Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Saturday, June 30, 2018

 Mauer's 5 RBIs not enough at windy Wrigley. MLB.com (Bollinger) p.1  Motter placed on 7-day DL, Astudillo called up. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 2  Twins left twisting in the wind in blustery confines of . Star Tribune (Neal) p. 3  Twins fans still flock to Wrigley Field to follow them even in bad season. Star Tribune (Reusse) p. 4  Twins call up versatile, free-swinging Astudillo from Rochester. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 5  Mauer is sick in Chicago, again. But he hit a , again. And he's having a baby, again. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 6  Twins' Trevor Hildenberger turns sidearm pitching into an art. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 7  Twins waste 5 RBIs from Joe Mauer in 10-6 loss to Chicago Cubs. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 8  Twins could give a break after College World Series run. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 9  ‘I lost stamina out there’: José Berríos, Twins wilt under the heat at Wrigley. The Athletic (Hayes) p. 10  on the progress of , Miguel Sano and . ESPN 1500 (Depue) p. 12  Wrigley woes: Russell’s grand slam drops Twins. Associated Press p. 13

Mauer's 5 RBIs not enough at windy Wrigley Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | June 29, 2018

The Twins wasted a five-RBI performance from Joe Mauer, as right-hander Jose Berrios uncharacteristically struggled, giving up a go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning in a 10-6 loss to the Cubs on Friday afternoon in the club's first game at Wrigley Field since 2009.

The Twins were hopeful to build on their extra-innings win over the White Sox on Thursday, and early on, it appeared it was heading that way. Mauer smacked a three-run homer off lefty Mike Montgomery in the second to give Minnesota an early lead and he tacked on a two-run double in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-2. But it wasn't enough with Twins pitchers serving up four homers.

"I didn't feel too well coming to the park, but I was able to get out there and swing the bat," Mauer said. "Just wasn't enough today. Hopefully we can bounce back and get one tomorrow."

Berrios had trouble with his command, walking four batters for the first time all season and had trouble with the long ball. He served up a two-run homer to Jason Heyward in the second, but the big blow came in the fifth.

The Twins nearly pinch-hit for Berrios in the top of the inning, but No. 8 hitter Ehire Adrianza popped out with the bases loaded to end the scoring chance. Berrios came back out for the fifth, but he loaded the bases with one out after giving up a single, a hit by pitch and another single. Addison Russell provided the go-ahead blast with a grand slam to left that had a hit percentage of only 4 percent, per Statcast™.

"I hung the curveball right in the middle," Berrios said through an interpreter. "He hit it up, and I think it was the wind pushed it out. It wasn't like he hit it really hard."

It ended Berrios' day, after he gave up six runs on six hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings. It ended a strong stretch from Berrios, who had posted a 2.05 ERA over his previous eight starts.

The Cubs kept adding insurance runs via homers, as Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer off Matt Magill in the sixth and Kyle Schwarber hit a solo shot off Magill in the seventh. Matt Belisle also gave up an RBI single to Anthony Rizzo in the eighth. The Twins didn't score again until a two- out RBI single from in the ninth. "Even at 6-5 you're thinking we're going to score some more and get back in the game," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "But we couldn't hold them down on the back end."

BUSENITZ DOWN, MEJIA UP Right-hander Alan Busenitz was optioned to Triple-A Rochester after the game to make room for Saturday's starter, left-hander Adalberto Mejia. Busenitz has a 6.43 ERA in six appearances for the Twins this season.

SOUND SMART Mauer is 9-for-18 with two homers and nine RBIs in four career games at Wrigley Field. He's the lone Twins player who was on the roster the last time the Twins played at the Friendly Confines nine years ago.

"I enjoy it," Mauer said. "It's one of those places that has a lot of history. I love places like that, like Fenway. It's a great atmosphere and the crowd was great. It's only the second time I've been here in 15 years. I don't get to come here a whole lot. A lot of Minnesotans drive down. I have a lot of family members here, a lot of Chicago ties. It's fun to be in this atmosphere, and for our fans to come, that's awesome, too."

HE SAID IT "Russell's home run, it maybe gets to the track at . It's pretty crazy to see. You see the reason why these guys put up some of the numbers they do." – Grossman

Motter placed on 7-day DL, Astudillo called up Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | June 29, 2018

The Twins placed utility man Taylor Motter on the 7-day concussion disabled list and selected the contract of catcher to take his place on the roster. Right-hander Felix Jorge was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

Motter was injured crashing into the right-field wall while attempting to make a running catch in Thursday's game against the White Sox. He underwent the concussion protocol after the game and was ultimately placed on the DL on Friday.

"There were some things that came back concerning," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "But I don't think I'm misspeaking by calling it a mild concussion. He's actually doing pretty well today."

Astudillo was called up for the first time after nine seasons in the Minors. He can play multiple positions and has been incredibly hard to strike out throughout his career. Astudillo has struck out just nine times in 188 plate appearances this year and only 76 times in 2,343 career plate appearances. He hit .290/.321/.489 with seven homers, 12 doubles and a triple in 49 games with Triple-A Rochester, getting named an International League All-Star.

"He's a guy who brings a bit of energy and is a spark plug," chief officer Derek Falvey said. "We saw a little bit of it in Spring Training. So hopefully it gives us a little bit of a boost."

Astudillo, 26, said he can play any position and brought five gloves with him to Wrigley Field. In addition to catching, he's played left field, third base and first base this season with Rochester.

"I'm super happy and excited to be here," Astudillo said through an interpreter. "Anything to help the team. I'm just excited to be here and get to work."

Jorge, 24, hasn't pitched this season, as he's been dealing with a triceps issue. He has a career 3.27 ERA in eight seasons in the Minors and made two starts with the Twins, allowing nine runs in 7 2/3 innings.

"It's always difficult when you are making a decision around a guy who's on your roster and who you want to keep," Falvey said. "We felt this was a move we had to make to get a guy. You're in a National League park. Willians is somebody who has played really well for us in Rochester, and we feel like he can actually help us at several positions going through a set of six National League games."

Worth noting • Shortstop Jorge Polanco went 4-for-7 in Thursday's doubleheader with Triple-A Rochester and is on track to join the Twins on Monday once his 80-game suspension is up. Polanco had been dealing with a cut on his right index finger, but the issue is behind him.

"He's in great shape physically," Falvey said. "Hopefully he's in a place where he can help us soon. He's fully healthy."

• The Twins continue to monitor Miguel Sano at Advanced Fort Myers, and Falvey said Sano's conditioning has been improving. He's lost weight as part of the program, but Falvey said it's more than just weight he's working on in Florida.

"He's done a good job," Falvey said. "But I've said it 1,000 times, it's not so much about the weight. We want him to be strong. He's a big man. 2

We want the lower half to be strong to put him in a good position to hit the way we know he can."

• Left-hander Adalberto Mejia joined the Twins on Friday in advance of his scheduled start on Saturday. Minneosta will have to make a roster move for Mejia, who posted a 1.41 ERA in five June starts with Rochester.

"He's throwing strikes, command of his fastball has been good, secondary stuff has been crisp," Falvey said. "We still think he's a guy, as we said last year, that can help us up here."

Twins left twisting in the wind in blustery confines of Wrigley Field La Velle Neal | Star Tribune | June 30, 2018

There’s a belief that when the summer winds pick up, the Cubs offense takes off.

And when the Twins entered the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field on Friday, they noticed that the flags were flying straight out to center field.

“Just playing here, seeing how the it was carrying in B.P., seeing the home runs that were hit,” Twins outfielder Robbie Grossman said. “When the wind blows out, it’s pretty self-explanatory.”

When the wind blows out at Wrigley, you better get in character. Pitchers try to keep the ball down while hitters look to elevate them — especially in the launch-angle age.

The Twins must have missed the text message.

Five home runs later — four struck by the home team — the Twins lost 10-6 in the opener of their interleague series against the Cubs.

Joe Mauer drove in five runs for the Twins, including a three-run homer in the second that was kissed by wind until it dropped into the basket in left-center. The game turned in the fifth when Addison Russell hit a grand slam off Jose Berrios, a towering drive that floated and floated until it left the park.

“I’ve been here and have seen both sides of it,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “Today, pretty high-end extreme of favorable to the offensive side. It played a little of a role in the game. We got a little bit of a boost on Joe’s ball and on the grand slam. That one was a mile high and it just seemed to really have a lot of carry.”

Wrigley was set up to be a launching pad Friday, but the Twins struck just one homer in their first game there since 2009.

Mauer, with runners on first and third in the second inning, got hold of a Mike Montgomery pitch and hit a three-run homer. It was a flashback moment for Mauer, who in 2009 hit a two-run home run to left-center in his second at-bat.

Jason Heyward pulled the Cubs within 3-2 in the third with a two-run shot to right. The Twins knew they needed to keep scoring.

“Especially with that lineup they have,” Mauer said. “That’s a good ballclub. I looked over to Dozier throughout the game and said it’s going to be one of those offensive games. They put some runs on the board.”

Mauer batted with runners on second and third in the fourth inning and struck a liner to center that Albert Almora Jr. raced to his left to catch, but it ticked off his glove for a two-run double. It was Mauer’s first five-RBI game since last Sept. 17. And the thousands of Twins fans among the announced crowd of 41,492 roared.

But Berrios’ command was spotty, especially with his curveball, leading to him giving up six earned runs, his most this season. And he hung that pitch to Russell in the fifth with the bases loaded. Russell blasted it to left, and outfielder Eddie Rosario kept backing up until he was out of room. The Cubs led 6-5.

“I hung the curveball right in the middle,” Berrios said. “He hit it up and I think it was the wind pushed it out. It wasn’t like he hit it really hard.”

Ben Zobrist, with a two-run blast, and Kyle Schwarber, with a solo shot, added home runs off the Twins bullpen as the Cubs pulled away in their opener of a nine-game homestand.

“Even at 6-5 you’re thinking we’re going to score some more and get back in the game,” Molitor said. “But we couldn’t hold them down on the back end.”

3

Twins fans still flock to Wrigley Field to follow them even in bad season s left twisting in the wind in blustery confines of Wrigley Field Patrick Reusse | Star Tribune | June 29, 2018

The changes to baseball that come from the commissioner's office generally have required considerable modification. For instance, there were those runners who were out at the plate by 20 feet being declared safe because the catcher had a couple of cleats in the baseline before he received a throw.

That changed. Everything changes with baseball, which almost always gets something wrong before getting it right.

Interleague play started in 1997. The effects were mostly positive, but there was also absurdity, such as the manner baseball tried to take advantage of the Labor Day holiday for the final round of interleague series.

The last of those three-game sets were played on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Apparently, no one in the Commissioner's Office took note that 90 percent of America's children returned to school on the Tuesday after Labor Day.

That's why you saw this the first time the Twins came to Wrigley Field:

On Labor Day in 1997, there was a vociferous, Twins-heavy crowd of 34,117. And then the Minnesotans headed back to the Twin Cities and the crowds on Tuesday and Wednesday were in the low 20,000s.

Ron Coomer, now the analyst for Cubs radio, and LaTroy Hawkins, a special assistant for the Twins, were talking before Friday's game at Wrigley Field and agreed on this:

There were more Minnesota fans and more enthusiasm for the club in that 7-6 victory on Labor Day in Wrigley Field than there were for scores of Twins games played in the Metrodome in that dreary season.

The early years of interleague play had the AL Central playing the NL Central, and the Twins were back in Wrigley Field in 1999 and 2001. The system changed to where a Twins-Cubs series takes place once every three seasons, and the Twins had been scheduled in Wrigley only one more time — June 12, 13 and 14, 2009 — before this weekend.

That series was notable for Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley tossing a ball into the stands when there were two outs, and the Twins winning a series (2-1) in Wrigley for the first time.

Things have changed dramatically in and around Wrigley during the Twins' nine-year absence: The Cubs ended their 108-year championship slump with a World Series victory in 2016, and $575 million was spent to remodel the ancient ballpark and a wide area outside and to the west of the stadium.

What hasn't changed is that Sheffield Avenue behind the right-field stands is still part of a neighborhood, and also that Twins fans will show up in droves at Wrigley Field even with their team in the throes of a dreary season.

Paul Veit and his crew of family from St. Paul were in Murphy's Bleachers, the bar on the corner of Waveland and Sheffield.

This was three hours before the first pitch and there was a need to hydrate for a game that would start at 4:10 p.m. with a heat index of 106.

"We take a Twins trip every summer," Veit said. "We were thinking Kansas City and then saw the schedule: Wrigley. You can't miss the Twins in Wrigley. This is everything that's great about baseball."

The Veits have a 20-game season-ticket package at Target Field. "On a scale of 10, I'd give this season an '8' on the disappointment scale," he said. "The pitching staff is better than I thought, but this lineup, with Buxton and Sano not being factors …

"As loyal fans, we've been saying the magic number for the Twins is 2019."

There were three Eidens — Jeff, Ron and Daryl — and Richard Ische from the Chaska area who started their baseball weekend with Thursday's 13-inning game at the White Sox ballpark.

"It was bad enough that the game dragged on so long, but they stopped selling beer in the seventh inning," Ron said. "Just being in Wrigley guarantees a better ballgame than we saw yesterday." 4

John Ryan and Grant Dietrich were standing in front of an old apartment building on Sheffield.

John was in a Twins jersey, and part of a large group that his brother Mark has been putting together for Wrigley trips since the mid-'80s.

Mark, a longtime administrative employee in Gophers athletics, became a Cubs fan as did millions around the country: watching Cubs cable telecasts on WGN.

One gentleman in Ryan's crew was Michael Bruce, who flew in from his new assignment for Dairy Queen International — in Singapore.

Singapore? "I lived in Minnesota for 14 years," he said. "The Twins in Wrigley. What more would you want from a baseball weekend?"

I got one: A three-run home run into the basket in left field from Joe Mauer. The Twins fans got that in the second inning Friday, and started the weekend with a mighty cheer.

Twins call up versatile, free-swinging Astudillo from Rochester La Velle Neal | Star Tribune | June 29, 2018

The newest Twin is a career minor leaguer who has been with three organizations, can play multiple positions but is known more for what he doesn’t do at the plate than what he does.

Let manager Paul Molitor explain Willians Astudillo’s hitting approach.

“Get them before they get you,” Molitor said succinctly.

Astudillo, called up by the Twins on Friday to replace Taylor Motter (concussion) on the roster, puts the ball in play, quickly. He doesn’t walk. He doesn’t strike out.

Astudillo, 26, was batting .290 at Class AAA Rochester with seven home runs and 25 RBI in 49 games. In 188 plate appearances, Astudillo walked five times while striking out nine.

In 609 games and 2,342 plate appearances over nine minor league seasons, he has walked 80 times while striking out 76.

Miguel Sano has struck out 66 times — this year.

“I don’t think he gets to [strike] three very often,” said Derek Falvey, Twins chief baseball officer. “He’s an aggressive guy. It’s not a secret. I’m not revealing anything the advance work won’t show. He attacks the ball and makes good contact. Sometimes that profile plays well off the bench when you think about different types of guys to bring in the sixth, seventh, eighth inning.”

Astudillo said he simply sees the ball and hits the ball.

“Coaches try to change my approach,” he said. “It’s just who I am. I’m a free swinger.”

It will be interesting to see how teams pitch to the confirmed hacker.

Motter out

Astudillo has played first, third, left field and caught for the Red Wings, and his versatility was a factor in his promotion. He replaces Motter, who had played second, third, shortstop and right field for the Twins before he crashed into a wall on Thursday during the Twins’ 2-1 win in 13 innings over the White Sox. Motter was believed to have had just a sore sternum, but the results of the concussion test pointed to something else.

“They went through the testing and felt like this was the best thing to do to take precautions,” Falvey said of Motter, who is 0-for-14 in seven games with the Twins.

Astudillo gives the Twins a third catcher who can play other positions, a useful tool to have over the next week of interleague games.Astudillo was signed as a minor league free agent during the offseason with an invitation to spring training. Visa problems delayed his arrival to camp until Feb. 24.

Jorge could be lost 5

In order to make room on the 40-man roster for Astudillo, the Twins designated righthander Felix Jorge for assignment. He is available on waivers and could be selected by another team. If not, he can remain with the Twins.

The 24-year-old Dominican, who made two starts with the Twins last season, currently is with the Gulf Coast League rookie team on the comeback from a sore triceps.

Still, many regard Jorge to be among the Twins’ top 20 prospects. He is 39-32 with a 3.27 ERA in the minor leagues and was 10-4 with a 3.68 ERA between Rochester and Class AA Chattanooga last season.

Polanco encouraging

Shortstop Jorge Polanco went 4-for-7 in a doubleheader on Thursday for Rochester, including a triple. The Twins are trying not to get too encouraged but feel he has a chance to help them right away when his PED suspension ends and he can join them on Monday in Milwaukee.

“He’s playing well so we’ll keep our fingers crossed,” Falvey said. “But with the way things have been going this season, we’ll wait over the next 72 hours. But hopefully he’s progressing.”

Etc.

• Joe Mauer and his wife, Maddie, are expecting their third child. And, no, they aren’t expecting twins again. “I checked, and it’s one, not two,” Mauer said. “We’re expecting around Thanksgiving and we’re really excited.” They will wait until birth to learn if it’s a boy or girl.

• After the game, the Twins send righthander Alan Busenitz back to Class AAA Rochester. That frees up a spot for Adalberto Mejia, who will start on Saturday.

Mauer is sick in Chicago, again. But he hit a home run, again. And he's having a baby, again La Velle Neal | Star Tribune | June 29, 2018

A couple of Mauer notes to share with you

In 2009, Joe Mauer was sick before the first game of a series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. When asked if he could play, he said he had to because his mother made the trip for the games. He then homered in his second at bat.

On Friday, Mauer homered in his second at-bat in the first game of a series against the Cubs at Wrigley. Again.

When asked if it was a flashback to 2009, he said he's been sick lately.

"Yeah, I was sick and I'm a little under the weather right now," he said. "I'm trying to get the fluids back in me and get back in there tomorrow."

Um, Joe...is your mother here too?

"Yes, she is.

So we know how to get Mauer rolling. Get him sick and send him and his mother to Chicago.

And another Mauer note: Mauer and his wife, Maddie, are expecting their third child. And, no, they aren't expecting twins again.

"I checked, and it's one, not two," Mauer said. "We're expecting around Thanksgiving and we're really excited."

They will wait until birth to learn if it will be a boy or girl.

6

Twins' Trevor Hildenberger turns sidearm pitching into an art Phil Miller | Star Tribune | June 29, 2018

Trevor Hildenberger is in the major leagues, has been for a year and a week now. And most of his former University of California teammates, some of them more accomplished at pitching in college than he, are not.

So Hildenberger made a logical suggestion to his friends: Why don't you give sidearming a try?

"I tried. I showed them the grip, showed them the motion," Hildenberger said. "Went through [instructions like] 'Front shoulder here, front hip here.' But it never really took for those guys. So I stopped suggesting it. I don't want anyone taking my job anyway."

Not much danger of that, not these days. After a handful of mediocre outings in April, Hildenberger has rebounded with more than a month of unrelenting rally-killing. He hasn't given up a run since May 23, a stretch of 16 games in which he's held opposing batters to a .159 average and a .219 slugging average.

"He's got a way about flustering hitters," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "For a guy without exceptional velocity, he gets some funny swings."

He does it by using his unorthodox pitching style, a motion he adopted out of equal parts desperation, impulse and whimsy back at Cal. At the seemingly random suggestion of pitching coach Mike Neu, now the Golden Bears' head coach, Hildenberger, an undistinguished overhand starter who received very little playing time, gave it a try during a bullpen session.

"I wasn't thinking about the big leagues, or even the minor leagues. I was thinking, 'I just want to compete, I just want to play on the team. I don't want to redshirt anymore,'" Hildenberger said. "I was not a fixture in their plans for the future. And nobody ever thought I would be a pro."

Yet within a couple of years, and still lacking anything resembling velocity, Hildenberger had become the Pac-12 saves leader. He was drafted, albeit not until the 22nd round, by the Twins in 2014, and embarked on a steady climb to the majors, never posting an ERA above 2.50 in the minors.

So why, if a non-prospect can adopt the funky style and let it propel him to the Twins, don't more pitchers give the motion a try?

"I don't really know. But it requires a real commitment. It's not just a gimmick," Hildenberger said. "If you're good enough to throw overhand at [a college] level, you're going to stick with what you've always done. If you're not, you probably give up. It definitely puts some different stresses on your arm and your body."

That's a common perception, that shoulder and elbow injuries are more common for sidearmers, though Hildenberger said his motion feels natural, and less stressful than over-the-top. Another common notion says that once hitters get used to the release point, most sidearm pitches will be more hittable than overhand. Hildenberger is refuting that with his success.

To Derek Falvey, the Twins' chief baseball officer, says Hildenberger is a better athlete than he lets on. "Not every pitcher could just adopt a completely different motion and succeed. He's got a talent for [sidearm delivery], for commanding the [strike] zone and getting movement that makes him unusual," Falvey said. "It's a different path to the big leagues, but it's not a shortcut."

Developing a slider from that down-under angle was the most difficult step, Hildenberger said. "The slider took the longest. When I first started, I thought about abandoning it altogether, just going fast[ball]/change, because I could throw them relatively close to the strike zone," he said. "My fastball was only 83-86 [mph]. So I kept throwing the slider, and I got bigger and stronger, and it became a good pitch."

And he became a good pitcher, more confident and consistent. How would Hildenberger hit a sidearmer?

"I know how I would approach hitting against myself, but I will not give those secrets away," he said with a laugh. "There is a formula, but I'll let hitters find it."

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

TIGERS: Chris Bosio was ousted as pitching coach for "insensitive comments" and replaced on Ron Gardenhire's staff by his former Twins pitching coach, Rick Anderson. Bosio said he was poking fun at a face made by one of the team's white players and a Tigers staffer, who is black, thought it was intended for him. "Everyone knows this is not me. I didn't use any profanity. There was no vulgarity. No racial anything," Bosio told USA Today, adding he is considering a wrongful termination lawsuit.

ROYALS: Kansas City had five of the first 58 picks in the MLB Draft and the largest bonus pool of any team after losing free agents Lorenzo Cain and . The Royals got the University of Florida's two aces, (18th overall) and (33rd), after they fell 7 on draft day. Royals GM Dayton Moore apparently has not closed the door on signing free agent pitcher Luke Heimlich, the Oregon State standout who went undrafted because of revelations of a child molestation conviction when he was 15.

WHITE SOX: Since pitcher Reynaldo Lopez said his team "looked like clowns" a week ago after a 12-0 loss to Cleveland — and several teammates were critical of that comment — Chicago has looked less circuslike. The White Sox were in an eight-game losing streak at the time, but have won four of their past six, including two of three from the Twins.

INDIANS: Cleveland ace Corey Kluber (11-4, 2.54 ERA) had the worst start of his career in an 11-2 loss to St. Louis, giving up six runs in 1.2 innings. Indians manager Terry Francona openly wondered if Kluber was 100 percent, but the veteran righthander insists he's physically OK. Only Max Scherzer has pitched more innings that Kluber since 2014. The games against the Twins (June 15) and Cards, however, are the only games this season (17 starts) where Kluber has given up more than three runs.

Twins waste 5 RBIs from Joe Mauer in 10-6 loss to Chicago Cubs Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | June 29, 2018

An ailing Joe Mauer, evoking memories of his last visit here in 2009, did all he could to keep the Twins in this Friday afternoon slugfest at Wrigley Field.

Young Jose Berrios, unfortunately, wasn’t able to avoid wilting in the oppressive heat as the Twins fell 10-6 to the Chicago Cubs.

“I didn’t feel too well coming to the park, but I was able to get out there and swing the bat,” Mauer said after driving in five runs, including a three-run homer. “It just wasn’t enough today. I looked over to (Brian) Dozier throughout the game and said it’s going to be one of those offensive games.”

Chased in the fifth inning by an Addison Russell grand slam, Berrios lasted just 78 pitches amid declining velocity and a game-time heat index of 106 degrees with the wind blowing out. The game-time temperature of 96 degrees was the highest here for a game since July 20, 2011.

“I don’t know if it’s the hottest game I’ve thrown,” Berrios said through a translator. “But coming from 80 degrees to almost 100, I felt it out there. I felt like I lost stamina out there because it was so hot.”

The 24-year-old right-hander couldn’t hold leads of 3-0 and 5-2 as Jason Heyward also took Berrios deep for a two-run shot in the third. The grand slam was just the second off Berrios in 55 career starts; catcher James McCann also hit one off him last Aug. 12 at Target Field.

Both homers off Berrios came on the first pitch, making it seven of 41 career homers he’s allowed under those circumstances. Heyward hit a fastball out to right, Russell a curve out to left.

“I hung the curveball right in the middle,” Berrios said. “He hit it up, and I think the wind pushed it out. It wasn’t like he hit it really hard.”

Berrios (8-6) was coming off a career-high 12 in seven innings against the Texas Rangers. He suffered his first loss since May 27 in Seattle and saw his spike from 3.15 to 3.52.

After getting 18 swinging strikes against the Rangers, Berrios could manage just three against the Cubs. Two of those came on curveballs to pitcher Mike Montgomery. https://youtu.be/9-EhGmAT1jo

Twins manager Paul Molitor noted looking at the scoreboard and “seeing some 90s” for Berrios’ fastball, which is abnormal. Even dialing it back, Berrios wasn’t able to keep the ball low enough to avoid the prevailing wind.

“You see the reason why some of those guys put up the numbers they do,” Twins outfielder Robbie Grossman said. “This place, when the wind blows out, it’s pretty self-explanatory. The Russell home run, at Target Field, probably doesn’t even get to the track. It’s pretty crazy to see that.”

Falling to 1-3 on this weeklong visit to the Windy City, the Twins were unable to build on Thursday’s 13-inning win over the crosstown White Sox. They have lost six of eight and are struggling to maintain contact with the first-place in the Central.

With runners in scoring position, they had gone 14 at-bats without a hit over parts of three games before Mauer dropped a 361-footer into the bleacher basket in left field in the second. That three-run homer off Montgomery was Mauer’s first off a lefty since he got on Aug. 1, 2016 in Cleveland. 8

It also ended a homer drought of 98 at-bats, dating to May 1 and his only previous homer this year — off Toronto’s Marco Estrada at home. Mauer’s last three-run homer had come on June 5, 2015 against ex-Twin Kyle Lohse (Milwaukee), although Mauer did hit a grand slam last September.

In the fourth, Mauer ripped a two-run double to center, giving him five RBIs for the third time since last Aug. 12. Before that he hadn’t had a five- RBI game since July 26, 2010, when he drove in a career-high seven at Kansas City.

Mauer, who is 9 for 18 with two homers and nine RBIs in four career games at Wrigley, now has seven games with five or more RBIs in his career. He’s also three doubles behind Kirby Puckett’s Twins franchise record of 414 and two homers behind Michael Cuddyer (141) for 11th on the Twins list.

Mauer’s two hits were the Twins’ only knocks with 10 tries with runners in scoring position through eight innings. Grossman had a two-out RBI single in the ninth to force the Cubs to use closer Brandon Morrow.

Ben Zobrist (two-run) and Kyle Schwarber added homers off reliever Matt Magill.

It was the sixth time the Twins have allowed 10 runs or more, but the first since May 30. They have yet to reach double figures as a lineup.

Twins could give Trevor Larnach a break after College World Series run Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | June 29, 2018

Derek Falvey texted Twins first-rounder Trevor Larnach on Thursday night after Oregon State clinched its third College World Series title with a 5-0 win over Arkansas.

Falvey, the Twins’ chief baseball officer, wasn’t trying to hammer out a deal with the 20th-overall pick in this year’s draft. Rather, Falvey said, he just wanted “to congratulate him and just say that’s a heck of a run and quite a fight down to the finish.”

Twins scouting director Sean Johnson was expected to reach out to Larnach’s adviser on Friday to advance talks on a deal that carries a slot bonus value of $3.12 million. The Twins still hope to sign sixth-rounder Charles Mack, a high school third baseman who has committed to Clemson, before the July 6 deadline.

Depending on whether Mack signs under slot, Larnach’s bonus should end up somewhere between $2.9 million and the slot number. Once Larnach agrees, which is expected to be a formality, the Twins might give him some time to recharge after a long run through the NCAA postseason that included eight games in Omaha.

“I think about what he’s just gone through in terms of intensity of games and otherwise,” Falvey said. “I’m sure he’s going to have a nice little celebration of sorts back in Corvallis. We’re not looking to rush him. He’s played a lot of baseball this year. He’ll continue to play more through this season and ultimately instructional league.”

Larnach, a right fielder who hit .348 with an OPS of 1.115, turned 21 in late February. That makes him almost 16 months younger than last year’s supplemental first-rounder , who signed at 22 after his senior year at Mississippi State and reached Class A Fort Myers after just 22 games in the rookie-level Appalachian League.

Rooker’s age made him “a little bit unique,” Falvey said, but Larnach’s left-handed hitting ability could expedite his timeline as well.

“He’s clearly an advanced bat,” Falvey said. “He’s shown that off the World Series. I’m sure he can handle just about any level we put him at. We just want to put him in a place we think is most beneficial for his success.”

Larnach, who hit an epic two-run homer to cap a miracle comeback against Arkansas when the Beavers were a strike away from elimination, has shown the ability to use all fields.

“It’s not that he can’t pull the ball; he just uses the left-center field gap really well,” Falvey said. “I think that’s a really good sign for a young hitter. Pulling the ball comes a little later sometimes. The ability to drive the ball the other way, that’s something not all guys can do. It’s exciting to think what he can do once he gets there.”

MOTTER CONCUSSED

As it turned out Taylor Motter’s postgame optimism was overstated. 9

One day after the super utility man crashed into the outfield wall at Guaranteed Rate Field, the Twins placed Motter on the seven-day concussion disabled list. Utility catcher Willians Astudillo was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take his place.

The initial concern was Motter’s sternum after he crashed into the wall with his chest upon failing to run down Yoan Moncada’s leadoff double in the sixth inning. Motter, claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners in May, finished the inning but was later removed for pinch hitter .

He was still in the Twins’ clubhouse before Friday’s game and his symptoms were considered mild.

Astudillo is a 26-year-old Venezuelan who was signed to a minor-league deal last offseason. He was named to the International League all-star team after hitting .290 and slugging 489 over his first 49 games and 188 plate appearances.

The free-swinging Astudillo has walked just five times but has just nine strikeouts as well while seeing time at catcher (29 games), third base (13 games), left field (four games) and first base (one game).

“Get them before they get you,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said when asked to describe Astudillo’s approach.

JORGE DESIGNATED

To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Felix Jorge was designated for assignment.

Jorge, once rated among the Twins’ top 10 prospects, recently returned to the mound in the Gulf Coast League after missing 2 1/2 months with a sore right triceps. The 24-year-old made two starts in the majors last season, going 1-0 with a 10.57 earned run average and four home runs allowed in 7 2/3 innings.

Jorge’s ERA is 3.27 in 689 minor-league innings but concerns about diminished velocity could enable him to clear waivers.

Reliever Alan Busenitz was optioned to Rochester after the game to make room for left-hander Adalberto Mejia, who will start Saturday.

BRIEFLY

—Logan Morrison’s playing time over these six interleague games will depend on Joe Mauer’s availability, Molitor said. With just one night game against the Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers, Mauer might be able to start five times in this stretch which would restrict Morrison to pinch- hitting.

–Minor-league hitting coordinator Rick Eckstein has traveled to Rochester to work with Byron Buxton, who was hitting .207 through 29 at-bats in Triple-A.

–Shortstop Jorge Polanco 6 for 13 through his first four rehab games and appears to be on track for Monday activation in Milwaukee, the first day he’s eligible to return from an 80-game steroid suspension.

–Catcher Bobby Wilson was available after getting conked on the helmet with follow-throughs the past two days. Wilson, who also took a foul tip off his right ear in Thursday’s 13-inning win, estimates he’s been hit with follow-throughs six or seven times already this year with an annual average of 10 over his 16 pro seasons.

‘I lost stamina out there’: José Berríos, Twins wilt under the heat at Wrigley Dan Hayes | The Athletic | June 29, 2018

The conditions at Wrigley Field were so miserable Friday afternoon that many of the 41,492 attendees cheered wildly anytime a cloud passed over to provide a brief break from the sun.

That’s the kind of day it was at the Friendly Confines, which hosted its warmest contest in seven seasons. The temperature at first pitch was 96 degrees and the heat index reached 106. Though they got off to a hot start early thanks to Joe Mauer’s five RBIs, José Berríos and the Twins couldn’t make it hold up as the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 10-6 victory. Berríos succumbed to the sweltering conditions and produced his worst outing of the season, walking four and allowing six earned runs, including a fifth-inning grand slam to Addison Russell.

“I don’t know if it’s the hottest game I’ve thrown, but coming from 80 degrees to almost 100, I felt it out there,” Berríos said through an interpreter. “I wanted to keep competing for my team. … I kind of felt like I lost stamina out there because it was so hot. It just was what it was. 10

“I tried to execute my pitches. I struck out (two). I kept trying to battle. It wasn’t my day today.”

There were numerous signs that Berríos didn’t hold up well on Friday.

Nobody did.

Catcher said it became a chore to throw the ball back to the pitcher by the third inning. Twins relievers had to open the bullpen door to let the stuffy air trapped inside out, and routinely went onto the field in between innings to prepare themselves for the heat blast if they entered the game. Plate umpire David Rackley retreated to the dugout in between innings to place a wet towel on the back of his neck. Before the game was over, Rackley began to wear the towel.

It wasn’t a shock to see Berríos and counterpart Mike Montgomery both struggle. But it was very evident how much the conditions affected Berríos, a pitcher whose command has been so good this season you could almost describe it as pinpoint.

He had no idea where the ball was going from the outset. Berríos entered Friday with strikes thrown on 1,011 of 1,526 pitches (66.3 percent), which ranks 20th out of 122 qualified major-league starters.

Yet Berríos only threw strikes on 15 of his first 36 pitches against the Cubs. He finished with strikes on 44 of 78 overall. Somehow, Berríos worked around his lack of command in the first inning and retired the side in order. But he walked a pair in the second inning and had to escape a bases-loaded jam with a of Montgomery. It was one of only two strikeouts for Berríos, who is striking out 9.31 batters per nine innings.

Berríos, who is averaging 2.01 walks per nine this season, surpassed his season high in the fourth inning when he opened it with free passes to Kyle Schwarber and Ian Happ. He walked four overall, but still escaped the jam in the fourth with a double play and another strikeout of Montgomery.

“It’s so hard to play in this environment,” Garver said. “You can stay sharp for only so long. We got in the third or fourth inning and he started getting a little tired, just kind of wearing it on his face. But he battled back. I know he was fighting some nausea in the fourth or fifth inning. He was able to get out of that (jam) and that gave him a little bit of an energy boost.”

The adrenaline ran out in the fifth, though. Berríos’ velocity began to dip as his fastball — which averages 93.6 mph — sat between 89-92 mph.

Jason Heyward, who blasted a 90-mph fastball for a two-run homer in the third inning, singled with one out in the fifth. Berríos then hit Ben Zobrist with an 0-2 curveball and Anthony Rizzo ripped another 92-mph fastball for a single to load the bases.

Berríos hung a first-pitch curveball and Russell got just enough of it for a go-ahead grand slam to left. Berríos finished the day with three swings and misses, well down from his 12.1-per game average, according to Brooksbaseball.net.

“José was just a little off,” manager Paul Molitor said. “Command of fastball, a couple breaking balls that he got hurt on. … Glanced up there now and then. (Velocity) was maybe down a mile or two from what you would expect. Saw some 90s and don’t see many of those normally.”

Berríos had been lights out in his previous four starts, going 2-0 with a 1.27 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings while walking only six. While he didn’t have his best on Friday, Berríos thought he could get it done. He just ran out of gas.

“I feel like I could have won,” Berríos said. “It’s just today I didn’t feel 100 percent, just the heat and combination of things … it just wasn’t my day today.”

Roster moves galore Prior to Friday’s game, the Twins placed Taylor Motter on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion after he slammed into a fence post in Thursday’s victory. The Twins purchased the contract of catcher/utility man Willians Astudillo from Triple-A Rochester and designated Felix Jorge for assignment to make room on the 40-man.

Motter had improved by Friday, but Molitor didn’t think he’d be able to pass concussion protocol in the short term.

Given Motter had served as the team’s utility man, the Twins promoted Astudillo, a Triple-A All-Star this season at Rochester. While his primary position is catcher, Astudillo appeared at first and third base during spring training and can play second. He also has tried to convince Molitor he’s an outfielder.

“He showed me video of him playing outfield, including robbing a homer,” Molitor said. “With Taylor’s situation, we needed to have the flexibility, someone who could bounce around. The double switches can be a factor. Versatility is important throughout the next six games (of 11 interleague).”

Astudillo arrived on Friday morning along with pitcher Adalberto Mejía, who was promoted after the game and will start on Saturday. Mejía is 4- 2 with a 2.74 ERA in 49 1/3 innings at Rochester, striking out 50 and walking 16. He also made 21 starts for the Twins in 2017, posting a 4.50 ERA.

Reliever Alan Busenitz was optioned to make room for Mejía.

Rehabs go well Byron Buxton is healthy and Jorge Polanco is ahead of schedule. Buxton’s broken big left toe looks to be in good shape, according to chief baseball officer Derek Falvey. He began a rehab assignment on June 19 and has shown no signs the toe is limiting his play. Buxton went 1-for-5 for Rochester in Friday’s loss and is hitting .206 overall at Triple A. He also made a spectacular diving grab and threw a runner out at home in the effort.

“Buck is continuing to progress,” Falvey said. “He’s healthy. His foot feels good and that’s kind of our first question every day. Make sure there is no issue there. He’s continuing to progress well. Offensive adjustments are still coming. James (Rowson) is still chatting with Chad (Allen) and Rick Eckstein every day about the hitting things. So progress. Positive progress.”

Polanco, whose 80-game suspension ends on Monday, has shown no effects of an injury to a finger that he slammed in a car door earlier this month. The shortstop is hitting .438/.526/.750 in 19 plate appearances since he began a rehab assignment.

He’s expected to be activated prior to Monday’s game in Milwaukee.

“We felt maybe he could be a little bit behind, but he’s shown no signs of that,” Falvey said. “His bat to ball has been tremendous, starting at Fort Myers and then moving to Rochester. He’s in great shape physically. Hopefully he’s in a place where he can help us soon.”

Derek Falvey on the progress of Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano and Jorge Polanco Jake Depue | ESPN 1500 | June 29, 2018

Prior to Friday’s game at Wrigley Field, Twins CBO Derek Falvey provided updates on the progress of several key young players.

With a month to go until the trade deadline, the Twins have been playing with a depleted roster as they try to make up ground on first-place Cleveland. Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano and others have missed substantial time, forcing the Twins to dip deep into their farm system. The latest addition was catcher Willians Astudillo, who replaced injured IF/OF Taylor Motter.

Getting some of the team’s key pieces back in the next five weeks would be a big boon to Minnesota’s chances of getting within striking distance of the Indians by July 31. Here’s what Falvey had to say about Buxton, Polanco and Sano, and some thoughts on when each player could return.

Byron Buxton’s progress Buxton is currently hitting .207/.258/.310 with Triple-A Rochester. Technically, Buxton’s on a rehab assignment for the broken toe he suffered back in April. In reality, he’s down there to work on his swing mechanics as much as anything else, and Twins CBO Derek Falvey said Buxton’s now healthy.

It’s a bit telling, then, that he’s still not up with the big club. Left-handed outfielder was called up prior to the White Sox series to face three right-handed starters. That move made sense because of the matchups, but there was some thought Buxton would return for the Cubs series, with Chicago starting two lefties. Instead, Cave remained on the roster, while Buxton stayed in Rochester.

“He’s continuing to progress well,” Falvey said of Buxton. “Offensive adjustments are still coming. We haven’t put any specific timetable on [his return]. We’ve talked all along how at times he’s battling to compete up here, especially when he was fighting the injury. We want to make sure when he’s up here he has a chance to impact the game.”

Things can change in a hurry, of course, but based on Falvey’s comments it didn’t sound like Buxton’s return was imminent. It will be interesting to see what the Twins do with their center fielder if he’s still in Rochester when his MLB rehab ends on July 9. If they don’t call him up by then, he’d have to be optioned to the minors.

Polanco on track to return Monday All signs point to Jorge Polanco being activated Monday, once his PED suspension officially ends. That was in doubt last week, after Polanco hurt his finger shutting a car door, and the finger became infected. The injury delayed his rehab assignment in the minors, but he played his first game with High-A Fort Myers on June 24, and is now playing with Rochester. On Thursday, Polanco went 4-for-7 with a home run in a doubleheader. 12

“The cut finger delayed things, said Falvey. “But he’s shown no signs of that [affecting him]. Bat to ball is tremendous, both in Fort Myers and Rochester. He’s moving well. Hopefully in a good place to help us.”

Althoughit looks like Polanco’s return was imminent, Falvey did add a bit of caution.

“The way this season’s gone, I don’t know what will happen in the next 72 hours,” he said.

Sano sticking to the plan Falvey sounded pleased with how Miguel Sano’s progressed since being sent to High-A Fort Myers earlier this month.

In five games with the Miracle, Sano’s hitting .250/.400/.300 with seven strikeouts and five walks in 25 plate appearances. The slugger was sent to the Twins’ complex in Florida to work on both his conditioning and pitch recognition. In a small sample size, the strikeouts are still high, but Falvey said his conditioning has improved since arriving two weeks ago.

“We talked about the holistic plan around Miguel,” he said. “The conditioning has gotten better and better. He’s lost weight, done a good job. It’s not just the weight number, we want to make sure he’s strong. We’ve seen some things from an offensive standpoint in terms of adjustments. He’s progressing.”

Falvey said they were mindful of how Sano would react to the demotion, but that he’s handled it well so far.

“You always worry about that with any player,” he said. “I think having Polanco there for a few days was a real benefit. You’re always thinking about how a guy might respond, but we had a plan in place for him, and he’s responded well.”

Of the three, Sano’s return might be furthest away, but that’s just speculation based on what Falvey’s said publicly about their plan. If the goal is to get his body close to what it was when he first came up in 2015, it’s possible he won’t be back until much later in the summer.

Wrigley woes: Russell’s grand slam drops Twins Associated Press | June 29, 2018

Addison Russell and Chicago Cubs took advantage of the warm, windy weather at Wrigley Field to power their way to a comeback win.

Russell hit his second career grand slam, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist each had two-run homers and the Cubs rallied to beat the 10-6 on Friday.

Kyle Schwarber added his 16th home run, a solo shot in the seventh, in a late afternoon contest that started with a temperature of 96 degrees and a 12-mph breeze blowing out. Anthony Rizzo completed Chicago’s scoring with an RBI single in the eighth as the Cubs pulled away to win their third game in four following a five-game slide.

Russell’s second homer — and four-RBI game — in two days chased Twins starter Jose Berrios (8-6) with one out the fifth and put Chicago ahead for the first time, 6-5. The shortstop’s deep fly to left was pushed by a steady southwest wind as it narrowly reached the Wrigley Field bleachers.

“I figured I got it pretty good, but I thought I hit it a little too high,” Russell said. “I’m happy that it’s summertime in Chicago and now those balls are flying.”

Russell, who got off to a slow start this season, has seven hits in 17 at-bats over his last four games to raise his average to .282.

“I’ve just been really trying to work on my approach with (hitting coach Chili Davis) and myself, as well as my discipline at the plate,” Russell said. “It looks like it’s getting better.”

Joe Mauer homered among three hits and finished with a season-high five RBIs for the Twins. Mauer hit a three-run shot in the second and lined a two-run double off Cubs starter Mike Montgomery in the fourth.

“Today, probably high-end extreme of favorable to the offensive side,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said of the weather. “It played a little bit of a role in the game.

“I got a little bit of a boost I think on Joe’s ball and on (Russell’s) grand slam.”

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Montgomery (3-2) lasted five innings and earned the win despite giving up five runs (three earned) and seven hits with three walks. Three Cubs relievers followed with a scoreless inning each before Justin Wilson allowed the Twins’ final run in the ninth.

Brandon Morrow came in to get the final out for his 17th save.

Berrios lacked his usual velocity as he yielded a season-high six runs and four walks. The right-hander was 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA over his previous five starts.

“I thought I lost a little bit of stamina out there,” Berrios said. “Scorching hot.”

Mauer’s homer was just his second this season, following a solo shot on May 1, and he hit the opposite-field drive despite being ill. The 35-year- old first baseman last drove in five runs in a game last Sept. 17 against Toronto.

Mauer’s drive with two outs in the second made it 3-0. The wind helped his fly carry into the left-field basket.

Heyward lined Berrios’ first pitch to him in the third into the right-center bleachers to cut it to 3-2.

Mauer’s double to center field in the fourth and plated two runs to extend the Twins’ lead to 5-2.

After the Cubs loaded the bases in the fifth, Russell’s homer put them ahead. Zobrist added his two-run shot to right in the sixth off Matt Magill to make it 8-5.

BABY BOY BAEZ

INF Javier Baez wasn’t in the lineup following the birth of his son Friday morning. Baez, tied with Schwarber for the team lead with 16 homers, pinch hit in the seventh and struck out.

TRAINERS ROOM

Twins: INF/OF Taylor Motter was placed on the disabled list with concussion like symptoms after hitting his chest hard against right field wall at Guaranteed Rate Field on Thursday while trying to make a catch. … Minnesota recalled C/INF Willians Astudillo from Triple-A Rochester to take Motter’s roster spot. … The Twins designated RHP Felix Jorge for release or assignment.

Cubs: RHP Yu Darvish travelled to Texas to see orthopedic surgeon Keith Meister for a fresh opinion on his sore right triceps and got a new diagnosis: Right elbow impingement and inflammation. Darvish also got a cortisone shot that will take three-to-five days to settle in. The injury flared up in a bullpen session on Thursday in Los Angeles and forced the Cubs to scrub Darvish’s return to the rotation this weekend. . INF/OF (left shoulder inflammation) hit off a tee and took infield practice on Friday. He could return on Tuesday when he’s eligible to come off the disabled list. … RHP Carl Edwards Jr. (right shoulder inflammation) was scheduled to make a rehab outing at Triple-A Iowa on Friday and is nearing a return from the DL.

UP NEXT

Twins LHP Adalberto Mejia makes his first major league appearance of the season and faces Cubs RHP Tyler Chatwood (3-5, 3.95), who comes off the paternity list. Mejia is 4-2 with 2.74 ERA in 11 games (nine starts) for Triple-A Rochester, and was 4-7 with 4.50 ERA in 21 starts for the Twins in 2017. The Twins sent RHP Alan Busenitz down to make room for him.

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