Twins thrash Rangers 10-2 as deGrom allows eight runs
The Minnesota Twins crushed the Texas Rangers 10-2 on Friday at Target Field, dealing a critical blow to Texas' AL West chase. Jacob deGrom matched a career high by allowing eight earned runs, while Luke Keaschall's four-hit night and Joe Ryan's six strong innings powered Minnesota.
Key Takeaways
- The Twins beat the Rangers 10-2 on Sept. 25, 2026, at Target Field in Minneapolis.
- Jacob deGrom (11-11) allowed eight earned runs over four innings, matching a career high.
- Luke Keaschall had four hits and three RBIs; Kody Clemens hit his team-leading 27th homer.
- Texas remains tied with Houston at 79-81 in the AL West; Josh Jung left with a broken bone in his right hand.
How did the Twins pull away so quickly?
After Texas scratched across two runs in the first on a Corey Seager RBI single and a Wyatt Langford run-scoring grounder, Minnesota answered in a hurry. Royce Lewis tied it with a two-run single in the second, and Ryan Kreidler's safety squeeze became a single when nobody covered first.
Luke Keaschall then tripled in two more runs and scored on a deGrom wild pitch as the Twins poured across six in the frame. Keaschall finished with four hits, including a double and a triple, and drove in three.
deGrom also surrendered two more runs in the fourth. He lasted four innings, allowing eight hits and three walks while striking out five — the fourth time in his career he has given up eight earned runs in a game.
Why does this loss matter for the Rangers' playoff hopes?
Texas fell to 79-81 and stayed tied with Houston, which holds the tiebreaker after the Astros also lost Friday. Per ESPN, an Astros win and Rangers loss on Saturday would clinch the division for Houston — and that winner would be baseball's first full-season postseason team without a winning record.
Manager Skip Schumaker had said it was time for the Rangers' "dudes to be dudes," with eyes on deGrom. Instead, the ace called his outing "embarrassing" after the six-run second and the two additional runs in the fourth.
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Who stood out for the Twins and what comes next?
Joe Ryan (7-10) limited Texas to two runs and four hits with eight strikeouts over six innings. Kody Clemens went 3-for-4 and launched his 27th home run in the sixth, leading the Twins.
The night also turned costly beyond the scoreboard: designated hitter Josh Jung suffered a broken bone in his right hand after being hit by a pitch in the first. He scored the Rangers' second run before exiting for a pinch hitter in the third.
Minnesota (76-84) hosts again Saturday, with Bailey Ober (7-6, 4.21 ERA) lined up against Nathan Eovaldi (11-10, 4.27). Attendance was 25,768 in a game that lasted 2 hours, 37 minutes.