MINNESOTA TWINS NEWS

Jorge Alcala - Improving this spring Alcala threw a scoreless inning with three strikeouts in Wednesday's spring training win over Toronto. He reached 96.3 mph with his fastball.

Impact After a rocky spring debut (two earned runs on two hits with a walk and no strikeouts over one inning), Alcala has improved. He has a 4.50 ERA with a 7:2 K:BB in 4 innings this spring. Alcala underwent season-ending arthroscopic debridement surgery on his elbow in August, so a slow start to the spring isn't surprising. He's expected to be a key setup man and could figure in the mix for saves with the Twins possibly using a committee approach.

MARCH 9, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Bailey Ober - Second strong outing Ober threw two scoreless innings with two strikeouts in Wednesday's spring training win over Toronto. Ober has averaged more than 93 mph with his fastball in both spring starts aft...

Impact Ober has thrown three scoreless innings with five strikeouts and a walk in two spring starts. Ober is challenging for a spot in the rotation, but he's likely the sixth starter at the moment and thus could begin the season in the minors. It's also possible the Twins could opt for a six-man rotation as Kenta Maeda (elbow) works his way back from Tommy John surgery. Ober will make the decision difficult if he continues to pitch this well during spring training.

MARCH 9, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Trevor Larnach returns with healthy swings but faces battle to make the Twins Saddled by injuries the past two years, he returned too soon and paid the price. Now, he is part of a crowded outfield picture.

MARCH 8, 2023 • STARTRIBUNE.COM

Duran proving his value goes beyond eye-popping velo DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Jhoan Duran delivers a different kind of heat from the mound -- and from the moment he jogs out from the bullpen at Target...

MARCH 8, 2023 • MLB.COM

Twins 7, Blue Jays 0 Final Score (03/08/2023) on MLB Gameday Follow MLB results with FREE box scores, pitch-by-pitch strikezone info, and Statcast data for Twins vs. Blue Jays at TD Ballpark

MARCH 8, 2023 • MLB.COM

MLB live updates: Twins at Blue Jays game on 03/08/2023 free with MLB Gameday Follow MLB results with FREE live box scores, pitch-by-pitch strikezone info, and Statcast data for Twins vs. Blue Jays at TD Ballpark

MARCH 8, 2023 • MLB.COM

Inside 4 Twins pitchers' trip to Driveline: Better velocity, new pitches and a 'stupid rooster' A group of Twins pitchers rented an Airbnb near Driveline's Washington facility after last season ended.

MARCH 8, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

UCL injury can't deter Twins' No. 12 prospect FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Austin Martin is so excited, so confident, so glad to be feeling like himself, he says, that even a sprained UCL in his...

MARCH 8, 2023 • MLB.COM

Rodriguez conquers Twins' stars in solid start FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Grayson Rodriguez reported to Orioles camp this year eager to face big league competition. So when the 23-year-old right...

MARCH 7, 2023 • MLB.COM

Jose Miranda - Chance to be 3B-ready for opener Miranda (shoulder) has a "very realistic chance" of being ready to play third base on Opening Day, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com on Tuesday.

Impact Miranda tested out his right shoulder with a plyo ball Tuesday and expects to be ready to throw a regular baseball in 2-3 days. If he can avoid setbacks, it sounds like he should be ready to handle the hot corner come March 30. Even if he's not quite ready to play the field, Miranda could serve as a designated hitter for a bit. He's already homered three times out of the DH spot this spring.

MARCH 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Jose Miranda - Tests shoulder with plyo ball Miranda tested out his right shoulder by throwing a plyo ball Tuesday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Impact It went well, and the next step will be for Miranda to throw with a regular ball in a few days. His shoulder does not bother him at the plate, which he showed Tuesday with a home run -- his third already this spring -- out of the designated hitter spot.

MARCH 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Trevor Larnach - Returns to action Tuesday Larnach (groin) returned to Grapefruit League play Tuesday and had no issues, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Impact Larnach has been battling a groin injury but was able to test it out with some plays in Tuesday's game and came out of it no worse for wear. He went 1-for-3 with a single against the Orioles. Larnach played left field Tuesday but could wind up with most of his at-bats in the designated hitter spot this season.

MARCH 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Jeff Hoffman - Makes spring debut Hoffman (elbow) worked an inning of relief and gave up two earned runs on two hits and one walk while striking out two in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Pirates in Grapefruit League play...

Impact Hoffman, who inked a minor-league deal with the Twins in late February, made his spring debut Sunday after spending the prior week ramping up at camp. The right-hander appears to be healthy again after forearm and elbow trouble sidelined him for most of the entire second half of the past season while he was with the Reds. Since Hoffman isn't a member of the Twins' 40-man roster, he may face an uphill battle to win a spot in Minnesota's Opening Day bullpen.

MARCH 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

To the Max: Top 6 players with the best chance for a power-hitting rebound Al Melchior tabs a half dozen hitters, like Max Muncy and Max Kepler, who are likely to enjoy a rebound in the power department in 2023.

MARCH 7, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

MLB shift limits raising batter spirits and averages so far

Major League Baseball's new limits on infield shifts are raising batter spirits this spring

MARCH 6, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

2023 Rival Preview: Carlos Correa made it back to Minnesota… Can the Twins make it back to the playoffs? Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at each...

MARCH 6, 2023 • BLUEJAYSNATION.COM

Trevor Larnach - Expected back Tuesday Larnach (lower body) is expected back in the Twins' lineup Tuesday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

Impact Larnach has been sidelined for a few days with an unspecified lower-body injury, but whatever he was dealing with appears to have subsided. He's expected to play left field Tuesday. Larnach is 1-for-5 with a single and one walk so far in two games this spring.

MARCH 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Why Twins starter Sonny Gray is 'locked in' and more prepared for 2023 season What difference can a year make for Twins starting pitcher Sonny Gray?

MARCH 6, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez experiments with curveball — and Japanese The righthander, acquired in January from Miami, is tinkering with a variation on his curveball during spring training.

MARCH 6, 2023 • STARTRIBUNE.COM

Pirates OF Andrew McCutchen (hand) exits vs. Twins Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen exited Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning with discomfort in his l...

MARCH 5, 2023 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Austin Martin - Shut down with UCL sprain Martin has been shut down from throwing and hitting due to a UCL sprain in his right elbow, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

Impact Martin largely underwhelmed at Double-A Wichita last year but picked things up late in the season and ended up hitting .235 with two homers, 57 runs, 32 RBI and 34 stolen bases over 90 games. It's not yet clear how long his shutdown will last, but he'll be in line for a significant absence if he requires Tommy John surgery.

MARCH 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Twins prospect wants to 'show the world' what Canada can do FORT MYERS, Fla. – In the spring and summer of 2016, Edouard Julien used a stint with the Canadian Junior National Team to get noticed state...

MARCH 5, 2023 • MLB.COM

López impressing Twins with first outings of spring FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Pitching coach Pete Maki has only worked with Pablo López for about a month now, but his first impressions were glowing....

MARCH 5, 2023 • MLB.COM

Emmanuel Rodriguez - Making progress in return Twins director of player development Drew MacPhail told reporters that Rodriguez (knee) could return to action in the "next week or two," Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.

Impact Rodriguez tore the meniscus in his right knee last June and missed the second half of the 2023 season. The 20-year-old was putting up stellar numbers prior to the injury with a .272/.492/.551 slash along with nine homers over 199 plate appearances. Considered one of the more intriguing prospects in the lower levels, Rodriguez has a good chance of providing fantasy relevance in the coming years.

MARCH 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Jose Miranda - In lineup as DH Miranda (shoulder) is in the lineup as the designated hitter and hitting second in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

Impact Miranda has been dealing with a sore shoulder that has kept him out of the lineup for the past few days. The infielder is expected to be ready for Opening Day, but he may be limited to first base and designated hitter in the early part of the campaign.

MARCH 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE