White Sox 11, Twins 8: I Guess Justin Ishbia was Right

[Matthew Trueblood]

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Box Score
SP: Taj Bradley - 5 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (91 pitches, 59 strikes)
Home Runs: Wallner (21), Clemens (15)
Bottom 3 WPA: Travis Adams (-.392), Génesis Cabrera (-.227), Bradley (-.189)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

There should be a mercy rule for games like these—one that can kick in before the first pitch is even thrown. When two teams in the throes of seasons as dreadful as those of the 2025 White Sox and Twins are delayed by rain for 90 minutes, everyone should get to draw a picture that tells the story of how they imagine the game would have gone, and no one should have to sit through the reality of that game. Rob Manfred has no imagination, though, and the Twins are desperate for every dollar they can scrape out of a season in which attendance is going to come in far below expectations.

Thus, the White Sox and Twins did play a game Thursday night, closing out their season series and a four-game set at Target Field. It began at 8:10 PM, and while the official attendance was over 13,000, a better estimate of the fans in attendance would start by chopping off a zero and moving the comma accordingly.

To the credit of both teams, they came out trying to give that bedraggled, disinterested crowd some interesting baseball to watch. Edgar Quero led off for the Sox, and after working a long at-bat against Taj Bradley, he flared a single down the left-field line. The ball died on the wet grass, and Quero decided to push for a hustle double. Austin Martin, moving well despite the slick surface, fielded the ball cleanly and made a good throw to nail Quero at second. That's a job well done, bv all parties involved, and it was fun to watch. Bradley took care of business to finish a clean first.

Brooks Baldwin returned the favor to lead off the bottom of the first. Luke Keaschall tried to land a similar fly ball down the right-field line, but Baldwin raced over and made a diving catch near the line. Hopefully, the fans enjoyed those good plays, because things got sloppy quickly thereafter. Trevor Larnach singled after Keaschall, but was then picked off. Ryan Jeffers walked and Kody Clemens singled, but Royce Lewis struck out to quash the rally.

Bradley didn't have the Sox fooled at all, all night. He danced around two hits in the second, but gave up three more hits and a walk in the third, leading to the first two runs of the night for the White Sox. Keaschall singled in the bottom of the third and advanced on a Cannon error, then stole third, but he was stranded. Bradley gave up a leadoff double in the fourth, too, although he was able to escape without allowing a run.

In the bottom of the fourth, though, the Twins broke through. Walks by Matt Wallner and Martin got things started, and then a parade of singles brought home a scoreboard-flipping five runs. That required a lousy play by the Sox on a chopper to first base by Larnach, and it was made a bit less thrilling by the fact that Mickey Gasper pinch-hit for Jeffers (who had taken multiple foul balls off the mask earlier in the game) during the sequence, but still, the Twins had grabbed the lead.

The Sox got one more run, thanks to yet another double, against Bradley in the fifth. Wallner swatted a home run in the bottom half of the frame to push the lead back to two runs, though, at 6-4. In the seventh, Minnesota tacked on another run, as Keaschall (on base seemingly all night, even after being robbed in the first) raced to third on a Larnach bloop single and came home on a Gasper groundout.

It takes more than three runs to be comfortable against this mighty White Sox lineup, though—at least, it does for this husk of a Twins pitching staff. Three batters into the top of the seventh, the lead was gone, as two singles and a Kyle Teel home run off Travis Adams put a crooked number up in a hurry. One batter later, Adams was out of the game, but Génesis Cabrera proved a poor fireman. A combination of two hit batsmen, a sacrifice fly and a balk put two more White Sox runs on the board, and the Twins were working from behind again.

They never did make it back. Keaschall had another hit in the seventh (he got the smallest piece possible of a two-strike slider but the dribbler proved too much for Teel), but went nowhere. In the top of the eighth, Lewis committed a throwing error, and Colson Montgomery immediately made that hurt by thwacking his umpteenth home run against the Twins in the last month. Clemens homered in the ninth, but the game ended in a hush, near midnight, 11-8.

What’s Next? 
The Twins hit the road for three games against surging Wild Card hopefuls in Kansas City this weekend. Pablo López rides to the rescue, returning to the mound for the first time since early June. (There's nothing left to save, of course, but there's a bit of joy in seeing López fight his way back.) Michael Wacha will take the ball for the Royals, in a game that starts at 6:40 PM CT.  

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	SUN	MON	TUE	WED	THU	TOT
Kriske	0	0	27	0	0	27
Hatch	0	0	64	0	0	64
Cabrera	0	20	0	0	20	40
Tonkin	37	0	0	0	11	48
Topa	0	17	0	18	0	35
Davis	0	0	33	0	25	58
Funderburk	0	31	0	0	0	31
Sands	0	0	0	18	0	18
Adams	0	6	0	0	31	37

 

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[insagt1]

Totally embarrassing series. Twins blowing leads late with a bullpen that probably couldn't get beer league hitters out. While Twins are simply mailing it in Sox are having fun winning games and trying not to lose 100.

Bright spot is Keaschall who has only failed to get a hit in 5 games and whose BA has never dipped below .300 . He's a keeper. Bit he's kinda lost in the sea of mediocrity that surrounds him. For 2nd straight year a miserable finish to a sorry season.

[Eris]

“Knowing their eventual owner could have been the Twins' only makes it rougher.”

Not something I was thinking about while watching Adam’s give the game away or the Twins sending Topa out in the 9th on Wednesday. I was thinking that these moves were like raising the white flag while ahead in the game. Losing is disappointing. Losing games where the Twins are ahead is even more disappointing, and losing to the White Sox….   

[Dave Borton]

7 minutes ago, Eris said:

... sending Topa out in the 9th on Wednesday. I was thinking that these moves were like raising the white flag while ahead in the game...

They should just make Topa a position player and then no one will get disappointed when he gets shelled in the 9th.

 

[DJL44]

The only consolation is nobody watched them get swept by the White Sox. I feel like I should send the recap writer a fruit basket for having to watch this game. I watched other TV and went to bed.

[mikelink45]

Please Falvey - I have seen enough of these pitchers - all of them tonight.  Give the minor leaguers some experience in MLB and not Davis (18 era), Cabrera, Topa, Adams.  Abel and Bradley were your two successes - that is a low bar for success.  Abel was too bad to keep up and Bradley has been given a longer chance and has a few good moments, but this is the White Sox.

We have lost four straight to the Sox and today we scored 8 runs.

Even with this offensive outburst I still think we should give one of our minor league catcher a chance instead of Gaspar (155).  And there are certainly better OF than Outman (146).

Falvey is just so proud of his acquisitions that he must insist that they are on the team.

[Whitey333]

Oh my.  Just when I think it couldn't get worse it does.  That's what you get when you trade away your bullpen.  The next new promotion for Twins should be No Doz night.  Everyone entering the game be given a box of No Doz to stay awake.  First time in 64 years that Twins have ever been swept in a 4 game series at home by the White Sox.

[Cory Engelhardt]

But hey, according to tankathon the Twins have a full 1 game lead for the #2 pick odds in the MLB lottery now. So there's that.

[Glorybound]

For those who have been pining to see Adams and Hatch and co. Don’t let your eyes deceive you. Nothing to see here.

[Old Twins Cap]

What was that quote from Joe Pohlad?

Quote

This could not have worked out better.

Whatever it was, TD should put that up in lights so everyone will treasure it forever.

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, Eris said:

“Knowing their eventual owner could have been the Twins' only makes it rougher.”

Not something I was thinking about while watching Adam’s give the game away or the Twins sending Topa out in the 9th on Wednesday. I was thinking that these moves were like raising the white flag while ahead in the game. Losing is disappointing. Losing games where the Twins are ahead is even more disappointing, and losing to the White Sox….   

Believe it's in our best interests that when the starter gets pulled, instead of the bullpen, tomorrow's starter comes in.

 

Couldn't go any worse..

[Patzky]

5 minutes ago, Glorybound said:

For those who have been pining to see Adams and Hatch and co. Don’t let your eyes deceive you. Nothing to see here.

Wasn't Hatch Adams personified by the late great Robin Williams?

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, Dave Borton said:

They should just make Topa a position player and then no one will get disappointed when he gets shelled in the 9th.

 

If we couldn't Bride we cannot Topa.

[Cory Engelhardt]

7 minutes ago, Patzky said:

Believe it's in our best interests that when the starter gets pulled, instead of the bullpen, tomorrow's starter comes in.

 

Couldn't go any worse..

I think if they were trying to truly win games in 2025 that would be an option.

Their lineup is looking better, but arguably winning games for THIS season doesn't matter all that much anymore right?

The bullpen for 2026 is going to most likely be a few guys (at minimum) who were starters in 2024 or 2025 moving there, along with a trade acquisition and/or a few free agent signings. The bullpen for the remainder of 2025 is just figuring out if ANY of the current occupants are worth sticking with for 2026. If they aren't, then they can move on really easily

[CRF]

I honestly didn't expect anything other than what we've seen since the deadline, after what Falvey did to this team. The bullpen has been abysmal. 

[Old Crow]

I never saw the movie Ground hog Day.  Does it ever end?

[Linus]

I see to get a stolen base Larnachs only had to be thrown attempting to steal and get picked off. Welcome to the Twins aggressive running game. 

[Sjoski]

A buddy of mine live a hour apart.

Most years we meet up at Target Field to take in a game together. 

This year, instead of going to the CWS game we decided to met half way at a Menards and look at all the cheap discounted  $%&# they have on the clearance rack.

Sometimes the real memories are made in Aisle 37B, right between the dented patio chairs and discounted toilet seats.

[Nshore]

And darkness descended across the ballpark.  Not a sound or a soul in sight.  And lo, the 4 horsemen of the baseball apocalypse appeared.  They were named Jim and Joe Pohlad, Derek Falvey, and Rocco Baldelli.  And the baseball faithful were very afraid.

[Dman]

I can see now why Tampa was so frustrated with Bradley.  One game he looks like a mid rotation starter and the next time out he looks very hittable.  I don't think his fastball works all that well except up in the zone.  Lot's of hard hit balls to the gaps.  His Curve looked great last night, but most everything else seemed to be a work in progress.

Bummer game for Adams.  He has one nice inning and then implodes in the next one.  I still think he has the stuff to make it in the pen, but after last night he has me doubting myself.  

The bullpen has lost a lot of games since the deadline but nice to see the bats doing better recently,.  Hopefully that continues.

We all knew it was going to be tough to win games with not much in the pen and that has proven to be true.  Still the reason they sold at the deadline was to get better next year or maybe after the likely lockout.  We'll see.  If they are this bad next year though it really is gonna be hard to stay interested.

[rv78]

26 minutes ago, Sjoski said:

A buddy of mine live a hour apart.

Most years we meet up at Target Field to take in a game together. 

This year, instead of going to the CWS game we decided to met half way at a Menards and look at all the cheap discounted  $%&# they have on the clearance rack.

Sometimes the real memories are made in Aisle 37B, right between the dented patio chairs and discounted toilet seats.

HEY! Don't give away Falvey's secret place for finding players. Yup, they are right there in aisle 37B next to those chairs and very appropriately postioned "toilet" seats. Crap next to the Crappers.

[LastOnePicked]

31 minutes ago, Sjoski said:

This year, instead of going to the CWS game we decided to met half way at a Menards and look at all the cheap discounted  $%&# they have on the clearance rack.

Sometimes the real memories are made in Aisle 37B, right between the dented patio chairs and discounted toilet seats.

Good choice. I would also rather look at toilet seats than watch this team right now.

[Blyleven2011]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

Please Falvey - I have seen enough of these pitchers - all of them tonight.  Give the minor leaguers some experience in MLB and not Davis (18 era), Cabrera, Topa, Adams.  Abel and Bradley were your two successes - that is a low bar for success.  Abel was too bad to keep up and Bradley has been given a longer chance and has a few good moments, but this is the White Sox.

We have lost four straight to the Sox and today we scored 8 runs.

Even with this offensive outburst I still think we should give one of our minor league catcher a chance instead of Gaspar (155).  And there are certainly better OF than Outman (146).

Falvey is just so proud of his acquisitions that he must insist that they are on the team.

Where has the professional team gone , oh that right they got traded at the deadline  ...

Chock up a win that could of been , to another embarrassing loss ...

Where has the professional team gone,  it left us when they hired falvey and baldelli to play  little league baseball  ...

[Rhyno006]

The polls on this website make me chuckle sometimes:

"How many games will the Twins win this season?" starts at 71-75.... this team, with 22 games left, may not win 70.

 

[terrydactyls]

P	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	Chicago White Sox	53	88	0.376	-
2	Minnesota Twins	62	78	0.443	9.5
3	Atlanta Braves	63	77	0.450	10.5
4	Pittsburgh Pirates	64	77	0.454	11.0
5	Whatever Athletics	64	77	0.454	11.0
6	Baltimore Orioles	64	76	0.457	11.5
8	Miami Marlins	65	75	0.464	12.5
7	Los Angeles Angels	66	74	0.471	13.5
11	Cleveland Guardians	69	70	0.496	17.0
10	St. Louis Cardinals	70	71	0.496	17.0
9	Arizona Diamondbacks	70	71	0.496	17.0
13	Tampa Bay Rays	71	69	0.507	18.5
12	San Francisco Giants	71	69	0.507	18.5
14	Texas Rangers	72	69	0.511	19.0

[DJL44]

44 minutes ago, Sjoski said:

A buddy of mine live a hour apart.

Most years we meet up at Target Field to take in a game together. 

This year, instead of going to the CWS game we decided to met half way at a Menards and look at all the cheap discounted  $%&# they have on the clearance rack.

Sometimes the real memories are made in Aisle 37B, right between the dented patio chairs and discounted toilet seats.

Cheap discounted stuff on the clearance rack is a perfect metaphor for most of this roster.

[Patzky]

11 minutes ago, Rhyno006 said:

The polls on this website make me chuckle sometimes:

"How many games will the Twins win this season?" starts at 71-75.... this team, with 22 games left, may not win 70.

 

So.. Not An Option or None of the Above.

[USAFChief]

Houston: Officials with NASA confirmed Colson Montgomery's 9th inning blast entered low-earth orbit at 10:03 PM CDT last evening.  They estimate the orbit will decay and reenter earth's atmosphere in a firey display sometime in late 2036. 

"We're concerned the orbit will be unstable," said one official. "The baseball is badly deformed."

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

Getting swept four games at home by the White Sox—after leading two of the four games into late innings—really feels like the low point of the year.

The one minor silver lining I can see: one of the pitchers who fueled the implosion last night is getting sent out to make room for López today.

[shimrod]

1 hour ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

But hey, according to tankathon the Twins have a full 1 game lead for the #2 pick odds in the MLB lottery now. So there's that.

If it wasn't clear, this is the plan. Davis, Kriskie, et al are performing exactly as Falvey expects and desires.