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Recent content from Phil Miller
Dozier calls for improved ballpark safety after 2-year-old girl hit by line drive
A line drive off Todd Frazier's bat in the fifth inning Wednesday struck a young girl in the face, visibly affecting Frazier and several other players who witnessed it.
Yankees sweep has Twins searching for positives as season winds down
The Twins lost for the fifth time in six games Wednesday and fell to 1-8 in the Bronx over the last three years, continuing their long and durable domination by the Yankees.
Squandered chances, mistakes allow Yankees to wear down Twins
Jose Berrios' command was absent, or at least shaky. The rest of the Twins contributed mistakes or fell short during the 5-2 loss at Yankee Stadium.
Sano's return? Molitor says, 'I don't know if that's going to happen'
Manager Paul Molitor is concerned about Sano trying to regain his timing in the midst of a postseason chase.
Escobar's home-run production rate jumps out
Since Eduardo Escobar took over at Sano's position full-time while he recuperates, the backup has homered eight times, or one every 13.6 at-bats.
Lack of contact: Twins strike out 13 times as Santana takes 2-1 loss to Yankees
Jaime Garcia took advantage of the Twins being overaggressive at bat, striking out seven of the first 10 batters, while Ervin Santana pitched well in a ballpark that hasn't been kind to him in the past.
MLB Insider: Teams seeking Sano-like talent at age 13
The Twins, like most MLB teams, will send scouts to a showcase in the Caribbean this week for Venezuelan prospects. All the players are 14 or younger.
Toronto rides big eighth inning to 7-2 victory over Twins
A series of well-placed hits by the Blue Jays did in the Twins.
Buxton's stolen bases are coming with ease
Byron Buxton has stolen 25 bases in 26 attempts this season, and the past 21 in a row.
Comeback magic runs out for Twins, Colon in 4-3 loss to Toronto
Bartolo Colon's shutout - on 'Big Sexy Night' in his honor - vanished in the fifth inning, and Minnesota's bats went quiet.
Promotion to closer doesn't alter Belisle's intensity
He says he's only vaguely aware of his success, and not at all concerned about having the title of "closer."
Early knockout: Colon gone in second inning of 11-3 Twins loss
Bartolo Colon's shortest non-injury-related start in more than six years set the tone for a deflating loss to the Royals that ended a 3-4 road trip.
Twins will get much-needed day off
With 21 days remaining in the season, the Twins still have 19 games to play, and they remain ahead of the pack chasing the final AL wild-card spot.
Buxton continues to play for Twins despite thumb injury
Byron Buxton's hand might still be sore almost 10 days after he injured it while swinging a bat but as far as he is concerned, nothing has changed about his job.
Bullpen falls apart in eighth inning, Twins lose to Kansas City
After allowing only two runs over nine critical innings during the winning streak, the Twins' bullpen corps stumbled on Saturday in a 5-2 loss.
Twins hang on for 'stressful' road victory over Royals
One night after a three-run ninth-inning rally stung and stunned the former champs, Minnesota scored in each of the first five innings on Friday but let the Royals back in it.
Twins shut down Fort Myers complex as Irma roars toward Florida
The Twins hired buses to take the entire Class A Miracle team, eliminated Wednesday from the now-canceled Florida State League playoffs, to Atlanta to catch flights home.
Extra swing bites Twins as Royals take series
After a controversial checked-swing ruling on a potential strike three, the Royals' Lorenzo Cain converted his extra chance into two runs.
Slegers will start for Twins on Wednesday against Tampa Bay
The 6-10 righthander gave up two hits over 6⅓ innings vs. Cleveland in his major league debut last month.
Hobble-off victory: Kepler's hit by pitch gives Twins sweep of White Sox
Max Kepler took an 88 mph slider off the shin in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Twins rallied to win - good for a sweep the three-game series.
Buxton gets a good break with no break in hamate bone
An MRI determined Byron Buxton's hamate bone in his left hand is intact, and the pain he experienced a day earlier was the result of a bruise
Twins outfield trio has finally come together
One reason the twins are contending for a postseason berth: Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton and Max Kepler are playing the way the Twins imagined they would long ago.
Brian Dozier hints at grinding out injury but says he's great
Asked about changes to his game on the basepaths, the second baseman says: "You go through things during a season that allow you to do things, and sometimes not to do things."
'Wrong side' of the game: Toronto's pop-up bests Twins' grand slam
Toronto took a six-run lead in the sixth inning, then had to hold off a late-inning Twins rally that included a grand slam from Max Kepler. The Blue Jays later benefited from a pop-up double.
Perkins pleased with his third outing back with Twins
Glen Perkins' third outing Saturday since returning from shoulder surgery lasted only three batters, a sign that he's learning what he can do with the tools at his disposal.
Colon befuddles Blue Jays, moves to 4-1 in August for Twins
Bartolo Colon pitched an efficient outing, and Byron Buxton showed off with speed at the plate and in the outfield during the 6-1 victory.
Sano's stay on 10-day DL might be extended
Miguel Sano, sidelined with an injured shin, is eligible to return Wednesday but still cannot run, and he hasn't been able to hit or do fielding drills, either.
Twins' road trip hits a rut with another loss to last-place White Sox
A sloppy fourth inning, which started with a walk and included two errors, led to three White Sox runs and a Wild Card race that tightened even more.
Castro on disabled list with concussion; Granite called up
Catcher Jason Castro took foul balls off his face mask in three consecutive innings during Wednesday's game in Chicago and was replaced by Chris Gimenez.
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Curtiss arrives in big leagues with confidence for Twins
Since 2015, John Curtiss has added a slider to his mix, a couple mph to his velocity, and the confidence to close to his mind-set. He was called up by the Twins earlier this week.
Three Twins home runs pair well with Gibson's gem in victory
With the offense again humming, Kyle Gibson on Tuesday escaped trouble twice on the mound against the White Sox and made it past the sixth inning for the first time in a month.
Gee earns second start for Twins; Melville sent out
Dillon Gee had been pitching out of the Twins bullpen, but retired 18 of 20 hitters he faced in beating the White Sox on Monday. That earned him Saturday's starting spot in Toronto.
Nature of injury to Miguel Sano's shin calls for caution
The Twins are hopeful to get Miguel Sano back from his disabled list stint early next week.
Gee's pitching, four homers carry Twins to split after Game 1 rally falls short
Dillon Gee allowed only two baserunners in six innings while the Twins offense jumped to an early Game 2 lead after its rally in the opener fell one run short.
Buxton's blitz around the bases sparks Twins' six-home run attack
Byron Buxton's blazing inside-the-park home run was one of his three hits and six Twins home runs Friday night against the Diamondbacks.
Garver's call up to Twins alters wife's travel plans
Mitch Garver's wife was set to fly from the Twin Cities to Rochester, N.Y., this weekend. Instead, she's still here and watching her husband in the big leagues.
Big rookie Slegers gives Twins big boost as they finally beat Cleveland
Following a 9-3 drubbing in Game 1, 6-foot-10 pitcher Aaron Slegers gave up only two hits in 6 1/3 innings of his major league debut as the Twins won the first time against Cleveland at Target Field in 10 games.
Perkins has rough outing in return but says 'good results will come'
Until Thursday, Glen Perkins had not stood on the Target Field mound since Oct. 2, 2015, had not worn a Twins uniform since April 10, 2016, and had not been certain he would ever pitch again several times.
Twins' Colon plays game with a wink and a smile
A low-wattage, high-charm personality has made the 44-year old Twins pitcher — and Tuesday night's starter at Target Field — an extraordinarily popular teammate everywhere he's gone.
Rookie Hildenberger trusts best pitch to record first save
He doesn't yet have the famous mustache of Dennis Eckersley or Dan Quisenberry, but Trevor Hildenberger now has something more important in common with his fellow sidearmers: a major league save.
Twins survive ugly inning, blow four-run lead before beating Detroit
Three passed balls, an error, a wild pitch and a hit batsman -- all in one inning -- were some of the challenges the Twins overcame before Byron Buxton's big hit put them back in the lead.
Bullpen last domino to fall, ending Twins' 6-game streak in 12-11 loss
Matt Belisle tried to hog the blame for ending the Twins' six-game winning streak on Saturday, tried to soak up all the responsibility for the Twins loosing their grip on a playoff spot after just one day. Yes, well, placing the blame on Belisle requires overlooking a few facts.
Levine: Front office still trying to help Twins reach postseason
Thad Levine said he and Derek Falvey have been impressed with how the Twins responded to the trade of Kintzler and Garcia, going 8-3 to open August and move to the head of a six-team race for the final wild-card spot.
Twins show off on offense and defense, extend winning streak to six games
Eddie Rosario crushed a three-run home run, Max Kepler bashed a two-run shot, and once again Byron Buxton dazzled in center field
"Chulo," "Boqueton" to add some flair to Twins lineup in late August
For the Twins' many players from Spanish-speaking countries, Players Weekend will be a way for them to be known by the names they've been called by friends and family all their lives.
Five home runs, including Dozier's grand slam, send Twins past Brewers
Adalberto Mejia walked off the mound and onto the disabled list Tuesday night. His teammates paid their respects with a five-homer salute.
Twins' Polanco puts July slump behind him
Even as Jorge Polanco trudged through the depth of a five-week slump — he went 8-for-77 (.104) from June 24 to Aug. 1 — he avoided tinkering with his stance or his swing.
Twins rally from five runs down to top Texas 6-5
Matt Belisle closed it out after the Twins came back from a 5-0 hole.
Perkins could be near return to Twins bullpen
Glen Perkins, who hasn't pitched in a major league game in 16 months after surgery to reattach the labrum in his left shoulder, believes a rehab stint with Class AA Chattanooga next week could be the final step of his long journey back to the Twins.
Hildenberger makes impression in Twins relief role
"He's pitched well. He's getting opportunities that seem like more of the game-on-the-line situations," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
Twins' offense goes cold in dreary loss to Rangers
The Twins might be intent on create a hot streak that carries them back into playoff contention. But on Thursday, they sure played like winter is coming in a 4-1 loss to Texas.
Falvey: Trade deadline a 'fluid situation' for Twins
The Twins made a minor deal Thursday, picking up pitcher Gabriel Moya in exchange for John Ryan Murphy. Will there be more to come?
Granite's gaffe helps take Twins from 5-0 lead to 6-5 loss to Dodgers
Zack Granite threw to a vacant base in the eighth inning, allowing the Dodgers to tie the game and then win in the bottom of the ninth.
Buxton going to Rochester for rehab; Sano still sidelined
Neither Byron Buxton nor Miguel Sano was in the Twins' lineup for a second consecutive day in Los Angeles.
Strange L.A. story: Twins lose to Dodgers in long game featuring odd delay
The enduring image of the Twins' third straight loss, 6-2 to the Dodgers, will be umpires putting Paul Molitor through a lengthy mid-game paperwork audit.
Bellinger's home run sends Twins to loss, back to .500 on the season
Cody Bellinger's three-run shot over the center field wall gave the Dodgers a 6-4 victory, and put the Twins to 49-49 for the season 3 1/2 games back of Cleveland.
Twins get Garcia deal done by sending Atlanta a different prospect
The Twins sent 19-year-old righthanded pitcher Huascar Ynoa to Atlanta, though the real acquisition for the Braves is salary relief.
Twins 'engaged on a number of players' but what about Garcia?
Whether Braves lefty Jaime Garcia ever wears a Twins uniform or not, the prospective deal has established an objective that Derek Falvey made explicit Friday.
Santana gets just 10 outs in Twins loss to Tigers
Inconsistent ace Ervin Santana had another one of those games Friday, getting pulled in the fourth after allowing a pair of home runs to Victor Martinez.
Twins, Braves near deal for lefthanded starter Jaime Garcia
Starter has 3.65 career ERA, but a history of injuries.
Encore earned: Colon absorbs loss in Twins debut, will get another shot
Bartolo Colon produced a mixed effort in his Twins debut - starting strong but eventually allowing four earned runs in four innings - and manager Paul Molitor said the 44-year-old will make his next scheduled start.
'Not really helping anybody': Hughes' season likely over
Phil Hughes was placed on the 60-day disabled list to make room on the Twins roster for Bartolo Colon. Kennys Vargas was demoted so reliever Craig Breslow could be activated.
Twins break through in eighth to thwart Yankees
The Twins strung together fourth consecutive hits, with pinch hitter Eduardo Escobar driving in the go-ahead run and Eddie Rosario following with an RBI double to beat the Yankees.
With Colon, Twins hope age is a beauty
Colon has 235 victories, piling up most of them back when his fastball was closer to 100 mph than 90, and he won a Cy Young Award in 2005 with the Angels.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge: The new great one hits Target Field
Let's put it in terms that should awe Twins fans: Judge is bigger than Miguel Sano — he's 6-foot-7 and 282 pounds, compared to Sano's 6-4 and 260 — and he hits the ball harder and farther, too.
Cano's HR wins All-Star Game but three Twins make their mark in Miami
Robinson Cano broke the 10th-inning tie, which was 1-1 thanks to an RBI from Miguel Sano and a home run allowed by Ervin Santana. Brandon Kintzler pitched a clean 1-2-3 inning.
All-Stars applaud not using game to decide home field for World Series
Tuesday's was the first All-Star Game since 2003 that won't have an effect on the postseason — home-field advantage will go to the team with the best record — and you could sense relief among the All-Stars.
Minnesotans Neshek, Hand take path less traveled to All-Star glory
Chaska's Brad Hand and Brooklyn Park's Pat Neshek have traveled similar paths to become All-Star relievers.
Sano plotting revenge after losing to Judge in Home Run Derby final
Sounding like a boxer beaten but unbowed, convinced he can win. That's what Miguel Sano was saying after his runner-up finish in the All-Star Home Run Derby: He wants a rematch in 2018.
'He's grown up': Sano's maturity has baseball taking notice
Miguel Sano, whose talent was major league before his work ethic was, went home to the Dominican Republic after last season depressed about how he played and motivated to fix it.
Twins prospect Gordon helps U.S. to victory in Futures Game
The 2014 draft pick, now the shortstop at Class AA Chattanooga, singled and scored in the fourth inning.
'Aggressive' Angels find a way to beat Twins, Santana: a delayed double steal
Cameron Maybin pulled off the first successful steal of home against the Twins since 2003 on Wednesday, allowing the Angels to get in position to steal the finale of the three-game series.
Twins put Santiago on 10-day disabled list, recall Busenitz
Hector Santiago hasn't been the same pitcher since mid-May — he had a 2.76 ERA on May 9, and a 9.96 ERA and seven consecutive losses since.
Shift leaves rift in latest Twins loss
Starter Hector Santiago and manager Paul Molitor appear at odds following abbreviated outing against the Royals.
Twins' Sano, Santana named to AL All-Star team
"I remember in spring training I told [Santana], 'We're going to the All-Star Game together,' " Sano said. "So I'm glad that it is happening, that we get to go together and hopefully represent the team well."
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