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SEATTLE — The Twins came off the field Friday night, fresh off their seventh win in nine games, to find big news awaiting them when they returned to the clubhouse.
While many Twins fans learned of the news during the middle of the game, players themselves were locked in on trying to beat the Mariners — which they did 5-3 — when the trade for starting pitcher Dean Kremer was officially announced.
“I had no idea,” infielder Royce Lewis said. “Ryan (Jeffers) got on his phone right next to me and said, ‘Another trade.’ I was like ‘Let’s go.’ ”
Hours after acquiring help for the bullpen in the form of left-handed reliever A.J. Minter, the front office added Kremer in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles for minor league outfielder Jhomnardo Reyes.
Inside the clubhouse, it’s a much different feeling than what players experienced at last year’s trade deadline, when 10 major league players were shipped away as the front office tore down the roster.
But it’s also much different than in some recent years, where not much was done to help supplement a team that was in the mix for a playoff spot, in part because the organization would not take on additional payroll.
“This is my first time feeling this. I’m on cloud nine,” Lewis said. “We just got a really good win. I come in (the clubhouse) and I see another trade. It’s pretty impressive. It sounds like they’re still talking about more people. You never know what’s going to happen. (New control owner) Tom (Pohlad) has stuck to his word. We feel it in here, his presence here in the clubhouse whenever he’s around. It’s truly special, man.”
The Twins, who were over .500 for the first since April entering Saturday’s game against the Mariners, have been among the most active buyers heading toward the deadline, which is 5 p.m. CDT on Monday.
In addition to Minter, who was added to the active roster ahead of Saturday’s game, and Kremer, the Twins also made a trade with Toronto for reliever Tommy Nance right before the all-star break.
“(Pohlad is) doing what he said he was going to do. So to us, it ain’t really a surprise,” center fielder Byron Buxton said. “We trusted him from the beginning, so it’s good to see the position that we’re in. It’s good to be able to add onto that, for sure.”
Minter was driving home after the New York Mets’ game on Thursday night with his wife when he got some news he was expecting. With the Mets well out of contention, Minter figured he was going to get traded. It was just a matter of where and when.
He got that answer Thursday when the Twins traded minor league infielders Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani to acquire him. The left-hander, who arrived in Seattle on Friday, watched his new teammates beat the Mariners from his hotel room, studying up on the group.
“It’s an exciting time to be a Twin. That’s what makes me most excited and pumped,” Minter said. “They brought me in here not to be anyone different. Just continue to do what I’m doing.”
Minter had lat surgery last season, and the recovery delayed his start this year. But he had a 2.35 earned-run average across 23 games with the Mets this season before the trade. As he gets further from the surgery, his stuff has felt sharper, and his velocity has ticked up.
The fact that Twins went out and swung a second trade Friday after acquiring him was not lost on him.
“It speaks volumes of this front office, (Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll), Tom and the way we’re going for it,” Minter said. “We’re going to make moves. That’s definitely exciting. That’s all you can ask for when you come to an organization that wants to win. Hopefully we can keep continuing to make moves.”
The Twins tried once to shut Buxton down to let his hip heal, placing him on the injured list for about two weeks in July.
When he came back, he said he initially felt “real good,” and running was not an issue. But after the Twins’ series in Cleveland, his hip progressively got tighter and he couldn’t get it to loosen back up, triggering the thought that he probably needed more than just another couple days off.
Buxton left Tuesday night’s game early, received an injection in his hip on Wednesday and was placed back on the injured list just nine days after he had returned.
“It was gradual. I felt good coming off the road trip and just over time, I got a little tight. I thought I could get rid of it,” Buxton said. “Had the off day coming up. ‘All right, we’ve got the off day. I can get rid of it.’ It wasn’t nothing like that. It’s one of those, don’t put us in a bad situation going forward. Just the best time to get it done and see what we can do to get it under control.”
To make room for Minter on the roster, the Twins optioned starting pitcher Zebby Matthews to Triple-A. Matthews, who started on Friday night in Seattle, is 4-8 with a 5.22 ERA this season. Kremer will take his spot in the rotation, though manager Derek Shelton said they haven’t yet figured out when he will make his first start as a Twin. … The Twins also returned reliever Garrett Acton from his rehab assignment and optioned him to Triple-A. To make space for him on the 40-man roster (he was on the 60-day injured list), the Twins designated Cody Laweryson for assignment.
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While many Twins fans learned of the news during the middle of the game, players themselves were locked in on trying to beat the Mariners — which they did 5-3 — when the trade for starting pitcher Dean Kremer was officially announced.
“I had no idea,” infielder Royce Lewis said. “Ryan (Jeffers) got on his phone right next to me and said, ‘Another trade.’ I was like ‘Let’s go.’ ”
Hours after acquiring help for the bullpen in the form of left-handed reliever A.J. Minter, the front office added Kremer in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles for minor league outfielder Jhomnardo Reyes.
Inside the clubhouse, it’s a much different feeling than what players experienced at last year’s trade deadline, when 10 major league players were shipped away as the front office tore down the roster.
But it’s also much different than in some recent years, where not much was done to help supplement a team that was in the mix for a playoff spot, in part because the organization would not take on additional payroll.
“This is my first time feeling this. I’m on cloud nine,” Lewis said. “We just got a really good win. I come in (the clubhouse) and I see another trade. It’s pretty impressive. It sounds like they’re still talking about more people. You never know what’s going to happen. (New control owner) Tom (Pohlad) has stuck to his word. We feel it in here, his presence here in the clubhouse whenever he’s around. It’s truly special, man.”
The Twins, who were over .500 for the first since April entering Saturday’s game against the Mariners, have been among the most active buyers heading toward the deadline, which is 5 p.m. CDT on Monday.
In addition to Minter, who was added to the active roster ahead of Saturday’s game, and Kremer, the Twins also made a trade with Toronto for reliever Tommy Nance right before the all-star break.
“(Pohlad is) doing what he said he was going to do. So to us, it ain’t really a surprise,” center fielder Byron Buxton said. “We trusted him from the beginning, so it’s good to see the position that we’re in. It’s good to be able to add onto that, for sure.”
Minter excited
Minter was driving home after the New York Mets’ game on Thursday night with his wife when he got some news he was expecting. With the Mets well out of contention, Minter figured he was going to get traded. It was just a matter of where and when.
He got that answer Thursday when the Twins traded minor league infielders Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani to acquire him. The left-hander, who arrived in Seattle on Friday, watched his new teammates beat the Mariners from his hotel room, studying up on the group.
“It’s an exciting time to be a Twin. That’s what makes me most excited and pumped,” Minter said. “They brought me in here not to be anyone different. Just continue to do what I’m doing.”
Minter had lat surgery last season, and the recovery delayed his start this year. But he had a 2.35 earned-run average across 23 games with the Mets this season before the trade. As he gets further from the surgery, his stuff has felt sharper, and his velocity has ticked up.
The fact that Twins went out and swung a second trade Friday after acquiring him was not lost on him.
“It speaks volumes of this front office, (Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll), Tom and the way we’re going for it,” Minter said. “We’re going to make moves. That’s definitely exciting. That’s all you can ask for when you come to an organization that wants to win. Hopefully we can keep continuing to make moves.”
Buxton update
The Twins tried once to shut Buxton down to let his hip heal, placing him on the injured list for about two weeks in July.
When he came back, he said he initially felt “real good,” and running was not an issue. But after the Twins’ series in Cleveland, his hip progressively got tighter and he couldn’t get it to loosen back up, triggering the thought that he probably needed more than just another couple days off.
Buxton left Tuesday night’s game early, received an injection in his hip on Wednesday and was placed back on the injured list just nine days after he had returned.
“It was gradual. I felt good coming off the road trip and just over time, I got a little tight. I thought I could get rid of it,” Buxton said. “Had the off day coming up. ‘All right, we’ve got the off day. I can get rid of it.’ It wasn’t nothing like that. It’s one of those, don’t put us in a bad situation going forward. Just the best time to get it done and see what we can do to get it under control.”
Briefly
To make room for Minter on the roster, the Twins optioned starting pitcher Zebby Matthews to Triple-A. Matthews, who started on Friday night in Seattle, is 4-8 with a 5.22 ERA this season. Kremer will take his spot in the rotation, though manager Derek Shelton said they haven’t yet figured out when he will make his first start as a Twin. … The Twins also returned reliever Garrett Acton from his rehab assignment and optioned him to Triple-A. To make space for him on the 40-man roster (he was on the 60-day injured list), the Twins designated Cody Laweryson for assignment.
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