Buxton and Castro homer, but it's not enough for Twins as Rockies hit Paddack early

New York Times

19-07-2025

DENVER — Much like the first half of the season, the Twins buried themselves in a deep hole on Friday night. With the trade deadline fast approaching, the Twins are still woefully bad at digging themselves out.
Chris Paddack immediately put his team behind by four runs, and the Twins' offense missed out on too many key opportunities. They rallied late, but the early deficit was too much for a middling team to overcome as the Twins fell 6-4 to the lowly Colorado Rockies in front of 37,759 at Coors Field. The loss dropped the Twins' record to three games below .500, stumbling out of the All-Star break by losing to Colorado, which is on pace to finish with the most losses in modern Major League Baseball history.
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'We didn't have enough,' Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. 'We have to do a better job, obviously, staying in the game and not falling out early. We weren't totally out of (it), but when you're down by four in the first inning, it's hard to come back. We put the work in. Didn't really get the results that we needed.'
The knockout blow was quick and decisive.
Colorado third baseman Ryan McMahon delivered the first punch, leaping to steal a two-out double from Ty France to end the first inning, saving at least a run, if not two.
The Rockies' offense followed with a series of big hits against Paddack that left the Twins and their starting pitcher dazed. Paddack surrendered consecutive doubles out of the gate, followed by a run-scoring triple before McMahon belted a two-run homer to put Colorado ahead 4-0 after only four batters.
Look out on the second deck 🚀 pic.twitter.com/KYr3AcXZdP
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 19, 2025
'First inning, crooked number,' Paddack said. 'I felt like they came out and they were on time for my fastball.'
In the second, Jordan Beck, who also tripled and singled, blasted a 3-0 fastball down the middle 448 feet to center to give the Rockies a five-run lead.
Paddack wouldn't allow another run, but the damage was done.
Though the Twins provided themselves with multiple chances, they couldn't reciprocate against a team on pace to best last season's 121-loss Chicago White Sox by two losses.
France's two-out liner hauled in by McMahon to end the first inning was only the beginning of a disappointing night. Colorado's defense prevented a rally from starting in the second inning with two slick plays.
After the Twins got base runners in the middle innings, their run producers couldn't capitalize. Willi Castro flew out hard to right, and Carlos Correa bounced into a fielder's choice after two batters reached with one out in the third inning. Then in the fourth, Royce Lewis — who was pinch hit for in the eighth inning — popped out with a man on first.
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The Twins eventually scored when All-Star Byron Buxton hit a solo homer off Kyle Freeland in the fifth inning, but they couldn't push forward. Freeland started the sixth inning by walking Correa, and France singled, but the pitcher, who entered the game with a 5.44 ERA, struck out Harrison Bader, Lewis and Brooks Lee.
Byron Buxton crushes another one! That's 22 home runs this season with the Minnesota Twins! ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/thnwzbcFvh
— MiloX Sports MLB (@MiloXSportsMLB) July 19, 2025
The Twins wouldn't score again until Castro blasted a three-run homer to make it 6-4. By then, it was too late.
'We've got to do a better job when we have those spots, and we had those spots,' Baldelli said.
How long they'll be granted those chances remains to be seen.
There are only 11 games left on the Twins' schedule before the July 31 trade deadline. Five of those contests — against Colorado and the 38-59 Washington Nationals — are winnable. The rest come against the Los Angeles Dodgers and red-hot Boston Red Sox.
If the Twins don't get going soon, they might not receive a full slate of games to turn it around. The clubhouse believes the Twins possess enough talent to get the job done, especially with several key players close to returning from injury.
But with a handful of interesting free agents to potentially cash in on and very intriguing team-controlled players, too, the opportunity to flip several Twins could be too enticing for the front office if the club doesn't course correct soon.
'I know the past month and a half we weren't doing so good,' Castro said. 'But baseball is crazy. You can have good months and some other bad months. You've just got to go out there and try to do your best to help the team win. We have the team to get up there and win it all.'
Fresh off a stellar rehab outing, Zebby Matthews is expected to pitch for the Twins on Saturday night against the Rockies.
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Matthews, who went on the injured list on June 5 with a right shoulder strain, struck out nine in four scoreless innings for Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday. The outing was the latest in a string of positive throwing sessions for Matthews, who touched 98.7 mph with a four-seam fastball which averaged 97.4.
Matthews generated 15 swings and misses in 56 pitches.
'Command was a lot better than the live outing,' Matthews said. 'Felt a lot more in sync. Ready to get back at it whenever.'
The Twins sent reliever Travis Adams back to St. Paul after the game to make space for Adams.
Bailey Ober was a strike-throwing machine for St. Paul on Friday night.
Pitching in his first game since he was placed on the injured list retroactive to June 29, Ober struck out three and walked none while limiting Louisville to four hits over four scoreless innings. He threw strikes on 43 of 50 pitches and generated eight swings and misses.
Ober's fastball topped out at 91.6 mph and averaged 90.4, which is a tick below his season average.
On the IL with right hip inflammation, Ober and the Twins implemented several mechanical changes during his shutdown period. The team is optimistic about Ober's potential to rebound after he allowed 14 home runs in June and posted a 9.00 ERA.
'Everything's gone very good,' Baldelli said. 'He looks like he's in better form than when he went on the IL. He's throwing the ball, I think, better with more conviction and just with better stuff. I think, physically, he feels better. He's recovered, and I think the hip's in a good spot.'
Luke Keaschall also began rehab with the Saints on Friday, singling in a run in his final at-bat to finish 1-for-5.
(Photo of Byron Buxton: Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn Images)