Taj Bradley Leads Twins Vs Pirates Opener As Streaks Loom
Twins vs Pirates opened Friday night with both clubs trying to avoid three-game losing streaks. Minnesota and Pittsburgh arrived at the weekend series with uneven stretches behind them, and the matchup put Taj Bradley and Jared Jones at the center of the first test.
Taj Bradley and Jared Jones
Bradley was expected to start for Minnesota after a season built on consistency. He had allowed more than two earned runs in only one of his nine starts this season, even after giving up five earned runs in 18 innings across his last three outings and six runs in Tampa Bay.
Jones was set for his first MLB start since 2024 after internal brace surgery. His return came after five rehab starts across three minor-league levels, a stretch that produced 18.2 innings, 13 hits, six earned runs, six walks and 24 strikeouts.
Pirates Offense Slows
Pittsburgh’s scoring line added pressure to that pitching matchup. Outside a 12-run outburst on Tuesday, the Pirates had scored 16 runs in their last six games, a run that left little margin for error while they tried to avoid a third straight loss.
The Twins brought a sharper recent burst into the opener, having dropped three of four to the White Sox before beginning their road trip with a three-game sweep in Boston. Last year, Minnesota also took three of four from Pittsburgh in their only series.
Series Opener Pressure
That history put the opener in a narrow frame: two teams with recent losses, one looking to steady a rotation spot, the other trying to find enough offense to support a returning starter. Bradley’s track record gave Minnesota a clear baseline, while Jones’ first start back made Pittsburgh’s side harder to project.
Friday’s game was the first chance for either club to stop the slide before it turned into something longer. For Minnesota, it was about extending the cleaner stretch that followed Boston; for Pittsburgh, it was about getting more than one big inning and showing that the week’s scoring spike was more than a one-off.
