−Sands, Paredes, Festa all out of rotation/pen mix
Taj Bradley (9-4, 3.65) took the ball for Minnesota looking to keep his hot July going, while Seth Lugo (4-6, 4.22) tried to give a fading Royals club a stopper start. First pitch went at 6:40 PM CT, with the Twins hoping their emerging ace could add another quality outing before a stacked stretch of the schedule.
Seth Lugo
(5-7)·4.41 ERA
Jul 22 vs Giants
W
7.0IP
3ER
5K
2BB
94P
07/28 Lineup
Taj Bradley
(9-4)·3.76 ERA
Jul 23 @ Guardians
ND
7.0IP
1ER
5K
3BB
109P
07/28 Lineup
This one had a nasty gut-punch ending for Kansas City. The Royals broke through for 2 in the 6th to tie it up, but Minnesota answered right back with a pair in the bottom of the 9th to walk it off, 3-2. Bradley did his job again, working deep and keeping the Royals off balance for most of the night, while Lugo's start got undone late. The Twins' bullpen and lineup depth showed up when it mattered, and Minnesota is now up to 54-54 — right back in the thick of things.
The injury news out of this game was rough for both sides. Vinnie Pasquantino left with right hand soreness and Byron Buxton was pulled with hip soreness, two names the Twins and Royals both need healthy down the stretch. For Kansas City, it's just another entry on a very long list — Bobby Witt Jr. is still working through back spasms that landed him on the 10-day IL, his first career IL stint, and that absence alone changes the identity of this lineup.
Zoom out and the standings tell the real story here. Kansas City is 45-63, sits 9 games out of a postseason spot, and is widely expected to be a seller before Monday's trade deadline — Lugo included in that conversation. Minnesota, on the other hand, has won 4 of its last 5 and is trying to climb back into the AL Central race with exactly the kind of pitching Bradley gave them tonight. Different seasons, different urgency, and the Twins made sure it showed on the scoreboard.
Royals 2, Twins 3: Final Score & Odds Recap — Twins Grind Out Late Win As Royals Fade Toward Sell-Off
