Twins hold onto Fernando Rodney at non-waiver…
Twins hold onto Fernando Rodney at non-waiver trade deadline
Minnesota Twins closer Fernando Rodney celebrates the team's 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox in a baseball game at Fenway Park, Thursday, July 26, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
By Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press
PUBLISHED: July 31, 2018 at 3:28 pm | UPDATED: July 31, 2018 at 11:16 pm
In a surprise move, the Twins opted not to trade 41-year-old closer Fernando Rodney before Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline.
A market glutted with late-inning relievers led to Rodney, who has worn nine different major league uniforms in his 16-year career, staying put.
"I'm not surprised," Rodney said. "They tried to find a way to build the team. That's why they made those moves, I think. And with the pieces we have here, we're going to continue to play hard and have fun."
Now 22 for 28 in save chances, Rodney reached the first $300,000 threshold of his bonuses with his 35th game finished on Monday night, but there are four more of those at five-game increments, totaling $1.2 million in additional bonuses.
"It's something you don't have control over," Rodney said of the trade deadline. "If something happens, you have to keep going and keep playing baseball."
The Twins hold a $4.25 million option on Rodney for 2019 that carries a $250,000 buyout. Rodney's 2018 contract also has $1.39 million remaining, a figure that will decrease each day during the August waiver trading period.
"I'd love to stay here," Rodney said. "I think it's a good young team with a lot of talent. At any moment, any hour, one season this can be the surprise team that wins the division."
Rodney said he definitely plans to pitch next season.
"I feel like I can pitch one more year as strong as I feel right now," he said after hitting 97 mph with his fastball multiple times in a scoreless inning on Monday night.
Over the weekend in Boston,. Rodney passed former teammate Jose Mesa for second-most saves by a Dominican-born closer. He needs eight more saves to pass Francisco Cordero for the top spot.
Rodney could still be moved in August, but unless he clears waivers the Twins could only talk trade with the team awarded his claim.
BUXTON HURT
Byron Buxton's left wrist barked at him again Monday night at Triple-A Rochester, causing him to be removed from the game after three at-bats. He appeared headed back to the disabled list for the second time in July.
"That wrist that we thought was healed has resurfaced," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It wasn't until he took a couple of awkward swings in the game where it started to flare up."
A precautionary MRI showed "nothing significant" beyond inflammation, Molitor said after Tuesday's game. The Twins likely will get a second reading of the results just to make sure as they "proceed somewhat cautiously," Molitor added.
Because Buxton is on option, he is not accruing major-league service time while at Triple-A. If he isn't recalled this season, he would fall 13 days shy of reaching three full years' worth of service time. That could delay his free agency until after the 2022 season.
MAY RECALLED
To take the roster spot of Lance Lynn, traded to the Yankees on Monday, the Twins recalled right-hander Trevor May from Rochester.
May, who underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2017, posted a 3.60 earned-run average in 30 minor-league innings this season. Now 28, he made five starts among his 14 outings, including serving as the opener on July 22.
May, who will be out of minor-league options next spring, has made one start in the majors since July 1, 2015. That came in mid-August of that same season, when he did strong work out of the Twins' bullpen, which is where he will reside for now.
Molitor said May would likely see multiple-inning stints out of the bullpen but added his role is somewhat undefined for now.
Right-hander Aaron Slegers, on the disabled list since July 10 with shoulder inflammation, will throw his second simulated bullpen on Wednesday before likely heading out on a rehab assignment. Slegers threw two sets of 20 pitches in the bullpen on Monday and will increase that to three sets of 15 pitches on Wednesday.
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