The Minnesota Twins suffered yet another setback in their pursuit of a spot in the American League wild-card race, as they fell to the Miami Marlins 4-1 on Tuesday night. The Marlins, led by Jonah Bride’s strong performance, capitalized on a four-run second inning against Twins’ pitcher Bailey Ober.
Bride had an impressive game with three hits, while Nick Fortes and Xavier Edwards also contributed offensively for the Marlins. Ober, who has been a reliable pitcher for the Twins, struggled to contain the Marlins’ offense and failed to finish six innings for only the second time in his last 17 starts.
With this loss, the Twins (81-76) find themselves two games behind both Detroit and Kansas City in the race for the wild-card spots. The Tigers and Royals are currently tied at 83-74, and despite holding tiebreakers against both teams, the Twins face a challenging road ahead with only five games left in the season.
The Twins’ recent struggles have been evident, as they have lost 23 of their last 34 games and 14 of their last 20. Despite being within two games of the division lead in late August, the Twins’ offense has faltered at a crucial time in the season.
Miami’s Ryan Weathers pitched a solid game for the Marlins, earning his first win since May 26. Twins’ catcher Ryan Jeffers showcased his defensive skills by throwing out two runners attempting to steal second base.
Injuries have plagued the Twins, with Max Kepler sidelined for the past 20 games due to knee and hip issues. Kepler, who has been with the organization since 2009, faces uncertainty regarding his future with the team as his contract is set to expire this fall.
Looking ahead, RHP Edward Cabrera will take the mound for the Marlins in the next game, while RHP Simeon Woods Richardson will start for the Twins in the middle game of the series on Wednesday night.
