Emmanuel Rodriguez wasted no time making his major-league debut matter.
With his family in the stands, Minnesota’s top prospect stepped in for his first big-league at-bat and turned around a 2-1 fastball, launching it 420 feet into left-center field to tie the game. That swing helped spark a four-run third inning and set the tone for a 4-3 Twins win over the Cleveland Guardians.
Rodriguez’s blast was the headline moment, but it wasn’t the only part of the inning that swung Minnesota’s way. Luke Keaschall and Brooks Lee followed with back-to-back singles, and Kody Clemens and Royce Lewis each cashed in with RBI singles later in the frame. Kaelen Culpepper also reached before leaving the game after a hit-by-pitch to the shoulder/back area that resulted in a contusion and, presumably, some pain.
Cleveland’s Franco Aleman was in the middle of the damage, recording only two outs while giving up all four Minnesota runs. He also hit Victor Caratini one batter later, which kept the bases moving and pushed the Twins out to a 4-1 lead.
That advantage still had to survive a Minnesota bullpen test, and the 2026 Twins made it interesting enough. Starter Connor Prielipp worked 5.1 innings on 77 pitches, allowing an early RBI single to Travis Bazzana.
The play also featured an outfield assist from Rodriguez, who threw out Angel Martinez at third from center field. Prielipp then surrendered a hit-by-pitch and a double in the fifth, and both runners came around to score as Cleveland trimmed the gap to 4-3.
From there, Minnesota’s relievers handled the rest. Kody Funderburk struck out three in a scoreless seventh, Jeff Hoffman matched that with three punchouts in the eighth, and A.J.
Minter took the ninth and struck out two more. One of those came against Bazzana after Minter battled back from a 3-0 count.
The Twins can win the series with a victory tomorrow. And the Chicago White Sox can breathe just a little easier, wherever they are. There’s no way to know.
CF Emmanuel Rodriguez finished 1-for-4 with a run, an RBI, a home run and an assist.
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Twins Prospect Move Just Shifted The Roster Conversation
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