The Minnesota Twins had been finding their pattern. With a track record of 34-27, they are making noise in the AL Central, and with the help of their rock-solid pitching staff, they are riding a wave of confidence. Even with their offense, they are still trying to catch fire, the arms have done enough to keep playoff hopes alive. Everything pointed toward a rosy midseason push. But suddenly that momentum came to a halt. During a seemingly routine outing against the A’s, their $73.5 million ace left the mound early and did not bounce back. With just three pitches thrown in the sixth, the Twins had their devastating news: Pablo López was injured.

“I tried to stay loose — we had a long inning. Then I went out there and made my three warmup pitches [before the sixth] low-to-mid intensity, and I felt the same thing. If it felt that way, then if I try to make a max-effort throw to get the inning started, you wonder what could happen,” Lopez revealed.

So what happened there? Their Opening Day starter, López, will be out for the next 8 to 12 weeks after having a Grade 2 strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder. The injury came in Tuesday’s win over the A’s when López tried to ready for the sixth, but after just three pitches, he knew something was off track.

This is not just a small pothole in the road. López had been the most reliable starter of Minnesota, navigating the team’s rotation with a 2.82 ERA and flirting with another All-Star selection. In a statement that hit hard, Chris Rose said, “The Twins are going to be without their best pitcher for quite some time.” This is not the first time for the franchise, as per Rose, “This is a thing that cost Joe Ryan the rest of his 2024 season.” Though the Twins are holding out hope for López’s comeback later this year, the reality is that his absence might determine whether they are a contender or just another .500 clubhouse by August.

The real heartbreak is not just the stats, it is how much this matters mentally and emotionally. “It’s a tough pill to swallow,” López admitted. “You feel that you’re not a part of something… I either choose to drown myself in tears of sorrow, or I choose to power through.” His passion for the game has been evident, and now he is facing the most frustrating role of all: seeing everything from the grandstands. Meanwhile, the club has not made any firm rotation move yet, though David Festa is likely to take his place temporarily. But even with internal alternatives such as Festa or Simeon Woods Richardson, no one truly matches the stability López brought to the table.

Manager Rocco Baldelli tried to keep things positive for fans, but even he knew the impact this could have. “We’re just going to aim at getting back on the field in the most responsible fashion and let him heal up fully. But I truly believe he’s going to be out there pitching for us, [and] probably not at the very end of the year. We’re talking like he’ll be able to pitch significantly for us this year. We’re going to stay optimistic and let him do his thing.” 

With the team’s rotation suddenly compromised and López’s absence leaving a gap, the margin for mistakes shrinks dramatically. If they think to keep their postseason dreams alive, the Twins can no longer afford to tread water, specifically, with glaring issues on the corners that now ask for urgent trade deadline answers.

Minnesota Twins 2025 trade deadline primer on two pressing roster needs

The numbers are bad. Minnesota‘s third basemen rank dead last in MLB with a -1.0 fWAR and only the Brewers have delivered a lower wRC in this role. Once seen as a long-term outcome, Royce Lewis, after his return from the injured list because of a hamstring injury, has not delivered effectively. After being moved to the bottom of the batting order, he is now showing a negative WAR, and if the situation remains the same, then a demotion to Triple-A is not out of the question. Then there is Brooks Lee, once the next-best hope, who has been similarly disappointing with a 76 OPS+ and negative WAR.

The fill-ins have not helped. Jonah Bride is not producing, and Willi Castro, while valuable as a versatile star, is not effective enough for the everyday third base role. Jose Miranda, a former breakout talent, is hitting just .636 OPS and still struggling with pitch recognition. At this moment, filling the third base with more internal contenders is just like rearranging deck chairs.

Trade-wise, the names are not flashy, and they do not need to be. The bar is that low. Luis Urías (115 OPS+), Miguel Andújar (106 OPS+), and Eugenio Suárez (124 OPS+ with 16 HRs) are all viable for rentals. All of them bring enough reliability to stop the bleeding and stabilize the hot corner. And considering Suárez’s power and playoff experience, the star could be the ideal short-period plug.

Then there is first base, less urgent but still slipping. Ty France was meant to be a solid veteran presence. Instead, he is underwhelmed with a 97 OPS+, and while his RBI total looks okayish, his underlying metrics are slumping. Low barrel rate, poor walk rate, and middling exit velocity all indicate towards downfall.

Minnesota sits dead-average at first base by wRC+ (103), but with third base collapsing, being average is not good enough. The Twins need at least one spot in that corner infield because of production numbers. Josh Naylor is a familiar name with a 103 OPS+, but his salary and Arizona’s demands might entangle things. Unless a deal is lined up, first base may remain untouched.

Still, the third base urgency needs to be resolved at the earliest. The Twins have a winning foundation and a wide-open division. But if they do not fill this pothole at the hot corner quickly, the loss of López might not be the only thing that derails their postseason aspiration.

The Twins entered June with momentum and playoff aspirations, but Pablo López’s injury has catapulted their season into uncertainty. With third base in disarray and first base barely splashing water, Minnesota faces a pivotal few weeks. If they do not act early at the deadline, their window could close before it ever truly opens.

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