​Bailey Ober returned on Thursday, and Ryan Jeffers is expected to come back any day now. Cole Sands could follow, and Byron Buxton should be back after the All-Star break. Even without those players for stretches, the Twins have positioned themselves squarely in the playoff race—two games behind the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians in the division and right in the thick of the Wild Card standings as well.
“We’ve been solid all year. It doesn’t matter who’s out there,” Ober said. “We’re excited to have those guys back, but it’s a team effort and we’re going out one through nine, with our staff and bullpen, competing and giving ourselves a chance to win almost every single game.”
Ober’s return was a bright spot, especially in his first start in over a month. After being placed on the injured list in late May due to elbow inflammation, he allowed a solo homer in the second inning against Cleveland, the quake of a five-inning outing that ended as a 5-2 defeat. He finished with five strikeouts, five hits allowed, and 74 pitches thrown. “It felt good,” he said. “One pitch kind of backed up on me that Arias got a good swing on. But overall, I was able to mix and keep them off balance. The sweeper felt really good on Thursday. Locating the fastball felt really good.”
While the Twins welcomed Ober back, they also faced another roster shakeup. Connor Prielipp was placed on the injured list with a blister, and Kendry Rojas was recalled to take his spot. With Prielipp’s innings being managed, he may not pitch much after the All-Star break anyway, provided the blister heals well. The blister erupted during his latest start and was bleeding mid-game. “We’ve given it nine days, but he’s throwing during that time,” manager Derek Shelton said. “And we’ve given him 10 days and he’s throwing, so we’re going to have to give him some time where there’s just some no-throw to take the friction away.”
Jeffers’ return appears imminent as well. After a few days in Des Moines, he came back from his rehab assignment with the Triple-A Saints and spent Thursday back in the Twins’ clubhouse, signaling that a comeback is near. He appeared in five games for the Saints, hitting .375 with two home runs, and everything went smoothly, according to Jeffers. The catcher has been on the injured list since May 19 due to a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, which required a procedure. “I felt pretty good this weekend but wanted to go down to Iowa and get some more games,” Jeffers explained. He had initially gone to Iowa to shake off the rust and regain timing before returning to the majors.
In the bigger picture, the Twins remain in the mix. They are navigating returns and roster changes with an eye toward sustaining momentum down the stretch, keeping themselves within striking distance of both the division title and a hopeful Wild Card berth. If Buxton can rejoin soon and the pitching staff can stay competitive, Minnesota could press its advantage in the late-season push.