Smeltzer proving worth of bigger role on Twins’ staff
It appears Schoop is the odd man out on the Bomba Squad. Signed to a one-year deal worth $7.5 million in the offseason, Schoop has been riding the pine lately. Wednesday was just his second start in August, due to a combination of his own struggles at the plate and the breakout of rookie Luis Arraez, who has put together an eye-opening .348 batting average and .419 on-base percentage in 186 plate appearances. Schoop, on the other hand, batted .262/.322/.497 with 10 homers and 29 RBI over the first two months of the season, but those numbers dipped to .242/.278/.403 with six homers and 15 RBI in June and July. So, Schoop hasn’t been terrible (well, he hasn’t been good either), it’s just that Arraez’s success has forced him out of his starting role — likely for the rest of the season.
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