watch what he did to me his previous start,” Dozier said. “In my second at-bat, he did the same thing to me. In my first at-bat, he threw me a couple heaters, but then second at-bat, he threw me the get- me-over [fastball]. So I kind of sat on it. If he threw me a fastball, I was going to sit on it.”

Twins starter Tyler Duffey had a good curveball, but couldn’t take advantage of it. Detroit scored four runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-5 lead, the final run coming with Duffey on the bench watching J.T. Chargois giving up an RBI single to Miguel Cabrera.

In 3⅔ , Duffey was charged with six earned runs on eight hits and one walk with four . He got two strikes on many Tigers batters, but they extended at-bats and Duffey couldn’t put them away.

“From the first inning on, they were fouling off pitches,” Duffey said.

Dozier’s RBI in the fifth allowed Byron Buxton to score from first and tie the score at 6-6. Chargois and Pat Light held the score there, but Ryan Pressly hung a 1-2 slider in the seventh that Cabrera rocketed out to center for his 33rd homer of the season and a 7-6 lead for the Tigers.

Detroit added two runs in the eighth, an inning that began with James McCann reaching on a passed ball while striking out and eventually scoring. Jose Igelsias scored the final run when he raced home from third on a .

That’s the way things are going for the Twins. They need to go 9-7 over their final 16 games to avoid losing 100 for the first time since 1982 (60- 102).

Dozier’s home-run binge is the only thing worth watching right now.

“We got back to even,” Twins manager said. “Doz with another big hit. And you just have to fight your way through the last third. A couple guys did a nice job. Pressly threw OK, but he made a mistake with the breaking ball.”

Reusse: Twins' new boss will need authority to clean house

Patrick Reusse | Star Tribune | September 15, 2016

Fox Sports North was hosting its monthly Twins viewing party on Tuesday night at Station 280, a sports-heavy bar on Como Avenue in St. Paul. The sign out front made no mention of FSN’s presence, sticking with “Pull Tabs Here” and “Happy Hour 3-to-6 PM” as the extra incentives for customers to make a stop.

Miguel Cabrera’s single in the bottom of the first inning drove in a run for the Tigers, cutting the Twins’ lead to 2-1. There was no groan of disappointment — no reaction at all — from the 80 or so people at tables, in booths or at Station 280’s long bar.

A woman named Caroline, maybe 40, was sitting in a booth with a friend. “Are you here for the Twins viewing party?” she was asked.

Caroline smiled and said: “I must be. I’m here.”

So why aren’t you watching the game?

“I have a sore neck; I can’t turn my head to look at a TV,” said Caroline, laughing at the spontaneity of the excuse she came up with for not monitoring the Twins’ action.

Many of the TVs in the bar were turned to the Twins and Tigers; the others were showing an exhibition game between the United States and Finland in advance of hockey’s World Cup.

There was an equal lack of attention being given to both. What there were among the customers were more hats and garments devoted to the Wild than the Twins, by a margin of several to zero.

There was no surprise in this, not with Paul Molitor’s second Twins club having been buried at 0-9 by the end of its first home series on April 14. This turned into 25-54, before the appearance of a faint pulse in early July.

The Twins were 21-13 from July 2 through Aug. 9. I was talking with Twins President Dave St. Peter the next night, when Brian Dozier led off with a home run against Houston’s Dallas Keuchel.

Steady rain came with the Twins leading 5-0 in the third inning and wiped out everything. 2

Earlier, St. Peter offered this slight optimism: “When talking about selling [season] tickets for next season, I will say that the person we hire to lead our baseball operation isn’t going to [be what moves] the needle,” he said. “I think how we play the last two months, if we can continue to provide some hope for 2017 … that’s far more important for ticket renewals.”

The Twins are 8-24 since then, including a hope-­stifling, 13-game losing streak.

The Twins appeal for season-ticket renewals is now twofold:

One, we’ll let you wait until the end of October to make a payment, perchance you will be inspired by our choice as the leader of baseball operations.

Two, please watch the video included in the appeal where our one star, Dozier, and Molitor are asking you not to believe your lying eyes from this season.

The mystery is CEO Jim Pohlad’s commitment to Molitor, as if he carries a cache of loyalty with the Twins’ ever-diminishing audience. Molitor has tremendous credibility as a player, but as a manager?

Forget the bad pitching, the yoke around this club’s neck for six years. The fact the Twins have spent the entire season featuring lousy fielding, asinine base running and stagnation with a hitter such as Miguel Sano (the most important player in the organization) is a troubling reflection on Molitor and his coaches.

The endless blunders the manager has overseen far outweigh any positives of 2015. I don’t know how a new baseball boss could take an objective look at the way the Twins have been managed and coached in 2016 without saying to Pohlad:

“I have to fire the whole bunch.”

Still, I don’t buy being stuck with a manager as the reason former Red Sox GM declined an interview. He landed with Toronto on Wednesday as vice president of baseball operations. Before that, Cherington might have looked at the Twins and saw a team with no pitching and with few prospects of star potential from Class AA on down.

I’m on board with J.J. Picollo, the No. 2 person in baseball operations in Kansas City, a guy who won’t be rattled when attendance falls to 1.6 million next season and his team’s bottom line is bleeding.

I’m not on board with Jason McLeod, the No. 3 person in baseball operations with the . He’s a creation who has spent most of his front office career with unlimited resources in Boston and now Wrigleyville.

What Picollo (or anyone else) must have is the authority to do whatever deemed necessary, even if that means blowing out the major league staff.

Joe Mauer sits again, but works out with hopes to return soon

La Velle E. Neal lll | Star Tribune | September 14, 2016

Twins first baseman Joe Mauer was not in the starting lineup again as he continues to recover from a sore right quad. Manager Paul Molitor wanted to watch Mauer go through pregame work before determining his availability.

“We’ll evaluate [Thursday] whether I’m going to put his name back in the starting lineup,” Molitor said.

Regular batting practice was scratched Wednesday, but were on the field to bat before the weekend interleague series with the Mets in New York, so Mauer hit with the pitchers.

Mauer said he felt better, but corrected a reporter who speculated that he would feel a lot better after getting some time off. His goal, he said, is to play as much as he can the rest of the season.

Both quads have given him problems ever since he scored from first on a double in Atlanta on Aug. 16. The right one has given him more trouble lately. 3

“The last three or four weeks, I have had to back off three or four times,” he said.

Etc.

Miguel Sano still is slowed because of a sore lower right back, but he increased his activities Wednesday and could return to the lineup in time for the Mets series.

Chad Allen, the hitting coach at Class AAA Rochester, has been with the club over the past week as an extra coach. His last day is Thursday. Class AA Chattanooga manager Doug Mientkiewicz will replace him for the series in New York. Mientkiewicz, a former Red Sox, will eventually head to Boston to be on hand for ’s final games.

Former Red Sox executive Ben Cherington, who turned down interest from the Twins in hiring him to be their baseball boss, was hired as vice president of baseball operations by the Blue Jays. Toronto is much closer to New York, where Cherington’s family is.

Brian Dozier hits 41st homer, but Twins lose 9-6

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | September 14, 2016

Understandably tired of discussing empty milestones after embarrassing losses, Brian Dozier set the ground rules before Wednesday’s postgame interview commenced.

“Don’t ask me about 41,” said the Twins’ reluctant slugger, smiling wanly after a 9-6 loss to the .

OK, then. Ever met Davey Johnson?

“Never met him,” Dozier said.

But didn’t you play at Washington in 2013 when Johnson, author of a 42-homer season in 1973 as the Atlanta Braves’ second baseman, was managing the Nationals?

“Yeah, I did,” Dozier said. “That’s right. I sure didn’t (meet him).”

How about , who hit 40 homers for the Chicago Cubs in 1990?

“Aw, yeah,” Dozier said. “I met him a couple times.”

What about Alfonso Soriano, who hit 39 homers for the 2002 ? That set an American League record for second basemen that Dozier, who also has two homers as a designated hitter, tied Wednesday.

“Oh, yeah,” Dozier said. “He’s a good dude.”

How did Soriano generate all that power for such a slender man?

“Because he swung a 52-inch bat,” Dozier said, exaggerating only slightly. “For sure, that thing’s a log.”

Actually Soriano swung a 35-inch, 33 1/2-ounce bat for much of his career. It served him well during a 16-year big-league career that ended in 2014 and included 412 homers, including three seasons of 36 or more.

And what about Dozier? What bat dimensions are driving this historic season for the sawed-off scrapper from Mississippi?

Would you believe 33 1/2 inches, 31 ounces?

“Little twig,” Dozier said. “Pea shooter.”

Why, that’s almost as small as the weapon wielded by the late Tony Gwynn, a seven-time batting champion. Gwynn swung a 33-inch, 30 1/2-ounce bat over his final eight seasons in San Diego. 4

“Pretty close,” Dozier said proudly. “It’s pretty standard. A lot of people do 34 (inches). I don’t.”

Before you start to think maybe Dozier triggered this second-half power surge by switching to a lighter bat, he stopped a questioner in mid- sentence.

“A lot of people do,” he said, “but I can’t do that.”

There was a pause. Dozier sensed an awkward question coming.

“Don’t say it,” he cautioned good-naturedly. “I ain’t answering 41.”

Fine. Was he sitting on that first-pitch curveball from Anibal Sanchez to start the fourth inning?

Why, yes, said this 29-year-old student of hitting. He most certainly was.

“My routine when I face a pitcher is I watch what he did to me last time, then I watch what he did his previous start,” said Dozier, who came in 4 for 26 (.154) with one homer off Sanchez. “My second at-bat he did the same thing (as before). First at-bat of the game, lot of heaters. Second at-bat, get me over (curve) a couple of times.”

Dozier shrugged.

“So I kind of sat on it,” he said. “If he threw me a fastball I was going to take it, but I put a good swing on it.”

Did he ever. Twins manager Paul Molitor offered a succinct description of a blow that jarred Sanchez from his warm cocoon after three perfect innings: “He smoked it.”

Minutes before Dozier connected, sending the Twins to a short-lived 5-2 lead, Mark Trumbo of the had pushed his majors- leading total to 42 homers at Camden Yards. The Twins haven’t had an American League home run champion since 1969, when Harmon Killebrew won his sixth title overall and fifth with the Twins.

With their 12th loss in 15 tries against the Tigers, the Twins clinched their fourth last-place finish in the AL Central over the past six seasons. Miguel Cabrera’s 33rd homer, off a hanging slider from Ryan Pressly (6-7) in the seventh, put the Tigers ahead for good.

With 99 runs, Dozier will soon join (1995-97) as the only Twins to score 100 runs in three straight seasons.

In the fifth Dozier added a double for his 96th and his 81st extra-base hit. That’s three shy of Tony Oliva’s extra-base hit record for the Twins, set in 1964.

The RBI total is the highest by a Twins hitter since Josh Willingham drove in 110 runs in 2012, Dozier’s rookie year. Oh, and Dozier’s career-best hitting streak has reached 18 games.

Just three men have ever hit more homers in a season as a second baseman. In addition to Johnson and Sandberg, Rogers Hornsby hit 42 in 1922.

Hornsby also had 39 homers for the 1925 St. Louis Cardinals (player-manager) and 1929 Chicago Cubs. They called him “The Rajah,” and no, Dozier never met him.

Twins give September coaching call-up to Doug Mientkiewicz

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | September 14, 2016

Double-A Chattanooga manager Doug Mientkiewicz failed to reach the postseason for the first time in four seasons as a minor-league manager with the Twins.

That disappointment for the fiery skipper will be softened a bit by a September coaching call-up that will start Friday at New York’s Citi Field. The well-traveled Mientkiewicz, who played one season with the (2005) and another with the New York Yankees (2007), will 5 replace Triple-A hitting coach Chad Allen in the coaches’ room.

“I’m happy that Doug is coming up,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “I’m looking forward to spending some time with him.”

Mientkiewicz, 42, will stay with the Twins until the final weekend of the regular season, when he will travel to Boston to be part of the retirement sendoff for former Twins teammate David Ortiz.

Mientkiewicz interviewed for the Twins’ big-league managing vacancy after Ron Gardenhire was fired in October. 2014. The former Gold Glove first baseman led Class A Fort Myers and the Lookouts to league championships in 2014 and 2015.

MAUER UPDATE

Joe Mauer (sore quadriceps) was not in Wednesday’s lineup for a fourth straight game but did take grounders on the field and was available to pinch hit.

“My hope is that his workout is good enough that I will have him as an option later on in the game,” Molitor said. “Whatever treatment they can give to that leg — trying to get it loose, trying to get it stronger, trying to test it — the last few days have been very limited baseball.”

Had the Twins kept the margin to one or two runs heading to the ninth inning, Molitor said he was prepared to use Mauer to pinch hit. When the deficit increased to 9-6, he changed his mind.

Mauer delivered the second walk-off hit of his career in the 12th inning on Saturday. The Twins won’t have the designated hitter as an option for a three-game interleague series that begins Friday in New York.

Mauer took swings off a tee and took some flips in the cage for a second straight day. Wednesday was the first time he took groundballs since Saturday.

SANTIAGO’S PLAN

Hector Santiago has allowed eight home runs and a .942 combined on-base/slugging percentage in the first inning this year.

Those figures drop to three and .724 in the second inning of his 29 starts, so the Twins left-hander is considering having someone stand in as a simulated batter while he warms up before Thursday’s start.

“When you get a hitter in there, you get locked in,” pitching coach Neil Allen told him. “You want to do that pregame and see how it is?”

Santiago has tried throwing with a simulated batter in between starts but never just before game. His first-inning average is 5.28; only his sixth-inning figure (5.40) has been worse.

“I even talked with Neil about getting one of those little plastic statues,” he said. “That way I can beat that guy up. It can’t hurt. It can’t get any worse than what I’ve been in the first inning.”

BRIEFLY

Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki left Wednesday’s game after taking a foul off his catcher’s mask in the eighth inning. He required five stitches to close a gash in his chin that originally had to be stitched up in late July in Boston. … Third baseman Miguel Sano (back) was going to increase his baseball activity a bit on Wednesday but remains day to day. “I know he likes New York,” Molitor said. Sano homered twice in three games at as a rookie in August 2015 but hasn’t played in Gotham since. … The Detroit Tigers Foundation is selling 500 limited-edition custom bow ties in recognition of Pediatric Cancer Awareness month. Proceeds will benefit the ChadTough Foundation, formed in honor of Chad Carr, late grandson of former Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr. Visit Tigers.com/bowtie for more information.

Twins’ 2017 schedule features 13 of first 19 games at Target Field

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | September 14, 2016

For just the second time in Target Field history, the Twins will open the 2017 season at home against the on April 3.

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Losers of eight straight openers, the Twins also opened at home in 2013 against the Detroit Tigers. The Royals, two-time defending American League champions, have taken 16 of the past 19 meetings with the Twins.

Interleague visitors to Target Field next season will include the Milwaukee Brewers (Aug. 7-8), Colorado Rockies (May 16-18), (Aug. 18-20) and (Sept. 12-13).

Interleague trips for the Twins will be to Milwaukee (Aug. 9-10), the (June 9-11), the (July 24-26) and the Padres (Aug. 1-2).

Thirteen of the Twins’ first 19 games next season will be at home, and they will play just three games outside their division in the opening month (at Texas, April 24-26).

Home series against the (May 5-7) and New York Yankees (July 17-19) are typically among the bigger draws for any franchise.

After being home for the bulk of June this season, the Twins will open June 2017 with a three-city, 10-game West Coast swing against the , and the Giants. They also will play 10 straight road games from June 23-July 2, sandwiching a four-game trip to Boston’s Fenway Park between trips to Cleveland and Kansas City; and again from Sept. 18-28 (New York, Detroit, Cleveland).

The Twins’ longest homestands will come from April 14-23 (10 straight against the , and Detroit Tigers) and June 12-22 (Seattle, Cleveland, White Sox).

They will open the second half with a three-game set at Houston (July 14-16) and finish the regular season with three games at home against the Tigers, ending the year on Oct. 1. Of their final 26 games, 17 will be on the road for the Twins.

Two-game series again will be limited to a pair of interleague matchups. Next year those will be on the road in August with Milwaukee and San Diego, and at home against those same teams in August and September, respectively.

Dozier belts 41st jack as Twins fall to Tigers

Jason Beck and Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | September 15, 2016

Miguel Cabrera provided the latest addition to the Tigers' late-inning rallies with a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning en route to a 9-6 win over the Twins on Wednesday night at Comerica Park.

The win moved Detroit one game back of Toronto for an American League Wild Card spot. The Tigers remained six games behind the AL Central- leading Indians.

On a night when the teams combined for nine fourth-inning runs, with neither starter Tyler Duffey nor Anibal Sanchez recording an out in the fifth, Cabrera's 33rd home run was the deciding tally -- barely. His line drive off Ryan Pressly tested the depths of left-center field at Comerica Park, hitting off the top of the fence and bouncing over.

"It was a tough loss last night, so we had to come back and win the game today," Cabrera said. "We did it. Hopefully we can bring the same energy tomorrow and win again."

Until then, second basemen and Brian Dozier had either scored or driven in half of the total runs. Kinsler and Cameron Maybin hit back-to-back doubles off Duffey in the first inning to build an early lead, then belted consecutive triples in the Tigers' fourth following the Twins' five-run top of the fourth inning. Kinsler fell a home run shy of the cycle, but singled home an insurance run in the eighth.

"They're a team full of veteran hitters," said Duffey, who gave up six runs in 3 2/3 innings. "When you miss, they don't. It's really frustrating, especially with our offense scoring runs the last two days."

Sanchez logged three perfect innings until Dozier belted the first pitch of the fourth for his 41st home run. Minnesota's next three hitters reached base and scored, three on a Kurt Suzuki home run. Alex Wilson, Shane Greene and Bruce Rondon combined to retire 10 in a row to give Detroit a chance to pull ahead for good. Francisco Rodriguez worked the ninth for his 42nd .

"It does put pressure on your ," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We're just taking it day to day, trying to win games. The relievers will tell you themselves, 'We have to suck it up sometimes.'" 7

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Romine goes over the shoulder: Normally, it's shortstop Jose Iglesias who provides highlight over-the-shoulder catches in the Tigers' infield. But when Eduardo Escobar looped a ball down the left-field line, third baseman Andrew Romine took off at full speed and still managed to keep an eye on the ball with his back to the infield, catching the ball with an outstretched glove for the second out of the sixth.

Triple, doubled: The Tigers hadn't hit a triple since Aug. 6 until Kinsler and Maybin hit back-to-back RBI three-baggers in the fourth. Kinsler's line drive to right-center field easily cleared Byron Buxton's diving attempt and rolled to the wall to score Romine. Two pitches later, Maybin drove one to the fence in left-center to score Kinsler and tie the game.

"It was good to see the bats come alive on a night when we needed it," Ausmus said.

Dozier does it again: Dozier trails Baltimore's Mark Trumbo by one homer for the Major League lead. Dozer's homer had an exit velocity of 104 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 401 feet. Dozier also tied the game with an RBI double in the fifth, and it was actually hit harder than his homer, leaving the bat at 105 mph. It was his 81st extra-base hit, which is three shy of the Twins record of 84 by Tony Oliva in 1964.

"My routine is when I face a pitcher, I watch what he did to me last time and then watch what he did to me his previous start," Dozier said. "In my second at-bat, he did the same thing to me. In my first at-bat, he threw me a couple heaters, but then second at-bat, he threw me the get- me-over [curve]. So I kind of sat on it. If he threw me a fastball, I was going to sit on it."

Suzuki smash: Suzuki capped a five-run fourth with a three-run homer to left off Sanchez. It was Suzuki's eighth of the year, which is the most he's hit since 2011. The homer came on an 0-1 slider from Sanchez that caught too much of the plate. Suzuki's homer left the bat at 103 mph and traveled a projected 367 feet, per Statcast™.

"We were able to put together a big inning," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We put together some good at-bats with [Jorge] Polanco and Kurt. Kurt got an offspeed pitch. We had a lead, but when you start off the next inning with a walk, it's not a very good way to hold it."

QUOTABLE "This is fun. It doesn't matter what people say, like 'We're not going to make it, we're not going to do this.' We hear a lot of bad things, but we've always got to stay positive. Let other people say the negative things, but we have to stay positive. It doesn't matter if we lose or win. We have a chance, and we have to believe." – Cabrera

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Dozier has 39 homers as a second baseman this season, as he hit two as a designated hitter. The 39 homers match Alfonso Soriano's AL record. The Major League record for homers as a second baseman is 42 -- Davey Johnson (1973) and Rogers Hornsby (1922).

The Tigers have gone 17 games without a earning a victory since Aug. 26, when Justin Verlander beat the Angels at Comerica Park. Detroit is 9-8 since then, with three wins going to Greene.

SUZUKI EXITS Suzuki took a foul ball off his facemask with Cabrera at the plate in the eighth, and had to leave the game with a chin laceration. Suzuki previously cut his chin on July 23, receiving eight stitches. The impact of the foul ball caused Suzuki's cut to reopen. John Ryan Murphy entered behind the plate.

"He opened that thing up again, but I don't think it's as bad as the first one," Molitor said. "We'll just have to see how we want to proceed. He's frustrated. That's for sure. I have options at catcher so I'm not going to force him back in there. He's going to have pad it up and we'll see how much risk we want to take to put him back out there like we did the first time."

WHAT'S NEXT Twins: Left-hander Hector Santiago (11-8, 4.75 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale on Thursday at 12:10 p.m. CT. After posting a 10.89 ERA through his first four starts with the Twins, Santiago has turned it around his last three outings -- three straight quality starts with a 1.86 ERA.

Tigers: Former Twin Mike Pelfrey (4-9, 4.76) returns to the rotation for a spot start, his first since July 31, as the Tigers wrap up a six-game homestand on Thursday at 1:10 p.m. ET. It'll be Pelfrey's first outing since he went on the disabled list at the beginning of August with back issues.

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Suzuki gets stitches to close chin laceration

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | September 14, 2016

Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki hit a three-run homer in a 9-6 loss to the Tigers on Wednesday night, but he also had to leave the game after sustaining a cut on his chin in the eighth inning after being hit in the facemask by a foul ball from Miguel Cabrera.

The impact of the foul ball reopened an old wound for Suzuki, who received eight stitches on his chin after being hit in the facemask in a game at Boston on July 23. This time, Suzuki needed five stitches.

"He opened that thing up again, but I don't think it's as bad as the first one," manager Paul Molitor said. "We'll just have to see how we want to proceed. He's frustrated. That's for sure."

When Suzuki first sustained the injury he missed just one game before returning to catching with extra padding in his facemask. But this time Molitor said he might be more cautious because he has catchers John Ryan Murphy and Juan Centeno on the roster. Murphy replaced Suzuki after the injury. Molitor said Suzuki might return as a designated hitter before he gets back behind the plate.

"I have options at catcher so I'm not going to force him back in there," Molitor said. "He's going to have pad it up and we'll see how much risk we want to take to put him back out there like we did the first time."

Twins will open 2017 season against Royals

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | September 14, 2016

The Twins are set to open the 2017 season at home for the second time since Target Field opened in 2010, according to the preliminary 2017 schedule released on Wednesday.

The Twins will begin next season against the Royals at home on April 3 with an off-day on April 4 before the three-game series wraps up on April 6. The Twins then head on their first road trip of the year, playing three games with the White Sox beginning on April 7 and three games in Detroit starting on April 11. Minnesota's first 19 games are against American League Central opponents.

The Twins play 20 Interleague games, including a midweek four-game home and home series against the rival Brewers from Aug. 7-10. They play the National League West next year, hosting the Rockies (May 16-18), the D-backs (August 18-20) and the Padres (September 12-13). The Twins travel to play the Giants (June 9-11), the Dodgers (July 24-26) and the Padres (Aug. 1-2).

The Twins also have three three-city road trips after having none in 2016, as they hit the road to play the Angels, Mariners and Giants from June 1-11, head to Cleveland, Boston and Kansas City from June 23-July 2 before another West Coast swing against the Dodgers, A's and Padres from July 24-Aug. 2. But they get two homestands of at least 10 games to help make up for it.

Minnesota's home schedule remains relatively even from month-to-month, as it plays 13 home games in April, 18 in May, 10 in June, 13 in July, 15 in August and 12 in September.

Other highlights include hosting the Red Sox from May 5-7, a Memorial Day series against the Astros from May 29-31 and a four-game series against the Blue Jays from Sept. 14-17. They also host the Angels for a day game on the Fourth of July.

The Twins play each of their four division rivals 19 times with nine home games against the White Sox, Royals and Tigers and 10 home games against the Indians.

All game times and broadcast information will be announced at a later date. It's the club's 57th season in Minnesota, and the 30th anniversary of the title in 1987.

Hall of Fame Tour arriving in Minnesota

Joe Sparacio | MLB.com | September 14, 2016

MLB's Hall of Fame Tour is headed to the final stop on its 2016 cross-country trip. The destination? The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., located just 20 minutes south of Target Field in Minneapolis, home of the . 9

Prior to arriving in Minnesota, where it will remain through Sept. 29, the Tour visited Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa; Miller Park in Milwaukee; Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City; and, most recently, Ballpark Village in St. Louis. The traveling exhibition is home to 45 artifacts from the Hall of Fame, plus interactive games and displays, an in-game virtual reality experience, and the first and only mobile IMAX movie. It has drummed up plenty of excitement, and an abundance of familiar faces have come by to check it out, including George Brett, Rollie Fingers, Commissioner Emeritus Bud Selig and, most recently, Ozzie Smith and Jim Edmonds.

While the Tour was in Kansas City, even a famous Twins alumnus came to get a peak at what the traveling exhibition would soon offer his city. Bert Blyleven, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, stopped by to take in the sights and sounds, along with Twins players Michael Tonkin, Kennys Vargas and Ryan O'Rourke. They were all impressed by how deeply they could immerse themselves in the game.

"How can you not want to come see this?" asked Blyleven. "From the virtual reality to watching the IMAX to going back in time to see how the game evolved … it's beautiful."

The virtual reality component was a highlight for fans and players alike.

"As a fan, it's like you're in [with the players]," Blyleven continued after testing out the VR headgear. "You're standing on the sidelines with them. You're almost wanting to play catch with them and communicate with them … it's pretty cool."

Minnesota boasts some historic baseball roots, as three natives of the state have their busts in Cooperstown: Chief Bender, Dave Winfield and the team's current manager, Paul Molitor. Other famous Twins players to make it to the Hall of Fame include Kirby Puckett, Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew, who each played more games with Minnesota than any other Major League team. Even Steve Carlton spent a season with the club in 1987.

Some more baseball icons are expected to visit the Tour while it's stationed in Minnesota, including Hall of Famer Andre Dawson and former Twins pitcher and current bullpen coach Eddie Guardado, among others.

The Twins return home for a six-game homestand from Sept. 20-25, with series against the Tigers and Mariners on the docket. Be sure to stop by end enjoy the traveling showcase and a ballgame. You can visit halloffametour.com for more information, including how to get tickets.

Pelfrey returns to rotation as Tigers push for playoffs

Kyle Beery | MLB.com | September 14, 2016

The Tigers' pursuit of a postseason spot continues on Thursday when Mike Pelfrey takes the mound for the first time since July 31 to face the Twins in the finale of a four-game series at Comerica Park.

Detroit enters the finale just one game behind Toronto in the American League Wild Card race.

Making his return from a back strain, Pelfrey (4-9, 4.76 ERA) will be on a short leash and a strict pitch count, manager Brad Ausmus said. "He can't throw many more than 60 or so pitches, so that will definitely be a game that involves the bullpen," Ausmus said.

The Tigers' bullpen will likely be without right-handed long man Buck Farmer, who threw 76 pitches on Tuesday over 4 1/3 scoreless innings. After hitting the 15-day DL on Aug. 3, Pelfrey made a pair of rehab starts with Triple-A Toledo on Aug. 29 and Sept. 3 in which he posted an 8.53 ERA.

Pelfrey will be hoping to have a better outing in his return to the mound than what Jordan Zimmermann has had twice this season. In Zimmermann's two starts following stints on the DL, he has allowed six runs in fewer than two innings, most recently on Saturday against the Orioles.

The Twins will try to help spoil Tigers' playoff hopes with Hector Santiago on the mound. Santiago has turned things around lately, posting a 1.86 ERA in his last three starts after a 10.89 ERA in his first four starts with the Twins following the trade with the Angels.

Santiago last faced the Tigers as a member of the Angels' rotation on May 31 -- allowing six runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Things to know about this game 10

Brian Dozier is riding a career-high 18-game hitting streak after belting his 41st home run on Wednesday. He is one homer shy of tying Davey Johnson (1973) and Rogers Hornsby (1922) for the most as a second baseman in a single season.

First baseman Joe Mauer missed his fourth straight game with sore quads, but could return on Thursday after taking fielding and batting practice before Wednesday's game. Third baseman Miguel Sano is likely to remain out with a sore lower back.

Pelfrey has a pair of no-decisions and a 6.75 ERA against the Twins this season. He allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings against Minnesota on May 17.

Wetmore: It’s a bad look for franchise if top execs don’t want Twins’ job

Derek Wetmore | 1500 ESPN | September 14, 2016

The Twins set off to find a new leader of the front office this summer determined that self-imposed limitations — like requiring Paul Molitor be retained and prefering to hire by season’s end — would not limit the pool of interested candidates.

While the reasons are as yet uncertain, top executives are telling the Twins ‘No thanks,’ and that’s a bad look for a franchise hoping to rise from the ashes of six mostly awful seasons.

On Wednesday reports surfaced that Ben Cherington, the former Red Sox GM and ‘free agent’ pursued by the Twins, had turned down an interview to become the ’ VP of baseball operations. Mark Shapiro is the president in Toronto, so Cherington didn’t stiff Minnesota to take a higher profile job somewhere else.

The Twins’ job should be desirable. But only to an extent.

The positives include building around potential cornerstones like Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton, a new-ish and beautiful stadium, and built-in patience from a franchise that hasn’t done anything noteworthy since 2010.

The negatives include but are not limited to valid concerns about how much the Pohlads are willing to spend on the product. I’m not suggesting payroll is the only problem — obviously it’s not — but if there’s a hard limit on spending and/or an unclear understanding of the process of spending on contruscting a team over multiple years, that ought to scare top talent away from taking the job. Another negative? The Twins have had really bad pitching staffs for five-plus years now, and it’s not obvious that an immediate turnaround is likely or even possible.

One other thing to consider is Paul Molitor’s job security. When the Twins fired longtime GM in July, the team’s principle owner told us in the media that Molitor would be back as manager in 2017, no matter who took over the front office.

That declaration seemed premature at the time, and now that the Twins are barreling their way toward 100 losses, it still seems like a strange line to have drawn in the sand.

Molitor is under contract next season. And to be clear, this is not a commentary on whether or not I think Molitor should be allowed to manage for another season. All I’m saying is that whatever you think of the Hall of Famer as a manager, it sends a mixed signal to prospective front office leaders if the owner is taking that kind of decision upon himself.

In recent years covering the Twins, I’ve perceived Pohlad to be a hands-off owner. He flipped the keys to Terry Ryan and told him to drive. They operated on one-year contracts that might as well have been signed with a handshake.

That’s why Ryan’s firing was surprising at the time, and that’s why it’s puzzling that Pohlad would take a public stance that he was hanging onto some control over the field staff.

If you’re taking over a losing franchise that could take multiple years to turn around, and you don’t have any say over your field manager in the first year on the job, and you’re aware the Twins aren’t going to be the biggest spenders in the league, wouldn’t you pause to consider whether you want that job? That’s to say nothing of the fact that your current gig is almost undoubtedly with a more successful organization.

Rhetorical question: If you’ve got a chance to win a World Series as a high-ranking member of the Cubs, would you rather see that out to the end? Or would you prefer to jump into organizational meeting in Fort Myers tasked with turning around one of the worst teams in baseball?

The timeline Pohlad outlined — that the Twins would hire someone before the end of the season — seemed silly at the time but it was never a 11 hard-line stance. Even on the day Pohlad said that, president Dave St. Peter walked it back by saying it’s not a firm deadline, but rather more of a hope.

The Twins had reportedly been interested in , the former Blue Jays GM and current Blue Jays executive. According to a Pioneer Press report, he’s not going to Minnesota.

And there’s this line, from a report in the Star Tribune: When Cherington wouldn’t interview for the job “…indications are that they ended up picking his brain about potential candidates.”

I’m not sure whether to applaud the Twins or feel sorry for them.

Reports say that the Twins will interview J.J. Picollo (Royals), Jason McLeod and Shiraz Rehman (Cubs), and those are probably just a few of the names on the interview list.

Look, I’m sure there’s a good hire out there. And I could definitely see the Twins picking a smart baseball person capable of leading a department by blending stats and scouting, as should be the hope for every team in the Majors.

I just think it’s a bad look if some first-guess candidates are telling the Twins they don’t want the ostensibly desriable and well-paid job of running their team.

Suzuki hits 3 run homer, but Tigers rally for win over Twins

Associated Press | September 14, 2016

Tyler Duffey knew that he needed a clean fourth inning Wednesday night.

Not only didn't he get one, he couldn't even get three outs.

The Minnesota Twins had just scored five runs in the top of the fourth to take a 5-2 lead over the Detroit Tigers. If Duffey could shut them down in the bottom of the inning, the Twins would have regained the momentum that saw them beat Detroit 8-1 on Tuesday.

"Our guys scored enough runs in the top of the inning to win the game," Duffey said. "I just wanted to protect that."

Instead, Justin Upton walked and scored on Andrew Romine's RBI single before Kinsler and Maybin hit back-to-back two-out triples to tie the game.

"I gave it right back," Duffey said. "When you are facing that offense, when you miss, they don't. They got rolling, and I couldn't stop it."

Twins manager Paul Molitor knew his team was in trouble after the walk to Upton. The Tigers' left fielder only has a .296 on-base percentage this year, with 40 walks against 165 strikeouts.

"When you get a big inning and get a lead, you want your pitcher to go out there and shut them down," Molitor said. "That walk was a bad sign, but he still had two outs and could have gotten off the field if he gets Kinsler or Maybin."

By the end of the inning, the Tigers led 6-5, and although Minnesota tied the game in the fifth, Miguel Cabrera's seventh-inning homer led Detroit to a crucial 9-6 win.

The Tigers trail the Blue Jays by one game for the second AL wild card, with the Yankees and Mariners another game back.

Cabrera said that, along with his offense, his role as a veteran is to keep the younger players from losing confidence by reading social media.

"We hear a lot of bad things about how we're not going to make it," Cabrera said. "I've been here a lot of years and I've been through this, but we've got a lot of new guys who think about it and read stuff. I tell them not to worry.

"This is fun. We've got a chance to make the playoffs. That's what you play for."

Ian Kinsler had four hits, finishing a homer short of the cycle, and drove in three runs while scoring two. 12

Brian Dozier and Kurt Suzuki homered for the Twins.

Shane Greene (5-4) got the win, while Ryan Pressly (6-7) took the loss after surrendering Cabrera's homer.

Bruce Rondon pitched the eighth for Detroit, while Francisco Rodriguez put up a perfect ninth for his 42nd save.

After Anibal Sanchez struck out the side in the first, Kinsler and Cameron Maybin gave the Tigers the lead with back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the inning. Kinsler's RBI single in the second doubled the lead.

Sanchez retired the first nine batters in order, but Dozier launched his first pitch of the fourth into the left-field stands for his 41st homer. The next three batters singled, with Kennys Vargas driving home Jorge Polanco to tie the game.

Suzuki then made it 5-2 with a homer down the left-field line, but the Tigers came back in the bottom of the inning.

After Kinsler and Maybin's triples, J.T. Chargois replaced Duffey and allowed a tiebreaking single to Cabrera. Sanchez, though, couldn't hold the lead. He walked Byron Buxton to start the fifth and Dozier followed with a double to make it 6-6.

Alex Wilson got out of the inning without further damage, and the two were able to settle the game down until Cabrera's homer off Pressly with one out in the seventh.

The Tigers added two more runs in the eighth on Kinsler's second RBI single and a wild pitch.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: 3B Miguel Sano missed his second straight game with back stiffness. He's expected back for Minnesota's weekend series against the Mets. . Suzuki left the game in the eighth injury with a lacerated chin after being hit in the mask by a foul tip. Molitor said he's day-to-day, but might see action at DH while the injury heals.

Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann threw an 80-pitch simulated game Wednesday afternoon in an attempt to fix his mechanics and get back into the rotation. Due to assorted injuries, Zimmermann has only started twice since June and didn't escape the second inning either time. ... 3B Nick Castellanos (broken hand) batted once against Zimmermann before taking himself out of the lineup. He hopes to be back before the end of the regular season.

ODD DEFENSIVE LINEUP

Zimmermann, who mostly faced September call-ups in his simulated game, didn't get a lot of help from his defense. Instead of one of baseball's best double-play combinations in Ian Kinsler and Jose Iglesias, Zimmermann had his fellow pitchers backing him up. Rookie of the Year favorite Michael Fulmer made a nice running catch on a pop up into shallow right, but Mike Pelfrey, Mark Lowe and Justin Verlander weren't impressive as infielders.

OLYMPIC WEEK CONTINUES

For the third straight day, an Olympic medalist from Rio threw out the first pitch. On Wednesday, it was New Zealand's Nick Willis, who won the bronze medal in the 1,500-meter run. Willis spent his college career at the University of Michigan, and still lives in Ann Arbor.

UP NEXT

The teams conclude their four-game series with the Tigers' Mike Pelfrey (4-9, 4.76) facing the Twins' Hector Santiago (11-8, 4.75). Pelfrey hasn't pitched in a big-league game since July 30 due to a back injury, and is expected to be on a 60-pitch limit.

Multiple Candidates Have Declined To Interview With Twins

Jeff Todd and Steve Adams | MLBTradeRumors | September 14, 2016

“Multiple GM types” have failed to reciprocate interest shown in them by the Twins, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Passan goes on to suggest that while the job and president of baseball operations title are appealing, there could be some reluctance due to the 13 fact that overhauling the organization’s infrastructure is no small task.

We’ve already heard recently that Alex Anthopoulos turned down a chance at consideration. And Passan says the same held true of former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington, who joined the Blue Jays earlier today in a position of less authority than he theoretically could have obtained in Minnesota. La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune first reported that Cherington declined Minnesota’s request for an interview and cited “personal reasons” for doing so. Per Neal’s report, Twins brass nonetheless chatted with Cherington and “picked his brain” on some potential candidates.

Athletics GM David Forst, too, has “declined interest,” according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). Forst only recently moved into the seat in Oakland, with moving up to the president of baseball operations role, though Beane seemingly remains very active in running the Athletics’ operations department.

The Twins are dangling an opportunity to achieve the president of baseball operations title, which in theory at least adds to the allure of the position. And the club has gobs of young talent, even if some of it hasn’t panned out thus far at the Major League level. The opportunity seemingly exists for the president-to-be to handpick a general manager, too, though owner Jim Pohlad has made clear that manager Paul Molitor will be retained, and there have been suggestions that interim GM Rob Antony will remain with the organization in some capacity. Antony, long the assistant GM under Terry Ryan and Bill Smith, is reportedly under contract through next season.

It certainly doesn’t seem as if Minnesota has failed to attract any appealing candidates as their front office search gets underway in earnest. The organization already sat down with Royals AGM J.J. Picollo and may be headed for a chat with highly-regarded Cubs exec Jason McLeod as well.

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