Despite an 11-strikeout performance from Taj Bradley, including the Twins’ first immaculate inning in team history, the Twins were largely shut down by a guy named Gage Lee Jump on Tuesday to lose 4-2 to the Oakland/West Sacramento/Las Vegas A’s.
The Twins have no business losing to this team. The A’s are nearly 30 games under .500, they have allowed an AL-worst 766 runs and they are missing all of their stars, including ex-Twin Brent Rooker. I think the loss is bad enough to say that the season is over.
To make matters worse, the ceiling caved in late after Byron Buxton appeared to re-injure his ailing right hip while trying to retrieve a ball in center field. Listening to the game, it sounded like he hobbled off the field through a center field exit at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.
The Twins go for the series win on Wednesday, not that it matters. Connor Prielipp gets the ball.
Extra innings…
–The Twins fall to 64-69, now 5.5 games back of the division lead and 2.5 games out of the wild card race.
–Bradley’s line: Four runs allowed on seven hits, including a dinger, with a walk and 11 whiffs across six-plus innings. He falls to 9-6 with a 3.97 ERA.
–The immaculate inning, in which the pitcher strikes out the side on nine pitches, came in the bottom of the 5th inning. Bradley fanned Carlos Cortes, Brian Serven and Henry Bolte.
–Something I forgot: Josh Bell drove in three runs in Monday’s win to give him 80 RBI on the season. I think he’s got a good chance to get to 100.
*Of course the season is not over yet, but whether it’s 2026 or 2025 or 2024, it just seems like there has been that moment over the past three seasons where we know the Twins have hit a wall.
I felt it Tuesday, and if Buck faces an extended absence, I think Minnesota is in real trouble. I hope I’m wrong.