It’s been almost two full years since the Detroit Lions traded tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings, and it’s probably fair to say that it worked out for both sides. The Lions got a 2023 second-round pick and 2024 third-round pick, while the Vikings got Hockenson, a 2023 fourth-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick. Detroit now has Sam LaPorta breaking records at the tight end position, while Hockenson is coming off his most productive year despite missing the final two games due to an injury.

This week, Hockenson made another appearance on the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast and was asked to reflect on the trade. He admitted, it didn’t come as a complete surprise at the time.

“There were a lot of articles coming out (about me potentially getting traded), because we were, I think, 1-6 at the time,” Hockenson said.

In the final year of his rookie contract, Hockenson knew the Lions were at a fork in the road regarding his future, so when the trade happened it wasn’t a shock (this matches what he said at the time, too).

At the time, Hockenson caught some flak in Detroit for this comment that he made, regarding an expectation to win and reach the playoffs:

“That’s really what we’re here to do is go somewhere and win some games. That’s kinda the first time I’ve been able to say that. So I’m pretty excited. I really am.”

Some took this as a shot against Detroit, and maybe it is. But it was also the truth, as the Lions were just 12-42-2 when Hockenson was there. Of course, the cruel irony for Hockenson is that since that trade, the Vikings are 14-13 (0-1 in the playoffs), while the Lions are 20-7 (2-1 in playoffs).

Still, Hockenson doesn’t seem to be holding too much resentment for Detroit’s sudden success.

“They’re still in the division, so you want to beat them and you want to win the division, but not (a) crazy (amount of bitterness),” Hockenson said. “You see it and you’re like, ‘What’s going on?’ You talk to people (in Detroit) and they’re just like, ‘It started clicking. It was nothing that you had (to do with it).’”

He later added:

“I was really happy for the boys that I used to play with. I was in it for a long time. It’s not fun to go out and play and not really have any success. For them to have some success, I was happy for the guys I played with.”

That said, he did admit he still gets a little more juiced for games against his former team.

Part of the reason Hockenson appears to be at peace with what happened is because he is genuinely happy to land with the Vikings organization.

“I was excited. It was a fresh start for me,” Hockenson said. “I knew I was going to play for coach (Kevin) O’Connell, who was a young coach. It was his first year, and he was 6-1 or something like that at the time. A really up-and-coming coach, and to be able to get around him, it was the best thing for me.

“God put me in the right place. I love Minnesota. I love the team, and it really starts at the top with K.O. and ownership. Those guys are incredible and it trickles down.”

You can watch the entirety of Hockenson’s answer to the question below:

The Minnesota Twins (54-42) welcome the Milwaukee Brewers (55-42) to Target Field Saturday for the 1st of a 2-game series. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Brewers vs. Twins odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Tied 1-1

The Twins went into the All-Star break having won 5 of their last 8 games. They did lose 2 of 3 to the San Francisco Giants in the series prior and dropped the final game of that stint 3-2 Sunday. Minnesota is 27-18 at home and has won 4 of its last 6 at home. It is 45-51 against the spread (ATS) on the season.

The Brewers won their final game before the break 9-3 against the Washington Nationals Sunday, snapping a 3-game win streak. Despite that, they still sit atop the NL Central and are above .500 at 26-25 on the road. Milwaukee is 3-7 over its last 10 games and and 1-3 in its last 4 on the road. The Brewers are 52-45 ATS on the season.

Brewers at Twins projected starters

RHP Freddy Peralta vs. RHP Pablo Lopez

Peralta (6-5, 4.11 ERA) makes his 20th start. He has a 1.19 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 11.4 K/9 through 103 innings.

• Last start: Loss, 5 IP, 4 ER, 10 H, 0 BB, 6 K in 5-2 home loss to the Washington Nationals July 12
• 2024 away splits: 3-3, 3.74 ERA (53 IP, 22 ER), 1.26 WHIP, 7 HR, 10.9 K/9 in 10 starts
• Career vs. Twins: 0-0, 4.15 ERA (13 IP, 6 ER), 1.54 WHIP, 15.9 K/9 in 5 appearances (1 start)

Lopez (8-7, 5.11 ERA) makes his 20th start. He has a 1.18 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9 and 10.5 K/9 through 104 innings.

• Last start: No-decision, 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K in 3-2 road win over the Chicago White Sox July 10
• 2024 home splits: 3-4, 5.74 ERA (47 IP, 30 ER), 1.36 WHIP, 7 HR, 9.4 K/9 in 9 starts
• Career vs. Brewers: 1-1, 3.41 ERA (37 IP, 14 ER), 0.95 WHIP, 10.2 K/9 in 6 starts

Who’s going yard? Here’s a breakdown of today’s best home run props with our top picks. Include the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE to score a $1,500 first-bet offer.

Brewers at Twins odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:05 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML): Brewers +106 (bet $100 to win $106) | Twins -124 (bet $124 to win $100)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Brewers -1.5 (+168) | Twins +1.5 (-205)
• Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Brewers at Twins picks and predictions

Prediction

Brewers 5, Twins 3

Moneyline

BET BREWERS (+106).

The Brewers are 12-7 when Peralta takes the mound and are 6-4 when he is their starting option in road games. As for Lopez, the Twins are 11-8 when he starts and 2-3 in his last 5 home starts. The Twins also are just 21-20 following a loss while the Brewers are 29-25 following a win.

Minnesota’s offense has had too many issues lately as well, scoring 3 or fewer in 4 of its last 5 games. Meanwhile, the Brewers totaled 14 in their last 2 before the break. Put it all together and back BREWERS (+106).

Run line/Against the spread

PASS.

The Brewers as a run-line favorite are too risky here to take, especially given their moneyline odds. The Twins, especially as an expensive run-line underdog, aren’t worth a run-line play either.

Over/Under

BET OVER 7.5 (-115).

The Brewers have scored 9 or more in 3 of their last 7 games and have gone Over the projected total in 5 of those.

Milwaukee has been hot for most of the season, having a 52-40-4 O/U record on the year. The Twins, who are 47-47-2 O/U, have struggled offensively but are still 8-5 O/U in their last 13 games.

Considering those trends, back OVER 7.5 (-115).

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Instead of heading home after finishing work this past Thursday evening, a group of colleagues mingled in their office building.

The extra hours at work weren’t on the clock, though. The group just conveniently didn’t have to leave the renovated Colonnade building in Golden Valley to have happy hour at a golf simulator.

Adding a bar and a place to practice swings were just a few of the renovations owners Eagle Ridge Partners and BLG Capital Advisors made in an effort to attract and retain tenants despite the prevalence of hybrid work.

“The goal is to lease,” said Betsy Vohs, the designer. “We want a really quality solution that works. It is not just architecture for the sake of architecture. If no one wants to lease here, what is the point?”

This year, vacancy rates in Twin Cities office buildings reached 14.8% overall and 11.5% along the I-394 corridor where the Colonnade sits, according to data from Colliers, a commercial real estate services firm. The Colonnade building tells a different story, though.

The 355,000-square-foot suburban office space underwent $5 million of renovations in recent months. Now, the building boasts an occupancy rate of 99%, per the owners, and managed to attract and maintain tenants at unprecedented rates.

“Before COVID, you could get away with not investing in your building, and location alone might get leases signed,” said Caroline Heinlein, a senior director with Eagle Ridge Partners. “Post-COVID, employers are looking at their office space more critically and how the building’s common areas and amenities can attract their employees back.”

For Heinlein and Lisa Peterson, who also serves as a senior director at Eagle Ridge, investing in renovating the building was a necessary part of reducing the risk of high vacancy rates.

Realizing it was time to renovate, Heinlein and Peterson decided to hire Vohs, a designer, architect, founder and CEO of design firm Studio BV.

“The building was built in the late [19]80s,” Vohs said. “The building was in good shape, but the design inside was still left over from the late ’80s. It hadn’t been touched since we renovated it.”

Prior to renovations, the main lobby and atrium consisted of a large water fountain that spanned the entire atrium and floor-to-ceiling pink granite tiling. Today, only the floors still sport the pink tiles, and in place of the “very loud” water feature, Vohs said, there are tables, chairs and couches for sitting, working or socializing.

“In a hybrid landscape, especially in the Twin Cities where the unemployment rate is so low, people want more than their office space,” Vohs said. “… They want a space that feels desirable where they can meet for coffee or meet up with their team. They want more.”

The Colonnade also features a tenant-only lounge and workspace as well as an outdoor patio. Tenants can reserve the spaces and host events for free.

Marc Flanders, a senior vice president and commercial banker at Bell Bank, has been one of the tenants in the Colonnade for more than a decade. He was one of those hanging out after hours Thursday and said he views the renovations of the Colonnade as part of a larger trend in the commercial real estate market.

“It is really nice to be able to host an event within the building, and there is also free parking adjacent to the building, which is key,” Flanders said. “There were a lot of upgrades made to the building, and it lightened up the building quite a bit.

“More people are returning to the building, and people like to have a place to host and get together with coworkers without having to leave the space.”