MINNEAPOLIS -- On a day the Twins lost Joe Ryan to injury, they won a game the way they’ll have to do a lot if Ryan is to be out for a while: with contributions from all over the roster.
Andrew Morris and Taylor Rogers led a brilliant performance from an embattled bullpen, and Luke Keaschall and Matt Wallner swatted away recent slumps with big hits as Minnesota beat the Blue Jays, 4-3, to split a four-game series with the defending American League champs.
Ryan lasted only two batters, departing after nine pitches due to right elbow soreness. He gave way to Morris, a starter by trade who has been pitching in relief since his recall from the Minor Leagues. Morris turned in his best big league outing to date, pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
Rogers followed with his longest outing since 2021, going 2 1/3 innings with one run allowed. Eric Orze, Kody Funderburk and Justin Topa finished the job in what was easily the Minnesota bullpen’s best performance of the season.
Meanwhile, the Twins jumped on the board early against Trey Yesavage with Victor Caratini’s first-inning RBI single, then took control of the game with a three-run fifth against the Toronto bullpen.
Keaschall’s second double of the game scored Caratini, making it 2-0. The second-year player had been showing signs for a few days of emerging from a recent slump, but Sunday marked his first game this season with multiple extra-base hits.
Kody Clemens doubled in another run, and Wallner completed the rally with an RBI double, making it 4-0. Wallner, who has seen his playing time diminished recently, had been in a 3-for-40 slide with no extra-base hits and one RBI over his previous 13 games.