Bailey Ober Goes on 15-Day IL as Mn Twins Rotation Shrinks
The mn twins lost another starter before Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh, placing Bailey Ober on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. He is scheduled for an MRI on Monday, and the move leaves Minnesota with only four healthy starting pitchers during a stretch that has already stripped down the rotation.
Ober Heads to the Injured List
Ober’s move came before the Twins faced the Pittsburgh Pirates, then watched the night get worse in a 9-3 loss at PNC Park. The right-hander’s elbow issue adds to a rotation that has been patched together all week, and the club has already lost five straight games.
Derek Shelton did not have a rotation replacement ready after the move. Asked who would take Ober’s spot, he said, “That’s five days from now.” He added, “Right now, I’m trying to get through tonight and (Monday). We’ll figure it out as a group with where we’re going to go. … We’ve got seven more (games in a row). We’ve got to figure it out.”
Twins Rotation Options
The Twins are now down to Joe Ryan, Connor Prielipp and Taj Bradley among the healthy starters specifically named in the facts, with two of those arms being handled carefully. Minnesota is trying to give Prielipp additional days between starts to help him adjust to a heavier workload, while Bradley has had his pitch count limited in his previous two starts.
That leaves the club with very few clean choices. Earlier in the week, the Twins put Kendry Rojas on the injured list with left elbow inflammation, and on Saturday they designated Simeon Woods Richardson for assignment. Pablo López, David Festa and Mick Abel were already unavailable before Ober’s injury, and the rotation picture has only narrowed since then.
Pittsburgh Trip Damage
The timing is rough because the Twins have lost six of 10 games on the trip and enter at 27-33. Their starting staff had carried the eighth-best ERA in the majors at 3.67, but since arriving in Boston on May 22, Twins starters have posted an 8.31 ERA over 10 games.
Zebby Matthews took the loss to Pittsburgh after allowing seven earned runs, then described the margin for error from the mound. “When I executed my pitches, I got good results. When I left it over the plate or missed my spot a little, they were putting good swings on it. They did that all weekend; they hit the ball well. … A few too many mistake pitches.”
For Minnesota, the immediate issue is no longer one injury by itself. With seven consecutive games coming against the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals, the Twins have to cover Ober’s turn while already managing multiple arms and a shrinking list of healthy starters.
