Minnesota Twins’ week ends with plenty of homers, but rotation concerns linger

Minnesota split its final week into two stories: the offense stayed loud, and the starting pitching kept throwing up questions. The Twins went 3-3 overall, closing a three-series run against AL Central rivals with a series loss in Detroit before returning home for a series win against the St. Louis Cardinals.

In the week’s most consistent theme, the Twins kept finding the ball in the air with authority. They homered 14 times across the span, and the extra-base production looked particularly driven by their corner outfield and infield depth. The clubhouse emphasis, at least in results, stayed simple: keep swinging and keep turning good contact into long balls.

Byron Buxton provided the week’s cleanest subplot. He returned from an earlier running-injury scare described as “running into the wall” during the Royals series and responded with four home runs in the span. His output gave Minnesota a reminder of the upside the lineup carries when the athletic outfielder is healthy and fully integrated into game-to-game swings.

Royce Lewis added a second power thread, with playing time at first base during a five-game stretch. The numbers tied to that role were eye-catching: he hit three home runs during the week. That production matters beyond the week itself, because it suggests the Twins can still generate impact bats through multiple spots in the lineup, even when roles shift.

The part of the report that carries the most concern is the rotation. The starters allowed 24 earned runs in 32 innings during the week, and for the season the group’s combined 4.61 ERA ranks eighth-worst in MLB. In a division where runs can decide games quickly, Minnesota will need its starters to do more than trade innings for contact and hope the offense can outlast the opposition.

With the week wrapped, the Twins now look ahead to a road stretch described as taking them to Dallas and then Phoenix. That sets up a practical test: can Minnesota keep its power output while tightening early-innings pitching to reduce the burden on bullpen and hitters alike? If the homers continue but the rotation remains below average, the margin for error shrinks.

For now, the Twins’ title of the week reads as “homers abound,” but the longer narrative depends on whether the starting staff can bring that same consistency from a results standpoint. The next stretch will show whether the lineup’s punch is enough to mask the rotation’s struggles, or whether Minnesota will be forced to find answers before the schedule moves on.