Listen, we know it’s tough to catch up on everything happening in the baseball world each morning. There are all kinds of stories, rumors, game coverage, and Vines of dudes getting hit in the beans every day. Trying to find all of it while on your way to work or sitting at your desk just isn’t easy. It’s OK, though. We’re going to do the heavy lifting for you each morning and find the things you need to see from within the SB Nation baseball network, as well as from elsewhere. Please hold your applause until the end, or at least until after you subscribe to the newsletter.
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So, uh, the Minnesota Twins hit a lot of baseballs Tuesday night. Like, they had more hits than a vague google search result, more hits than a Rocky movie, and more hits than The Beatles, as the saying goes. The Twins whacked a franchise-record 28 hits to score 20 runs. Yes, against the Mariners, whose pitchers combine for a 4.61 ERA, good for 11th in the American League. Twenty runs scored in a game is, of course, an outlier, but just how much shock is warranted at the Twins’ offensive anomaly?
The Twins offense, as a whole, sits at the middle of the spreadsheet as uninspiring, but not totally unimpressive. The 294 runs Minnesota has scored this season gravitates toward that median, at 16th in MLB. The top four batters in the starting lineup accounted for “only” eight of the 28 hits total, while the bottom half exploded. Led by Eddie Rosario, who hit three homers for five RBI, and Jason Castro, who had four hits and five RBI, the bottom half of the lineup exploded for the remaining 22 hits.
Rosario now has eight home runs on the season, only five off his previous high of 13 from his rookie season in 2015. He has only had three hits, let alone bombs, in a game twice this season. However, in his short career, Rosario’s BABIP usually hangs around the .330 mark. Currently, it’s at .295. Never mind that the Twins’ offensive output was deviant, Rosario’s output could be a sign, especially if his BABIP resets to his average, that his numbers will only go up from here.
Never mind that Rosario’s third home run was knock off of position-player-pitcher Carlos Ruiz. Across the diamond, the Mariners ERA per game is 4.55, 21st in MLB. The Twins cared not that Mariners starting pitcher Christian Bergman had previously held them to one earned run on four hits June 9, just a week earlier. Thursday’s game was a stark contrast to Tuesday’s 11-run 2.2 innings pitched. The Mariners have three injured starters, but will send Sam Gaviglio to the mound Wednesday as the Twins look to sustain the unsustainable.
— Mina Dunn
- During the Twins’ onslaught of the Mariners Tuesday night, dearly beloved Choo(ooooooooo)ch was called upon to pitch. His appearance included this kneebuckler. If you just ignore the hits and the homer he gave up, Ruiz might have something going for him, kinda like the Nationals bullpen.
- Sharks: They’re just like us. This very happy shark was swimming around McCovey Cove during Tuesday night’s Giants game. You’ve heard of a card shark, but the Giants broadcast has discovered the first known baseball card shark.
- Yasiel Puig flips bats and birds. He doesn't discriminate. Middle fingers in baseball are so hot right now.
- The bracket and schedule is set for the 2017 College World Series. But, can Oregon State win it all? Are we human? Or are we dancers?
- Finally, someone figures out who would win in a cross-league mascot deathmatch. And finally, Clark's lack of pants can be used to his advantage.
- Filed to things you already knew: Aaron Judge is having a very, very good year.
- Tito is probably a master at rangling hangovers. This kind is different, though.
- Darren Rovell is wrong again, a sports tradition unlike any other.