Connor Prielipp’s latest outing only added to a troubling stretch for the Twins.
The Minnesota left-hander was hit hard in Friday’s start against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, giving up six earned runs on eight hits and two walks across six innings. That came on the heels of a rough showing against the Phillies, when he allowed eight runs, and before that he had given up three runs in each of his two previous starts. Over 21 1/3 innings this month, Prielipp owns an ugly 8.44 ERA.
For Minnesota, the bigger issue is that this doesn’t look like a one-start blip anymore. Prielipp is now 3-7 with a 5.57 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP over 93 2/3 innings this season. He has flashed real talent at times, but the inconsistency has started to overwhelm the good stretches.
The pitch mix tells part of the story. His slider and curveball have been effective, while his four-seamer, sinker and changeup have been the pitches causing problems.
There’s also the workload to consider. Prielipp has already thrown a career-high 112 1/3 innings between the Twins and Triple-A St.
Paul this year. Before this season, he had logged just 112 2/3 innings in the minors because of injuries.
His college workload at Alabama was limited to 21 innings in his freshman season in 2020, and after Tommy John surgery in May 2021, he threw only seven innings in 2021 and missed the entire 2022 season before the Twins drafted him. It’s possible he’s dealing with fatigue he has never really faced before.
That uncertainty could matter soon. When Joe Ryan comes back from the IL, Minnesota may seriously consider optioning Prielipp to make room. Zebby Matthews was the last pitcher sent down when the Twins needed rotation space, and while Matthews still looks like the most obvious candidate to be optioned again, Prielipp’s recent slide makes him a real possibility too.
If the Twins reach the postseason, the rotation picture gets even more interesting. In the AL Wild Card and Divisional rounds, teams appear to need only three starters.
The clearest top two for Minnesota would be Joe Ryan and Taj Bradley, with Dean Kremer looking like the likely third option. Bailey Ober could also get a look there, but Kremer has been strong since joining the Twins, posting a 3.12 ERA over 17 1/3 innings.
If Minnesota somehow pushes all the way to the ALCS, the club would likely lean on a four-man rotation of Ryan, Bradley, Kremer and Ober.
Prielipp, the Twins’ former No. 1 pitching prospect, still has plenty of upside. He is just a rookie. But right now, a playoff rotation spot seems unlikely, even if the Twins could still consider using him out of the bullpen.
In Other News...
Twins Fans Should Be Careful Before Regretting This Pitching Move
Simeon Woods Richardsons path has become one of those small roster decisions that can linger around a season. The Twins designated him in late May and later sent him to Toronto for cash, and he has looked sharp enough since then to catch the eye, turning in a 0.55 ERA over six games for the Blue Jays. But the underlying picture is less tidy, with a high walk rate and a low BABIP hinting that the results may not be quite as stable as they first appear.
Minnesota also had a chance to circle back when Toronto designated him for assignment, and it passed. That call looks a little less dramatic now because the Twins have since bolstered their bullpen with other additions, giving them more relief depth without needing to revisit the old move. It is the kind of transaction that can tempt second-guessing in the moment, but the broader roster context makes the regret a bit harder to justify. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Pitching Depth Takes Another Hit With Rojas In Trouble
The Twins pitching depth took another hit this week when Kendry Rojas was placed on the minor league injured list with an oblique strain. Rojas had to leave his start for Triple-A St. Paul after just one inning, adding another layer of concern to a pitching group that has already been stretched by injuries and roster shuffling as Minnesota tries to stay in the playoff race.
Rojas setback matters because the Twins have been leaning on every bit of organizational depth they can find, and this is the kind of injury that can linger and complicate a pitchers timeline. With the season now in jeopardy for one of their upper-level arms, Minnesota is left trying to patch together innings while the bigger-picture pressure keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Former Twin Is Making Minnesota's Trade Look Worse By The Week
Ty France has quietly turned into one of the better value stories in the National League, and his latest stretch is only making Minnesotas decision look rougher. After a down offensive season sent him to San Diego on a minor-league deal, he has become one of the Padres most productive players and has even climbed to the top of the clubs offensive leaderboard in several key categories.
For the Twins, the hard part is how directly Frances resurgence ties back to their own trade chain. Minnesota dealt him to Toronto in 2025 before the Padres landed him, and now San Diego is getting strong production from a player making just $1.35 million this year. In a game where roster decisions are judged almost immediately, France is becoming the kind of former Twin who keeps the second-guessing alive. [Read more 🡒]