DENVER — Joe Ryan was anticipating this week’s All-Star Game in Atlanta. But the actual experience?
“It was fun. It was more than I thought it would be, so many little components that I didn’t really think about,” Ryan, a first-time All-Star, said. “Getting to the field every day was so nice to kind of separate and be there with the other guys, pick their brains, talk to the guys around the league and learn some things. Everyone was awesome to be around.”
Ryan and Byron Buxton, the Twins’ other All-Star, returned from Atlanta with plenty of memories they’ll relish for a lifetime after both put on a good showing in the game, which the American League lost in a home run swing off.
For Buxton, the highlight of this past week in Atlanta was spending time with his family and watching his three young sons, Brixton, Blaze and Baire, soak in the experience.
“They had a lot of fun,” Buxton said of his kids. “To see them being kids on the sideline and enjoying it … that’s all that matters.”
Buxton, who hails from southeast Georgia, participated in the Home Run Derby, advancing to the second round before falling in the semifinals, where his two older sons were on the field with him, handing him towels and Gatorade.
On Tuesday afternoon, the family walked the red carpet matched in pink, which the kids chose — ‘They’d probably choose neon green if I let ‘em,’ he said — and then hit a double in the game and scored a run as the American League rallied in the ninth inning to tie the game.
Ryan made the most of his time on the field, as well, throwing a 1-2-3 fourth inning during which he struck out Manny Machado and Kyle Tucker, and got a first-pitch pop up from Dodgers catcher Will Smith.
Off the field, he said he tried to talk to as many people as he could. Among them, he listened to Jacob deGrom hold court for “anyone that wanted to listen,” and tried to get reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to detail his whole routine.
“It’s pretty humbling being around some of these great players and seeing how they go about their business,” Ryan said. “It feels like you’re making your debut again in a sense. It was cool.”
Matthews nears return
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli did not make any official proclamations before Friday night’s game about a starter for Saturday, but with a “TBD” listed, it appears likely that Zebby Matthews will make his return from the injured list.
Matthews, who was placed on the injured list with a shoulder strain on June 8, threw a four-inning rehab start with the Triple-A Saints on Sunday and was encouraged by how he felt.
“It felt really good,” Matthews said. “It was good to see those guys back in Triple-A. Felt good. Command was a lot better than the live outing I had against (teammate Luke) Keaschall. Felt a lot more in sync. Ready to get back at it whenever.”
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Ad patch
The Twins began the second half of their season on Friday by showing off their new look.
On their jersey sleeve, the Twins became the latest team to add an advertising patch, reaching a deal with Securian Financial, a St. Paul-based company. They were one of the few remaining teams to not have a patch.
“As we sought the right partner for this landmark jersey patch opportunity, Securian Financial emerged as the perfect fit — not only because of our shared Minnesota heritage and steadfast commitment to our home community, but also due to our common focus on growth, long-term impact and leadership,” Twins executive vice president, chief revenue officer Sean Moore said in a release.
Briefly
Bailey Ober (hip impingement) threw four scoreless innings on Friday in a rehab outing with Triple-A St. Paul. He gave up four hits and struck out three. … Outfielder Emmanuel Rodriguez, one of the Twins’ top prospects, landed on the injured list on Friday at Triple-A with a right-oblique strain. Rodriguez missed five weeks with a hip injury, returning just recently on July 8.
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