MILWAUKEE – When Twins newcomer Carson McCusker steps into the batter’s box, Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli doesn’t look at the rookie outfielder. He likes to look at the umpires and the faces of the opponents when they see the 6-foot-8 giant prepare to swing the bat.

Carson McCusker #60 of the Minnesota Twins swings at bat during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on May 18, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

“I look forward to putting him out there, watching him hit and also the reaction of the other team when he steps on the field,” Baldelli said prior to Sunday’s game in Milwaukee, after McCusker joined the big league club for the first time. “I always look forward to the umpires and the opposing catchers looking at our dugout, like ‘Look at this guy.’ ”

Originally from Nevada, by way of college baseball at Oklahoma State, McCusker was on a St. Paul Saints road trip in Des Moines when he got word that he was needed in Milwaukee, and he made the five-hour drive to the shore of Lake Michigan.

“It’s been crazy,” said McCusker in the Twins’ clubhouse on Sunday morning. “Drove up here last night, got in pretty late. But pure excitement, and just ready to go.”

In addition to his imposing frame, the nearly 27-year-old is known for his bat. In 137 at-bats for St. Paul this season, he hit .350 with 10 home runs.

“I look forward to getting him out there, watching him go out there and swing the bat. He can obviously impact the baseball in a big way,” Baldelli said. “He has been doing that at AAA all season long for us. And another guy, I mean, we have a number of them on the roster right now, but another guy that’s really earned a tremendous opportunity to come here and do it. And I’m sure he’ll be twitching and sweating and waiting to get his name called and put out there.”

With the Twins recalling infielder Ryan Fitzgerald from the Saints on Friday, and pitcher Zebby Matthews joining the Twins from the Saints on Saturday, McCusker joked that he already feels right at home in the big league clubhouse.

“Just familiar faces and knowing some of the guys,” he said, having gotten to know many of the current Twins in spring training. “And then having some of the guys from the Saints up here as well makes it a lot easier.”

Coulombe headed to IL

Left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe became the Twins’ latest addition to their ever-growing list of unavailable players on Sunday, as he was added to the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 15. Coulombe had made 19 consecutive scoreless appearances for the Twins prior to the injury, which is officially listed as a left forearm extensor strain.

“It’s been something I’ve been kind of just dealing with all year,” he said on Sunday. “When you’re 35, you’re not going to feel good all the time. But it’s just something that’s gotten progressively a little worse. We feel good about, it’s the time to get it right. I feel pretty optimistic it’s going to be a short absence.”

Baldelli said he is not overly concerned about Coulombe, who last pitched when the Twins swept a doubleheader in Baltimore last week.

“Danny hasn’t been available now since the last time he pitched. We’ve been working around him, trying to see if we could give him a little time and get him where he needs to be,” said the manager. “He has shown good improvement, but he’s not ready to pitch quite yet. So he’s going to need a little bit more. I’m not going to put a timeline on it. I’m not going to say it’s the minimum, but I’m optimistic that it won’t be too long.”

Celebrating a decade for Correa

Although he was unavailable to play due to a concussion, there were balloons in his locker and hugs from teammates as Carlos Correa’s 10 years in the majors was celebrated by the team on Sunday. The 30-year-old infielder made his major league debut with the Houston Astros in 2015 and was named American League rookie of the year that season. He has been with the Twins since 2022.

“It’s something every player takes an immense amount of pride in. It’s a very special day in a major-league clubhouse,” Baldelli said of Correa’s milestone. “We’ve had a few guys over the last couple of years. You can go years and years and not have one guy get to 10 years, sometimes even get close to 10 years while they’re on your team. It’s something that elicits emotion, gets guys fired up and it’s one of those few times where a guy gets to be the center of attention not for just hitting a big homer or saving the game. But it’s a lifetime achievement you get to celebrate with your teammates, and that’s a special thing. It’ll be great. Regardless of being active or not, this goes beyond any of that.”

This season Correa has batted .236 with two home runs in 148 at-bats.

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On its final weekend to pass bills, the Minnesota Legislature appeared on course for a special session to finish work on the next two-year state budget, as questions remain on whether a bipartisan deal announced last week will hold.

On Friday and Saturday, lawmakers took up several less controversial bills, including a housing bill, the veterans budget, K-12 education policy and spending, and a pension bill.

But after backlash to a proposal to end state-funded health insurance for people without legal immigration status, and resistance to a plan to close the state prison in Stillwater, the health and public safety bills have yet to be passed.

The regular session ends Monday, and lawmakers have to pass a two-year budget by the end of June 30 or the state government shuts down. As of Sunday afternoon, the Legislature was all but guaranteed to enter overtime. Leaders admitted this was likely last week.

In the last decade, there has been a special session every time control of government is split between the parties. Legislative leaders agree it’s likely they’ll have to return to the Capitol in coming weeks to finish the budget. But how long that will take is still hard to say.

Budget deal

Democratic-Farmer Labor Gov. Tim Walz as well as leaders from the Senate DFL majority and the 67-67 tied House, announced the budget deal Thursday.

If it makes it through in its current form, the state would have a two-year budget of more than $66 billion. It aims to control spending growth in social services and education to address a projected $6 billion budget shortfall projected for later this decade. It’s down from the last budget, which topped $70 billion. There are small tweaks to state taxes.

Besides the continuing debate on immigrant health care, a few other budget and policy areas remain in flux. A group of Democratic-Farmer-Labor and Republican legislators is still trying to make changes to new employee benefits the DFL-controlled state government created in 2023.

Sen. Judy Seeberger, DFL-Afton, and Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, on Saturday told reporters they continue to push for more exemptions for small businesses from the paid family and medical leave system set to start in 2026.

Education

Another benefit targeted by Republicans this year appears to remain intact. As part of a deal on education spending, unemployment insurance for hourly school employees like bus drivers and cafeteria staff will remain funded through 2028.

Education budget bills headed to a conference committee to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions will preserve the benefit, which DFLers granted in 2023. Most of the $100 million in funding comes from a planned Duluth-Twin Cities passenger rail project that never got underway.

An impasse over that benefit initially hampered budget efforts, but as part of a broader budget deal announced Thursday, the issue appeared to have been resolved.

The education budget makes up around one-third of the current $71 billion two-year state budget. Under the deal, education spending will remain level for the next two years other than the required inflation-tied increases.

Other bills

The final version of the veterans affairs budget bill passed in the Senate and the House on Saturday and is headed to the desk of Gov. Tim Walz. Overall, the bill provides about $365 million in the next two years and increases spending by about $50 million in large part to help fund state veterans homes.

Money goes towards veteran suicide prevention and a pension credit for National Guard members deployed for state active duty, such as inn natural disasters. It also recognizes Southeast Asian special guerrilla units that fought for the U.S. during the Vietnam War.

On Sunday the House passed an agriculture budget, and a pensions bill that aims to boost funding for retirements for the State Patrol and other public employees.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.

Biden was seen by doctors last week after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule were found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office said. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

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Prostate cancers are given a score called a Gleason score that measures, on a scale of 1 to 10, how the cancerous cells look compared with normal cells. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.

When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.

However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.

The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a calamitous debate performance in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee and lost to Republican Donald Trump, who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.

In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.

In 2022, Biden made a “cancer moonshot” one of his administration’s priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who died from brain cancer in 2015.

His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”

LABOR

Monica Byron

Education Minnesota, a statewide labor union representing educators, announced that Monica Byron has been elected president, succeeding Denise Specht, who did not seek reelection. Byron, currently vice president, ran unopposed. Also elected were Marty Fridgen of South Washington County as vice president and Ryan Fiereck of St. Francis as secretary-treasurer. Byron has taught for 24 years in Richfield Public Schools, most recently working as an elementary math coach. The new leadership team takes office July 1.

ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS

Goff Public, a St. Paul-based public relations and lobbying firm, announced that Jake Ricker is joining its team as a vice president of public relations, and that Elizabeth Emerson, a principal of the company, was promoted to senior vice president of public affairs. Ricker most recently served as the senior public relations director at the University of Minnesota; Emerson has led a bipartisan public affairs team of Goff Public at the state Capitol since 2012.

EDUCATION

BestPrep, a Brooklyn Park-based nonprofit business and financial education program for grades 4-12, announced Jason Sanders as chief executive officer. Sanders previously was with the Dodge Nature Center in St. Paul, where he served as executive director. He succeeds Bob Kaitz, who announced his retirement after nearly 50 years with the organization.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

U.S. Bancorp, Minneapolis-based parent company of U.S. Bank, announced that Adam Graves has been promoted to senior executive vice president and head of enterprise strategy and administration, and member of the company’s managing committee. Graves previously was head of strategy and corporate development since 2023. … Baird, an international employee-owned wealth management and private equity firm, announced that it has added Mark L. Brenna as a director and financial adviser to its wealth management office in Minnetonka. Brenna previously was with RBC Capital, where he managed $336 million in assets.

HONORS

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced it has named Paul Kirkman, of Victual in Crosby, Minn., as its Minnesota Encore Entrepreneur of the Year. Victual is specialty goods store featuring house-made ice cream, artisan cheeses, charcuterie, gourmet packaged foods, specialty wines and spirits and gifts. … Minnesota Brownfields, an organization devoted to the cleanup and reuse of contaminated lands, announced the recipients of its 2025 ReScape Awards: Community Impact: Small Project Winner: Bimosedaa, Minneapolis; Community Impact: Large Project Winner: Minneapolis American Indian Center; Economic Award Winner: Hatchery Row, Battle Lake; Environmental Award: Settlers East, Woodbury; Innovation Award Winner: Soul, St. Paul.

LAW

The Minnesota Judicial Branch announced the following members to the new State Board of Civil Legal Aid, which was created to ensure advocacy for persons unable to afford private counsel: Minnesota Supreme Court appointees: Emily Cooper, Katy Drahos, Jeremy Lane, John Murphy and Suumra Shariff, Christopher Wendt; governor’s appointees: Tarryl Clark, John Gordon, Holley Horrell, Anna Pottratz Acosta and Korey Wahwassuck. … Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, St. Paul, announced the following staff appointments: Elizabeth Due and Azure Schermerhorn-Snyder, staff attorneys; Najat Haji, social worker; Zoe Martens, outreach coordinator; Betsy Froiland, paralegal, and the pending retirement of CEO Jessie Nicholson on July 31. … Gilbert Mediation Center, an Eden Prairie-based legal dispute resolution firm, announced it has added the Hon. Shawn M. Bartsh (Ret.) to its mediation team. Bartsh previously served as a District Court Judge for Ramsey County and is a past president of the Ramsey County Bar Association. … Hinshaw & Culbertson, Minneapolis, announced that Peter J. Kaiser has joined the firm as a partner in the Commercial Transactions Practice Group. Kaiser previously was with Moss & Barnett, where he was a shareholder. … National law firm Spencer Fane announced Troy J. Dobbs has joined the firm’s Minneapolis office as an associate in the Tax, Trusts, & Estates practice group. Dobbs earned his juris doctor from the University of St. Thomas School of Law, where he served as a student practitioner for a local law firm’s Bankruptcy Litigation Clinic; he also worked as a law librarian for the Honorable Walter Kaminsky of the Tenth Judicial District in Minnesota.

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