The Twins are back at Target Field on Tuesday night trying to answer a rough opener against the Yankees, and the assignment doesn’t get any lighter from here.
Minnesota dropped the first game of the three-game set, and now it turns to Bailey Ober to steady things. Ober enters at 7-5 with a 4.28 ERA, and his history against New York is limited: one career start, three runs allowed.
The Twins will need more than a quality outing from him, though. After leaning on a lot of their A-bullpen in Monday’s loss, they need length from Ober as much as they need effectiveness.
If he can keep the game moving and hold down a Yankees group that spent Monday night celebrating its postseason birth, that gives Minnesota a shot to get through this one without overtaxing the relief corps again.
New York counters with Max Fried, who is still working back from a left elbow bone bruise. Fried is 4-4 with a 2.73 ERA this season, and he’s been a tough matchup for Minnesota in his career.
He has not started against the Twins since 2024, when he was with Atlanta, but in 10 1/3 innings against them overall, he’s posted a 0.87 ERA. That means the Twins’ offense has a clear job: string together good at-bats, force Fried to work, and try to reach the less reliable part of the Yankees bullpen.
First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. CT at Target Field, with the game on TwinsTV.
There are also a couple of individual matchups worth watching closely. Aaron Judge is just one week removed from coming off the injured list, and after a three-month absence he was still playing catch-up with his timing.
As the Twins broadcast pointed out Monday, one swing can change all that. Judge got that swing against AJ Minter.
Against Ober in three career at-bats, Judge has one hit and a walk, with the hit going for a two-run double. Minnesota will need to keep him in check again.
Josh Bell, meanwhile, keeps showing up as the Twins’ best-looking matchup on paper. He was a name to watch Monday, and that doesn’t change tonight.
In his career against Fried, Bell has eight hits in 25 at-bats with four RBIs. He also homered late Monday, and the Twins will be hoping that carryover lasts into Tuesday.
In Other News...
George Lombard Jr. Just Gave Yankees Fans A Tough October Question
George Lombard Jr. gave the Yankees a timely lift in their 8-3 win over the Minnesota Twins, helping spark the rally that locked up a postseason berth and added another layer to a rookie season that has already made him hard to ignore. For a club that has spent much of the year balancing development with urgency, Lombards bat has been part of the upside, and it was on display again when the Yankees needed a push to finish the job.
The question now is whether the Yankees can trust the rest of his game when the games get bigger. Lombard has been inconsistent defensively, with multiple errors and even a six-game stretch in August where he misfired every night, but Aaron Boone has stayed publicly confident in his long-term potential. For a team heading into October, that leaves one familiar Yankees dilemma hanging in the air: how much runway do they give a rookie whose talent is obvious, even if the mistakes have not gone away? [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Just Got A Huge October Vote Of Confidence
In a season where injuries have repeatedly clouded the picture, the Yankees still drew a significant endorsement from around the game. In a poll of 16 MLB executives conducted by ESPNs Jesse Rogers, New York was named the team to beat in the American League, a sign that the league still sees the rosters ceiling as one of the highest in baseball.
The appeal is obvious: when healthy, the Yankees can lean on a pitching staff and offense that executives believe can match up with anyone. Aaron Judge remains the headliner, and Cam Schlittler is among the names tied to the clubs upside, but the bigger question is whether New York can finally get enough of its key pieces on the field when October arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Suddenly Have A Rafael Devers Idea Fans Can't Ignore
Rafael Devers has already done enough this season to keep his name circulating well beyond San Francisco, and the Yankees are suddenly being mentioned as a possible landing spot as the offseason approaches. Buster Olney and Paul Hembekides floated the idea as a fit worth watching, pointing to Devers stronger offense and the simple reality that a bat like that tends to reshape any lineup conversation the minute it becomes available.
For the Yankees, the appeal goes beyond star power. There is a path to making the roster work with some positional shuffling, and the contract situation matters just as much as the production, especially with payroll always part of the equation in New York. The timing could also push the conversation forward quickly, since any major move before a projected lockout and a new collective bargaining agreement would give a front office less room to wait and see. [Read more 🡒]