Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Twins’ struggles continued Friday night as they fell 2-1 to the Kansas City Royals, extending their losing streak to five games and further cementing their position as baseball’s worst team since the July 31 trade deadline.
The defeat dropped the Twins to an abysmal 11-22 record over that span, a stark contrast to their early-season promise. What began as a competitive 2025 campaign has devolved into a late-season collapse that has left fans and management questioning the team’s direction.
Pablo López made his return to the mound after a three-month absence, but Kansas City’s early offensive burst overshadowed his comeback. The right-hander, making his first start since being placed on the 15-day injured list on June 4th with a right shoulder strain, showed flashes of his former self but couldn’t prevent another disappointing result.
López surrendered a decisive two-run homer to Maikel Garcia in the third inning, watching helplessly as his first pitch of the at-bat sailed high above the left-field bullpen. The blow came after Vinnie Pasquantino had singled with two outs, giving the Royals all the offense they would need.
Despite the loss, López demonstrated encouraging signs in his return, completing six innings while allowing just two runs on six hits and striking out four batters.
The Twins managed to scratch across one run in the fifth inning on consecutive doubles from Brooks Lee and Jhonny Pereda. The rally marked Pereda’s debut behind the plate for Minnesota, as the organization continues to evaluate personnel for next season.
The Twins will look to snap their losing streak Saturday when Joe Ryan takes the mound.
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