The Twins have reached a point where .500 actually means something again. At 49-49, Minnesota is back to a perfectly even record for the first time in nearly three months, and that opens the door to a few things at once: another series win, a road series victory at Wrigley Field, and maybe even a chance to move past Cleveland in the standings next week.
They’ll try to keep that momentum going with Taj Bradley on the mound in the first post-break start of his Twins tenure. Bradley has been one of the most intriguing arms in Minnesota’s rotation, and he’s coming in hot after back-to-back seven-inning winning starts.
The Twins have won each of his last five outings, and over that stretch he’s posted a 2.32 ERA with a 38/10 K/BB ratio in 31 innings. At 25, Bradley already owns 2.6 bWAR, which would be the best mark of his career by a wide margin, and there are still more than 60 games left.
Chicago counters with a name that should feel familiar to anyone who’s followed the division for a while: left-hander Matthew Boyd. Boyd spent eight seasons in the division with Detroit, and the source material remembers him in a very specific way - for the kind of home run totals that stick in your head. In 2019, he allowed a league-leading 39 homers despite finishing with 3.8 bWAR, then in the pandemic season he gave up a league-worst 15 homers and a league-leading 45 earned runs.
In Other News...
Byron Buxton's Return Forces Twins Into A Telling Roster Decision
Byron Buxton is back on the Twins active roster after being reinstated from the 10-day injured list, a timely boost for a club trying to stay in the playoff mix. Minnesota cleared room by sending infielder Tristan Gray to Triple-A St. Paul, a straightforward roster shuffle on paper but one that reflects how much value the Twins still place on Buxtons presence in center field.
Buxton had been sidelined since July 5 with a right hip strain, and his return comes at a moment when every healthy regular matters. The Twins are still in contention and trying to navigate a crucial stretch before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, so getting Buxton back now gives them a needed spark while also forcing a few more roster questions into the background. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Trade Deadline Pressure Is Starting To Feel Very Real
With the August 3 trade deadline drawing closer, the Twins are trying to push forward as buyers even while the standings keep the pressure on. General manager Jeremy Zoll said trade talks are picking up around the league, and Minnesotas priorities are clear enough: the club wants help on the mound, with injuries having thinned out the pitching staff and left the front office looking for ways to steady the roster for the stretch run.
Byron Buxtons expected return would give the lineup a needed lift, but the bigger question is whether the Twins can do enough before the deadline to make the rest of the season matter. Sitting at 49-51, they are close enough to the race to justify adding, but not so secure that every loss does not sharpen the urgency, especially if the search for rotation help has to happen against a crowded market. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Ryan Made The Nelson Cruz Trade Look Even Better For Twins
Five years after the Twins sent Nelson Cruz and Calvin Faucher to Tampa Bay, the deal has aged into one of those trades that looks better with every passing season in Minnesota. The return brought back Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman, and while Cruz helped the Rays in their 2021 run, Ryan has become the far more important piece for the Twins, developing into a pitcher the organization can build around.
Ryans rise has been about more than just results. From the start of his big league career, he flashed the kind of upside that made the trade feel worthwhile, and since then he has kept adding layers to his game. He has worked his way from a fastball-heavy approach into a more complete mix, with his development at Driveline Baseball helping shape the version of him the Twins now rely on, which only makes the original swap look even more lopsided in their favor. [Read more 🡒]