Taj Bradley’s rough stretch continues as Twins’ four-homer surge falls short in 10-4 loss to Tigers

Minnesota answered at the plate with four solo home runs, but Detroit’s timely extra damage behind Taj Bradley’s third straight start with trouble proved decisive at Comerica Park.

By The Apex Times Newsroom3 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Twins found another loud offensive rhythm at Comerica Park, but it was not enough to offset the starting pitching problem they have carried into recent outings. Minnesota clubbed four solo home runs for the second time in five games, yet the team still dropped a 10-4 decision to the Tigers on Tuesday night.

Taj Bradley, Minnesota’s starting pitcher, has been unable to turn early traction into a deeper start over his last three appearances. According to the MLB game report, Bradley struggled for a third consecutive start, allowing three home runs and ultimately failing to make it out of the fifth inning. The loss continued a stretch in which his run prevention has slipped from earlier consistency, with the report noting his ERA rose from 2.77 to 4.02 across those starts.

Bradley’s night included both giving up the long ball and losing command in ways that compounded Detroit’s attack. The report states he landed 52 of 89 pitches for strikes, but he also walked three and threw two wild pitches. Over the same three-start span, Minnesota’s starter has allowed 13 earned runs on 19 hits in 13 innings, numbers that help explain why the Twins’ offense has had to carry more of the load than usual.

Minnesota did its part to fight back, even when the game turned in Detroit’s favor. The report says the Twins’ home run output included a run-scoring moment that followed early innings, and it also describes how the Tigers’ lead grew after a key swing in the midgame. Detroit catcher Dillon Dingler’s impact was particularly pointed, with the report attributing the key turning point to Dingler’s three-run homer.

That swing came off reliever Taylor Rogers, who had been pitching effectively before the inning. The report notes Rogers had not allowed a run in eight consecutive outings, but he surrendered a three-run homer to Dingler on an 0-2 count with two outs in the sixth. With that blast, Detroit created separation and forced the Twins to spend more time in later-inning damage-control mode rather than setting the tone offensively.

After the game, Bradley described the challenge as an inability to find the right mental or procedural feel to get back to the longer outings he had earlier. The MLB report includes Bradley saying he does not have an immediate answer and that the situation feels “a bit confusing,” adding that he is trying to reset by taking a step back, breathing, and exhaling as he works toward regaining the ability to go deeper into games. Manager Derek Shelton, also in the report, framed it as execution and command, saying the team has to keep working to return Bradley to the level of consistency he showed earlier in the year before he went on the injured list in early May.

For Minnesota, the loss underscores a familiar baseball dilemma: once the pitcher is forced into a shorter outing, even four solo homers may not be enough to overcome the gaps that arrive when runs rack up quickly. The key next question is whether the Twins can stabilize their rotation rhythm, both by supporting Bradley while he adjusts and by limiting the innings where Detroit finds leverage swings.

For Detroit, the win offered a reminder that scoring off both the starter and the bullpen can overwhelm even a powerful home run night. The Tigers’ ability to convert moments in the fifth and sixth innings, as described in the report, turned Minnesota’s long-ball focus into a chase rather than a comeback-building opportunity. The immediate follow-up will be how quickly Bradley’s next start (and Minnesota’s bullpen deployment) can change the balance, since the report makes clear the difference between earlier form and the current stretch is depth, command, and damage control early.

Why It Matters

Minnesota’s offense is providing punch, but the recent stretch from its starter is forcing the team to carry extra scoring burden.
Bradley’s mid-season performance trend, including a rise in ERA in his last three starts as reported, affects how the Twins manage the rotation and bullpen in close games.
Detroit’s ability to score in the fifth and sixth innings, including off the bullpen, shows how quickly one inning can turn a power-hitting night into a loss.
How the Twins respond in the next start-and-relief plan will be a practical measure of whether they can stabilize after this run of shorter outings.

Sources

Key Facts

The Twins lost 10-4 to the Tigers at Comerica Park despite hitting four solo home runs, their second such game in five.
Taj Bradley struggled for a third consecutive start, allowing three home runs and failing to get past the fifth inning.
The game report says Bradley landed 52 of 89 pitches for strikes, walked three, and threw two wild pitches.
Detroit catcher Dillon Dingler hit a three-run homer off reliever Taylor Rogers in the sixth inning, which the report described as a key separation point.
Minnesota’s offensive outburst could not prevent Detroit from extending its advantage after the midgame swing.
Bradley and manager Derek Shelton both addressed the issue after the game, with Shelton attributing it to execution and command and Bradley describing a need to find cues to get back to longer outings.