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2022 – First they traded third baseman Gio Urshela to the Los Angeles Angeles for minor league pitcher Alejandro Hidalgo, a 19 year-old Venezuelan right-hander who just finished his second year of pro ball. It appears that the Twins were going to non-tender Urshela because of the expected salary (projected at $9.2 million) he would get through arbitration so in this deal they at least got a young minor league prospect that was rated as the 21st best Angels prospect and is currently slotted as the Twins number 25 prospect.
In the second trade of the day the Cincinnati Reds and Twins agreed on a Friday evening trade sending infielder Kyle Farmer from Cincinnati to Minnesota. The Reds landed 25 year-old right-hander Casey Legumina in return. Legumina pitched with High A Cedar Rapids this past season. Farmer is second year arbitration-eligible, and is projected to make $5.9MM. The 32 year-old Farmer was originally an eighth round selection in 2013 as a catcher by the Los Angeles Dodgers before being traded to the Reds in December 2018. The last time Farmer was used as a catcher was with the Reds in 2019 and he caught 15 games. Maybe the Twins can plan on him being their emergency catcher.
2019 – Twins prospect Ryan Costello was found dead in his New Zealand hotel room, just days after joining his team in the Australian Baseball league. According to his team, the Auckland Tuatara reported that the 23-year-old died in his sleep. Costello a 31st round pick by the Seattle Mariners in 2017 was traded to the Minnesota Twins on July 30, 2018 for reliever Zach Duke. The 1B/OF split the 2019 season playing with A+ Fort Myers and AA Pensacola.
2013 – The Twins acquire LHP Kris Johnson from the Pittsburgh Pirates and part ways with Duke Welker. Welker never actually played in the Twins organization, he was the PTBNL in the August 31 trade of Justin Morneau to Pittsburgh and was sent to Minnesota on October 5 only to be traded back to the Pirates for Johnson without throwing a single pitch for Minnesota.
2001 – Approximately 4,000 Minnesota Twins fans (and I am proud to say I was one of them) gathered in the Metrodome’s parking lot on a rainy Sunday afternoon to voice their support for their team after MLB voted to contract two teams.
1997 – The Twins lose outfielder Brent Brede and catcher Damian Miller to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 1997 expansion draft. The Tampa Devil Rays did not select any Minnesota Twins in that draft.
1992 – The Twins and Mets swap outfielders when the Twins acquire Pat Howell and the Mets receive Darren Reed.
1965 – Shortstop Zoilo Versalles is selected as the American League MVP getting 19 out of 20 first place votes. Versalles becomes the first Latin player and the first Minnesota Twins player to win a MVP award. Twins outfielder Tony Oliva finishes second in the MVP balloting.
