Olivar is hitting .292/.409/.528 with five home runs in 30 games for High-A Cedar Rapids. "He controls the strike zone, and then when he does get a pitch in the zone, he gets a barrel to it and does some damage," Kernels Manager Brian Dinkelman told the Cedar Rapids Gazette. "If you can catch and have at-bats like that, I think there's always a chance for you to make your way up the (organizational) rankings and get to the big leagues."
Oliver is a bit old for his level at age 22, but he's a catcher who has shown good power and a good eye at the plate with a 15.9% BB% and just a 18.9% K%. The 2019 international signing out of Venezuela could be a late bloomer to watch.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Royce Lewis: Running bases
Rotowire
Lewis (quadriceps) ran the bases Monday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
After starting with some light running last week, Lewis was able to run the bases for the first time Monday as he continues to rehab from a right quad strain. It's expected that Lewis will need a rehab assignment before returning, which could push his timetable for return into early June.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Trevor Larnach: Taking seat against southpaw
Rotowire
Larnach is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals.
Larnach is one of many Twins players in a platoon, and his absence from the lineup Tuesday will leave DH duties to Ryan Jeffers, who's batting second. Larnach is amidst an ugly slump, going hitless in his last 17 at-bats.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Alex Kirilloff: Idle against lefty
Rotowire
Kirilloff is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals.
As per usual, Kirilloff will take a seat with Minnesota facing a left-handed pitcher (Patrick Corbin). Willi Castro will bat sixth and play left field.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Edouard Julien: Taking seat against southpaw
Rotowire
Julien is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals.
Julien will yield to Kyle Farmer at second base with lefty Patrick Corbin on the mound for the Nationals. Julien is 0-for-12 with five strikeouts since Wednesday.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Max Kepler: On bench again
Rotowire
Kepler is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals.
The Twins are facing a lefty for the second straight day, meaning Kepler will give way to the righty-hitting Manuel Margot in right field. Kepler is slashing .303/.352/.505 across 108 plate appearances this season.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Andrew Morris: Promoted to Double-A
Rotowire
The Twins promoted Morris from High-A Cedar Rapids to Double-A Wichita on Tuesday.
Morris, 22, earned the move up a level after posting a 2.15 ERA with a 43:7 K:BB in 37.2 innings with Cedar Rapids.
Lopez (4-3) took the loss Monday against Washington, allowing seven runs on eight hits and one walk over five innings. He struck out five.
Lopez was done in by the long ball, yielding two homers in a game for the second time this season. The Minnesota right-hander entered 2024 with a career 1.1 HR/9 and now sports a 1.5 HR/9 in 55.1 innings this season. Lopez's ERA sits at 4.72, almost a full tick higher than his career 3.86 mark entering the season. He is tentatively scheduled to make his next start against Texas at home this weekend.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Rayne Doncon: Promoted to High-A
Rotowire
Doncon has been promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids after hitting .283/.374/.464 with four home runs in 38 games at Single-A Fort Myers.
Doncon was traded to the Twins from the Dodgers in the Manuel Margot deal. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2021, Doncon completed his first year of full-season ball in 2023, slashing .215/.283/.368 with 14 home runs and three steals in 473 plate appearances for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. He hasn't shown a ton of power, but his 13.2 percent walk rate and 23.3 percent strikeout rate are intriguing.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Brooks Lee: Begins rehab assignment
Rotowire
Lee (back) has been assigned to the FCL Twins on a rehab assignment, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.
Lee suffered a back injury toward the end of spring training that ended up being a herniated disc. He was expected to be out most of April and May during a rehab plan, so this is an encouraging sign. However, expect the Twins to be deliberate with his return, and it may be several weeks before he's back to Triple-A. When fully healthy and back to full speed, Lee could quickly become an option for the Twins at the major-league level.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Walker Jenkins: Begins rehab assignment
Rotowire
Jenkins (hamstring) has been assigned to the FCL Twins on a rehab assignment, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.
Jenkins made just one plate appearance before straining his left hamstring and landing on the injured list at Single-A Fort Myers. As one the top prospects in baseball it was thought he may quickly advance to High-A Cedar Rapids this summer, but this injury may mean he spends most of the season at Single-A.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Max Kepler: Out against left-hander
Rotowire
Kepler is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Nationals.
Kepler is one of several Twins players involved in a platoon, so he will yield to Manuel Margot in right field with the Nats starting left-hander Mitchell Parker. The left-handed hitting Kepler actually has a 1.050 OPS versus southpaws this season, although that's come over just 20 plate appearances.
Duran (0-2) took the loss Sunday against the Guardians, giving up a game-ending home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. He allowed three runs on one hit and two walks with no strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning.
It was the second home run that Duran allowed in the late innings in a tied game in the three-game series during which the Twins were swept. Duran hadn't walked a batter in eight innings before Sunday, so this is probably a minor setback. The bigger worry for fantasy managers is that he's been used in the eighth inning against the heart of the opposing team's order several times since his return from the injured list, ceding the save chance to another arm (usually Griffin Jax) in the bullpen. While Duran as the top choice for saves, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli isn't afraid to use him earlier in games or in tied games on the road.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Chris Paddack: Tough no-decision Sunday
Rotowire
Paddack notched a no-decision decision Sunday despite allowing just two runs on three hits and no walks over eight innings against the Guardians. He struck out six.
Paddack bounced back after allowing five runs and 12 hits in his last start against the Yankees. He pitched into the eighth inning for the first time with the Twins and kept the Twins in the game until they lost in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Boushley was recalled Sunday from Triple-A St. Paul.
The right-hander will be sent up to the Twins while Jay Jackson was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Boushley has recorded a 4.54 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 38 strikeouts across 41.2 innings with Triple-A St. Paul and should fill a low-leverage role while up in the majors.
