Twins rout Jacob deGrom, Rangers in series opener

Bobby Nightengale, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Sep 25, 2026

Published in Baseball

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MINNEAPOLIS — The Twins wanted to play spoiler against the Texas Rangers this weekend, a team vying to win the American League West division, and they did more than spoil Jacob deGrom’s start.

The Twins wanted to play spoiler against the Texas Rangers this weekend, a team vying to win the American League West division, and they did more than spoil Jacob deGrom’s start.

Putting up a six-run second inning Friday at Target Field, the Twins clobbered deGrom and cruised to a 10-2 victory in their series opener. It was one of those offensive performances where almost every player contributed.

Luke Keaschall scored three runs and finished a home run shy of the cycle. Kody Clemens added a two-run homer. Royce Lewis hit a two-run single.

Completing four innings, deGrom tied a career high when he allowed eight earned runs on eight hits and three walks. Twins starter Joe Ryan, meanwhile, allowed two runs during the first inning, then overpowered the Rangers lineup. Ryan yielded four hits and two runs over six innings, striking out eight batters.

The Twins loaded the bases with no outs in the second inning, via two singles and a walk, and Lewis followed with his two-run single to center. Two batters later, Ryan Kreidler dropped a squeeze bunt that turned into an RBI single when deGrom and first baseman Jake Burger both converged on the ball, and nobody covered first base.

Keaschall completed the offensive outburst with a two-run triple into the right-field corner. Keaschall scored on a wild pitch.

In the fourth inning, Kreidler drew a one-out walk, and Keaschall followed with an RBI double that banged off the wall in left-center field. Keaschall scored when Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo dropped an attempted sliding catch on a line drive from Clemens.

Keaschall and Clemens authored another rally in the sixth inning. Keaschall hit a one-out single off Rangers reliever Gavin Collyer, and Clemens lofted a two-run homer into the left field bleachers when he connected on a full-count cutter. It was Clemens’ team-leading 27th homer of the season.

Keaschall, who has been one of the best hitters in the majors since the All-Star break, added a bloop single in the eighth inning. His four hits matched a single-game career high.

The Rangers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning before the Twins rattled off 10 unanswered runs. Brandon Nimmo opened with a double that diving center fielder Walker Jenkins couldn’t corral into his glove. After a hit batsman — one of the three batters Ryan plunked — Corey Seager lined an RBI single into right field and another run scored on a groundout.

Beginning with the end of the first inning, Ryan retired 11 straight batters as the Twins kept widening their lead over a playoff hopeful.

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