MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins are bringing back Paul Molitor as manager after he led a historic turnaround.

The Twins announced Monday that Molitor is getting a three-year deal through 2020. Minnesota went 85-77 this season, becoming the first team to make the playoffs after losing at least 100 games the previous year. The Twins lost to the New York Yankees in the AL wild-card game last week.

New executives Derek Falvey and Thad Levine never addressed Molitor’s future during the season. That led to some uncertainty about whether they would retain a manager they inherited when they took over.

But the two sides reached agreement on a new deal less than a week after the season ended.

YANKEES: By now, Joe Girardi certainly knows that criticism comes with the territory for every New York Yankees manager.

After the past few days, maybe the gig doesn’t seem so appealing anymore.

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Under fire from fans and media for a couple key decisions against Cleveland that went wrong in the first two games of the AL division series, Girardi was booed by a packed Yankee Stadium crowd during Game 3 introductions Sunday night.

“Not the first time,” Girardi said after a 1-0 victory.

With his contract expiring after this season, Girardi isn’t certain he’ll be back for an 11th year managing the Yankees.

Asked if he wants to stay on, Girardi said he needs to speak to his family first when the season is done.

In Game 2 on Friday night, Girardi pulled starter CC Sabathia after only 77 pitches to go to his vaunted bullpen, which squandered a five-run lead in a 9-8 defeat in 13 innings. Girardi also chose not to ask for a replay challenge of a pivotal hit-by-pitch call prior to Francisco Lindor’s sixth-inning grand slam off reliever Chad Green.

CUBS: A man who was left blind in one eye – at least temporarily – and may ultimately lose the eye after a foul ball struck him in the face at Wrigley Field this summer has filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball, alleging that they have failed to install enough safety netting to protect him and other fans.

John “Jay” Loos, 60, said in a news conference that he has undergone three surgeries to repair his severely damaged left eye and the five bones in his face shattered by the foul ball that struck him as he sat down the first-base line during a game between the Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 29.


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