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Four Minnesota Twins Stats to be Thankful For

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Four Minnesota Twins Stats to be Thankful For


In a year headlined by the Pohlads’ frugality, broadcasting issues, and a historic collapse, we often need the reminder that the Twins were a playoff-caliber club for more than two-thirds of the season. You aren’t a playoff contender without players who are producing at exceptional rates, as compared to the rest of the league. Let’s look at four(ish) statistics that stood out across the league for our local club.

Matt Wallner’s Power
Matt Wallner is a power player on both sides of the ball, with a 98th percentile exit velocity (EV) and 99th percentile arm strength. While we need to see considerable improvement in Wallner’s contact rate, the lefty hits the snot out of the ball when he makes contact, boasting elite hard-hit rates. With a 93 mile-per-hour average EV and a 116.8 mile-per-hour maximum, the lefty mashed 13 home runs in only 220 at-bats in 2024. His hardest-hit ball was “just” a single, but his second-hardest was this 116.7 MPH scorcher over the right-field fence at Guaranteed Rate Field.

And then there was the behemoth off Griffin Canning.

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On the other side of the ball, Wallner might grade out as a below-average right fielder, but he has one of the best arms in the game. Runners need to tread lightly (er, quickly? Tread not at all?) when they’re thinking about extra bases on a ball hit to Wallner, as he shows off an arm that produced a maximum velocity of 101.2 MPH and an average velocity (on competitive throws) of 96.9. On Aug. 30, the Toronto Blue Jays’ Spencer Horwitz learned this this hard way.

Byron Buxton’s Speed
Twins fans are very aware of Buxton’s speed, and while we’d love to see it employed more on the basepaths, it’s helped him remain one of the best centerfielders in the game. His Sprint Speed and Outs Above Average (OAA) both sit in the 97th percentile in all of baseball, and his best catch of the season was this liner off the bat of Los Angeles Dodgers Teoscar Hernandez, which had a 35% catch probability.

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Nothin’ but raindrops, folks.

Griffin Jax’s Stuff
While rumors swirl regarding Jax’s ability to be a starter, he has cemented himself as one of the best relievers in baseball, with a bevy of statistics that sit in the 90th percentile of the league or better. Most notably, his chase rate (99th percentile), whiff rate (98th), and strikeout rate (97th) lead to some of the best actual and expected stats in the majors. Sure, the highlight below is from Spring Training, but my oh my did he send the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Tsung-Che Cheng back to medieval times with this sweeper.

Joe Ryan’s Command
The Twins really missed Joe Ryan down the stretch, in large part due to his ability to control and command the strike zone. With a 96th percentile walk rate and a 98th percentile expected OBP, Ryan limited free passes better than nearly anyone in baseball – an important attribute when you don’t have traditionally overpowering stuff. His ability to live on the edge of the strike zone doesn’t just limit walks. It also limits a hitter’s quality of contact, resulting in better-than-average exit velocities and hard-hit rates for the righty.

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There’s plenty more to be thankful for this season, and it gives us plenty to look forward to as the calendar inches toward 2025. One thing is for certain: No matter what happens with the team on the field in 2025, we here at Twins Daily are thankful for the owners, editors, content creators, and readers that make this all possible. Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate—and cheers, all the same, to those who don’t!

What are YOU thankful for this year?

 



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Shorthanded Clippers can’t keep pace with Anthony Edwards and Minnesota

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Shorthanded Clippers can’t keep pace with Anthony Edwards and Minnesota


Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 18 and the surging Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Clippers 94-88 on Thursday night.

Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves improve to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 3-1 since the All-Star break.

Edwards, returning to the site of the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP, was 12 for 24 from the floor and sealed the victory with a step-back three-pointer over two defenders for a 92-88 lead with 42.9 seconds left.

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Minnesota improved to 2-0 on a three-game trip.

Derrick Jones Jr. scored 18 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 for the Clippers, who struggled from the outset with a season-low 38 points in the first half. Kris Dunn had 11 points for the Clippers (27-31), who have lost three consecutive games for the first time since December.

The Clippers struggled on offense without star Kawhi Leonard, out because of ankle soreness. The Clippers shot 40.5% from the floor, including 18.2% (four for 22) in the second quarter. Minnesota shot 43.4% in the game.

The Timberwolves (37-23) scored just 15 points in the second quarter and still topped the Clippers, who had 11. Minnesota led 44-38 at halftime behind 12 points from DiVincenzo and 11 from Edwards.

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The Clippers led by six in the third quarter and were up 68-63 heading into the fourth. Edwards’ drive and reverse layup put the Timberwolves up for good at 76-74 with 7:40 remaining.

The Clippers pulled within one three times in the last 2½ minutes, but Edwards answered each time. He scored the Timberwolves’ last nine points.

Up next for Clippers: vs. New Orleans on Sunday night.

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Church congregant filed lawsuit against alleged Minnesota church protesters

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Church congregant filed lawsuit against alleged Minnesota church protesters


A St. Paul church member has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that a group of individuals, including journalist Don Lemon and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, unlawfully disrupted service last month as part of a coordinated political demonstration.

The complaint, filed by Ann Doucette in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota, alleges that a Jan. 18 demonstration at Cities Church interfered with her ability to worship and caused her to suffer damages, including emotional distress and trauma.

In addition to the former CNN anchor and Armstrong, the complaint names journalist Georgia Fort and activists Will Kelly, Jerome Richardson, Trahern Crews and Jamael Lundy. It also names St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Allen.

Doucette and seven of the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Doucette filed the complaint without the representation of an attorney. In an emailed statement to NBC News, Crews denied the lawsuit’s allegations “with empathy and compassion.”

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The lawsuit accuses the group of civil conspiracy, aiding and abetting, intentional infliction of emotional distress, interference with religious exercise and trespassing.

“As a result of Defendants’ actions, the worship service was disrupted, congregants experienced fear and distress, and Plaintiff’s ability to freely exercise her religion in a private place of worship was unlawfully interfered with,” the lawsuit states.

All eight defendants are also facing federal charges for conspiracy against the rights of religious freedom at a place of worship and for interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom. Lemon has pleaded not guilty to all charges, saying outside the court, “I wanted to say this isn’t just about me, this is about all journalists, especially in the United States.”

Fort, Crews and Lundy were released on bond and entered not guilty pleas, according to The Associated Press.

Don Lemon reporting from an anti-ICE demonstration at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn.@TheDonLemonShow via YouTube

This is the latest legal action tied to protests in the Twin Cities, where tensions remain over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

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According to the lawsuit, the demonstrators engaged in “coordinated conduct” by organizing meetings ahead of the “Operation Pullup” protest and promoting it on social media.

The lawsuit alleges that on the morning of Jan. 18, a coordinated group of individuals entered Cities Church, halting the worship service, and chanting “‘ICE Out!’ and ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!’” while obstructing aisles. Protesters could allegedly be seen “confronting the pastor and congregants in a menacing manner,” the lawsuit says, noting that their chanting and “aggressive gestures” caused “severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and trauma” and caused children “terror.”

Demonstrators gathered at the church because they said its pastor, David Easterwood, was the acting director of an ICE field office in the city, the lawsuit says.

Lemon was arrested in January in California and accused of violating federal civil rights law after covering the protest on Jan. 18. He was released on a personal recognizance bond before a federal grand jury in Minnesota returned the indictment against Lemon and eight co-defendants, all of whom are also named in Doucette’s lawsuit.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, Cities Church protest arraignment, St. Paul, Minn., February 2026
Nekima Levy Armstrong in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 13.Carlos Gonzalez / Star Tribune via Getty Images

In the lawsuit, Doucette alleges that Lemon specifically livestreamed the protest, “noting congregants’ fear and distress, and appeared to take satisfaction in the disruption.”

Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis-based civil rights attorney and activist, was also arrested for her participation in the St. Paul protest. Her arrest drew national attention after the White House shared on social media doctored photos where she appeared to be crying.

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Man arrested, charged with threatening to kill a state senator

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Man arrested, charged with threatening to kill a state senator



A Hubbard County man was arrested and charged after threatening to kill a Minnesota state senator on Facebook. 

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Court documents filed on Wednesday state the Minnesota State Patrol were investigating a threat posted by John Tobias saying that he would “kill every one of you treasonous [expletive] immediately” if he did not get money back that he claims he lost during the 2020 COVID shutdown. 

Court documents go on to say that Tobias then called the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office asking for something to be done about “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ‘unconstitutionally’ shutting down the state due to COVID-19. 

The Minnesota State Patrol contacted Hubbard County deputies regarding Tobias. Court documents state Hubbard County investigators were already familiar with Tobais after speaking with him regarding similar threats he made in Jan. 

The charging documents state that investigators searched Tobias’ residence on Tuesday and found an arsenal of guns and 45 boxes of ammunition. 

Tobias was taken into custody. During an interview with law enforcement, Tobias admitted to making the threat on Facebook. He also told investigators that “he did not have any intention of killing anyone, but admitted he was trying to get people’s attention,” according to court records. 

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In late 2025, Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol, who oversees Capitol security, told a panel of lawmakers that threats to lawmakers had doubled between 2024 and 2025. 

Tobias made his first court appearance Wednesday morning and is expected back in court early next month.  



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