Steven Trefz

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Joe Ryan 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (93 pitches, 56 strikes (60%)) Home Runs: N/A Bottom 3 WPA: Cole Sands (-.407), Brooks Lee (-.196), Luke Keaschall (-.151) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) After a dramatic win Friday night, the Twins looked to keep the good times rolling against the visiting Diamondbacks. Joe Ryan looked to find some redemption after his worst start of the season, but the Twins had to find some offense against the young righty Ryne Nelson. What version of Ryan and the Twins would show up live on Saturday night? Ryan Escapes Danger, but Twins Can't Capitalize Ryan cruised through the first inning, but ran his pitch count up in the top of the second. Gabrie Moreno got things started with a single, and with one out Blaze Alexander also singled. A two-out Tim Tawa walk put Ryan on the ropes with the bases loaded, but he struck out Jake McCarthy to end the threat. Meanwhile, the Twins built a second inning bases loaded threat of their own. Luke Keaschall singled to lead things off, then Royce Lewis and Kody Clemens followed suit to load things with nobody out. In typical 2025 Twins fashion, that's where the threat ended. Brooks Lee and Jhonny Pereda struck out, and James Outman grounded out to keep things scoreless. Ryan Doesn't Escape Danger, Twins Still Can't Capitalize In the top of the fourth, Adrian Del Castillo doubled to start the inning. Ryan got Alexander this time, but not Alex Thomas, who took Ryan deep to stake the Diamondbacks to a 2-0 lead. With his pitch count already to 93, the fourth would be the last inning for Ryan and it was up to the bullpen to hold the game within reach. Pierson Ohl was the first man up, and he immediately loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the fifth. Luckily, Arizona kept finding infielders as the next two batters grounded into fielder's choices, with the Twins nabbing the runners at the plate. Ohl escaped, and the Twins were left to fight another inning. The Twins thought they had finally gotten to Nelson in the bottom of the sixth, when Austin Martin and Trevor Larnach walked to start the inning. Luke Keaschall grounded into a 6-4-3, however, and Lewis grounded out to end yet another scoring chance. In the bottom of the seventh, the Twins once again got a couple of runners on with one-out singles by Lee and Pereda. Carson McCusker got a pinch hit opportunity to hit that first home run of his career. Off the bat, he thought he had it, but the warning track power landed in Thomas' glove at the wall for the second out of the inning. Byron Buxton's fly out ended yet another opporunity for the home team. Bullpen Keeps Holding Serve, Offense Finally Capitalizes Rookie Cody Laweryson made the most of his first major league outing, taking care of business in the seventh and eighth innings. Taylor Rashi got the ball for Arizona in the bottom of the eighth, and Martin jumped all over him to start yet another threat with a lead-off double. Larnach went down swinging, but Keaschall walked, and then Lewis singled to load the bases yet again. Last night, Kody Clemens achieved home run hero status. Tonight, it just took a single to tie up the game. After Clemens stole second, the Twins had a chance to take the lead, but Pereda popped up and the game headed to the ninth all square at two apiece. Another Crazy Ninth? Or Tenth? Kody Funderburk got the call for the top of the ninth, and he did his job swimmingly. Three up, three down. John Curtiss came in to neutralize the Twins, and he did the same. Time for extras! Cole Sands threw the tenth, hoping not to face the same struggles as he did Friday night. A sacrifice bunt got the ghost runner, Jorge Barrosa to third base, and Sands caught Ketel Marte looking for the second out. The Twins decided to intentionally walk Corbin Carrol, who promptly stole second base. Moreno then hit one into the hole at short, and Lee was unable to throw him out while Barrosa scampered home to put Arizona up 3-2. A stronger arm could have ended the inning, but that arm now plays in Houston. Sands then walked Adrian Del Castillo to load the bases yet again, and needed to get Alexander to stop the bleeding. He didn't. Alexander hit a gusher, a double to right, scoring Carroll and Moreno to continue Sands' rough weekend. The Twins couldn't move their ghost runner an inch, and the game ended with a whimper at 5-2. What’s Next? The Twins look to recover and win the series on Sunday afternoon. Bailey Ober (5-7, 5.08 ERA) looks to finish his season trending upward in wins, not ERA. Opposing him will be young righty Nabil Crismatt (2-0, 3.24 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Ohl 43 0 0 0 35 78 Sands 0 18 0 21 26 65 Hatch 24 0 0 0 0 24 Funderburk 0 0 0 7 15 22 Tonkin 0 0 0 20 0 20 Laweryson 0 0 0 0 20 20 Adams 0 0 0 17 0 17 Cabrera 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

Image courtesy of © Denny Medley-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Joe Ryan 2.0 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K (62 pitches, 33 strikes (53%)) Home Runs: N/A Bottom 3 WPA: Ryan (-.327), Thomas Hatch (-.119), Trevor Larnach (-.056) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins have been a Major League-worst 15-30 since the All-Star Break. The only bright spot in that time frame has been the shine on their All-Star starter Joe Ryan and his experience. Even the light from his four wins since the break has been dimmed by three rough losses to the Nationals, Athletics, and Blue Jays. With the Twins still looking for their first win in September, what kind of experience were Twins fans in for tonight as they faced a Kansas City squad still in the hunt for a wild card spot? Rough From the Get-Go The Royals sent righty Stephen Kolek to the mound in his third start since being acquired from the Padres at the trade deadline. Weak contact is his game, and the Twins obliged with nothing but weak grounders in the top of the first. Ryan took the mound having been sick for the majority of the week. By the end of the first inning most people involved with the Twins were also ill. Ryan came into the game riding a historic WHIP season, but he walked Mike Yastrzemski to start the game. Next man up was Maikel Garcia, and after starting Garcia off with a strike, Ryan threw strike two only to have the home plate umpire fail to identify a center-cut fastball as a strike. Ryan was visibly frustrated and eventually walked Garcia as well. Vinnie Pasquantino smoked a double over Matt Wallner's head to score Yastrzemski, and immediately Ryan and the Twins were reeling. Then the ageless Salvador Perez stepped to the plate, and one pitch later the score was 4-0 Royals. Perez's homer was soul-crushing, but Ryan's third walk of the inning to Adam Frazier was just as painful because Nick Loftin split the gap in left-center to send Frazier all the way home from first to make it 5-0 before Ryan could get his team back into the dugout. Byron Buxton is Still Amazing The Twins offense has continued to flounder as the season winds to a close, but the Buck Truck continues to do everything that he can to keep Twins fans from tuning out completely. After James Outman doubled to lead off the top of the second inning, Buxton fell behind 0-2 before timing up a fastball for his seventh triple of the year to put the Twins on the board. A Luke Keaschall groundout scored Buxton, and suddenly the Twins weren't completely out of it after all. Completely Out of It And then the Twins were completely out of it. Ryan labored through the second inning as well, allowing two runners to reach before escaping without surrendering a run. After two innings of work and only 62 pitches, Ryan's night was done, and the Thomas Hatch Experience began. Hatch retired Jac Caglianone to start the bottom of the third, but the fact that Caglianone's liner traveled at 115 mph should have been a warning sign. Loftin then singled and advanced to second on a groundout. With two outs, the floodgates of the Royals runs broke open yet again. Kyle Isbel doubled in Loftin. Yastrzemski walked. Then Garcia and Pasquantino both singled in a run of their own, to erase the Buxton momentum and expand the Royal lead back to 8-2. While Kolek was quickly embarassing Twins hitters, the Royals kept abusing their former pitcher Hatch. This time Caglianone discovered that he could get a single up the third base line at 60 mph, and he then advanced to second base on a groundout. Hatch then helped make a memory for the Jensen family, as rookie Carter Jensen laced a double down the right field line for his first career MLB hit and RBI. 9-2 Royals, and the experience just kept getting worse for Twins fans. It's a Bad Experience The Brooks Kriske Experience was next up for Twins fans, as he came on to relieve Hatch in the bottom of the sixth. Turns out the night's experience was stuck on repeat. With one out, Kriske walked Adam Frazier, and then Caglianone singled again. Loftin doubled in Frazier, and advanced Caglianone to third. Jensen didn't wait long to notch his second RBI, this time with a groundout to score Caglianone to make it 11-2 Royals. The Twins tried to make some noise off of Kolek in the top of the seventh, as Edouard Julien and Mickey Gasper led the inning off with a couple of singles. With two on and nobody out, Kolek struck out Brooks Lee and Outman to bring up Buxton as the Twins' last chance for hope on the evening. After Kolek struck out Buxton, and embraced his HOF catcher on the way back to the dugout, one couldn't help but compare the trade deadlines of the Royals and Twins, and sigh. The two teams were virtually dead even at the All-Star break, and then couldn't have taken two more different trajectories since. The Royals ride the excitement of a playoff race to the end of the season, while the Twins have become the laughing stock of the major leagues. Tonight was just another night in September for many baseball fans, but what Twins fans experienced on September 6, 2025, no doubt left them seeking new experiences. What’s Next? The Twins look to avoid getting swept by a second AL Central opponent in a row in a Sunday matinee game. Twins RHP Bailey Ober (4-7, 5.23 ERA) looks to hold the tide against fellow giant RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-9, 4.54 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Coming Soon...maybe? Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Hatch 64 0 0 0 66 130 Kriske 27 0 0 0 37 64 Topa 0 18 0 13 0 31 Adams 0 0 31 0 0 31 Funderburk 0 11 0 15 0 26 Tonkin 0 0 11 0 12 23 Cabrera 0 0 20 0 0 20 Sands 0 18 0 0 0 18 View full article

Image courtesy of David Malamut (photo of Ty Langenberg) No part of the Twins roster failed its post-deadline stress test worse than the starting pitching staff. Short starts, piggybacks, and call-ups ruled the month at the major-league level, and the results weren’t great. It’s been difficult to classify what a starter even means in the Twins system lately. For the purposes of this article, averaging close to four innings of work per outing (or higher) classified the pitcher as a starter. Mick Abel excelled in his starts at Triple-A, but has already found his way back to St. Paul after mighty struggles for the Twins. Some new stars have begun to rise within the organization. Some fell off this list when they struggled at the next rung up the ladder, while others have further cemented their place in the Twins’ future plans to steady the rotation. Here are the top performers among Twins minor-league starting pitchers in August. Honorable Mentions - RHP Christian Becerra (Fort Myers): 5.25 ERA, 3 G, 12.0 IP, 13 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 1.25 WHIP, .277 BA - LHP Kendry Rojas (St. Paul): 3.78 ERA, 4 G, 16.2 IP, 16 H, 7 ER, 10 BB, 18 K, 1.56 WHIP, .242 BA #5 - RHP Mick Abel –St. Paul Saints 1.76 ERA, 3 G, 15.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 23 K, 0.85 WHIP, .140 BA The former 2020 1st-round (15th overall) selection of the Philadelphia Phillies was part of the bounty received for Jhoan Duran. Abel had a terrific July across the Phillies' and Twins' Triple-A clubs, but crashed and burned in his big-league appearances. He's a lanky 6-foot-5, 190-pound righty who is only 24 years old and is trying to establish himself at the game's highest levels. He can miss bats, and hopefully, he will continue to develop the ability to perform under the big lights. Until then, he remains a dominant minor-league starter. #4 – LHP Dasan Hill – Fort Myers Mighty Mussels/Cedar Rapids Kernels 3.57 ERA, 5 G, 17.2 IP, 13 H, 7 ER, 9 BB, 21 K, 1.25 WHIP, .203 BA After two starts at Fort Myers in August, Dasan Hill got the call to high-A Cedar Rapids for another three starts. His first game for the Kernels on August 16 was rough, surrendering four runs in only 2 2/3 innings. The rest of Hill’s month was lights-out, though. Granted, he barely managed around three innings per start, so time will tell if that number ever rises. For now, his left-handed strikeout prowess is worth recognizing, and he becomes a prospect on the rise. #3 – RHP Adrian Bohorquez – Cedar Rapids Kernels 4.00 ERA, 4 G, 18.0 IP, 17 H, 8 ER, 5 BB, 23 K, 1.22 WHIP, .250 BA Bohorquez refuses to leave the list. After two straight months in the fifth spot, he climbs slightly due to sheer consistency in both strikeouts and appearances. The Twins signed Bohorquez in 2023 out of his native Venezuela, and he bounced between the FCL Twins and the Mighty Mussels before taking the next step up this summer. Bohorquez continues to climb Twins prospect rankings, too, and I still wouldn’t be surprised if the 20-year-old is pitching at Wichita to start 2026. #2 - RHP C.J. Culpepper – Wichita Wind Surge 1.17 ERA, 5 G, 23 IP, 15 H, 3 ER, 11 BB, 16 K, 1.13 WHIP, 183 BA The 6-foot-3, 193-pound Culpepper isn’t even the best prospect named Culpepper in the system, but he’s one of the top arms after surviving injuries and setbacks the past few seasons. A 13th-round draft pick from California Baptist in 2022, he's heated up as the season progresses, giving hope that his success is a trend and not a mirage. The .174 opponent batting average gives testament to weak contact, and while the strikeout rate isn’t too impressive, the ERA will play at any level. However the starting rotation shakes out in early 2026, Culpepper looks to sneak onto a St. Paul mound sooner, rather than later. Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month – Ty Langenberg – Cedar Rapids Kernels 1.37 ERA, 4 G, 26.1 IP, 16 H, 4 ER, 7 BB, 22 K, 0.87 WHIP, .174 BA How does a 23-year-old, 2023 11th-round draft pick still in High A make his way to the top of this list? Well, a 0.87 WHIP and 22 strikeouts doesn’t hurt, but more importantly, Langenberg continues to pitch—a lot. While other Twins prospects are going three to four innings a night, Langenberg pushes into the sixth and seventh innings. The only question that remains is how his stuff will continue to play as he ascends to Wichita and all stops north. August has come and gone, but several starting pitchers in the Twins organization made their mark and hope to continue that success into the dwindling days of the minor-league campaign. How would your ballot look for the Twins Minor League Starting Pitchers of the Month? Let us know in the comments. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Simeon Woods Richardson 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K (85 pitches, 52 strikes (61%)) Home Runs: N/A Bottom 3 WPA: Thomas Hatch (-.408), Woods Richardson (-.080), Mickey Gasper (-.073) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) In order to stay out of the AL Central cellar, the Twins need to (eventually) stop losing to the current cellar-dwelling White Sox. Simeon Woods Richardson got the call to stop the bleeding on Tuesday night. Young righty Davis Martin took the hill for the White Sox for his third start this season versus the Twins. In Martin's first two outings, he gave up only two earned runs over 10 innings. Could the Twins offense finally figure out Martin, or would tonight be another reminder of just how far the Twins have fallen? Buxton Starts the Scoring, and the Twins Lead Early After Woods Richardson took care of business in the top of the first, Byron Buxton took Martin off the left field wall for a lead-off triple. Trevor Larnach wasted no time, knocking in Buxton to stake the Twins to an early 1-0 lead. That lead lasted all of 15 minutes, before Andrew Benintendi hit a laser beam homer off the dock in right to knot it up again in the second. The Twins looked to be on their way back out into the field in the bottom of the second, but Mickey Gasper worked a walk, and then—amazingly—stole a base! After winning the challenge and reversing the out call at second, Ryan Fitzgerald blooped a single to left to score Gasper and re-take the lead, 2-1. Things hummed right along from there until Martin ran into some trouble in the bottom of the fourth. Kody Clemens led off with a single, Austin Martin followed suit, and James Outman walked to load the bases with nobody out. Gasper came to the plate looking for a knockout blow, but instead, the Twins got the same gaffes that have plagued them all season. Gasper hit a shallow pop fly to left that was deep enough to score Clemens to bump the lead up to 3-1, but Martin got caught trying to snag third in the process. From bases loaded and nobody out to a runner at first with two outs. Rally killed. Errors Pile Up, White Sox Pile On With the lead now at two runs, the Twins hoped that pitching and defense could hold the line. They couldn't. Brooks Baldwin led off the top of the fifth with a walk, and then Will Robertson hit a ball to Woods Richardson that should have been an easy out, but a throwing error resulted in runners at first and third with nobody out instead. Two pitches later, Bryan Ramos tattooed a 93-mph center-cut fastball for a two-run double off the top of the big wall in right. All tied again, 3-3. Martin kept taking care of his pitching duties past the fifth inning, while Woods Richardson's night was done after five. Thomas Hatch came in to keep the game tied, but instead, another lead-off walk and a fielding error (Austin Martin this time) led to two more Chicago runs on a pair of Benintendi and Baldwin singles. While the Twins' Martin was struggling mightily, the White Sox's Martin kept dealing in the sixth. This set up Chicago for another offensive outburst in the top of the seventh. Kyle Teel started things off with a homer off of Hatch, and then Lenyn Sosa went back-to-back. Suddenly, it was 7-3 cellar dwellers. Hatch got Colson Montgomery to strike out, but then he surrendered three straight singles to load up the bases with only one out. Will Robertson came to the plate and he got jammed. But the ball fell innocently in front of Matt Wallner, and two more Chicago runs scored. With (still) nobody in the bullpen, Hatch was on the hook for this stinker; he managed to wiggle out of the inning "only" down 9-3. Where Can it Go From Here? The good news, Davis Martin finally left the game after six innings. The bad news is that they put in a lefty, Bryan Hudson. Larnach took him off the top of the right-field wall for a double with two outs, but Lee struck out to strand him there. Noah Davis got his chance for redemption in the top of the eighth, in his first game back since September call-ups. Davis hit the first batter, got a couple of strikeouts on full counts and surrendered a single on another. With two on and two out, Benintendi hit an 83-mph sweeper that didn't sweep way out to right to make it 12-3. Brooks Kriske got the ninth, and he struggled but held the White Sox scoreless after a lucky/amazing between-the-legs snag of a 108-mph grounder. The Twins' offense decided to keep their scoreless inning streak alive and well as they headed into Wednesday. How bad was this game for the Twins? There wasn't a single highlight on social media once the game started. Not. One. They let dogs into the ballpark tonight in an attempt to get fans to show up, and hopefully those folks brought a lot of pooper scoopers to clean up the field as well. What’s Next? The Twins take their third crack at trying to win a game at home against the worst team in the American League on Wednesday. Minnesota will turn to RHP Zebby Matthews (4-4, 5.06 ERA), while Chicago will start RHP Yoendrys Gomez (3-2, 5.20 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Kriske 0 44 0 0 27 71 Hatch 0 0 0 0 64 64 Funderburk 23 0 0 31 0 54 Cabrera 0 31 0 20 0 51 Topa 24 0 0 17 0 41 Tonkin 0 0 37 0 0 37 Davis 0 0 0 0 33 33 Sands 17 0 0 0 0 17 Adams 0 0 0 6 0 6 View full article

Image courtesy of David Malamut (photo of Ruddy Gomez) The Twins promoted several of their relief pitching prospects at the end of July, in the wake of the trade deadline overhaul. With the end of the FCL and DSL seasons, our attention fully focused upon those prospects at Ft. Myers, Cedar Rapids, Wichita, and St. Paul. A few young arms made the most of their new opportunities, and here are the top relievers of August 2025 in the Minnesota pipeline. Honorable Mentions - Chase Chaney (Cedar Rapids Kernels): 3.76 ERA, 7 G, 26.1 IP, 27 H, 11 ER, 7 BB, 29 K, 1.29 WHIP, .260 BA - Trent Baker (St. Paul Saints): 1.17 ERA, 5 G, 23 IP, 15 H, 3 ER, 11 BB, 16 K, 1.13 WHIP, .183 BA #5 – RHP Mike Paredes– Wichita Wind Surge 3.00 ERA, 7 G, 18 IP, 14 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 17 K, 1.06 WHIP, .212 BA The 25-year-old strikeout machine continued to build upon a stellar season with an August that ended well. While shorter in stature than some of his fellow relievers at 5’11” and 185 pounds, Paredes continued to baffle opposing batters at the Double-A level, converting on three of four save opportunities in August. #4 – LHP Kade Bragg, Wichita Wind Surge 2.19 ERA, 9 G, 12.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 9 K, 0.78 WHIP, .071 BA The trade deadline shuffle directly impacted the 24-year-old lefty Bragg, as he took a promotion to Wichita after the dust cleared at the end of July. His first month there saw the 2023 17th-round draft pick not miss a beat. His delivery and multi-pitch mix continue to deliver results, and the ceiling is high for this prospect out of Angelo State. Continued improvement on his changeup could lead to major-league opportunity in 2026. #3 - RHP Brent Francisco (Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels) 0.00 ERA, 5 G, 9.2 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 14 K, 0.93 WHIP, .189 BA This 24-year-old former Williamsport Crosscutter also took full advantage of his late-July promotion. Standing at an imposing 6’7” and weighing 250 pounds, Francisco enjoyed a spotless August down in Florida, keeping his WHIP under 1.00 and averaging over a strikeout per frame. Hopefully, the young arm can continue to build upon this success for a rise up the system in 2026. #2 – RHP Hunter Hoopes – Cedar Rapids Kernels/Wichita Wind Surge 3.48 ERA, 8 G, 10.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 14 K, 0.48 WHIP, .139 BA August saw Hoopes land right where he left off on July’s list. The 25-year-old Alabama product signed with the Twins on a minor-league deal in July 2024. Since then, he has climbed three levels to the Wichita club, thanks to his rocket arm. Hunter found his groove in August, and proved that he belonged at the advanced level. The YouTube sensation might not have seen the strikeout results follow him up, but the .071 opponent batting average speaks to his dominance. And since one can’t stress his discovery story enough, here it is one more time! Twins Minor League Reliever of the Month – RHP Ruddy Gomez (Cedar Rapids Kernels) 0.00 ERA, 9 G, 12.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 14 K, 0.57 WHIP, .132 BA Last month’s winner, Samuel Perez, ended up getting a baseball off of his wrist after a strong start to August, so there was an opportunity for someone to rise up to claim the top spot. That man was Ruddy Gomez. The 25-year-old found his way to the Twins organization after competing in the Frontier League for the Windy City ThunderBolts in 2024. The sturdy hurler can spin the ball from a unique angle, and has the ability to make hitters look foolish. Gomez couldn’t have had a better August, averaging over a strikeout per inning and showing an ability to go into a second inning of relief if needed. Finishing the year strong could lead to a fast trip up the organizational ladder in 2026. August has come and gone, but several relief pitchers in the Twins organization made their mark and hope to continue that success as summer leagues head into playoff time. How would your ballot look for the Twins Minor League Relievers of the Month? Let us know in the comments. View full article

Walker JenkinsKaelen CulpepperLuke KeaschallEduardo TaitConnor PrielippEmmanuel RodriguezKendry RojasMick AbelDasan HillCharlee SotoGabriel GonzalezMarek HoustonMarco RayaBrandon WinokurKyle DeBargeRiley QuickAndrew MorrisKyler FedkoKhadim DiawEduardo Beltre

Walker JenkinsKaelen CulpepperLuke KeaschallEduardo TaitConnor PrielippEmmanuel RodriguezKendry RojasMick AbelDasan HillCharlee SotoGabriel GonzalezMarek HoustonMarco RayaBrandon WinokurKyle DeBargeRiley QuickAndrew MorrisKyler FedkoKhadim DiawEduardo Beltre

Image courtesy of © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Bailey Ober 5.0 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (96 pitches, 65 strikes (68%)) Home Runs: Luke Keaschall (3), Mickey Gasper (1), Matt Wallner (20) Top 3 WPA: Gasper (.416), Wallner (.310), Austin Martin (.218) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) With the Twins plummeting down the standings and toward a top-five draft pick, Bailey Ober looked to keep some semblance of respectability in Twins Territory Tuesday night. Toronto countered with the moderately successful righty Chris Bassitt, in hopes of keeping their surprising place among division leaders in the American League. Would tonight be the night that the Twins captured their first international win of the season? Or would Louis Varland and Ty France's new mates prove to be too much for the free-falling Twinkies to handle? Twins Threaten, but Blue Jays Score The night started off promisingly for the visiting Twins, as Trevor Larnach led off the game with a walk and Brooks Lee immediately advanced him to third with a single. With runners on the corners and nobody out, however, the Twins of 2025 reared their ugly heads yet again. Three straight strikeouts of Luke Keaschall, Matt Wallner, and Edouard Julien left the ducks on the pond and got Bassitt and the Jays out of a huge early jam. Ober's night started off the same way, and then got worse. He gave up a single to George Springer to start the bottom of the first, and then Nathan Lukes doubled, putting runners at second and third with nobody out. A Valdimir Guerrero Jr. sac fly made it 1-0, Bo Bichette singled Lukes over to third, and with two outs, Alejandro Kirk singled in the second Blue Jays run. Where the Twins failed, the Jays succeeded. After Bassitt took care of the Twins in order in the top of the second, the Jays struck again in the form of a Springer home run to make it 3-0, and it looked like another rout was on. Sloppy and Broken Play, but Twins Sneak Back Anyway The middle innings left much to be desired for baseball fans, as sloppy play, injury delays, and missed opportunities for the Twins and even the Jays defined the action. In the bottom of the fifth, Springer once again abused an Ober middle-middle fastball for his second homer of the game to stake Toronto to a 4-0 lead. The Twins responded in a big way in the top of the sixth, thanks to their young middle infielders. Lee singled again to start the inning, and this time, Keaschall didn't miss a Bassitt sinker that didn't sink. He slashed a 400-foot bomb to cut the lead in half at 4-2. Louis Varland came in to finish off Royce Lewis to end the top of the sixth inning, and he took the ball to start the top of the seventh against Mickey Gasper and Austin Martin. Gasper singled, Martin walked, and Varland got the hook. Brendon Little came in, and Ryan Jeffers immediately singled to load the bases with nobody out. What happened next resulted in a run, but it also was a baserunning disaster that Martin keeps finding himself involved in. Lee ripped a ball to right-center, which Addison Barger dove to catch. Martin had been off to the races on contact and never got close to making it back to second base. The Twins went from bases loaded and nobody out to two down and a runner on first, just like that. It was 4-3 Blue Jays, but oh, what might have been. Twins Bullpen Holds, but Baserunning Still Folds Ober ended up handing the ball to the bullpen after five innings of 10-hit and four-run baseball. Cole Sands and Kody Funderburk held their ground in the sixth and seventh, but the Twins kept blundering away scoring opportunities. In the top of the eighth inning, Wallner took one for the team and then advanced to second on a passed ball. Julien then walked, and once again the Twins had runners on with nobody out. James Outman was the next man up, and he whiffed on a bunt attempt. How bad was it? Wallner got caught off and thrown out on the way to third base. Outman then struck out, as did Lewis, and the maddening offensive woes of 2025 kept marching on. And Then Baseball Happened What happened next is why we keep watching Twins baseball. Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman got the call for the top of the ninth, and the man at the plate was the much-maligned Gasper. Another sinker didn't sink, and suddenly, the game was all tied up! First career home run? Check. Next man up was (the also much-maligned) Martin, and he laced a single and then stole second base to put the go-ahead run at second base with nobody out. Jeffers couldn't advance Martin, as he hit a grounder to third. Luckily, Martin stayed put this time. Lee got hit by a pitch to set up Keaschall for another heroic moment. No moment to be found for the Natural, as he flew out. Wallner stood at the plate, then, with two outs and a game's worth of missed chances having transpired. Hoffman pounded the zone with a first-pitch fastball, and by the time Wallner's three-run homer landed, the Twins dugout and all fans who stuck with the game through all of the tears and angst were jumping for joy! Justin Topa suddenly became the Twins' "closer" for the evening, and he struck out his old friend France to start the bottom of the ninth. After an Andrés Giménez groundout, Topa faced the hot-hitting Springer—and Springer stayed hot, with a single to start the "uh-oh" train. Next up was Daulton Varsho, who laced a double into right to make it 7-5 Twins and to bring the tying run to the plate in Guerrero. The unnecessary stress was ratcheted up, but Topa was up to the task. Guerrero tried to go deep, but the ball fell harmlessly in Wallner's glove for the final out! What’s Next? The Twins look to build upon this unexpected success with a rare road series victory on Wednesday evening in Toronto. While Zebby Matthews is in line for the start, the Twins have yet to announce their starter. The Blue Jays are sending out nasty LHP Eric Lauer (8-2, 2.76 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:07 pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Topa 32 0 0 0 26 58 Hatch 0 54 0 0 0 54 Ohl 0 0 46 0 0 46 Cabrera 17 0 0 22 0 39 Kriske 0 0 0 37 0 37 Sands 14 0 0 0 23 37 Funderburk 21 0 0 0 15 36 Tonkin 0 0 0 0 9 9 View full article

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Joe Ryan 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (87 pitches, 57 strikes (66%)) Home Runs: Brooks Lee (13), Ryan Jeffers (9) Bottom 3 WPA: Ryan (-.310), Royce Lewis (-.131), Byron Buxton (-.095) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Though it didn't match nationwide household names, Tuesday night's contest at Target Field featured two aces: Joe Ryan (him, you know) and Jacob Lopez. Healthy deeper into a season than ever before, Ryan has been pitching tremendously. The bad news for the Twins: Lopez has been even better, allowing no runs across his last 24 innings entering this game, and he's left-handed. You've already read the headline; here's how the bad news unfolded. Twins Strike First, but the A's Strike Most Nick Kurtz led off the game with a double, but Ryan utilized strikeouts to keep him from scoring and to get the Twins' bats out to face Lopez. Right away, it was clear that the team had an effective plan against the southpaw, despite their diminished roster. They put two runners on in the first, though they failed to score. In the second, an error by Sacramento third baseman Brett Harris opened the door and Matt Wallner stormed through it, with an RBI double that gave the Twins a 1-0 lead. Quickly, however, the game swerved in the direction of the visitors. A two-out walk of Nick Kurtz brought Ryan into a matchup with catcher Shea Langeliers, who crushed a two-run homer to flip the scoreboard in the top of the third. To lead off the fourth, Tyler Soderstrom hit a ground ball that took Brooks Lee to his right (he'd been shading him toward the second-base bag) and reached when Lee was unable to get off a good throw. Lawrence Butler then hit a screaming grounder through the right side, which Luke Keaschall could only deflect, turning it into a double. With runners on second and third, Sacramento shortstop Darell Hernaiz hit a chopper to Royce Lewis at third. Lewis made the throw across the diamond, but Kody Clemens couldn't squeeze it, and Hernaiz reached, loading the bases. Ryan struck out JJ Bleday, but Harris then scooped a shallow flare to right field. Keaschall caught the fly ball for the second out, but his lack of arm strength became apparent as he was unable to throw out the tagging Soderstrom; the A's now led 3-1. A single by Luis Urías and a double by Kurtz stretched it to 5-1 Athletics, and Ryan's night became his shortest outing of the year. A good defense gets him out of that inning without a run scoring. An average one holds it to a single tally. Bombas Attempt to Rally With one out in the bottom of the fourth, the Twins struck back. Lee went with a Lopez outside fastball to make it a 5-2 ballgame. With two outs, it was Ryan Jeffers's turn, and he and his nasal strip pulled one right down the left-field line to tighten the game even more at 5-3. Pierson Ohl Attempts to Hold After Ryan's short start, the Twins handed things off to rookie Pierson Ohl. Ohl managed to make quick work of the A's in the top of the fifth, but he ran into some more "almost outs" bad luck in the top of the sixth. This time, Hernaiz kept his helmet on, and hit a ball into the right-field gap that glanced off the tip of a diving Byron Buxton's glove for a double. Hernaiz advanced to third on a solid running catch from Buxton into the left-field gap, and then scampered home on a Harris single through the drawn-in infield to make it 6-3 Athletics. Ohl rebounded to take care of business again in the top of the seventh and eighth innings, to keep the game within striking distance. Twins Can't Cash In Against A's Bullpen Lopez left after six innings, surrendering three runs on only four hits but in line for his seventh win of the season. Justin Sterner got the call from the bullpen, and he mowed down the Twins in the bottom of the seventh before running into a bit of trouble in the eighth. With two outs, Trevor Larnach and Keaschall hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. The potential tying run, Lewis, watched a first-pitch fastball go right down the middle, before eventually popping up to the infield to end the threat. After Erasmo Ramirez scattered a double and an intentional walk to keep a scoreless top of the ninth, the Twins took their cuts against lefty closer Hogan Harris. While he isn't the recently traded Mason Miller, he did just fine against the Minnesota lineup. Lee, Clemens, and Austin Martin all tried, but none succeeded, and the Twins lost yet again. What’s Next? The Twins look to redeem themselves on Wednesday evening in a rematch against the A's. Twins righty Bailey Ober (4-7, 5.15 ERA) will attempt to right the ship. The Athletics will counter with RHP J.T. Ginn (2-5, 5.04 ERA) in an attempt to drive the Twins deeper down the standings. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Coming Soon Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Hatch 0 0 81 0 0 81 Ureña 76 0 0 0 0 76 Ohl 0 0 0 0 54 54 Ramírez 8 0 16 0 25 49 Tonkin 0 15 16 0 0 31 Kriske 0 29 0 0 0 29 Topa 0 27 0 0 0 27 Sands 0 0 14 0 0 14 Funderburk 0 10 0 0 0 10 Cabrera 0 0 9 0 0 9 View full article

Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Zebby Matthews 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K (92 pitches, 51 strikes (56%)) Home Runs: N/A Bottom 3 WPA: Brooks Kriske (-.164), Austin Martin (-.163), Byron Buxton (-.158) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) After a crushing extra-inning loss to the Tigers on Thursday night, and a blowout loss to them again on Friday night, the new-look Twins were reeling to say the least. Young hurler Zebby Matthews continued his quest to become a part of Minnesota's future, and he faced off against former top pick Casey Mize in the Saturday night matchup. On a night in which several Twins greats had gathered in anticipation of Corey Koskie's induction into the Twins Hall of Fame on Sunday, the future and past collided into a memorable and stressful ballgame. 21 Innings Without a Run, and Danger All Around Matthews struggled out of the gate, walking Colt Keith to start the game and Kerry Carpenter with one out. Facing the first runner in scoring position, Matthews struck out Riley Greene but couldn't escape Spencer Torkelson. Tokelson's single plated Keith, and the Tigers had another early lead at 1-0. Matthews went on to walk another two batters, but his six total strikeouts got him out of jams. Carpenter's solo homerun to lead off the third inning was the only other damage to Matthew's night, but it took him 91 pitches to survive just four innings. Meanwhile, the Twins offense continued to give a new meaning to anemic. Mize struck out seven Twins over his first four innings of work, while only allowing a lead off Austin Martin single (who immediately erased himself on a caught stealing). The 21 consecutive innings without a run echoed off of the empty seats at Target Field. Travis Adams came in to replace the pitched-out Matthews for the top of the fifth, and he immediately started clogging the bases. After two walks and a single the Tigers had the bases loaded with nobody out and it looked like deja vu from Friday night. The Twins played the infield in, and against all odds...it worked! The Rocket's son caught a rocket of his own at first for an unassisted double-play! Adams retired Dillon Dingler to end the threat, and hope started bubbling up again in Twins Territory. Even announcer John Smoltz recognized that if he was in Mize's shoes, you never want to wait that long in the dugout without any runs to show for it. After five innings the Tigers were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, and Mize went out to pitch the bottom of the fifth with only a two run lead. If You Give the Twins a Chance... Reigning hitter of the week Luke Keaschall put Smoltz's words into existence with a lead off walk. Ryan Jeffers "ripped" a 66 mph bloop to the outfield grass for the Twins' second hit of the night, and suddenly a rally was underway. Mize got Matt Wallner swinging and it looked as if another threat would go by the wayside, however Brooks Lee put a charge into a 2-0 slider with his pencil bat, and after the ball richocheted off the right field wall and back towards second base the Twins had tied the game and Lee was celebrating on third base. The rally didn't stop there, as Royce Lewis took the first pitch he saw deep enough to become a lead-taking sacrifice fly. 3-2 Twins! And the Twins' New Bullpen Still _____ Adams took his newfound lead and immediately wasted it. A leadoff double and two walks immediately filled the bases yet again for the Tigers, and after only achieving four outs on his 47 pitches, Adams night was over and newcomer Brooks Kriske came in to try to escape yet another threat. Kriske got Greene to fly out, but it was deep enough to score the tying run to make it 3-3. After the Twins went back to their struggling ways against Mize in the bottom of the sixth (apparently some starting pitchers go longer than four innings?), the Tigers went right back to work against Kriske in the top of the seventh and got a leadoff double from Wenceel Perez. Perez advanced on a groundout, and Kriske gifted the Tigers their ninth walk of the night to put runners on the corners with one out. Lewis booted a grounder while trying to make a play at the plate to surrender the lead, and then it was Kody Funderburk's turn to enter a pressure cooker of a situation. Jahmai Jones made Funderburk pay, and after another double it was 5-3 Tigers. To add injury to insult, Funderburk uncorked a wild pitch to make it 6-3. Make it stop... Ding Dong, Mize is Gone. But Can the Twins Rally Again? Well, the Twins do have Keaschall. As Twins fans prepared for Luke's eventual Twins Hall of Fame ceremony in their hearts, he just hit another single to put MIze on the ropes. After a Jeffers fly out, the Tigers went to their bullpen and lefty Tyler Holton. Wallner dealt out some lefty on lefty crime, and laced a double down the right field line to advance Keaschall to third. Lee hit a ground out, but it scored Keaschall and advanced Jeffers to make it 6-4. After a Lewis walk, James Outman looked to make his first hero moment in a Twins uniform but was robbed of an extra base hit by a diving first baseman Torkelson. Torkelson's toss to Holton, however, got dropped and a hustling Jeffers came all the way home to pull the Twins within one at 6-5! After another pitching change, Will Vest got Martin to line out to right to end the rally before another tie could be found. After Michael Tonkin took care of business in the top of the eighth, the Twins relied on Clemens and Keaschall to once again spark the offense, and they did by hitting back to back singles off of Vest with one out. After Jeffers got froze looking for the second out, Wallner didn't get thrown much and he took his walk to load the bases. It was again Lee in the batters box with runners in scoring position, but this time Vest took advantage of the youngster with a three pitch "no contest" strike out to end the threat. With the Tigers being 60-0 when leading after the eighth inning in 2025, things looked dire for the home team. By the time Justin Topa yeeted a ball off of the netting behind first base allowing a runner from second to score and the batter to reach third base, 61-0 was inevitable. The only question was how bad could it get, and the answer was 8-5. What’s Next? The Twins look to salvage at least one game in this series, and due to a completely bunk roster they have yet to name a starter. The Tigers will send out former Twin and current "only hope for a Twins victory" RHP Chris Paddack (4-10, 4.76 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm CDT. Hopefully the Corey Koskie extravaganza will light a fire under the team, but expect those events to potentially delay the start time as well. Postgame Interviews Coming Soon Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Adams 70 0 0 0 47 117 Hatch 99 0 0 0 0 99 Ureña 0 0 0 76 0 76 Topa 0 26 0 0 27 53 Funderburk 13 6 13 0 10 42 Sands 16 0 25 0 0 41 Kriske 0 0 11 0 29 40 Tonkin 0 0 9 0 15 24 Ramírez 0 0 11 8 0 19 View full article

Image courtesy of © Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Travis Adams 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K (70 pitches, 36 strikes (51%)) Home Runs: N/A Bottom 3 WPA: Adams (-.356), Luke Keaschall (-.101), Kody Clemens (-.061) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Travis Adams took the mound at Yankee Stadium for his second career start, and he hoped to keep the homer-happy home lineup under control so that the Twins could even up the series. Big lefty Carlos Rodón opposed Adams, and the Twins hoped that Tuesday wouldn't be yet another failure against left-handed pitching in 2025. With the Wild Card window closing more completely by the day, a win on Empire sod was in order. Could such an unlikely outcome actually transpire? Opening Hope Austin Martin led off the game with a bloop to right, and he stole second base to immediately put a runner in scoring position for the visiting Twins. That would be the only hit the Twins got all night. Byron Buxton took a walk, and Ryan Jeffers took a pitch off his kneecap, and suddenly, the Twins had their worst possible run-scoring scenario: bases loaded and nobody out. Minnesota's newest Cooperstown enshrinee, Luke Keaschall, stood at the plate with a chance to immediately get his statue at Target Field with one swing of the bat. Rodón took the rookie to the cleaners, however, with a high fastball for strike three. Royce Lewis looked to have hit into a heart-wrenching double play, but he beat out the relay throw and Martin scampered home to set the Twins up with an early 1-0 advantage. That was all the Twins could muster, however, and Twins fans knew that it was an opportunity missed. Yankees Go Yard Adams successfully got Trent Grisham to fly out to start his efforts for the evening, but Aaron Judge quickly introduced himself as a bad, bad man. Judge took a middle-middle (for a giant) fastball deep to center field to tie things up. In the bottom of the second inning, Adams literally lost control of his outing. He walked Jazz Chisholm Jr. to start the inning, and then walked Ryan McMahon with one out. This put the much-maligned Anthony Volpe at the plate, and by the time his 3-run homer landed in the right-center seats, Yankees fans celebrated the return of their young phenom and a new 4-1 lead. Adams' control continued to unravel in the bottom of the third inning. After Cody Bellinger reached on an Edouard Julien fielding mishap at first, Adams walked Ben Rice and Chisholm again to end his night before he could finish three innings for the second straight outing. New Twins twirler Thomas Hatch entered to take on the bases loaded, one-out scenario. Hatch struck out Paul Goldschmidt and induced a ground out from McMahon to (surprisingly) escape the threat. The Twins Can't Hit Left-Handed Pitching After Rodón escaped the first inning with minimal damage done after 31 pitches, however, he took out the Twins in order in the second, third, fourth, and fifth, with only 39 more pitches required. By comparison, Adams hurled 70 pitches to get just seven outs. Weak contact ruled the evening against the crafty Rodón, who mixed pitches between 80 and 94 mph in the way that has consistently quieted Twins bats this season. (Granted, he was facing the likes of Mickey Gasper, Julien, and Ryan Fitzgerald, instead of Goldschmidt, McMahon, and Volpe at the bottom of the lineup.) The Twins entered the sixth inning without a hit since Martin's bloop to start the game. Hatch stayed out to start the bottom of the fifth, and Giancarlo Stanton was sure glad that he did. Stanton blasted a hanging slider 113.9 mph for yet another Yankees home run to make it 5-1. Hatch surrendered another hit and a walk in the inning, and with two outs and runners on the corners, Rocco Baldelli elected to keep him pitching past his 50th pitch with the newly dangerous Volpe at the plate. Volpe walked on what looked to be strike two, and now the bases were loaded for Grisham. With crickets chirping in the bullpen, Hatch buckled down and got Grisham to weakly ground out to the mound to end this threat on Hatch's 59th pitch. More of the Same Rodón continued to obliterate Twins batters, surrendering only a walk to Jeffers on his way to completing seven innings of one-hit baseball. Meanwhile, the use of the pitching staff in Tuesday's game made it clear that winning wasn't really the concern, as Hatch was allowed to overcook and to walk most of the lineup while the bullpen stayed quiet. Hatch continued to throw pitch after pitch, regardless of results, escaping a threat in the sixth but walking in another run on his 99th pitch with a bases-loaded pass to Bellinger with two outs in the seventh. This was the 7th walk by Hatch tonight in 4 1/3 innings of work. With the bases still loaded, Kody Funderburk finally came on in relief to try to entice Stanton into a rare out in a seemingly unwinnable situation. It didn't work. Stanton ripped a full-count "single" off the wall in right to score two more Yankees runs and make the blowout official: 8-1. The Twins offense, meanwhile, got a look at a new pitcher in Tim Hill. Unfortunately, Hill is also a lefty, so the Twins didn't do anything against him. Three up, three down. With the game out of reach, Byron Buxton took a seat on the bench and Martin took his place in center field. With Cole Sands now on the mound in the bottom of the eighth, Chisholm ripped a rocket out to deep center field that Buxton probably would have hauled in, but Martin's lunging dive came up short and Chisholm ended up with a triple instead of an out. A groundout scored him to push the ninth Yankee run across. The Yankees finally brought in a right-handed pitcher in Yerry De los Santos in the ninth, but the Twins fared no better. Alan Roden, newly returned papa Matt Wallner, and Keaschall went down in order to complete the one-hitter by the Yankees staff. What’s Next? The Twins look to salvage the final game of this short road trip and to avoid going winless against the Yankees this season. They'll place their hopes in All-Star Joe Ryan (11-5, 2.79 ERA). The Yankees will send out rookie RHP Cam Schlittler (1-2, 4.38 ERA) for his sixth career start. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Hatch 0 0 0 0 99 99 Tonkin 0 18 38 0 0 56 Kriske 17 0 17 19 0 53 Ramírez 0 21 0 23 0 44 Adams 43 0 0 0 0 43 Ohl 0 0 36 0 0 36 Topa 0 15 20 0 0 35 Sands 9 0 9 0 16 34 Funderburk 0 0 9 0 13 22 View full article

Image courtesy of © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Box Score SP: Zebby Matthews - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (86 pitches, 55 strikes (64%)) Home Runs: Luke Keaschall (1), Trevor Larnach (15) Top 3 WPA: Keaschall (.175), Matthews (.127), Larnach (.106) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) After the new look Twins bullpen failed to hold another lead in its post-deadline journey, Zebby Matthews got the call to tame the AL Central Division leading Tigers. The Tigers countered with former Twin Chris Paddack, who looked to build upon a successful six-inning, one-run effort in his first win for Detroit. The Twins were playing a man down due to the late roster addition of Brooks Kriske. Luckily, one of the 25 guys that they did have ready for the game was rookie Luke Keaschall, who made his return to the lineup after a lengthy IL stint with a broken arm. Keaschall's arms were life-giving to the Twins offense for a week in April, could they bring healing to the current struggles as well? Kody Meet Luke, Luke...Kody It was Keaschall's injury on April 25th, that paved the way for the trade that acquired Kody Clemens from the Phillies on April 26. Tonight was the first time the two got to play together, and so far so good for Twins fans. In the top of the first, Paddack's old battery mate Ryan Jeffers laced a double with two out. Clemens came up next, and on a 0-1 count he ripped a double of his own down the right field line to score Jeffers for an early 1-0 Twins lead. With Clemens in scoring position, Keaschall got his long awaited first at-bat, and he told Kody that he didn't need to worry about running hard. First career home run. Check. Instant reminder of why we love Luke Keaschall. Check. 3-0 Twins! Paddack stopped the bleeding there, and the two pitchers kept their opponents quiet for the most part until the bottom of the third inning. Matthews got Jake Rogers to start the frame, but Colt Keith got to second on a double that bounced around the Twins outfielders a bit. Keith came home when Kerry Carpenter's line drive to center field went into and came out of Austin Martin's glove for another double. The lead was cut to 3-1 and the pressure began to swing towards Minnesota again. Matthews responded by striking out Spencer Torkelson to end the threat. Twins Bats Stay Alive Paddack took the mound in the top of the fourth inning in hopes of taking care of business and getting his new teammates back in the dugout as soon as possible. He only faced four batters, but the second batter, Mr. Trevor Larnach, took an 88-mph cutter 409 ft at 109.4 mph to stay red hot in August and to put the lead back up to 4-1 Minnesota. In the bottom of the fifth, Paddack's night was finished, and Rafael Montero came in to hold the line. Matt Wallner worked a one-out walk, and then Jeffers blasted yet another ball deep over the head of center fielder Matt Vierling. It glanced off of the tip of Vierling's glove which gave third base coach Tommy Watkins a notion to send Wallner all the way home. He was dead to rights at the plate, but the throw took Rogers the wrong direction and Wallner somehow scored to make it 5-1 with Jeffers standing on second with only one out. Clemens lined out weakly to third base, but Keaschall had his new teammate's back. He shot the ball through the left side of the infield, and Jeffers hustled around to add another RBI to the rookie's tally and to add on for a 6-1 lead. How Will the Twins Bullpen Fare Tonight? With a literal bullpen game looming on Wednesday, how far Matthews could take his team and who was needed to hold the lead both carried extra weight. After seeing his pitch count climb early, Matthews managed to complete five strong innings, and former closer Michael Tonkin came in for the sixth and set the Tigers down in order. In the top of the seventh, Martin literally ran himself and his team into and out of a scoring opportunity. A pair of walks and a stolen base by Martin after a fielder's choice eventually led to runners at first (Wallner) and second (Martin) with one out, and Jeffers at the plate against Troy Melton. After falling behind 3-0, Melton fought back to struck out Jeffers. Clemens stepped into the box and took a mighty swing. The result was a foul tip that caught home plate umpire Chad Fairchild square in the face, causing a lengthy delay while his replacement got padded up. When the game resumed, Clemens fell behind 0-2, and on the third pitch Martin for some reason tried to steal third base and was thrown out easily to end the threat and to leave some more reminders of what can happen in a youth movement. Tonkin returned for the bottom of the seventh, and the Twins' other Kody, Kody Funderburk, came in to finish it off. Cole Sands came into the bottom of the eighth inning in hopes of locking down the rest of the ballgame. Instead Vierling and Spencer Torkelson scratched singles off of Sands, and with two outs Jahmai Jones hit a tailing liner to right-center that Martin dove for but could not come up with. After the ball had finished rolling, Jones was celebrating on third base, and the score had tightened up to 6-3. Sands kept Jones stranded, but the Twins left more runners in scoring position in the top of the ninth, meaning that the Justin Topa experience in the ninth was going to be a save situation. Time will tell if Topa ever gets another save in a Twins uniform, but tonight he got the job done in non-stressful fashion to get his first save for Minnesota, What's Next? On Wednesday afternoon the Twins look to take an improbable series against the Tigers before they head back to reclaim Target Field for the first time since the trade deadline, The Twins will push Joe Ryan back to the Royals weekend series and put together a bullpen game. With an off day on Thursday, for better or for worse, most of the bullpen crew should be available. The Tigers send RHP Jack Flaherty (6-10, 4.38 ERA) out in search of the series for the home team. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Ureña 0 0 69 0 0 69 Sands 20 0 21 0 25 66 Adams 0 0 0 63 0 63 Ohl 0 52 0 0 0 52 Tonkin 11 0 14 0 27 52 Funderburk 11 0 35 0 1 47 Topa 13 0 15 0 15 43 Ramírez 0 0 9 19 0 28 Kriske 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hatch 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

Image courtesy of © Kyle Ross-Imagn Images For the second month in a row, the minor league starter of the month got called up to fill the post-Paddack trade void in the rotation. While Pierson Ohl ’s first go-round in the bigs only lasted three innings, it begs the question of “Whose performance in July made him the ‘Next Man Up’ in August? These are the arms worth watching after their June 2025 performances across the affiliates. Honorable Mentions LHP Christian MacLeod (Wichita/St. Paul): 3.50 ERA, 4 G, 18 IP, 14 H, 7 ER, 7 BB, 17 K, 1.17 WHIP, .200 BA RHP Joel Garcia (FCL Twins): 1.20 ERA, 3 G, 15 IP, 15 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 12 K, 1.27 WHIP, .254 BA RHP Christian Becerra (Fort Myers): 0.95 ERA, 4 G, 19.0 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 7 BB, 10 K, 0.89 WHIP, .156 BA LHP Kendry Rojas (New Hampshire AA/Buffalo AAA): 5.32 ERA, 5 G, 23.2 IP, 28 H, 14 ER, 4 BB, 36 K, 1.35 WHIP, .292 BA #5 – RHP Adrian Bohorquez – Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 0.90 ERA, 5 G, 20.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 20 K, 0.65 WHIP, .118 BA Remaining at the number five spot for the second consecutive month is the 20-year-old hurler. The Twins signed Adrian Bohorquez to a minor league contract in 2023 out of his native Venezuela, and Adrian has bounced between the FCL Twins and the Mighty Mussels ever since. His June inclusion was based on fast improvement, but his July selection is based on domination. Bohorquez continues to climb up the prospect rankings, and I still wouldn’t be surprised if the 6’1”, 190 lb., 20-year-old pitches his way into some innings in Cedar Rapids before the year ends. #4 - RHP Pierson Ohl, St. Paul Saints/Minnesota Twins 2.87 ERA, 5 G, 14.1 IP, 14 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 16 K, 1.19 WHIP, .245 BA Last month’s starter of the month made it to his MLB debut and is currently still in line to do some bulk work in the newest iteration of the Twins rotation. His innings per “start” actually declined in July, so it looks like he’s being groomed for a one-time through-the-rotation role. Ohl still brought it in St. Paul, and that’s why he achieved not one but two call-ups. The K/BB rate is still positive, and he performed consistently for the Saints. His first run at major league competition didn’t translate as well, but the raw materials are there for whatever role you want to call it. For now, I still keep him in the starter category, but the hope is that he succeeds and never needs to make this list again. #3 - LHP Connor Prielipp, Wichita Wind Surge 1.20 ERA, 4 G, 15 IP, 12 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 17 K, 1.13 WHIP, .245 BA When the Twins drafted Connor Prielipp at pick number 48 in the second round in the 2022 draft out of Alabama, they hoped that they had found a rotation stalwart for the next decade. At 6’2”, 210 lbs, Prielipp is beginning to back up the hype at AA Wichita. After only entering 11 games in 2023 and 2024 combined, he is finally healthy and able to show his potential in actual games. The numbers that matter all improved in July, and while 2026 might start in St. Paul, there is hope that adding this lefty to the Twins rotation isn’t too far away. The trades of this deadline might bump Prielipp down in the team’s prospect rankings, but that’s more “Good on Falvey” than “Bad on Connor.” #2 – RHP Ryan Gallagher – Wichita Wind Surge (stats from South Bend/Knoxville) 3.65 ERA, 4 G, 24.2 IP, 19 H, 10 ER, 5 BB 21 K, 0.97 WHIP, .209 BA Ryan Gallagher came to the Twins organization from the Cubs in the Willi Castro trade, and he immediately jumped to the top of the prospect charts for his July performance at South Bend High-A and Knoxville AA. The 6’3”, 195 lb. pitcher was a sixth-round pick out of UC Santa Barbara by the Cubs in 2024, and at 22, he is on the fast track up a new organizational ladder now. He wasn’t phased by his last promotion, improving across his stat board in Knoxville in a short sample size. Here’s to hoping that production continues in Wichita! Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month – RHP Mick Abel – St. Paul Saints (stats from Lehigh Valley) 2.64 ERA, 3 G, 17 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 6 BB, 14 K, 0.94 WHIP, .163 BA The pitching prize of the 2025 trade deadline for the Minnesota Twins comes in the right arm of Mick Abel. The former 2020 first round (15th overall) selection of the Philadelphia Phillies was part of the bounty received for Jhoan Duran . The Phillies got immediate fire in their bullpen, and the Twins hope they received a rotation linchpin for years to come. Abel is a lanky 6’5”, 190 lb., righty who is only 24 years old and already has six games of major league experience under his belt. Both Abel and Taj Bradley (fresh off of one excellent AAA start with the Rays) will spend the start of August in St. Paul, but don’t be surprised to see both of them off this list for good and in a Twins uniform soon. Welcome to Minnesota Mick, feel free to strike out as many people as possible while you're here! July has come and gone, but several starting pitchers in the Twins organization made their mark and hope to continue that success into the dog days of summer. Three of the starters on this list just became Twins at the end of July through trades that rocked the organization, but hopefully left the starting rotation depth in a much healthier and happier place for 2026 and beyond. How would your ballot look for the Twins Minor League Starting Pitchers of the Month? Let us know in the comments. View full article