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New York Times
11-08-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Twins win again behind rookie Luke Keaschall and ‘grandpa' Ryan Fitzgerald
MINNEAPOLIS — Since the Minnesota Twins called up Luke Keaschall on April 18, teammates, coaches and media members have made frequent note of his stoic demeanor and matter-of-fact reactions to his non-stop success. Despite being just 22, no moment has seemed too big. And despite season-ending elbow surgery last August and a broken forearm a week into his big-league career in April, Keaschall is off to one of the greatest starts to a career in Twins history. Advertisement Through 12 games, he's hit .415 with a 1.207 OPS and 12 RBIs , reaching base safely in all of them and notching at least one hit in each of the 11 games in which he logged an official at-bat. Yet while everyone around Keaschall has been marveling at his incredible performance, he's mostly just smiled, kept his head down and acted as if it were normal. But even he has his limits. Keaschall had a career-high three in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals, the last of which was a two-run walk-off homer to right-center field in the 11th inning. And as he rounded the bases, the emotions finally flowed out of him. Luke Keaschall #WALKOFF homer! The @Twins win it in the 11th! — MLB (@MLB) August 10, 2025 He pointed to the Twins' dugout as he rounded first base, leapt into the air while doing a fist pump as he neared second base, screamed all the way to third base and jumped directly into the celebratory chaos waiting for him at home plate. And then for good measure, Keaschall bear-hugged and chest-shoved veteran reliever Michael Tonkin, who wriggled out of jams in the 10th and 11th innings to clear the stage for the red-hot rookie's latest heroics. 'I'm usually calm, cool and collected,' Keaschall said, 'but I kind of lost my crap and went crazy. That was probably the most fun game I've ever played.' It continued a post-trade deadline roll for the Twins that no one saw coming after their fire sale sent 10 players packing, including Carlos Correa and basically the entire bullpen. They've won five of the last seven games, with back-to-back series wins for the first time since the All-Star break. 'We're trying to make things happen out there,' manager Rocco Baldelli said. 'We're trying to win a game by getting guys in spots where they can succeed. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don't. No game is going to be perfect. But the way we're able to work together as a group right now feels good and looks good.' Advertisement Keaschall hit .368 with five steals in his first seven games, but a hit-by-pitch on April 25 sidelined him for over three months. He returned on Aug. 5, and has picked up right where he left off and then some, hitting .454 with two homers and 10 RBIs in five games, four of which the Twins have won. 'It's just about believing in the work you've put in, believing you can do it and staying confident,' Keaschall said. 'I was pretty bummed when I broke my forearm. I was doing pretty well at that time and I wanted to keep playing, but sometimes it doesn't go your way. Sometimes you've got to fight through it.' Sunday's dramatic, mistake-filled, back-and-forth win over the Royals played out in a way that was able to draw big emotions out of even Keaschall. Tonkin, who was the pitching hero, is a 35-year-old journeyman in his third different stint with the Twins, who originally drafted him out of high school in 2008. He spent much of this season rehabbing a shoulder injury alongside Keaschall at the team's year-round facility in Florida. 'We were on the IL together and he kept me in a good head space the whole time,' Keaschall said. 'So to go out there and watch him just destroy guys on the mound for two straight innings in a high-leverage situation, and then to be able to help him out and get the game-winning hit, was fun.' Ryan Fitzgerald's first Major League hit is a two-run homer! — MLB (@MLB) August 10, 2025 Before it became another 'Luke Keaschall Game,' it was shaping up to be the first Ryan Fitzgerald Game, as the 31-year-old journeyman infielder homered in the third inning for his first career MLB hit after nine seasons in the minors. Fitzgerald spent most of the season at Triple-A St. Paul, where he became fast friends with Keaschall. '(Fitzgerald) is the man,' Keaschall said. 'Finally getting his chance in the big leagues and showing he plays the game super hard, plays the game with his hair on fire. He's been really great to me. One of my best friends down there. It was pretty cool to see.' Advertisement Fitzgerald described Keaschall as 'like a little brother to me' and noted that he could tell the prospect was capable of greatness within just a few games of watching him with the Saints. 'I give him a lot of s— behind closed doors,' Fitzgerald said. 'And he calls me his grandpa. Just being around Keasch, I was like, 'Dude … you're going to be playing this game for a long time.'' That certainly seems like a safe assumption at this point, but in the meantime it's remarkable how much of an impact Keaschall has made in a short time. He's set Twins records through the first 12 games of a career for OPS (1.207), times on base (24), RBIs (12), stolen bases (5) and Win Probability Added (1.2). 'Right away, I could tell he's a ball player,' Fitzgerald said. 'It's guys like him that give you energy. That's who you build a team around.' And the Twins have repeatedly gotten unexpected contributions from unheralded players like Fitzgerald who were added to the roster after 40 percent of the team was traded at the deadline and have taken advantage of what might be their best — and maybe only — chance in the majors. Fitzgerald knew 'the window was closing' on his big-league dreams this offseason and was pondering an offer from a Mexican League team when the Twins called him in January with the promise of a Triple A roster spot. He didn't even get a spring training invite to major-league camp. 'I've been doing this a long time,' Fitzgerald said. 'Nine seasons in the minor leagues. Not everyone gets to make it this far. I'm just blessed to have the opportunity. This group of guys, too. They cleaned house last week, but it's fun. It's a good group of ball players and I think it's a good brand of baseball.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
With Dodgers battling more injuries, prospect Alex Freeland could make MLB debut
The Dodgers are dealing with more injuries to their lineup. As a result, one of their top prospects could get his first big-league opportunity this week. Alex Freeland, the top-ranked infielder in the Dodgers' farm system, will be in Cincinnati on Tuesday in case either Tommy Edman (who had his lingering ankle injury flare up on him Sunday while rounding the bases) or Hyeseong Kim (who has been battling a shoulder issue over the last week) needs to go on the injured list, manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers' Monday night win over the Reds. Read more: Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers a pitching master class in Dodgers' win over Reds 'He's going to come and we'll see what direction we go, with who,' Roberts said. 'We're just kind of trying to figure out ... if we do need to make a move for one of those guys." Freeland, a third-round pick in 2022 out of the University of Central Florida, is the team's No. 3 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline and the 35th-ranked prospect in baseball. The 23-year-old switch-hitter has spent all season with triple-A Oklahoma City, where he has batted .253 with 12 home runs, 71 RBIs and .799 OPS in 94 games. Now, he might get his first crack at the big-league roster, with the Dodgers facing another round of injury headaches following Monday's game. In the short term, Kim's shoulder injury appears to be the more pressing issue. The South Korean rookie has struggled mightily at the plate lately, with an 0-for-3 performance Monday leaving him just three for 24 since July 19. 'You can just see offensively with the bat, he's just not himself right now,' Roberts said. Edman, however, represents the bigger long-term concern for the Dodgers to manage, with his ankle injury lingering since early May. 'It's something that's kind of always there,' Edman said. 'But I would say it's been pretty normal.' At least it was until Sunday, when Edman said he 'had a little tweak of it' while running the bases at Fenway Park. While Edman was not available for Monday's game, he maintained optimism he could avoid what would be a second injured list this season and be back in the lineup Tuesday. 'I don't feel like this is that big a deal,' he said. 'I was just at a point where I didn't feel like I could run full speed today. I got some good treatment today so hopefully I'll be back available tomorrow.' Still, the Dodgers could decide that an extended break for the utilityman is warranted — especially since he has been unable to play outfield while trying to manage his injury. 'Obviously, if I couldn't hit him tonight, for him to not to be able to play three innings of defense, isn't a great feeling,' Roberts said. Freeland will be waiting in the wings just in case. Read more: As Dodgers look to upgrade outfield, Harrison Bader could be a trade deadline fit A native of Louisville, he made a major jump up the Dodgers' farm system last year, when he progressed from high-A to triple-A while batting .260 across three minor-league levels. A disciplined hitter with 228 career walks in 345 career minor-league games, Freeland has received high marks for his defense at shortstop and third base. He also has 81 steals over his four minor-league seasons. How will the Dodgers determine if Kim or Edman — or both — will need to go on the IL? "That's the thing that, it is a blurred line,' Roberts said. 'The players obviously feel that they're not hurt, where they can play and post, which is great. But the line of, are you still hurting the team, hurting yourself, that's the thing that the organization, the training staff, we've got to make that decision." When and if they do, the Dodgers know who will be tapped as a potential replacement. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
