Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins announced Saturday that slugger Miguel Sano tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic, Sano is in quarantine away from the team and will require two negative tests in order to rejoin the Twins for training camp.

The Twins also announced that utilityman Willians Astudillo tested positive for COVID-19, per Gleeman. MLB.com's Do-Hyoung Park added that Edwar Colina and Nick Gordon were diagnosed with the coronavirus previously as well, but not as part of the recent round of testing.

MLB and the MLBPA announced Friday that 31 players tested positive for COVID-19 in the first round of testing this week. When taking non-player staff members into account as well, 38 of the 3,185 people tested were diagnosed with COVID-19, which is a 1.2 percent rate.

Players began reporting to training camp this week in preparation for the start of the 2020 MLB season, which is scheduled for July 23.

After struggling mightily in 2018 to the tune of a .199 batting average with 13 home runs and 41 RBI, Sano bounced back in a big way last season and was a key part of a Twins team that set the single-season MLB record with 307 home runs.

Despite appearing in just 105 games, Sano set career highs with 34 home runs, 79 RBI and 76 runs scored, while also producing a slash line of .247/.346/.576.

Sano is a valuable commodity for the Twins not only because of his power; he is capable of playing both third base and first base and can also excel as a designated hitter.

With the signing of power-hitting third baseman Josh Donaldson during the offseason, Sano is likely to spend the bulk of his time at first during the 2020 campaign.

While the potential absence of Sano would leave a hole in Minnesota's lineup, the Twins are stacked with enough power hitters to make do. Donaldson, Nelson Cruz, Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario, Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver headline what is unquestionably one of the best lineups in baseball.

The Twins won the American League Central last season and reached the playoffs, where they were eliminated in the American League Division Series by the New York Yankees.

Getting past teams like the Yankees and Houston Astros in the AL won't be easy, but with teams playing just 60 games this season, perhaps the truncated schedule will hide some of the weaknesses of the Twins' pitching.

Assuming Sano's recovery goes well, he figures to be available to play when the Twins play their first game of the 2020 campaign in about three weeks.

Several members of the Minnesota Twins have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 in advance of the spring training restart on July 1. 

Per The Athletic's Dan Hayes, the Twins "have been made aware of several positive COVID-19 tests among their players." 

Hayes noted that none of the players who tested positive were working out at Target Field or the team's spring training facilities in Ft. Myers, Florida. 

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported on June 19 that MLB was closing all spring training facilities in Arizona and Florida for a "deep clean" in an attempt to contain a recent coronavirus outbreak involving multiple teams. 

The Philadelphia Phillies have announced a total of 12 positive COVID-19 cases (seven players and five staff members) out of at least 40 tests administered. The Toronto Blue Jays confirmed on June 19 that a player on their 40-man roster was showing coronavirus symptoms. 

Per Kyle Newman of the Denver Post, Colorado Rockies players Charlie Blackmon, Phillip Diehl and Ryan Castellani tested positive for the virus after recently going through workouts at Coors Field.

All of this comes as Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association finalized a return plan for the 2020 season that will consist of a 60-game regular season.

The Twins have already confirmed that they will hold spring training in Minneapolis leading up to the start of the regular season on either July 23 or 24.

Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano won't face charges in an alleged kidnapping in the Dominican Republic.

Per La Velle E. Neal III of the Star-Tribune, the Twins confirmed no charges were filed against Sano after a prosecutor heard evidence from the lawyer, Odalis Ramos, who accused Sano and three other people of kidnapping, beating and threatening to hang his client Raudy Omar Sanchez de la Cruz last month. 

In an interview with Dominican Republic newspaper El Nuevo Diario last week (via Neal), Sano said he was being blackmailed: "They are looking for money."

Sano also accused Sanchez de la Cruz of being involved in a sexual assault of his stepbrother and said Ramos offered to drop the case if he was given roughly $170,000. 

According to Neal's report from last week, Ramos noted a hearing at the San Pedro prosecutor's office that was originally scheduled for June 16 was postponed until Thursday. 

 

The Minnesota Twins announced the removal of a statue honoring former owner Calvin Griffith over racist comments he made in 1978, saying he moved the team to Minneapolis because there were not a lot of black people in the city. 

A team statement read:

"While we acknowledge the prominent role Calvin Griffith played in our history, we cannot remain silent and continue ignoring the racist comments he made in Waseca in 1978. His disparaging words displayed a blatant intolerance and disregard for the Black community that are the antithesis of what the Minnesota Twins stand for and value.

"Our decision to memorialize Calvin Griffith with a statue reflects an ignorance on our part of systemic racism present in 1978, 2010 and today. We apologize for our failure to adequately recognize how the statue was viewed and the pain it caused for many people – both inside the Twins organization and across Twins Territory. We cannot remove Calvin Griffith from the history of the Minnesota Twins, but we believe removal of this statue is an important and necessary step in our ongoing commitment to provide a Target Field experience where every fan and employee feels safe and welcome."

The Twins moved from Washington D.C. to Minneapolis in 1961. In a 1978 speech at the Lions Club in Waseca, Minnesota, Griffith made disparaging remarks about black people and then-star player Rod Carew. 

"I'll tell you why we came to Minnesota. It was when I found out you only had 15,000 blacks here," Griffith said. "Black people don't go to ballgames, but they'll fill up a rassling ring and put up such a chant it'll scare you to death. It's unbelievable. We came here because you've got good, hard-working, white people here."

Griffith called Carew, who is black, a "damn fool" for signing a contract that paid him just $170,000 per year. Carew won the AL MVP in 1977. 

Carew vowed to never sign another contract with the Twins after Griffith's comments. He was traded to the California Angels in 1979.

In a statement provided to the Star-Tribune by the Twins, Carew praised the decision to remove the statue and said he had "long forgiven" Griffith for the comments. 

Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano denied allegations that he was involved in kidnapping a man in the Dominican Republic in May. 

Per La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, lawyer Odalis Ramos posted a video on Tuesday "accusing Sano and three friends of kidnapping his client, Raudy Omar Sanchez de la Cruz, beating him and threatening to hang him May 6."

Neal noted that Sano denied the accusation and told Dominican newspaper El Nuevo Diario "Sanchez de la Cruz was involved in a sexual assault of Sano's young stepbrother."

The Twins told Neal they are "aware of the allegations and trying to gather information."

El Nuevo Diario noted that Sano, who postponed a Wednesday news conference, and his three friends had been summoned to the San Pedro prosecutor’s office Tuesday but did not go "because the request came too late for him to act."

Sano accused Ramos of trying to blackmail him for $170,000 to drop the accusations, but said he intends to file a lawsuit against the lawyer for $500,000. 

According to Neal, Ramos said a hearing has been scheduled for June 25. 

Sano has spent his entire MLB career with the Twins. He signed with the team as an international free agent in 2009 and made his big-league debut in 2015. 

The Pohlad family, which owns the Minnesota Twins, announced it is donating $25 million to racial justice through its family foundation, companies and family members. 

"Black people have experienced oppression and racism for far too long in this country," Bill Pohlad, president of the Pohlad Family Foundation, said. "We condemn racism in all its forms, and we are firmly committed to helping to enact meaningful change. We know this will take time and effort, and we are committed to this work beyond this seminal moment in our country's history."

The announcement said the "two-phased, community-based approach" was done "in response to the murder of George Floyd and the deeply ingrained systemic racism in our country."

The first phase of the approach will look to rebuild organizations in impacted communities by working with government and businesses and matching employee donations. The second phase is more of a long-term approach that will strive to "change the systems that create racial inequities and marginalize people of color."

In order to further achieve the larger goal, the Pohlads will partner with other organizations looking to do the same.

This announcement from the Pohlad family comes after the Twins issued a statement on May 28 in response to the May 25 killing of Floyd:

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic and senseless death of George Floyd on Monday night in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Twins send our deepest sympathies to the Floyd family, and join with our Twin Cities community in mourning.

"We will continue working with our community partners to move forward with courage, free of hate and thoughtful in our path, to create the change we want to see in the world—one, all-inclusive Twins Territory, where everyone is protected, safe and welcome."

Video revealed former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd said he could not breathe. 

The killing sparked protests in Minneapolis and across the country that aimed to address police brutality and racial injustice. 

Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao, who were also involved in the arrest, were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler apologized for wearing a "Blue Lives Matter" flag face mask in the wake of George Floyd being killed by Minneapolis police officers. 

Kepler, who is German, deleted the post and told one fan that he didn't know what the mask stood for when he wore it, saying that "Police is green in Germany," per Bradford William Davis of the New York Daily News. He also issued a formal apology:

"Earlier, I posted a photo of me in a mask that was sent to me by a company, to wear during the pandemic. I had no idea that the mask had any underlying inferences—I simply thought it looked good. After I was informed, I immediately took down the post.

"I take complete responsibility for not knowing what I was wearing. I am truly sorry for the hurt and pain my actions have caused, especially now. Racism has no place in our world and I do not in any way support the actions that we all witnessed that led to George Floyd's passing. My sympathies are with the Floyd family."

Floyd, 46, was unarmed and arrested Monday evening after a local shopkeeper called police about somebody attempting to pay for something with a counterfeit bill. Video showed a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck for seven minutes while he lay on the ground, handcuffed, following his arrest.

Floyd repeatedly told the officers that he couldn't breathe and that he was about to die. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, though the video showed his body being limp after the officer removed his knee from Floyd's neck, with an onlooker remarking, "They just killed him." 

The four officers at the scene were all fired, though to this point no charges against any of them have been filed.

"My job in the end is to prove he violated a criminal statute. And there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge," Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman said Thursday, per Christina Maxouris, Jason Hanna and Steve Almasy of CNN.com. "We need to wade through all of that evidence and come to a meaningful decision and we are doing that to the best of our ability."

His office later issued a separate statement, saying Freeman misspoke regarding evidence.

"Evidence not favorable to our case needs to be carefully examined to understand the full picture of what actually happened," the statement said. "This happens in every case."

In light of Floyd's killing, protests broke out in both Minneapolis and across the country, with officers in Minneapolis responding with tear gas, rubber bullets and other measures. Protestors reportedly set the Third Precinct building—where the four officers had been stationed before they were let go—on fire. 

While baseball is on hiatus amid the coronavirus pandemic, bizarre minor league team promotions don't have to stop.

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, are using the downtime to offer an opportunity to fans who crave their own ballpark, placing Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola, Florida, on Airbnb.

For $1,500 per night (plus the usual fees), 10 guests can enjoy all the minor league stadium has to offer.

Here's the official listing:

"For the first time ever, a professional baseball stadium is available for rent on AirBnB, giving fans the most intimate, behind-the-scenes ballpark experience in history. Whether you'd like to host an unforgettable overnight trip with your youth league team, throw an unbeatable birthday bash, stage a corporate retreat that will make you an office hero, or spend your bachelor party living your sports dream, Blue Wahoos Stadium is the ultimate rental. ...

"Want to hit with your friends in our batting cage? Be our guest! Want to play catch on the field at 11:30 PM? Be our guest! Want to take batting practice while having a couple cold ones with the boys? Be our guest! Want to take down your siblings in ping pong and video games in the clubhouse? Be our guest! Want to enjoy breakfast at home plate? Be our guest!"

The listing is officially verified by Airbnb. Reservations are available throughout the summer and extending into fall.

A fan had to be stretchered off the field ahead of Thursday's spring training game between the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins. 

According to LeVelle E. Neal III of the Star-Tribune, a fan reached over the fence attempting to grab a ball during batting practice but fell over onto the warning track at Ed Smith Stadium.

The Twins halted batting practice for several minutes while personnel tended to the injured fan.

Fan safety has been a significant concern at baseball games in recent years, with an NBC News study finding more than 700 injuries coming from foul balls at just four ballparks—Marlins Park, Oakland Coliseum, T-Mobile Park and Coors Field—in the last eight seasons, according to Chuck Schilken of the Los Angeles Times.

Extrapolating that data to all 30 ballparks would amount to approximately 4,500 injuries related to balls entering the stands across the league in the last eight seasons.

Major League Baseball has made changes to help create a safer environment, including an increase of nets in between the field and the stands.

With regard to their already record-setting offense, the Minnesota Twins have evidently taken up the mantra that overkill is underrated.

As Mark Feinsand of MLB.com was first to report, the Twins struck a deal with free-agent third baseman Josh Donaldson on Tuesday:

BREAKING: Per source, 3B Josh Donaldson has agreed to a four-year deal with the Minnesota Twins.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 15, 2020

Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Donaldson's four-year pact is worth a guaranteed $92 million. It also has an option for a fifth year that could raise his total guarantee to $100 million.

Though this is the Twins' largest investment in a single player since they extended Joe Mauer for $184 million back in 2010, that they went ahead with it isn't surprising. They entered the winter with a ton of spending flexibility, and they only used up so much of it on smaller deals with Jake Odorizzi, Michael Pineda, Homer Bailey, Rich Hill, Sergio Romo, Tyler Clippard and Alex Avila.

If there is a surprise here, it's that the Twins saved their big splash for a power hitter.

Though the Twins were hardly alone in taking advantage of Major League Baseball's historically home run-happy environment in 2019, nobody took more advantage of it than they did. Their 307 homers set a new single-season record, not to mention that they served as the backbone for their 101 wins.

To boot, Minnesota's dinger deluge was a true group effort. Though Nelson Cruz led the way with 41 long balls, seven other members of the "Bomba Squad" hit at least 20: Max Kepler (36), Miguel Sano (34), Eddie Rosario (32), Mitch Garver (31), C.J. Cron (25), Jonathan Schoop (23) and Jorge Polanco (22).

The Twins did, however, lose some power when they cut loose Cron and Schoop, and they also lost Jason Castro (who hit 13 homers) to free agency. Before Tuesday, the prospect of Sano and Byron Buxton having fully healthy and productive seasons in 2020 was their only real hope of replacing that lost power.

But now into the mix comes Donaldson. Following an injury-shortened season with the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians in 2018, the 34-year-old bounced back with a .900 OPS and 37 home runs for the Atlanta Braves in 2019. That marked the fourth time in five years he's topped 30 homers in a season.

Lest anyone doubt that the 2015 American League MVP truly returned to form as an elite slugger in 2019, the 98.1 mph that Donaldson averaged on his fly balls and line drives ranked fifth among hitters who had at least 100 batted balls of those varieties.

And while Target Field isn't necessarily a bandbox, it might play better for Donaldson's power than Truist Park. This overlay of his non-homer fly balls and line drives in Atlanta last season suggests as much:

The Twins also figure to get a defensive upgrade from swapping out Sano, who'll move across the diamond to first base, for Donaldson at third base. 

Donaldson significantly outperformed Sano in defensive runs saved and ultimate zone rating in 2019. Likewise, Statcast's new infield outs above average metric offers the same conclusion.

If there's a concern here, it's that the Twins are now tied to Donaldson through at least his age-37 season. As good as he is now, his age and recent injury history point toward a possible future in which his stardom either rapidly fades or suddenly vanishes altogether.

Alternatively, the designated hitter could be Donaldson's saving grace. Though the position is occupied by Cruz now, free agency and potentially retirement await the 39-year-old after 2020.

Further, the Twins will be able to live with a decline in the latter half of Donaldson's contract so long as he helps keep them atop the American League Central in the interim. There's a strong chance of that at least being the case in 2020. While the Twins have fortified their position, the Cleveland Indians have arguably let the ultra-busy Chicago White Sox leapfrog them in the division's power structure.

Whether the Twins are now the team to beat for the entire American League is a harder sell. The New York Yankees look awfully good after adding Gerrit Cole. And despite all that has befallen them as a result of their sign-stealing scheme from 2017, the Houston Astros are nonetheless equipped for a fourth straight 100-win season in 2020.

But after all they've done, the Twins are at least better prepared for those two teams than they were last season, which ended with the Yankees sweeping them out of the American League Division Series. That means there's a distinct possibility that 2020 will yield their first trip to the World Series since 1991.

Meanwhile, Donaldson's deal with the Twins also has serious ramifications for the rest of the offseason.

With him off the board, the Braves will either need to trust in young slugger Austin Riley or look elsewhere for a veteran replacement at third base. They might now be more tempted to try scoring Nolan Arenado from the Colorado Rockies or Kris Bryant from the Chicago Cubs.

Because they haven't truly filled Anthony Rendon's shoes at third base, the Washington Nationals are another candidate to get heavily involved with Arenado or Bryant. According to MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi, the St. Louis Cardinals are at least in on the former. The Los Angeles Dodgers don't seem to be heavily in on either, but landing one or the other would certainly liven up their dull winter.

In so many words, the hot stove hasn't cooled down just yet.

               

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.