The Twins got out of Seattle with a 5-3 win, and they did it by leaning hard into the long ball.
Minnesota fell behind 2-0 right away after Zebby Matthews opened the game by striking out the side in the first, only to have those punchouts bracketed by two walks and RBI doubles from Dominic Canzone and Cal Raleigh. But the Twins answered quickly. After Josh “Ring The” Bell worked a leadoff walk against Bryce Miller, Brooks “General” Lee turned on a pitch with two outs and sent it 367 feet beyond the right-field fence at T-Mobile Park to tie things up at 2-2.
Seattle grabbed the lead back in the second when Cole Young launched one over the right-field wall, not far from where Lee’s homer landed. Minnesota had a chance to do damage in the fifth when Luke Keaschall drew a walk, but he was picked off and the inning went nowhere.
Matthews, though, settled in after the rough opening two innings. He struck out 10 through five innings, a career high, before giving way after Julio Rodriguez opened the sixth with a bloop single. Kody Funderburk took over from there.
The Twins’ power surge came right back in the sixth. Royce “Royce Baby” Lewis crushed a 419-foot homer to left field to put Minnesota ahead. Alan Roden followed with a single, and Keaschall kept the inning moving by lining a double just inside the left-field line to make it 4-3.
Minnesota added one more in the eighth when Ryan “My Name Is” Jeffers sent a 372-foot homer out to left.
From there, the bullpen shut it down. The combination of Fundy, Nance, Morris, and Gomez held Seattle scoreless the rest of the way, finishing with four innings of work, no hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. There was a little ninth-inning noise when two Gomez walks created some tension, but Mitch Garver struck out to end it.
The result gave the 2026 Twins their first winning record since April 21. Minnesota is now tied with the Cleveland Guardians for second place in the AL Central and the final AL Wild Card spot, and sits just three games behind the Chicago White Sox for the division lead.
In Other News...
Twins Deadline Focus Now Includes One Clear Outfield Need
After adding three pitchers this month, the Twins deadline shopping list still does not feel finished. Pitching remains a priority, with the club reportedly looking for a late-inning right-handed reliever, but there is also a quieter need taking shape in the outfield, where Minnesota could use another right-handed bat to deepen the bench and give the lineup more balance.
One name that has surfaced is a versatile Dodgers outfielder who can handle all three spots and has drawn attention for his work against left-handed pitching. He also comes with multiple years of arbitration control, which makes him the kind of fit front offices tend to circle at this time of year, even if the final asking price is still part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Paid A Price For Bullpen Help Fans Need To See
The Twins kept pushing to shore up their bullpen before the trade deadline, and their latest move adds another late-inning arm with a track record that should fit the stretch run. Jeff Hoffman brings postseason experience and a strong strikeout profile, giving Minnesota another option to help stabilize games down the back end as the club continues to reshape its roster after earlier deals for A.J. Minter and Dean Kremer.
The price was real, though, and it went beyond a simple cash consideration. Minnesota parted with Dasan Hill, John Klein, Dameury Pena and international cap space to get the deal done, a reminder that bullpen fixes often come with long-term costs attached. Hoffman is expected to be part of the picture through 2028, but the Twins gave up multiple pieces in a move that says plenty about how aggressive they plan to be in the months ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Are Sending A Clear Deadline Message With This Pitching Move
The Twins made another pitching shuffle as the deadline and stretch run draw closer, activating right-hander Dean Kremer and optioning Jack Anderson to Triple-A St. Paul. It is the kind of move teams make when they want a little more stability on the mound without losing flexibility, especially with the season entering a more demanding phase and front offices weighing every roster spot.
Anderson has already bounced between the majors and minors several times this season, and this latest trip back to St. Paul is expected to be temporary. Still, the transaction says plenty about how Minnesota is approaching this moment: the Twins want pitching depth in place now, and they are keeping enough room open to adjust again as the trade deadline pressure builds. [Read more 🡒]