Alan Roden’s two-run single finally cracked Minnesota’s long drought, and the Twins rode that hit and a short-notice start from Kendry Rojas to a 2-0 win over the Athletics on Saturday night.
Roden delivered in the bottom of the sixth against A’s reliever Mason Barnett, driving in both runs to end the Twins’ scoreless stretch at 14 2/3 innings. Minnesota had gone 25 of its previous 27 innings without scoring, after being shut out in Friday’s series opener and managing runs in only two innings Thursday in Cleveland.
Rojas was thrust into the starting job when scheduled starter Mike Paredes was scratched with a left oblique strain suffered during warmups, and he handled the spot well. The left-hander worked four innings, gave up one hit and struck out five.
Taylor Rogers followed with two scoreless innings and earned the win to improve to 6-3. Yoendrys Gómez closed it out for his 13th save of the season, and his 12th with the Twins. Barnett fell to 1-1 with the loss.
The Athletics got Nick Kurtz back from the injured list after a right thumb strain, but his return was rough. He struck out four times while serving as the designated hitter.
Oakland’s best opening came in the top of the eighth, when the first two batters reached against Twins reliever Andrew Morris. Morris shut the door from there, striking out Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom before getting Jonah Heim to ground out and end the threat.
Jeffrey Springs is scheduled to start for the Athletics on Sunday, looking for his first win since April 14. The Twins have not announced a starter, though Connor Prielipp is expected to come off the IL and take the ball.
In Other News...
Twins Rotation Suddenly Has A New Injury Problem
The Twins rotation took another hit this week, with Joe Ryan working through arm fatigue and getting back on the mound after a bullpen session, a reassuring sign for a staff that has been trying to hold together its depth for much of the season. Ryans status matters because he has been one of the anchors at the top of the rotation, and even a short scare around him can ripple through a group that has already been asked to absorb plenty of innings.
Minnesota is also dealing with more than one setback behind him, which only sharpens the focus on how much pitching help the club can realistically count on down the stretch. With the front office already having to think about coverage and contingency plans, the latest round of injuries has made the rotation picture feel a lot thinner than it did not long ago. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Shortstop Decision Feels Closer Than Ever After Kreidler Slide
Ryan Kreidlers bat has been trending the wrong way for more than a month, but the Twins have kept finding reasons to lean on his glove. The utility man gave them a useful early-season boost and still offers the kind of defensive versatility that matters on a roster that is always shifting, especially at shortstop where reliability can be hard to come by.
The timing, though, is getting harder to ignore. Minnesota has been reshuffling infield pieces around him, and the organization now has another option moving closer to the picture in Kaelen Culpepper. Kreidlers recent surge was enough to remind everyone what he can do when the ball starts finding gaps, but the bigger question for the Twins is whether that brief lift can change the direction of a job that suddenly feels much less settled. [Read more 🡒]
Rays May Be Pushing Twins Toward A Deadline Decision Fans Dread
The Twins have spent enough of the summer trying to stay afloat that the trade deadline is starting to look less like a chance to add and more like a moment to make hard choices. Tampa Bays heavy scouting of Minnesota is only sharpening that possibility, because the Rays rarely sit around without a plan, and the Twins know they have players with enough offensive value and team control to draw real interest.
Ryan Jeffers and Trevor Larnach fit the kind of profile that can tempt a front office into listening, especially with Minnesota carrying enough internal depth to absorb some of the blow if it decides to move in that direction. Larnachs bat has been one of the more reliable parts of the lineup, while Jeffers brings the sort of production that can matter to contenders, which is why this conversation feels less hypothetical by the day and more like the kind of deadline call fans would rather not see answered. [Read more 🡒]