Minnesota Twins Roster
- AL Central
- Stadium
- Target Field
Minnesota Twins infielder/outfielder Luis Arraez (shoulder) will play another rehab game on Saturday. Arraez made it through Friday's game without a setback, going 1-for-4 with an RBI groundout. The 24-year-old seems poised to return to the Minnesota lineup ahead of Sunday's game or before the team's road trip, which begins Monday against the Seattle Mariners. Arraez will have a healthy share of at-bats in hand right away, considering the bevy of injuries the Twins are dealing with.
Minnesota Twins first/third baseman Miguel Sano went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and two strikeouts in Friday's loss to the Houston Astros. Sano's homer was a towering blast, traveling 418 feet off the bat at an exit velocity of 109.7 MPH. The slugger suddenly leads the Twins in home runs, 13, and RBI, 31, though it has come with a measly .182 batting average. Statcast believes that Sano's batting average is largely earned- perhaps because the slugger has gone on an all-out power approach at the plate, hitting more fly balls than ever before. He looks poised for a strong second half, though managers in category formats will need to make sure he doesn't crater their team average.
Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz belted his 12th home run of the season in Friday's loss to the Houston Astros. Cruz had a first-inning battle with Astros' righty Jose Urquidy and the former was the victor after seven pitches, depositing a fastball 442 feet into the center-field seats. The long ball traveled at an exit velocity of 111.4 MPH. The veteran slugger now has three extra-base hits, including two homers, in his last two contests and is absolutely scorching the ball. Cruz ranks fourth in the majors in barrels per plate appearance and looks to be past the knee and wrist issues that briefly sapped him of some of his power.
Minnesota Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs in Friday's 6-4 loss to the Houston Astros. Donaldson's first blast traveled 403 feet at an exit velocity of 102.3 MPH, with the second leaving his bat at 106.9 MPH. The veteran third baseman now has three long balls in his last two games and has five in 35 June at-bats. Donaldson's actual stats are starting to look more and more like his expected ones, which have him ranked as one of the five best third basemen in the game this season. Fantasy managers should be holding onto Donaldson, despite the health risk.
Minnesota Twins pitcher Matt Shoemaker took his eighth loss of the season in Friday's defeat at the hands of the Houston Astros. Shoemaker entered a tie game in the eighth inning and pitched a 1-2-3 scoreless frame- then the wheels fell off in the ninth. The veteran righty surrendered a leadoff single followed by an RBI double and another base hit, which scored a run. Regardless of whether he should have been in the game for another inning or not, Shoemaker is not pitching well, whether as a starter or reliever. To make matters worse for him, Bailey Ober excelled as a starter against one of the best lineups in baseball and seems poised to remain in the rotation, leaving Shoemaker on the outside looking in.