Taj Bradley kept doing exactly what the Twins needed Tuesday night: missing bats, limiting damage and giving Minnesota a chance to take control late. By the end of a 3-2 win over the Giants, he had another milestone to go with it.
Bradley worked six innings and allowed just one run on three hits, striking out six to push his season total to 205. His first punchout of the night - Drew Gilbert to open the game - was the 200th strikeout of the year, making Bradley the ninth pitcher in the majors to reach that mark in 2026. His previous career high was 154, set with Tampa Bay in 2024.
Minnesota’s offense didn’t really get moving until the middle innings, but when it did, it was enough to flip the game. Giants starter Anthony Molina was sharp early, retiring the first 10 Twins he faced before Brooks Lee broke through with a one-out single in the fourth. Molina still carried a 1-0 lead into the sixth.
That’s where the Twins finally cracked him. Ryan Kreidler singled with one out, Luke Keaschall followed with a triple into the left-center gap to tie it at 1-1, and Lee came right back with a single to right that scored Keaschall and put Minnesota ahead.
Molina finished with six strikeouts and one walk, giving up two runs on four hits over six innings.
Minnesota added a little cushion in the seventh when Walker Jenkins jumped on the first pitch from Duncan Davitt and drove it over the wall in right for his fourth homer of the season, stretching the lead to 3-1.
The Giants made it interesting in the ninth, scoring once and putting men on first and second with two outs. But Jeff Hoffman shut the door, striking out Victor Bericoto swinging on a 3-2 slider to pick up his sixth save.
San Francisco’s first run came in the second, when Drew Cavanaugh dropped down a safety-squeeze bunt that scored Shay Whitcomb.
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Even with the Twins out of playoff contention, Jenkins stretch at the plate has made the promotion look worthwhile in the larger sense. He still has rookie eligibility left for 2027, and his path to this point has already included multiple injuries, which makes every productive game feel a little more meaningful for a team trying to gauge what comes next. What Minnesota is watching now is whether this late-season burst is the start of a longer run toward becoming a regular outfield option. [Read more 🡒]