Twins Enter Royals Series With Momentum And A Growing Injury Test

Injury woes and strategic pitching matchups set the stage for the Twins vs. Royals series showdown starting Tuesday.

The Twins and Royals meet Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium with a long injury report hanging over both clubs, but Minnesota comes in with the better recent form. First pitch is set for 7:40 p.m. ET, and the series runs through Thursday.

Kansas City enters the matchup at 46-67, while Minnesota is 56-57. Tuesday’s pitching matchup features Randy Dobnak against Joe Ryan.

The rest of the series lines up with Noah Cameron facing Dean Kremer on Wednesday, followed by a Thursday game at 7:40 p.m. ET.

The Royals’ injured list is packed with notable names. Vinnie Pasquantino is on the 10-day IL with a wrist injury after hitting .232/.318/.345 with 6 home runs and 34 RBI in 2026.

Bobby Witt Jr. is also on the 10-day IL because of a back issue; he’s batting .279/.350/.450 with 13 homers and 39 RBI. Maikel Garcia is sidelined with a hand injury, carrying a .261/.320/.373 line with 3 home runs and 30 RBI.

Kansas City also has several pitchers out. Luinder Avila is on the 15-day IL with a forearm injury, Beck Way is dealing with a back injury, and Connor Seabold is out with a lat issue. On the 60-day IL, the Royals list Jonathan India with a shoulder injury, Cole Ragans with an elbow injury, Alec Marsh with a shoulder injury, Kris Bubic with an elbow injury, Carlos Estévez with a foot injury, Nick Mears with a shoulder injury, Stephen Kolek with a flexor injury, and James McArthur with an elbow injury.

Minnesota’s list is shorter, but it includes a major bat in Byron Buxton, who is on the 10-day IL with a hip injury. Buxton has put up a .263/.320/.544 line with 25 home runs and 45 RBI in 2026. The Twins also have Pablo Lopez and David Festa on the 60-day IL with elbow and shoulder injuries, respectively, along with Cole Sands, Mike Paredes, Anthony Banda, and Mick Abel.

Recent form tilts toward Minnesota. Over the last 10 games, the Royals are 3-7, while the Twins are 6-4.

Kansas City has hit 11 home runs in that stretch compared with Minnesota’s 9, but the Twins have been better in several other key areas. Minnesota has the edge in ERA at 3.25 to 4.32, and its pitching has limited opponents to a .205 batting average compared with Kansas City’s .252.

The Royals have a slight advantage in slugging at .390 to .360, while Minnesota holds the edge in on-base percentage at .284 to .275 and strikeouts per nine at 8.4 to 6.6.

Tuesday’s game will be shown on Royals.TV and Twins.TV, with the same channels listed for Wednesday’s matchup.

In Other News...

Astros Trade Deadline Push Just Took Another Unexpected Turn

Houston spent part of its deadline chase kicking the tires on a few different pitching upgrades, including a run at Detroits Tarik Skubal before he wound up with the Dodgers. The Astros search also reached Minnesota, where Trevor Larnach was discussed as part of a possible swap for reliever Bryan Abreu, a reminder that the Twins have been drawn into the broader market even when the focus is on arms and not bats.

The interesting part for Minnesota is how close these talks apparently came to crossing the finish line before they fell apart. With the deadline still driving the market, Houston has shifted its attention elsewhere and is now linked to San Francisco left-hander Robbie Ray, who is expected to move before time runs out. [Read more 🡒]

Twins Nearly Made A Trade That Says Everything About Their Bullpen Search

The Twins search for bullpen help has apparently been active enough to reach the point of a serious conversation with Houston, and the player involved on Minnesotas side tells you plenty about how far the club was willing to go. Trevor Larnach has been in the best offensive stretch of his career, giving the Twins a left-handed outfield bat with real value, while Bryan Abreu has been a more complicated target after a rough season despite the dominance he showed before that.

It was the kind of deal that made sense on both ends for obvious reasons: Minnesota wanted relief help, and the Astros were looking for more stability in the outfield. Even though the talks got close, they never crossed the finish line, leaving the Twins still searching for answers in a bullpen that clearly remains a priority. [Read more 🡒]

Twins Deadline Push Could Put Trevor Larnach In The Spotlight

With the Twins still locked into a crowded AL Central race, the front office has kept working the edges of the roster after already adding pitchers A.J. Minter and Dean Kremer. The focus remains on the bullpen, and Trevor Larnach has emerged as one of the more watchable names in the process, with Minnesota exploring ways to turn an outfield piece into another relief arm before the market tightens.

Larnachs status has not been resolved, but the talks around him have added another layer to a deadline push that is about more than just short-term pitching help. Minnesota has continued discussing possibilities with other clubs, including the Padres, and if the Twins do ultimately move him, the ripple effect could reach beyond the bullpen chase and into the outfield mix, where a top prospect is waiting for a larger opportunity. [Read more 🡒]