Byron Buxton's 2 HRs were wasted in the Twins' 9-8 loss to the Brewers. As pitching struggles continue, can his hot streak save the team vs. Seattle on June 23?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It's a brutal time to be a Minnesota Twins fan. After getting swept by the Brewers and losing 13 of their last 16 games, the team is officially in a tailspin. Yet, amidst the wreckage of a pitching staff with a league-worst 6.46 ERA in June, a beacon of hope shines: Byron Buxton is playing out of his mind. But as the Twins kick off a crucial series against the Seattle Mariners tonight, the question is deafening: can one man's heroics be enough to turn the tide?
The Twins' pitching staff has posted a 6.46 ERA in June, the worst in Major League Baseball.
You'd think a game where your superstar center fielder hits two home runs and two of your key infielders collect four hits apiece would be a guaranteed win. Think again. In Sunday's heartbreaking 9-8 loss to Milwaukee, Byron Buxton continued his torrid pace, launching his fifth and sixth homers in the last six games. Not to be outdone, rookie Brooks Lee and veteran Carlos Correa looked unstoppable at the plate, each racking up four hits. This offensive firepower is exactly what fans have been clamoring for, but it's being completely squandered by what's happening on the other side of the ball.
Let's not sugarcoat it: the pitching has been an unmitigated disaster. That MLB-worst 6.46 ERA for June isn't just a statistic; it's the anchor dragging this team to the bottom of the standings. Sunday's game was a perfect microcosm of the problem. Rookie David Festa was shelled for eight runs on a dozen hits in less than five innings, and the bullpen couldn't stop the bleeding. The constant parade of pitchers has done little to solve the core issue, leaving the offense with an impossible mountain to climb every single night.
And so, the Twins return home to Target Field, desperate for a reset. The pressure now falls squarely on the shoulders of Bailey Ober (4-4, 4.54 ERA), who gets the ball for tonight's series opener against the Seattle Mariners. Ober has been inconsistent, but the team needs him to be an ace tonight. He's tasked not just with winning a ballgame, but with providing a stabilizing presence for a staff in disarray. This four-game set against a tough Mariners team feels less like a regular series and more like a referendum on the direction of this season.
The formula for winning is no secret: combine solid pitching with timely hitting. Right now, the Twins only have half of the equation. While Buxton, Correa, and Lee are putting on a show, it means nothing without support from the mound. Tonight's game is a chance to stop the skid and prove this team isn't broken beyond repair. Can Bailey Ober deliver the performance they so desperately need? The entire season might just depend on it.
