Twins 5, Royals 1: Bailey Ober Bounces Back, But Byron Buxton Exits with Injury

[Hans Birkeland]

Image courtesy of © Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Box Score:
Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober: 5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (85 Pitches, 54 Strikes, 63.5%)
Home Runs: Byron Buxton (30), Kody Clemens (16)
Top 3 WPA: Ober (.206), Clemens (.144), Cole Sands (.097)
Win Probability Chart (Via FanGraphs):

It's a race to the bottom now for the Minnesota Twins. After a nice series win against the Padres, they got swept at home against the White Sox and lost the first two in Kansas City against the Royals. The way things stand, they have the second-best odds for the first pick in next year's draft—but hey, even if they got it, the Pohalds would probably try to sell it.

Sunday's tilt featured Bailey Ober against Michael Lorenzen as the starting pitchers. Ober has been a tough story this year. His velocity has been down, at least partially due to a hip issue that appears to still be lingering, and he's allowed a truckload of home runs as a result. Lots of folks want him shut down for the year, but as a second-year arbitration guy, Ober surely has no designs on allowing that to happen.

He showed it Sunday. While his velocity was down again (he exceeded 90 MPH just thrice), his changeup was the sharpest I've seen it in months. He played that off of his sweeper, which also played up a tick, and the result was tons of weak contact and even some swings and misses. The first inning featured two groundouts and a pop-up. Then, he struck out four of the next six hitters. His first baserunner reached in the fourth, in the form of a leadoff double from Mike Yaztrzemski. He even worked around that, with Matt Wallner making a nice catch in foul ground to retire Maikel García; a soft liner from Vinnie Pasquantino; and a strikeout of Salvador Perez on a sweeper to escape with no damage.

The Twins played from out front, as Byron Buxton lifted off against a Lorenzen fastball at the top of the zone to make the game 1-0 after one batter.

Lorenzen did look pretty sharp, and generally kept the ball under the bats of Twins hitters with his slider, sinker and changeup. He allowed a softly hit Royce Lewis double in the second, but Edouard Julien lined into a tough-luck double play to end the frame.

After a quiet third inning, the Twins mounted a rally in the fourth. Austin Martin began the inning with a single, and Wallner produced a single of his own. That brought up Luke Keaschall in a spot to do damage, but the rookie second baseman grounded in a 5-3 double play to temporarily squelch the rally. Then, blessedly, Lorenzen left a changeup in the middle of the zone to Kody Clemens, who demolished it 451 feet to dead center field.

Ober got the first two outs in the fifth quickly, before allowing a double to Nick Loftin. Kyle Isbel would then walk, which brought up waiver claim catcher Luke Maile. He battled Ober to a 2-2 count before swinging through an 88-MPH fastball to end the inning.

The Royals would pay the next frame. Keaschall punched a one-out single to end Lorenzen's day, and after a steal of second, Lewis beat out an infield single. He appeared to get caught off of first base, but Keaschall darted home as Lewis got in a rundown and the throw home was late, allowing a fourth run to score while Julien stood at home plate. It was probably a designed play, and if so, Lewis and Keaschall executed brilliantly.

Kansas City would chase Ober in the sixth. García hit a one-out double, and Pasquantino poked a single the other way to score the Royals' first run. Cole Sands came on to face Perez, and retired him on an easy ground ball double play. I wonder if Kansas City fans care that Perez doesn't run out ground balls, or is he just so slow that it just looks like he doesn't run them out?

The Twins would add on in the seventh on a single, two walks and a hit by pitch against Daniel Lynch IV. Sands pitched a scoreless bottom half of the inning, including yet another double play—this time, a 5-4-3, including a great scoop at first by Clemens. 

The Royals threatened in the eighth against Kody Funderburk, even after leadoff hitter Isbel (who had reached on a hit by pitch) was successfully back-picked by Jhonny Pereda. Maile and Yaztrzemski singled, and García drew a walk after fouling a ball directly off his toe earlier in the at-bat. But Funderburk struck out Pasquantino, and Justin Topa came on to retire Perez on a grounder.

Topa got the first two outs of the ninth before exiting due to what appeared to be a leg injury. Génesis Cabrera came on and recorded the save.

Stray Observations:

-Buxton left the game after being hit by a Lorenzen fastball on his left knee. He initially stayed in the game both to run and play center field in the bottom half of the inning, but exited in the bottom of the sixth in favor of James Outman. Buxton's career is truly a Greek tragedy: getting healthy and playing 100 games two years in a row only to have the team collapse around him, and now hitting his 30th home run only to exit with injury in the very same game.

-I know some folks think because Wallner can consistently post decent OPS numbers he is infinitely undervalued, but it's 2025, not 2005, and I don't think there is anyone on the Twins who puts up less of a fight when the pitcher executes his plan. With him struggling lately, I also would love to see what a certain cherry-picking media member has to say if Larnach finishes with a higher OPS.

-Jhonny Pereda ain't much, but he has two pick-offs in two starts this year, making a great scoop and throwing out Isbel at first in the eighth.

-James Outman looks cooked.

What’s Next: Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 4.53 ERA) takes the hill Monday, as the Twins head to Anaheim to take on Caden Dana and the Angels. Woods Richardson was pretty good his last time out, and will be making his third start since returning from dealing with an intestinal parasite (a literal one, not the figurative one you've been fighting since around the time this team's 13-game winning streak ended). The Angels are four games "behind" the Twins in the race to the bottom of the standings.

Postgame Interviews:

Coming soon

Bullpen Usage Chart:

	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN	TOT
Hatch	0	0	0	66	0	66
Topa	18	0	13	0	28	59
Funderburk	11	0	15	0	22	48
Sands	18	0	0	0	14	32
Adams	0	31	0	0	0	31
Cabrera	0	20	0	0	8	28
Tonkin	0	11	0	12	0	23
Ohl	0	0	0	0	0	0

 

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[Peter]

Very important huge win!!! Great to see Buxton get 30 home runs!!! Clemens with 451 foot home run!!! Let’s finish season on a high note with long winning streak!!!

[Richie the Rally Goat]

5 minutes ago, Peter said:

Very important huge win!!! Great to see Buxton get 30 home runs!!! Clemens with 451 foot home run!!! Let’s finish season on a high note with long winning streak!!!

I love your enthusiasm, but this was far from an important win.

[Parfigliano]

8 minutes ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I love your enthusiasm, but this was far from an important win.

TC wise it's a fart in a tornado.

[ashbury]

Do you know that there are exactly TWO players named Kody-with-a-K-and-not-with-an-I-or-an-EY who have ever appeared in a Major League game?  And guess what, WE'VE GOT 'EM BOTH!  Right now!

But, there are still some Kodys languishing in the minors.  Dalen, Hoese, Huff, Putnam, plus maybe a few recent retirees and/or college players who haven't even gotten a chance yet.  You've started the project, FO, but now your mission is: COLLECT THE WHOLE SET! 

[DJL44]

Guessing Topa ends up on the IL. Hoping someone other than Davis replaces him.

[Doctor Gast]

Hope Buxton & Ober are both OK. Caps off to them. Ober had a good game & Buck had his 1st 30 HR season. I like Pereda. A nice win against a good team. Good analyst.

[1985Fan]

Agree with your comments about Wallner, Pereda, and Outman. Even a fan like me can see that Wallner’s batting stance, leg kick, and long swing is problematic. I can’t believe the coaches haven’t worked with him to minimize the movement and shorten his swing. Even small improvements would benefit him. Right now, hes just flailing away and looking like Miguel Sano (not the good version). Your comment is spot on; he’s overmatched the majority of the time. 
I enjoy watching Pareda catch. Great to have a real catcher behind the plate that can block balls in the dirt. Bonus that he throws behind base runners to deter the running game, since Twins pitchers won’t hold runners. 
Outman truly is cooked. Falvey/Baldelli should explain what their plan is to get him back on track. Just give him MLB AB’s and hope he turns into an All Star?! Dodgers tried that and unloaded him on the Twins. 

[Danchat]

2 hours ago, Hans Birkeland said:

James Outman looks cooked.

Yeah... I was listening to one of his ABs on the radio and it just sounded hopeless. They talked about having the rest of the season and offseason to fix him, but what is there to fix? Guys who strike out 40% of the time aren't just miraculously fixed. They should have taken a lottery ticket over a broken player who is a lock to be a sub-replacement level player next season.

[Thumbs Down Guy]

Was at the game today. Royce Lewis picked off twice due to bad base running. Very discouraging. Once Ober left, the game became a bunch miserable relievers throwing to incompetent hitters, IMHO.

[GCTF]

58 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Do you know that there are exactly TWO players named Kody-with-a-K-and-not-with-an-I-or-an-EY who have ever appeared in a Major League game?  And guess what, WE'VE GOT 'EM BOTH!  Right now!

But, there are still some Kodys languishing in the minors.  Dalen, Hoese, Huff, Putnam, plus maybe a few recent retirees and/or college players who haven't even gotten a chance yet.  You've started the project, FO, but now your mission is: COLLECT THE WHOLE SET! 

Merely Falvey, smartest guy in the room, identifying the latest market inefficiency. 

[jkcarew]

2 hours ago, Peter said:

Very important huge win!!! Great to see Buxton get 30 home runs!!! Clemens with 451 foot home run!!! Let’s finish season on a high note with long winning streak!!!

1000%. Peter! HUGE.

Forces Detroit to win 1 of their remaining 18 games.

Also, a resounding warning shot across the bows of the 8 teams ahead of us for the last wild card spot.

 

[RpR]

[Thumbs Down Guy]

Question for the group: If your name is Daniel Lynch IV, or anything the IV, is there pressure on you to name your son the V?

[Blyleven2011]

Nice to have the win , 63 wins , that keeps us from the embarrassing 100 loss season  ....

Buxton hits 30 homers for the first time in his career  , he's had a solid season with a few slumps , hope he's in the lineup tomorrow night,  that hbp could keep him out , better ice it ...

Topa came out of game , hope it's not the same injury he had last year and kept him out most of the 2024 season  ,he's got the winter for healing and be ready for spring training , just not sure it's going to be with the twins ....

I'm just not sure who is going to be on this team next year  , I have a feeling there is some more shake up the FO is going to do ...

[tarheeltwinsfan]

2 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I love your enthusiasm, but this was far from an important win.

As rare as a Twins' win has been since the All Star break, any Twins' win is huge and important to me. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

24 minutes ago, Thumbs Down Guy said:

Question for the group: If your name is Daniel Lynch IV, or anything the IV, is there pressure on you to name your son the V?

No. Sincerely, Charles David Benbow, IV, aka Tarheeltwinsfan.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Guessing Topa ends up on the IL. Hoping someone other than Davis replaces him.

La Tortuga is available.

[jkcarew]

28 minutes ago, Thumbs Down Guy said:

Question for the group: If your name is Daniel Lynch IV, or anything the IV, is there pressure on you to name your son the V?

Wouldn’t the pressure be HAVING a son?

[stringer bell]

I’m enjoying the rare wins and good play when it happens. It could easily happen that not one person in the current bullpen makes the club in 2026.

I agree that Outman looks overmatched and that Pereda has shown something in his brief audition. I hope Topa isn’t badly injured. He has almost made it through an entire season active and healthy.

Buxton has had a fine season and I hope he can add more career highs to an already gratifying season.

Ober can be okay with diminished velocity but each mph more makes him more effective. I suppose he wants to put up higher counting numbers to parlay more $$$$, but it might be better off taking the rest of the season off.

The Twins aren’t the first team to disappoint and appear to be at rock bottom Other teams have got off the mat, but ownership and the front office need to commit to improvement and make necessary improvements.  

[USAFChief]

1 hour ago, Thumbs Down Guy said:

Question for the group: If your name is Daniel Lynch IV, or anything the IV, is there pressure on you to name your son the V?

Not as much pressure as if your only child is a daughter.

 

Edit: ninja'd by almost an hour

[Bracky]

I don’t care what anyone says but I still enjoy  the energy from Kody Clemens this year. No, he isn’t an MLB star, no he isn’t a long term solution at any position, I totally get all that. I still enjoy having him on the team.

I also get sad watching Bader do things in Philadelphia.

[SD happy]

In two games, Pareda has picked off two base runners. Impressive! Do Jeffers and/or Vasquez have two total for the year?

[mikelink45]

Sorry but I was rooting for KC. They're actually playing for something and I'd love to see another central division team in the playoffs. And I don't care if the twins now guaranteed not to lose 100. They're losing the season and I don't care what the number is. 

How they keep stubbornly using outman and Gasper and it just shows that they really don't care either. But Falvey wants to look smart so we will keep using whoever he picked up.

[terrydactyls]

5 hours ago, Peter said:

Very important huge win!!! Great to see Buxton get 30 home runs!!! Clemens with 451 foot home run!!! Let’s finish season on a high note with long winning streak!!!

A long winning streak is the worst scenario.  They need to keep losing to up their odds in the draft lottery.  They are closing in on the White Sox and it would be a shame to waste all that non-effort by the front office.

Team	W	L	PCT	GB
Chicago White Sox	55	89	0.382	-
Minnesota Twins	63	80	0.441	8.5
Pittsburgh Pirates	64	80	0.444	9.0
Atlanta Braves	64	79	0.448	9.5
Whatever Athletics	66	78	0.458	11.0
Miami Marlins	66	77	0.462	11.5
Baltimore Orioles	66	77	0.462	11.5
Los Angeles Angels	67	76	0.469	12.5
Tampa Bay Rays	71	72	0.497	16.5
St. Louis Cardinals	72	72	0.500	17.0
Arizona Diamondbacks	72	72	0.500	17.0
San Francisco Giants	72	71	0.503	17.5
Cleveland Guardians	72	70	0.507	18.0
Texas Rangers	74	70	0.514	19.0

[Dave Borton]

 

Quote

Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 4.53 ERA) takes the hill Monday, as the Twins head to Anaheim to take on Caden Dana and the Angels. 

Ah, the Sandman will have the game on radio 'morrow eve.

And, me boy First baseman Nolan Schanuel (celebrated Florida Atlantic University grad -- me alma mater) is on the injured list, and won't be back as soon as the Halos would have hoped. 

Go Owls. https://fausports.com/sports/baseball/schedule

[knothole61]

5 hours ago, Thumbs Down Guy said:

Question for the group: If your name is Daniel Lynch IV, or anything the IV, is there pressure on you to name your son the V?

I could have been a III...glad I'm not!

[knothole61]

5 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

No. Sincerely, Charles David Benbow, IV, aka Tarheeltwinsfan.

Man Charles, and I mean this in the best sense, that is a classic southern name-yes?

[David HK]

Day games happen around 2AM at my house, so once in a while I'll catch a replay or highlights

Observations:  Haw haw haw!  Isbel on that pickoff- looked for all the world like he was trying to do the Olympic butterfly on his way back to 1st! 😂  And what a pick by Pareda!

Lewis-  I honestly don't know if his move toward 2nd was a designed play or not, but what a cool outcome.  If so, it was a super heads-up baserunning play.  Which he followed about 1 minute later with a super heads-down baserunning play.   🎭

[David HK]

7 hours ago, 1985Fan said:

Agree with your comments about Wallner, Pereda, and Outman. Even a fan like me can see that Wallner’s batting stance, leg kick, and long swing is problematic. I can’t believe the coaches haven’t worked with him to minimize the movement and shorten his swing. Even small improvements would benefit him. Right now, hes just flailing away and looking like Miguel Sano (not the good version). Your comment is spot on; he’s overmatched the majority of the time. 
I enjoy watching Pareda catch. Great to have a real catcher behind the plate that can block balls in the dirt. Bonus that he throws behind base runners to deter the running game, since Twins pitchers won’t hold runners. 
Outman truly is cooked. Falvey/Baldelli should explain what their plan is to get him back on track. Just give him MLB AB’s and hope he turns into an All Star?! Dodgers tried that and unloaded him on the Twins. 

Re:  Wallner, it's the age-old baseball challenge.  He made that wide-open stance part of his adjustment to what pitchers were doing to him, and then they adjusted to that, and found a big hole in that swing.  Now he has to re-adjust, and he simply hasn't yet.  His offseason challenge will be doing just that, or he's cooked, just like Outman is.   Seriously, why did we get that guy?  I'd rather see more of DaShawn, and try to "fix" the issues of the guy we already had.

And while I'm on the topic of fixin'-- holy cow, Austin M-  that last out was the CF's ball all the way, and he was calling it.  Your job is to get the hell out and be ready for backing up, not to kneel down in the path of the guy trying to catch that damn ball.  Cripe, the basic fundamentals of this moribund team....  Every damn time I watch these guys I'm shouting at somebody or another on my screen for some bone-head primary school brain fart.