The Twins lost 7-3 to the Reds on June 17, extending their losing streak to five games. Despite a Royce Lewis HR, Joe Ryan struggled. Can they stop the slide?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Another day, another loss. The Minnesota Twins' mid-June swoon deepened on Tuesday, as they dropped their fifth consecutive game, a dispiriting 7-3 decision to the Cincinnati Reds. What started as a tough stretch has now snowballed into the team's longest losing streak of the season, erasing their winning record and leaving fans wondering: when will the bleeding stop?
Over the last five games, the Twins have been outscored 38-11.
The script felt painfully familiar. The Twins fell behind early, with the Reds jumping on starter Joe Ryan for four runs in the first two innings. While the offense showed some signs of life, led by Carlos Correa's two-hit night and an RBI double, it was never enough to climb out of the hole. Ryan's final line—4.1 innings, eight hits, five runs (four earned)—was another tough outing for a rotation that has been the team's backbone for much of the year. The loss drops the Twins to an even 36-36, a frustrating reset after a promising start to the month.
If there's one player immune to the team-wide slump, it's Royce Lewis. The dynamic third baseman launched his 12th home run of the season in the sixth inning, a solo shot that provided a fleeting moment of excitement. It was his third homer in the last five games, a torrid pace that has him batting .295 with 34 RBI. Lewis is doing everything he can to carry the offense, but one man can't win a ballgame, a lesson the Twins are learning the hard way.
The primary culprit during this five-game skid has been undeniable: the starting pitching. Once a source of strength, the rotation has been shelled. Over the last five losses, Twins starters have posted a collective 6.45 ERA, putting immense pressure on an offense that has also gone cold. Joe Ryan's struggles are just the latest example. For the Twins to turn this around, it has to start on the mound. The starters must go deeper into games and keep the team competitive from the first pitch.
Despite the on-field struggles, the message from the clubhouse remains one of unity. Veterans like Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa took to social media to preach calm, emphasizing the need to 'stick together' and 'keep grinding.' It's the right message, but words only go so far. The team needs a definitive on-field response to prove they can pull out of this nosedive. With no roster moves or major announcements, the solution will have to come from the 26 men currently in the dugout.
The Twins will look to salvage the series against the Reds and, more importantly, snap this demoralizing streak tomorrow. The pressure is mounting. This isn't just another game; it's a test of this team's resilience and a chance to stop the season from spiraling. All eyes will be on the mound and in the batter's box to see if they can finally deliver a complete performance and get back in the win column.
