The Minnesota Twins suffered another tough loss Tuesday night, falling 12-3 at home to the AL Central’s last-place Chicago White Sox. It marked their second straight defeat to open the four-game series, following a narrow 6-5 loss in Game 1 Monday.
After the blowout, manager Rocco Baldelli didn’t hold back, offering one of his bluntest postgame assessments of the season in a quote posted by Dan Hayes of The Athletic on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“I’m going to stay optimistic most of the time, but that wasn’t good.”
Baldelli’s comment came after a rough night for the Twins' pitching and defense. Although they jumped ahead early thanks to a leadoff triple from Byron Buxton and an RBI single by Trevor Larnach, that brief lead quickly vanished.
Chicago's Andrew Benintendi erupted for two home runs and five RBIs, powering the White Sox to a third straight win. Simeon Woods Richardson allowed two earned runs over five innings but also committed a throwing error that helped Chicago take control. Reliever Thomas Hatch gave up five runs, further exposing Minnesota’s bullpen struggles.
With the loss, the Twins fell to 62–76 and remain well behind in the AL Central. They sit 17 games back of the first place Detroit Tigers and are now only narrowly ahead of the White Sox in the standings. Minnesota is on pace for its worst finish since 2016.
Baldelli is known for staying composed postgame, but Tuesday’s tone was different. His honesty reflects growing frustration and possibly a turning point as the team looks ahead to 2026. Fan reactions to Hayes’ post showed similar discontent, with calls for change and questions about the team’s direction.
As the season winds down, the club is expected to give more opportunities to younger players. Rookie Zebby Matthews is lined up to start next. Trade rumors around Buxton and Larnach may also grow louder this offseason.
For the White Sox, it was a rare bright spot in a difficult year. For the Twins, it was another reminder that major adjustments are needed—on the field and possibly in the dugout as well.
