(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Jose Berrios on the hill, Josh Donaldson returns, Ildemaro Vargas cut by Twins
The Twins and White Sox have split the first two games at Target Field, and that means the Twins are a game-and-a-half behind first place Chicago entering play tonight.
September 2, 2020 at 10:08PM
Jose Berrios will start today for the Twins (7:10 p.m., FSN) in dire need of finding the form that has made him a two-time All-Star.
Also, third baseman Josh Donaldson, sidelined because of a calf injury, was activated this afternoon and will be hitting second in the lineup at Target Field for the rubber game against White Sox. Infielder Ildemaro Vargas was designated for assignment.
Berrios (2-3, 4.75 ERA) was lifted last Wednesday with two outs in the sixth against Cleveland after giving up a double and a walk. But in 5 2/3 innings, he gave up three runs, all coming in the third inning on Jose Ramirez's home run that was just over the wall and just inside the foul pole.
What's as bad as the home run were the four walks he issued. He's now walked 18 batters in 36 innings. While his 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings is the highest rate of his career, his 4.5 walks per nine innings is by far his worst.
Berrios needs to reestablish his relationship with the strike zone in what has become a critical stretch of the season for a Twins team that has fallen out of first place in American League Central division and has looked more vulnerable than it has since manager Rocco Baldelli took over before the 2019 season.
Righthander Reynaldo Lopez (0-1, 9.00) will start for Chicago tonight. The White Sox surge resulted in two American League awards for August ... first baseman Jose Abreu was named player of the month and center fielder Luis Robert is the rookie of the month.
Twins reliever Danny Coulombe, who had been designated for assignment, has cleared waivers and will be back in St. Paul.
Vargas, who played in 10 games for the Twins, hits the waiver wire. If he clears, he'll likely be assigned to the St. Paul site.
WHITE SOX
Tim Anderson, SS
Yoan Moncada, 3B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Jose Abreu, 1B
Eloy Jimenez, LF
Edwin Encarnacion, DH
Luis Robert, CF
Nomar Mazara, RF
Nick Madrigal, 2B
TWINS
Max Kepler, RF
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Jorge Polanco, SS
Nelson Cruz, DH
Eddie Rosario, LF
Miguel Sano, 3B
Luis Arraez, 2B
Jake Cave, CF
Ryan Jeffers, C
(Jeffers replaces Alex Avila, who was a late scratch)
photo of Jose Berrios by Carlos Gonzalez
A former second-round pick of the Rangers, Alex Speas has pitched in four major league games.
