The Twins finally found a late answer, and it was enough to steal a 4-3 win over the Royals and end their four-game slide.
For a team that badly needed any kind of spark, the bottom of the eighth delivered exactly that. Aaron Bummer entered with Minnesota trailing 3-1 and promptly got nicked by a cluster of hits: Luke Keaschall singled, Ryan Jeffers walked, and Josh Bell lined a single that brought Keaschall home.
Nate Pearson came on next, hit Royce Lewis with a pitch, and then watched Brooks Lee single in two more runs to flip the game. Just like that, the Twins were ahead 4-3.
That finish covered up another uneven offensive night, but it also marked Minnesota’s first win of the month. The result moved the Twins alongside the Cleveland Spiders for second in the A.L. Central, with both clubs under .500, and left them just a half-game behind the Texas Rangers for the final Wild Card spot.
Royce Lewis gave the Twins their first jolt before the late rally, launching a 421-foot homer over the left-field wall in the fifth to trim Kansas City’s lead to 2-1. Brooks Lee later supplied the decisive swing with his two-run single in the eighth, while Alan Roden added a double to open the third but never saw that turn into a bigger inning.
Bailey Ober did enough to keep Minnesota close. He worked 6 innings, allowed 6 hits and 3 earned runs, and didn’t walk a batter, though he also didn’t record a strikeout.
The Royals struck first in the third after back-to-back singles and a Bobby Witt Jr. stolen base set up Jac Caglianone, who singled to right to score both Carter Jensen and Witt Jr. Kansas City added another run in the sixth when Witt doubled, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a Salvador Perez single.
Michael Wacha gave the Royals 5.2 innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 earned run with 3 walks and a strikeout before handing things over to the bullpen. Jose Cuas finished the sixth, Alex Lange worked a scoreless seventh, and then Bummer’s inning cracked open in the eighth.
Minnesota’s relievers held the rest together. Kody Funderburk pitched the seventh and gave up one hit while striking out one without allowing a run.
Andrew Morris and Easton McGee each put up a zero in the eighth and ninth for their sides before Yoendrys Gomez handled the save situation in the ninth. Perez walked to start the inning, was replaced by Tyler Tolbert, and then Gomez picked him off after stepping off three times.
He then struck out the next two hitters to shut the door.
The Twins head next to Milwaukee for a border battle against the red-hot Brewers, who lead the National League Central. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.
Central. Milwaukee is slated to start left-hander Shane Drohan, while Minnesota’s starter is listed as TBD.
It’s anticipated that Joe Ryan will go on the I.L. with a bum butt and Zebby Matthews will be called up to start.
In Other News...
Trevor Larnach Is Creating A Twins Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Trevor Larnach has quietly become one of the most important bats in the Twins lineup this season, and the way he has settled in as the primary leadoff hitter has changed the conversation around him. Minnesota went into the 2026 trade deadline expecting to move him, which made sense at the time given the clubs broader roster picture and its need to sort through younger talent. Instead, Larnach has kept producing enough at the top of the order to make his presence hard to overlook.
Now the Twins are left with a far less comfortable problem: keeping one of their best hitters in place while two of their most heralded prospects wait for a path. Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez are both still in Triple-A even though the organization views them as ready for the major leagues, and the lack of obvious playing time in Minnesota is part of what makes Larnachs status such a tricky one. The front office can like what it is getting from him and still feel the squeeze of what his emergence means for the next wave. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Catching Depth Gets More Interesting With Noah Cardenas Heating Up
Noah Cardenas spent the first chunk of the 2026 season trying to find his timing, but the Twins catching picture looks a lot more interesting now that he has started to settle in at the plate. Over his next 29 games, the St. Paul Saints catcher has pushed his batting average up and added more home runs, a welcome shift for a player whose defense behind the plate has already been solid. For a Minnesota organization that has long valued catching depth, any sign of offensive growth from Cardenas is worth watching closely.
The Saints power surge only adds to the intrigue, with the club leading pro baseball in home runs and pushing toward the Triple-A playoffs. Cardenas has said his teammates support helped fuel the turnaround, and his recent stretch gives the Twins another name to track if they need catching help down the line. What remains to be seen is whether this improved bat is the start of a real breakout or just a hot run at exactly the right time. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Fans Should Be Concerned About This Byron Buxton Update
Byron Buxtons recovery from a right hip impingement has become a little more concerning for the Twins, mostly because the timeline has started to drift. The center fielder is healing, but the process is moving slower than expected, which is never ideal for a player whose availability can reshape the middle of Minnesotas lineup and defense. He also received an unspecified injection last week, a sign the club is still trying to manage the injury carefully rather than simply racing him back.
There is at least another health-related wrinkle on the roster with right-hander Zebby Matthews, whose recent start was affected by a right foot blister that tore and worsened as the outing went on. The encouraging part for Minnesota is that Matthews is not dealing with anything more serious, but the Twins are still waiting on clearer progress from Buxton, and that is the update with the bigger implications for how the club handles the days ahead. [Read more 🡒]