The Minnesota Twins are expected to be one of the most active teams ahead of Saturday’s trade deadline but while Michael Pineda raised his stock, Taylor Rogers left with a hand injury in a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.
Pineda started the game for the Twins amid rumors that several teams were interested in acquiring him. The right-hander responded with one of his best starts of the season throwing five scoreless innings to start the game.
Pineda mixed in six strikeouts and retired 12 straight batters at one point but ran into trouble in the sixth inning.
With the Twins nursing a 2-0 lead, Pineda served up Miguel Cabrera’s 495th career home run to tie the game at 2-2. Although Pineda got out of the inning, his night was over after 85 pitches.
6 strikeouts, 6 solid frames for Big Mike. 😛#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/aFlbsALF0K
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 27, 2021
The Twins took the lead back in the bottom half of the sixth when Brent Rooker unloaded a 460-foot blast for his third home run of the season.
TRIPLE DECKER 😲
@Brent_Rooker19 | #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/WJaqsrkMuB
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) July 27, 2021
After Jorge Polanco walked, another Twins trade target came through when Josh Donaldson launched a two-run homer to give the Twins a 5-2 lead.
The Twins are making it rain ☔️☔️☔️@BringerofRain20 | #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/VWyqbk25RM
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) July 27, 2021
The Tigers chipped into the lead with a home run from Eric Haase in the eighth and things looked well when Taylor Rogers came in for the save in the ninth.
But Rogers injured his hand on a pitch that sailed wide of home plate and had to leave the game. One of the Twins best trade chips, the status of Rogers was unknown as Alexander Colomé entered the game.
After Jeímer Candelario singled, former Twin Robbie Grossman hit a two-run home run to tie the game.
That sent the Twins to extra innings where fellow trade target Max Kepler hit a walk-off single to give the Twins a 6-5 victory.
The Twins will send Kenta Maeda to the mound on Tuesday night against Tyler Alexander for a 7:10 p.m. first pitch at Target Field.
