CHICAGO — The Twins had no idea how long Chris Paddack would be down when they placed him on the injured list on June 25 with shoulder fatigue.

But Paddack himself expressed his hope that he would be back before the all-star break to make one or two final starts in the first half.

He got his wish.

Paddack was activated ahead of Monday’s game against the Chicago White Sox, taking the mound for the first time since June 21. Over the month of June, Paddack, who spent much of last season rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery, described his body and arm feeling heavy. His velocity took a dive, and the results suffered.

But now, “he’s in a much better spot,” than he was when he landed on the injured list, manager Rocco Baldelli said.

“His arm, his body, I think he was wearing down a little bit,” Baldelli said. “I talked to (pitching coach) Pete (Maki) specifically about it this week. He said, ‘I think he’s in a great spot. I think his arm is feeling the way he wants it to feel. The stuff has been very good in the bullpen. He’s ready to pitch.’ When I hear he’s ready to pitch, that’s what it really comes down to.”

While Baldelli said they knew a shutdown period was “probably likely” at some point, they couldn’t predict when or how long it would be.

It ended up being just two starts.

“I think it was, ultimately, clearly the right move,” Baldelli said.

Miranda named Player of Week

For a week in which he tied a long-standing Major League Baseball record, recording 12 consecutive at-bats with a hit, Twins infielder Jose Miranda has been named the American League Player of the Week.

Miranda hit a cool .700 (14 for 20) on the week, leading the majors in batting average, on-base percentage and hits. In the process, he set a new team record by reaching base in 13 straight plate appearances — 12 hits and a hit by pitch.

Miranda had five hits in the Twins’ win over Detroit on Thursday and followed that up with four the next day, only the 11th time in team history that a player had consecutive four-hit games.

Stewart to start rehab

At long last, Brock Stewart is finally set to begin a rehab assignment, a good sign that his return is near. Stewart, one of the top relievers in the Twins’ bullpen when healthy, was placed on the injured list on May 3 with right shoulder tendinitis.

He is scheduled to pitch on Tuesday in Louisville. The Twins have not laid out a plan for him publicly, though given the length of time he has missed, it’s expected that he will make multiple rehab outings.

Briefly

Bailey Ober will take the mound on Tuesday in the second game in Chicago, opposed by White Sox starter Eric Fedde. … Josh Winder was sent down to Triple-A to make room on the roster for Paddack. Winder pitched in one game this week and gave up four runs, three of them earned, over two innings. … Carlos Correa was in the lineup Monday a day after exiting the game early after getting hit by a pitch on the hand.

With the help of an undercover Minnesota police officer, a British security guard has been convicted of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder a British TV personality.

The 37-year-old man was found guilty last week in England of a plot involving Holly Willoughby, a British television presenter, author and model who has appeared on shows such as “The Voice UK” and hosted a morning show, according to the BBC.

Holly Willoughby attends the National Television Awards 2023 at The O2 Arena on Sept. 5, 2023, in London, England. (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

It all began a few years ago after Gavin Plumb shared his elaborate plan with an Owatonna police officer who was working undercover in an online group called “Abduct Lovers.”

That officer, known only as David Nelson, which the BBC says is not his real name, informed the FBI, which led English detectives to investigate and arrest Plumb, who was convicted last Thursday.

During the trial, it was revealed that Plumb had purchased 400 “heavy duty” metal cable ties and chloroform to “knock Willoughby and her husband out after breaking in to their house.”

The BBC reported that investigators also found a 31-piece lock-picking kit, handcuffs, two packets of rope, and a map from his address to Willoughby’s house. In addition, a device that contained “millions” of pictures of Willoughby including some that were “deep fake” pornographic images depicting her.

In BBC articles, Willoughby is quoted as saying she will “forever be grateful to the undercover police officer who understood the imminent threat, and to the Metropolitan and Essex police forces for their swift response.”

According to the BBC, Plumb, a security guard, had assembled this “tool kit of highly sexualised violence” to  fulfill his “ultimate fantasy.”

An investigator with the Essex Police told the BBC that Plumb was an “obsessive loner” who had assembled “all the items he needed to cause Holly Willoughby some serious harm.”

“If the American officer hadn’t have contacted us … I’ve got no doubt that Gavin Plumb could’ve gone on to commit some really horrific crimes,” Detective Chief Inspector Greg Wood added.

Prosecutors said Plumb had a “real intention” to kidnap the broadcaster from her home, “take her to a location where she would be raped repeatedly” and then murder her.

After joining the Abduct Lovers group, Plumb shared four pictures of Willoughby and wrote “The one in the public eye I want.”

According to the BBC, Nelson wrote “Nice” and began to have private chats with Plumb. During those conversations, Plumb outlined his abduction plot and sent videos of the “kidnap kit” he’d assembled which included hand and ankle shackles, a rope and a ball gag.

After Nelson told the FBI, who told the Essex Police, Plumb was arrested last fall.

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