Aug 17, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Twins signed manager Paul Molitor to a three-year contract extension, the team announced Monday.
Molitor, who was named as the Twins’ manager in November 2014, will remain with the club through the 2020 season.
The 61-year-old native of St. Paul (Minn.) led the Twins to an 85-77 record this season, marking a 26-win improvement from the 2016 campaign.
Minnesota qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2010, becoming the first team in baseball history to reach the playoffs after losing 100-plus games in the previous year.
–Cleveland Indians designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion was not in the starting lineup for Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees due to a sprained right ankle.
Encarnacion missed his second straight game after he was injured in the first inning of Game 2, which Cleveland won 9-8 in 13 innings. Encarnacion was injured when he jammed his foot into second base while trying to get back to the bag in time to avoid a double play.
The Indians, who hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series, did not remove Encarnacion from their roster because he would be ineligible for the AL Championship Series.
–Oakland Athletics right-hander Blake Treinen underwent successful surgery on his right middle finger, the team announced.
Dr. McPherson Beall removed a cyst along Treinen’s finger on Friday in Portland, Ore. Treinen is expected to be fully recovered in six weeks and have no restrictions for spring training, according to the Athletics.
Treinen, 29, was acquired from the Washington Nationals in a trade on July 16 and ended up saving 13 games with the A’s. He went 3-4 with a 2.13 ERA in 35 appearances with Oakland. His ERA was third-lowest in the American League among pitchers with more than 35 innings from July 17 through the end of the season.
