NORTH BATTLEFORD - Just like that, the latest major-league stint for North Battleford's Andrew Albers is over, at least for now.
Albers was optioned to AAA St. Paul Saints on the weekend by the Minnesota Twins, right after the Tampa Bay Rays lit up Albers for nine runs on Saturday. The major league club activated Luke Farrell off the injured list.
That leaves no room for Albers on the Twins roster, although it is possible Albers might be called up again before the end of the season.
The move was made by the Twins following a miserable outing for Albers in his second major league start of the season against the Rays on Saturday. In three innings pitched, Albers was shelled for 10hits and nine earned runs, four of them home runs, as the Rays romped to an 11-4 win. The game did a number of Albers' major league stats for 2021, with his ERA ballooning to 7.30.
It was especially disappointing after what had been two solid previous outings on the mound for Albers against the New York Yankees and the Milwaukee Brewers. Against the Brewers, in his previous start, Albers had pitched 5.1 innings and held the Brewers to no runs and three hits in a 2-0 win.
