SAN DIEGO — It got somewhat lost in the shuffle on Tuesday night as a bullpen blowup sent the Twins to a gut-wrenching loss, but it certainly wasn’t lost on Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers.

His home run in the fourth inning Tuesday off Padres pitcher Martin Perez was his 20th of his season. Jeffers’ previous career high for homers was 14, which he reached in both the 2021 and 2023 seasons.

He’s just the fourth Twins catcher to reach the milestone number, joining Mitch Garver (31 in 2019), Joe Mauer (28 in 2009) and Earl Battey (26 in 1963).

It’s been an up-and-down season at the plate for Jeffers, who was among the Twins’ hottest hitters to start the season but hasn’t been able to sustain that success. He’s had a productive August, though, hitting .270 with a .993 OPS and five home runs since the month began. For the season, he’s hitting .233 and leads the Twins in homers and RBIs (59).

“It feels really good. It’s just a cool milestone, a good number, especially to do that from the catching position, which is hard,” Jeffers said. “And to do that kind of riding the waves of the season, what the season has thrown again, feeling good down the stretch is great.”

Twins at the Fair

The Twins will be well-represented at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, once again hosting the Minnesota Twins Experience at the State Fair, which begins Thursday and runs through Sept. 2.

Mascot T.C. Bear will be in attendance from noon-12:30 on Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 30-31 and Sept. 2 to greet fans and take photographs. On Monday, outfielder Matt Wallner and reliever Griffin Jax will be in attendance from noon to 1 p.m. The Twins host the Braves that night.

Hall of Famer Tony Oliva will be there Friday and Sunday from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m., and the Twins Experience will also feature giveaways, games and merchandise for sale.

Briefly

The Twins have Thursday off before returning to Target Field on Friday to begin a nine-game homestand that will see the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays come to town. … Pablo López and Sonny Gray are set to face off on Saturday, an exciting matchup between the two pitchers who headed the Twins’ rotation last season. Gray signed a three-year deal with the Cardinals last offseason and has a 3.91 earned-run average this season. “That’ll be a great game,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Everyone, certainly our fans, will enjoy that.”

A Winona, Minn., man accused of murdering his former girlfriend and dumping her body will stand trial in Mankato instead, according to a Wednesday court filing.

Madeline Jane Kingsbury (Courtesy photo)

Adam Fravel, 30, is accused of killing Madeline Kingsbury, the 26-year-old mother of his two young children, last year.

A motion to move the trial out of Winona County was granted in June by Judge Nancy Buytendorp because of concerns about the high level of media coverage related to the southeastern Minnesota case and the impact it could have on a jury pool.

Fravel’s defense team hired a research firm that found that of 100 people surveyed in Winona County, 89 had read, seen or heard news about Kingsbury’s disappearance and death. Sixty-six respondents had formed opinions about who was responsible for it.

Only one of those 66 people did not believe that Fravel caused Kingsbury’s death, the report found.

The number of people involved in mass searches for Kingsbury after her disappearance was also cited as possibly tainting the jury pool, as well as the high interest in the case on social media.

“After careful consideration, the court finds that Blue Earth County is best positioned to ensure the impartiality required for a fair trial and is well-suited to accommodate this Winona County case,” Buytendorp stated in the court document Wednesday.

Fravel’s trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 7 at the Blue Earth County Justice Center in Mankato, which is 120 miles west of Winona. Pretrial appearances for the case are still scheduled Sept. 3-4 in Winona County.

Fravel faces four charges related to Kingsbury’s killing, including murder in the first degree while committing domestic abuse with a past pattern of domestic abuse, murder in the first degree premeditated, murder in the second degree and murder in the second degree without intent while committing a felony.

Adam Taylor Fravel. (Winona County Sheriff’s Office)

Fravel has been held in the Winona County jail since June 7, 2023. The body of Kingsbury, who went missing on March 31, 2023, was found that day in a culvert north of Mabel near the home of Fravel’s parents.

Kingsbury’s cause of death was listed only as “homicidal violence.”

Fravel’s bail is set at $2 million with conditions and $3 million without conditions.

Related Articles

Ana Zamora: Voters don’t want to hear Trump and Harris fight over crime. They want to hear actual solutions

Mounds View driver was drunk when she blew a stoplight and struck an SUV in Coon Rapids, killing a pregnant woman, charges say

Derek Chauvin is moved to new prison; Thomas Lane released

Judge knocks down Hunter Biden’s bid to use Trump ruling to get his federal tax case dismissed

Charges against St. Paul woman stemming from girl’s shooting dismissed

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Woodbury, which abruptly closed earlier this summer, will reopen Tuesday.

The cinema, known for its arthouse films, expansive dinner menu and craft beer, will feature “Alien: Romulus,” “Blink Twice,” “The Crow” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Doors open to the public at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

During the first two weeks of reopening, guests will enjoy $5 movie tickets for all shows and 25 percent off food and non-alcoholic beverage items.

The cinema closed June 6 after a Texas-based franchise operator filed for federal Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, according to news reports.

Tickets are on sale now at drafthouse.com.

Related Articles

Lakeland contract employee charged with theft from city

Motorist charged in Lake Elmo crash that killed St. Paul girl, 5

Liberty Classical Academy pursuing possible legal action after May Township vote

Michael McGuire, ‘the most influential architect in the St. Croix Valley,’ dies at 95

Obituary: Karen Hubbard, longtime St. Croix River Valley matriarch, dies

Woodbury Days – a three-day festival expected to attract thousands of people – starts on Friday.

The 46-year-old event will be held in Ojibway Park, near Woodbury High School. It will include a fireworks show, carnival games, a parade, bands, a car show, food vendors, games and other free entertainment. There also will be a basketball tournament, a business fair and robotics demonstrations.

One note: There will be no Woodbury Farmers’ Market on Sunday due to the Woodbury Days parade.

With Central Park under construction, the Farmers’ Market location has been temporarily relocated to Red Rock Elementary School, which is where the Woodbury Days parade starts. “While this has been known since the start of the season, we want to remind Farmer’s Market visitors in advance,” said Jason Egerstrom, a spokesman for the city.

The Grande Parade starts at 11 a.m. Sunday, and the route runs from Red Rock Elementary School (staging area) and continues along Commonwealth Avenue from Radio Drive west to Sherwood Road west to Woodlane Drive north to the Woodbury High School parking lot.

The entire parade route will be closed to motorists from 10:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, but emergency access will be maintained to homes along the route at all times, Egerstrom said.

For more information, go to woodburydays.org.

Related Articles

Lakeland contract employee charged with theft from city

Motorist charged in Lake Elmo crash that killed St. Paul girl, 5

Liberty Classical Academy pursuing possible legal action after May Township vote

Michael McGuire, ‘the most influential architect in the St. Croix Valley,’ dies at 95

Obituary: Karen Hubbard, longtime St. Croix River Valley matriarch, dies