Twins All-Star Luis Arraez proves his worth in all spots, in all situations

Coming through in the clutch is one of the biggest reasons Luis Arraez will suit up at the All-Star Game next Tuesday. And Arraez, who entered a tied game as a pinch-hitter with runners on first and second in the fifth inning, showed his knack for it again on Wednesday.

Oh, not in that potentially crucial at-bat. No, Arraez watched strike three from Brewers reliever Trevor Gott sail by, a surprising result for a .346 hitter, and the Twins didn't score.

"I try to get a pinch-hit, but it's not easy," Arraez said of the strikeout, only his 27th of the year. "I say, I've got to do something for my team."

His chance came in the ninth, and Arraez didn't miss this one. Jhoan Duran had given up a one-out double to Pedro Severino and walked Luis Urias. Jace Peterson, a fast runner who already had homered in the game to provide Milwaukee's lone run, was at the plate.

Peterson smashed a hard grounder at Arraez, who snagged it and turned toward shortstop in one motion. He aimed at second base and hoped it was fast enough.

"If we don't make that double play, I think we got trouble," Arraez said. "We've got [to] do it fast because he can run. He's one of their guys who can really run, so I just throw the ball to the base and then make the double play."

Carlos Correa, possessor of one of the best arms among infielders in the game, caught the throw on second base and whistled an 87-mph return to Arraez, who was scrambling to first — and trying to avoid Duran, who had sprinted over to cover the base.

"Luis is pretty quick out there," said Correa, whose throw beat Peterson by a half-step to end the inning. "He's so special. To be able to play every position that's needed of him, and come off the bench to help us win games, he's a special talent. I love being his teammate."