LOS ANGELES — Byron Buxton made news last week during the All-Star Game media day when, asked about the possibility of being traded, he replied that he couldn’t be dealt.

“I got a no trade clause,” the Twins’ star said. “I’m a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life, so that’s the best feeling in the world knowing I get to walk into a clubhouse and it’s going to say Twins for the rest of my life.”

Utilityman Willi Castro sung a similar tune this week, though unlike Buxton, it’s not as clear that he will get his wish.

With the trade deadline approaching next week and Castro an impending free agent, he could be a valuable player for other teams if the Twins opt to sell at the deadline.

“I want to be a Twin, for sure,” Castro said. “I want to be a Twin for the rest of my life.”

It doesn’t seem so surprising that Castro feels loyalty to the Twins. After all, they helped revitalize his career after he was non-tendered by the Detroit Tigers in 2022.

The Twins signed him to a minor league deal and gave him an opportunity to play — he made the roster in 2023 out of spring training as a non-roster invite and carved out a role for himself, eventually becoming an all-star last season.

He has been among the Twins’ most valuable players again this year, thanks in large part to his ability to move around the field, bouncing between the infield and outfield as needed.

But with the trade deadline approaching on July 31 and the Twins entering Monday five games behind in the wild card race — and 11 1/2 games behind the Central Division-leading Detroit Tigers — Castro could help a contending team in a lot of ways.

Despite chatter surrounding his future, Castro said he doesn’t really think about it and is doing his best to try to block out that noise.

“If they want to trade me, I guess I’ve got to go. You don’t control that,” Castro said. “I know there are some other teams that are fighting, but whatever happens happens. I’m going to be sad if they trade me, of course, but I don’t really think about that. I just go out there and get my job done and that’s about it.”

Southern California homecoming

A trip to southern California served as a homecoming for a number of Twins, including Royce Lewis, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Ty France.

Lewis and Keirsey, playing at Dodger Stadium for the first time, both expressed excitement over the prospect. Keirsey grew up in San Diego but lives now in Orange County, less than 50 miles south of Los Angeles. Lewis also grew up in Orange County, and both were planning on having a group of family and friends show up this week.

“I’ll soak it in,” Lewis said. “I think I’ll probably end up playing better, too. Just like enjoy it. … Obviously I want our team to wi. But man, I’m going to enjoy this … because this is like a dream come true.”

Briefly

After facing Shohei Ohtani on Monday night, the Twins get to see another all-star on Tuesday. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start the second game of the series for the Dodgers. The pitcher has a 2.59 earned-run average in 19 games this season. He will be opposed by Simeon Woods Richardson, who has a 1.47 ERA across his last six starts.

LOS ANGELES — Kody Clemens took the mound in the eighth inning on Sept. 5, 2022, his team down by 10 runs. It was an otherwise forgettable game for the Detroit Tigers, who were getting blown out by the Los Angeles Angels. But it was certainly memorable for Clemens.

That’s because one of the batters he faced was two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, now with the Dodgers, who Clemens and the Twins are playing this week in Los Angeles. Ohtani fouled off the first pitch he saw, watched a ball go by, fouled off one more and then looked at strike three, a 68.4 mile per hour pitch from Clemens.

“We’re basically conceding the gam. But when I had to face him, I was locked in,” Clemens said. “I was hoping something cool would happen. I wasn’t really expecting him to not swing. Once I struck him out, it was just like kind of pure emotion. Didn’t think that was going to happen. I was just like very shocked. It was super cool.”

Ohtani signed the ball for Clemens, which is now in his house in Texas. That ball made some history for Clemens, putting him and his father in the history books as the father-son duo with the most combined strikeouts in the major leagues. Kody now has two. His dad, Roger, has 4,672.

Ohtani himself is all over the record book. And with the Twins facing the Dodgers this week — Ohtani started Monday night’s game in an abbreviated outing as he builds his way back from elbow surgery in 2023 — the Twins couldn’t help but marvel at his ability.

“(It’s) not hard to look at the guy and truly appreciate the things he’s doing, because nobody else is really capable of doing it,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I don’t think there has been for a very long time, if ever.”

After last year becoming the first and only member of the 50-50 club — at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season — Ohtani is compiling another impressive campaign this season. He entered the day top five in the majors in home runs (34), OPS (.990), slugging percentage (.610), among a myriad of other offensive stats. His 93 runs scored are first in the majors.

And this year, after spending all of last year rehabbing his arm, he’s back on the mound, too, where he has also established himself as one of the game’s best. He entered the day with a career 2.97 earned-run average and has finished as high as fourth in Cy Young Award voting in his career.

To be able to do both — and at such a high level — is almost unthinkable for other players.

Twins starter Chris Paddack, for example, threw a bullpen on Monday at Dodger Stadium. Then he came back in the clubhouse, changed, did some arm care and then had to run and lift. It was a full, packed day for the starter — one that, unlike Ohtani’s days, did not include taking swings.

“I can only imagine doing that, but also trying to get your body ready to go hit and be in the lineup to help his team contribute offensively,” Paddack said. “He has to stay disciplined with his routine and be consistent for 185 days. It’s pretty impressive. I can only imagine there’s one guy that can do it.”

And across other side of the field, there’s a great appreciation for what Ohtani is doing.

“He’s one of the best players in the game and probably historically,” third baseman Royce Lewis said. “Just to say I faced him is very exciting.”

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman, center, is congratulated by teammates after hitting a single to score Shohei Ohtani to win a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani ducks away from a pitch during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani celebrates in the locker room after their win against the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Minnesota state Sen. Bruce Anderson died at age 75 on Monday, the Senate Republican Caucus confirmed.

Anderson, a Republican from Buffalo representing District 29, served four terms in the Senate and nine terms in the House, a total of three decades and 11,159 days in the state Legislature, according to legislative records.

Undated courtesy photo from the 2025-26 legislative session of Sen. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo. (Courtesy of the Minnesota Senate)

Senate Republicans confirmed his passing Monday afternoon and said his family is asking for privacy at this time.

“I’m saddened to learn Senator Bruce Anderson passed unexpectedly today,” Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, said in a statement Monday. “Bruce was a dedicated public servant, loving family man, and dear friend to many at the Capitol and in Buffalo. We offer our condolences and prayers for comfort for the entire Anderson family.”

Anderson chaired the veterans committees in the House from 2011 to 2012 and again in the Senate from 2017 to 2020. He focused on issues including agriculture, energy, rural economic development, broadband access and public safety, Senate Republicans said in the release.

“I served with Bruce in both the House and Senate, and will fondly remember him for the way he approached this work and treated his colleagues,” Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, said in a statement Monday. “He was a decent, kind colleague, and a dedicated family man, and I feel fortunate to have known and worked with him.”

Before entering politics, Anderson served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and in the Minnesota Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force Reserves. He was raised on a dairy farm in Minnesota and was the eldest of eight children, according to the legislative reference library.

“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of my friend and colleague, Senator Bruce Anderson,” Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud, said in a statement Monday. “As a U.S. Navy veteran and a longtime member of the Minnesota Legislature, Bruce was a steady, principled voice in our work as elected officials. I had the honor of working with him on agriculture and veterans issues, where his dedication and humility stood out. His kindness and deep commitment to service will be missed by all of us in the Senate and by the people of Minnesota.”

Anderson’s death will prompt a special election to fill his seat in the Minnesota Senate, which will comprise 33 Democrats and 32 Republicans, pending the official resignation of Sen. Nicole Mitchell.

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Invasive zebra mussels have been confirmed in DeMontroville and Olson Lakes in Lake Elmo and in Long Lake in Pine Springs, located in the northeast corner of Interstate 694 and Minnesota Highway 36.

Officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said Monday that a contracted surveyor in October observed adult zebra mussels during a lake-bottom sediment survey in Long Lake. Recent follow-up water sampling detected zebra mussel larvae, called veligers, in Long Lake and DeMontreville and Olson Lakes, officials said.

State law requires boaters, anglers and waterfront property owners to take a variety of actions to prevent the spread of zebra mussels, regardless of whether a lake has an infestation, according to the DNR.

People should contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist if they believe they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species not already known to be in the water body.

Zebra mussels can compete with native species for food and habitat, cut the feet of swimmers, reduce the performance of boat motors and damage water-intake pipes.

More information is available at dnr.state.mn.us/ais.

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