MN Twins Reliever Takes Surprising Trip to IL… and Here Comes Carson McCusker

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Carson McCusker - Minnesota Twins
Credit: Jim Krajewski/RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

All the Minnesota Twins do is win, win, win no matter what. Seriously, the Twins have won 13-straight games and that now includes three straight without Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa, who were both placed on the 7-day concussion list this weekend.

But on Sunday, they made a more surprising roster move, sending lefty reliever Danny Coulombe to the injured list with a ‘left forearm extensor strain’. In his place, the Twins have recalled starting pitcher Zebby Matthews to start on Sunday afternoon, a move that was reported on Saturday.

Minnesota Twins roster moves made official on Sunday

In another official move that was announced alongside the Coulombe for Matthews swap, Minnesota transferred infielder Luke Keaschall — and his right forearm fracture — to the 60-day injured list. That made room on the 40-man roster for the much anticipated MLB debut of young slugger, Carson McCusker, whose closest MLB comp is… Aaron Judge. But more on him momentarily.

The surprising injured list stay for Danny Coulombe significantly hurts the Minnesota Twins bullpen, which now needs another arm in the very near future. Not only was Coulombe the only lefty in the bullpen, but he had pitched 16.2 scoreless innings for Rocco Baldelli & Co this season, prior to his injury.

Not only is his ERA+ incalculable, but his 0.600 WHIP and 1.18 FIP are nearly just as impressive. The 35-year-old former 25th round draft pick in 2012 has already amassed 1.1 WAR, 5th most among MLB relievers, in part thanks to his 19 strikeouts vs just 2 walks allowed.

Onto the exciting news that was made official today, but yet another move that was actually reported on Saturday. He isn’t in the starting lineup Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee, but 6’8″, 250 lb right-handed slugger Carson McCusker is now on both the 40-man and active 26-man Minnesota Twins roster.

Here comes Carson McCusker…

Why has the fanbase been waiting so impatiently to see McCusker in a Twins uniform? Well, because the 27-year-old‘s closest comp is Aaron Judge. And not just because of his overwhelming human frame.

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Yes, McCusker look like the right-handed version of the New York Yankees superstar, when he’s standing in the batter’s box, but Carson McCusker’s been hitting the baseball a lot like Judge recently too.

In 38 games this season down at Triple A St. Paul, the former undrafted kid out of Oklahoma State is hitting an absurd .350, with a 1.061 OPS built on 10 HR, 11 doubles, 13 walks and 36 RBI. He’s also struck out 46 times… but with these numbers, who’s counting?

While McCusker was undrafted after college, he was selected in the 26th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, out of Folsom Lake Community College, in Folsom (CA). Instead, he chose four years at Oklahoma State, where he slashed .294/.367/.519 (.886 OPS).

That wasn’t good enough to get a phone call during the 2021 MLB Draft, though. After going undrafted, McCusker played two summers of Independent League baseball, in the Frontier League.

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Then in 2023, at 25 years old, he finally got his shot in affiliated ball, signing with the Minnesota Twins. Now, after 207 minor league games in the organization between single A and triple A, the right-handed hitting monster batted .290 with a .886 OPS (43 HR, 147 RBI).

Two years later, even if it doesn’t come Sunday, Carson McCusker will soon get his first opportunity to prove he can hit anywhere, including the big leagues.

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