The Twins fell to the Dodgers 5-2 on July 22, 2025, as homers from Shohei Ohtani & Will Smith outmatched a 9-hit effort. Read how wasted chances doomed Minnesota.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a night of frustrating déjà vu for the Minnesota Twins at Dodger Stadium. Despite collecting nine hits against a tough LA pitching staff, the bats went silent when it mattered most, leading to a 5-2 defeat that felt all too familiar for a team struggling to find its footing.
The Twins managed 9 hits but struggled with runners in scoring position, leaving 8 men on base.
Young starter David Festa gave it a valiant effort, but the Dodgers' star power was too much to handle on Tuesday. Festa was tagged for four runs over five innings, with the big blows coming from the usual suspects. Shohei Ohtani launched a key home run, and catcher Will Smith tormented Twins pitching with two homers of his own. While Festa managed six strikeouts, the long ball proved to be his undoing, saddling him with his fourth loss of the season and dropping the Twins to 48-52 on the year.
If you just looked at the hit column, you'd think the Twins were in this game. And they were, technically. But nine hits translating to only two runs tells the whole story. Byron Buxton had a solid night, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and Royce Lewis chipped in with two hits of his own. The problem? Cashing in. The team left a staggering eight runners on base, repeatedly failing to get the big hit with runners in scoring position. It's a maddening trend that continues to plague this offense and is the primary reason for the loss.
While the main action was on the field, the front office made a small tweak to the 40-man roster. Catcher Jair Camargo, who made his MLB debut in 2024 but hadn't appeared this season, was designated for assignment. The move cleared a spot for the Twins to claim journeyman catcher Jhonny Pereda off waivers from the Oakland A's. It's not a blockbuster deal, but it's a depth move that shows the team is still looking for any small advantage or upgrade it can find behind the plate.
The loss stings, especially with the offense generating so many opportunities. The Twins will need to find a way to solve their RISP woes quickly if they hope to salvage this series in Los Angeles and climb back in the AL Central race. With two games left at Dodger Stadium, the pressure is on the bats to wake up and support a pitching staff that can't afford to be perfect every night.
