Minnesota Twins Starters Nearing Return

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Mick Abel - Minnesota Twins at Toronto Blue Jays
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Monday night, the Minnesota Twins won their second-straight game, a 4-2 victory in Arlington over the Texas Rangers, pushing their 2026 regular season record to 34-40.

Byron Buxton homered again and the Twins got nearly 5 innings out of Mike Paredes, who allowed just 2 earned runs on 4 hits in 4.2 innings pitched (only 59 pitches).

Josh Bell was the real hero, offensively, collecting two hits, the first of which was a three-run bomb in the top of the first inning that gave the Twins an early 3-0 lead.

Then, the impossible happened. Minnesota’s bullpen kept Texas off the board for the final 4+ innings of work, making Bell’s homer the game-winner.

Bailey Ober travelling with Twins on road trip

And that wasn’t the only good news coming out of the MN Twins clubhouse on Monday. Earlier yesterday, Dan Hayes (The Athletic) released a new injury update on two starting pitchers that lend hope for a pitching staff that desperately needs some reinforcements.

Bailey Ober traveled with the team to Texas and will throw off the mound during this week’s road trip, which will move from Arlington to Phoenix on Friday for a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ober (right flexor muscle strain) accompanied the big-league team to Texas and hopes to throw off a mound during the Twins’ road trip, which begins Monday night against the Rangers.

Dan Hayes – The Athletic

Before Bailey Ober hit the injured list on May 31 with right elbow inflammation (that he blames on bad baseballs in Boston a week earlier), he had compiled 46 strikeouts and 18 walks in 66.2 innings pitched, while riding the struggle bus for a significant number of those starts.

Over stumbled out of the regular season gates, as he struggled to find velocity. He recovered for a period in May, just to lose it again before hitting the IL. When he returns, the soon-to-be 31-year-old will take the mound with a 4.59 ERA, a 4.97 FIP and an ERA plus below 100 (95).

Nonetheless, the Minnesota Twins need arms with experience back in their rotation if they want any chance to turn the season around. And with Pablo Lopez out, manager Derek Shelton needs middle-rotation guys like Ober to step up.

Mick Abel expected back with Twins in next week

Thankfully, Bailey isn’t the only starter nearing a return to the mound. In fact, Mick Abel is closer and should be back in the rotation first. The 24-year-old threw three innings down at Toledo late last week, and is now preparing for his final rehab start.

According to Hayes, that will come Tuesday (today) at Triple A St. Paul. As long as everything goes according to plan, Abel is expected back in the Minnesota Twins rotation by Sunday or Monday.

Abel (right elbow inflammation) is scheduled to start for St. Paul again on Tuesday. Abel, who threw three scoreless innings against Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday, is expected to throw 65 pitches in his rehab outing, Zoll said. If Abel stays on track, he could return to the big leagues next Sunday or Monday, albeit with a pitch limit.

Dan Hayes – The Athletic

Abel — who the MN Twins got in return for Jhoan Duran before last year’s trade deadline — didn’t get off to a great start when he was first called up back in late March, allowing 9 total runs in his first two starts (7.1 innings).

However, in his final two starts before injury, the 24-year-old threw 13-straight scoreless innings, where he allowed just 8 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 16.

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