Mariners 4, Twins 3
The Twins had chances to pull this one out, but a rough start from Connor Prielipp, another quiet opening from the lineup and a ninth-inning mistake at first base left them with a loss to Seattle.
Prielipp’s day began in ugly fashion. Cole Young doubled on the rookie’s first pitch, then Prielipp walked the next two Mariners on nine total pitches to load the bases with nobody out.
Julio Rodriguez followed with a first-pitch single to make it 1-0 Seattle before Prielipp had settled in, and another walk pushed across a second run. Even with all that traffic, the left-hander found a way to escape further damage by striking out the side in the middle of the chaos.
Seattle added again in the second when Randy Arozarena launched a solo homer for a 3-0 lead. After that, though, Prielipp turned the page.
He needed 55 pitches to survive the first two innings, then only 33 to get through the next 3.1 frames. The Mariners threatened again in the fifth with two on and one out, but Prielipp worked out of it and got Josh Naylor to start the sixth, a strong finish to a messy outing and another sign of why the Twins are encouraged by his long-term outlook.
Minnesota’s offense spent most of the afternoon stuck in neutral against Logan Gilbert. Through four innings, the Twins had only one hit and one baserunner. That was part of a bigger trend, too: since the All-Star Break, Minnesota has scored just eight total runs in the first five innings of games and has taken the first lead only twice, not counting the three- and four-error games from last week.
The bats finally stirred in the fifth when Luke Keaschall homered to get the Twins on the board. Trevor Larnach followed with a blast of his own in the sixth, and then Brooks Lee sparked a rally with a leadoff double.
Minnesota strung together enough to tie the game at 3-3, but the chance to seize control slipped away in the eighth. With two runners in scoring position and one out, Kody Clemens and Royce Lewis both struck out to end the inning.
The decisive moment came in the ninth against Andrew Morris. Randy Arozarena opened with a hard double and moved to third on a fly ball.
Morris then intentionally walked Julio Rodriguez, setting up runners on the corners with one out. The Twins brought the infield in against Cal Raleigh and got the ground ball they wanted, hit straight to Royce Lewis at first base.
Lewis, still new to the position, stepped on first before recording the out at second, and that sequence changed everything.
A force at second would have ended the inning no matter what happened with the runner at third. But once Lewis touched first first, Rodriguez was no longer forced, and the Mariners were able to turn the play into a run-scoring rundown and walk it off.
In another setting, it would have been a strong defensive play. In this one, it was the kind of mistake that comes with learning a new position, and it proved costly.
The Twins still have a chance to win the series tomorrow in a matchup between Taj Bradley and George Kirby.
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 🡒]