Steven Kwan wasted no time setting the tone Sunday in Minneapolis, and the Cleveland Guardians kept rolling from there.
Kwan launched the second pitch of the game from Joe Ryan into the row of flowers in the overhang in right field at Target Field, sparking a 9-2 win over the Minnesota Twins and nudging Cleveland to within a half-game of the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox. Kwan’s blast was just his third homer of the season, and he ended the day a triple shy of the cycle.
Travis Bazzana did plenty of damage, too. He drove in three runs for Cleveland, including a two-run homer in the sixth inning, as the Guardians kept pressure on the division race.
Cleveland is also one game ahead of Toronto and holds a 5 1/2-game edge over Minnesota in the battle for the final AL wild-card spot. The Guardians now head home to open a three-game set against the White Sox on Monday.
Tanner Bibee gave Cleveland exactly the kind of start it needed. The right-hander struck out seven over 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits to earn the win and improve to 6-15. That was a sharp turnaround from his previous two September outings, when he gave up 10 runs in 8 1/3 innings.
Ryan, meanwhile, kept running into the same second-half trouble. In his second start since returning from the injured list, the Minnesota All-Star was tagged for four runs on seven hits in four innings.
He is now 0-5 with an 8.48 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break. The Guardians also got to him on July 20, when he allowed eight runs on a franchise-record six home runs.
Minnesota did get a few swings back. Jo Adell hit a solo homer in the third, Kody Clemens doubled home Luke Keaschall in that same inning, and Trevor Larnach added a solo shot in the seventh. But the Twins never seriously threatened after Cleveland jumped on Ryan early.
The Guardians open their series with the White Sox on Monday with right-hander Gavin Williams on the mound against Chicago right-hander Sean Burke. The Twins begin a three-game series at Target Field against the New York Yankees, with right-hander Dean Kremer set to face Yankees right-hander Will Warren.
In Other News...
Twins Have A Real Pre-Lockout Decision On Two Key Young Pieces
With the possibility of a lockout looming once the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on Dec. 1, the Twins have a timely front-office question sitting right in front of them. Any new labor rules could reshape how payroll flexibility works across the league, and Minnesota is among the clubs that may have to think carefully about how it allocates money if a salary floor eventually comes into play.
That is why the period before the freeze could matter so much for a team trying to balance present and future value. The Twins have two young pieces worth watching closely in Taj Bradley and Kaelen Culpepper, and the decision on whether to pursue long-term deals now is about more than just roster planning. It is also about locking in talent before the market, and the rules around it, potentially shift under their feet. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Are Suddenly Watching Kaelen Culpepper For One Injury Concern
Kaelen Culpeppers latest stop with the Twins took an uneasy turn when he was hit by a 95.3 mph fastball and left the game early with a right shoulder contusion. Manager Derek Shelton said the club is treating the injury on a day-to-day basis, which at least keeps the immediate outlook from sounding overly alarming, and there is no concern for a fracture.
Still, the next few days matter because the Twins are keeping an eye on whether the soreness settles down as expected. Culpepper is slated to miss the following game while being checked daily, and the bigger question now is whether the discomfort is limited to the bruise or points to something more involving the nerves. [Read more 🡒]
Emmanuel Rodriguez Just Gave The Twins A Different Look
Emmanuel Rodriguez could not have asked for a louder introduction. In his first major-league at-bat, the young outfielder turned on a pitch and homered as part of a four-run third inning, giving the Twins the jolt they needed in a 4-3 win over the Guardians. It was the kind of debut moment that changes the feel of a night, especially with Rodriguezs family in the ballpark to see it unfold.
For Minnesota, the bigger takeaway was how the game kept opening new lanes for a club that has been looking for different ways to win. Rodriguez finished with a hit, a run, an RBI, a home run and an assist, while the bullpen did enough to protect the lead the offense had built. The debut was memorable on its own, but it also hinted at how quickly a new face can alter the look of a lineup when the Twins need one more spark. [Read more 🡒]