Minnesota Twins, Brian Dozier launch Harvey relief fundraiser

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Minnesota Twins players are asking Twins fans to help with relief efforts in Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast Region after Hurricane Harvey brought record rainfall and flooding to southeast Texas. Donate at youcaring.com/twinsfortexas

“It kills me to see everything that’s going on down in Houston with the hurricane, and it kills me even more to know that I cannot be there physically to help,” Twins second baseman Brian Dozier said in a social media post Tuesday night. “There are thousands and thousands and thousands of people that need our help.”

Dozier and the Twins set a goal of $50,000, and had raised nearly $20,000 by noon Wednesday.

Houston Texans star J.J Watt’s crowdfunding campaign more than doubled in over a 24-hour period. His fund has now reached more than $5 million after he originally set out to raise just $200,000.

The floodwaters in Houston started to drop for the first time Wednesday. The number of confirmed deaths increased to 20 when emergency officials reported two men died in separate drownings. The death toll is expected to rise significantly as the water recedes.

UPDATE: Floodwaters drop across much of Houston; death toll at 20