Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 8.12.26

TwinsLoonsVikings

Aug 12

Lynx at Portland tonight. Kayla McBride was a clear choice for WNBA Player of the Week.

Wolves host their first Christmas Day game ever - an evening tilt against Oklahoma City. Just put out the entire schedule, already.

The Vikings get pre-season underway Saturday at the Giants.

O’Connell Picks Kyler Murray as QB1

You’ve got to feel for J.J. McCarthy. Season-ending injury in pre-season of his rookie campaign. Just a rough year two, also plagued by injuries (he wasn’t all that good when he did play, of course). And he didn’t even get a serious look at the starter in this, his third season, as Kevin O’Connell announced yesterday that Kyler Murray is QB1.

Now, the NFL only having three pre-season games complicates races like this a bit. But color me shocked that the Vikings are set on Murray without seeing either of the signal callers in actual action this August.

Not to say McCarthy won’t get a chance, as Murray played five games last season due to injury, and missed half the season three years ago. But what kind of confidence will the kid have at that point?

Twins Lose Middle Game to Orioles

Bailey Ober lost for the first time at home this season as the Orioles beat the Twins 5-2 last night at Target Field. If the Twins don’t win today, they’ll have lost four straight series. They’re currently two games out of the Wild Card and they’ve dropped four back of first-place in the Central.

Ober had been 5-0 within the friendly confines this season, but he’d allowed five runs before the Twins batted in the third inning. This offense can’t overcome those types of starts - although a healthy Byron Buxto returning later this week will help.

The Twins play the Field of Dreams game against Philadelphia in Dyersville, Iowa, tomorrow.

Loons Close Out Leagues Cup with Win

IThe Loons managed a win (2-1 over Atlante of Liga MX) in the Leagues Cup finale last night in front of a lot of empty seats at Allianz. Time for the Leagues Cup to exit stage right. Minnesota gets back to MLS play this Saturday in Salt Lake.

The Loons are winless in seven straight MLS games and haven’t won one since the first Saturday in May. That’s a big reason they’re not currently in playoff position.

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