Athletics at Minnesota Twins

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
ATH	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	5	0
MIN	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0

Jacob Lopez (4-4, 6.64) gets the ball for Oakland looking to snap a personal skid, while Zebby Matthews (4-7, 5.40) takes the mound for Minnesota trying to put a disastrous last outing behind him. First pitch is 7:10 PM CT at Target Field.

Show fees

FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Athletics(43-59)

LLWLW

2

+1.5-150+130o9.5-111

Twins(51-53)

WWLLL

0

-1.5+150-133u9.5+111

Best BetTwins -144

Pregame

Minnesota's priced as a clear favorite here, and the recent form backs it up — the Twins just took 2 of 3 from a good Cleveland club while Oakland was getting run out of Arizona. Lopez's ERA north of 6.50 makes this a lean-in spot for the home side even with Matthews' own struggles. The price isn't a gift, but the Twins are the more complete team right now.

Neither arm is inspiring much confidence on paper, but the context around them tells the real story. Lopez got rocked for 8 runs on 9 hits in just 3 innings against the Cubs his last time out — the kind of start that makes a shaky Twins offense look unstoppable. Matthews, meanwhile, lasted only 4.1 innings against Washington and walked away with a loss, but he's got a healthier supporting cast behind him than Oakland does.

Jacob Lopez

(5-4)·5.64 ERA

Jul 19 vs Nationals

L

4.1IP

2ER

6K

2BB

84P

07/24 Lineup

Zebby Matthews

(4-8)·5.22 ERA

Jul 19 @ Cubs

L

3.0IP

8ER

4K

3BB

87P

07/24 Lineup

The Athletics are dealing with a rash of injuries that's gutted the middle of their lineup and rotation. Nick Kurtz is working his way back from a thumb issue, Brent Rooker is done for the year after a knee procedure, and J.T. Ginn just landed on the IL with a blister. Minnesota's issues are mostly on the mound — Pablo Lopez, David Festa and Mick Abel are all out for extended stretches — but their lineup is intact, and that's the difference-maker here.

Momentum matters in a long season, and right now it's all pointing one direction. Minnesota's coming off back-to-back wins over Cleveland to close a road trip, including a 10-6 slugfest and a tighter 3-1 finish. Oakland limps in having dropped 4 of its last 5, capped by a brutal stretch in Arizona that included a 5-15 blowout loss.

Athletics

(43-59)

Jul 22L@ Diamondbacks5-15

Jul 22L@ Diamondbacks5-6

Jul 21W@ Diamondbacks5-2

Jul 19Lvs Nationals2-5

Jul 19Wvs Nationals15-1

Minnesota Twins

(51-53)

Jul 23W@ Guardians3-1

Jul 22W@ Guardians10-6

Jul 21L@ Guardians2-5

Jul 20L@ Guardians4-13

Jul 19L@ Cubs1-10

Shea Langeliers remains the one bat in Oakland's lineup that can change a game by himself, and Zack Gelof's absence with a knee injury only makes the Athletics more dependent on him to carry the offense. That's a lot to ask against a Twins team that's starting to find its rhythm at home.

Athletics

(12)

• Day-To-DayColby Thomas (RF) — Thomas was diagnosed with a bruised left wrist after exiting Monday's 5-2 win over the Diamondbacks, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/21
• 10-Day-ILJoshua Kuroda-Grauer (3B) — Kuroda-Grauer was diagnosed with a testicular contusion after exiting Monday's 5-2 win over the Diamondbacks, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/21
• 10-Day-ILNick Kurtz (1B) — Kurtz (thumb), who was cleared to begin a hitting progression and fielded grounders Monday, could return from the injured list as early as this weekend against the Twins, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/21
• 10-Day-ILZack Gelof (3B) — Gelof will begin baseball activities once the stitches on his right knee are removed Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILJ.T. Ginn (SP) — The Athletics placed Ginn on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to a blister on his right middle finger.07/22
• 15-Day-ILMark Leiter Jr. (RP) — The Athletics reinstated Leiter (hip) from the 15-day injured list Friday.07/21
• 15-Day-ILJustin Sterner (RP) — Sterner earned his first save of the season in Wednesday's extra-inning win over the Cubs. He tossed a perfect inning while striking out one.07/18
• 60-Day-ILLuis Severino (SP) — Severino's (shoulder) recent MRI showed signs of healing, but manager Mark Kotsay indicated Saturday that the right-hander is several weeks away from a potential return to the rotation, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/19
• 60-Day-ILDenzel Clarke (CF) — Manager Mark Kotsay said Saturday that Clarke (hamstring) is nearing a rehab assignment, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/19
• 60-Day-ILBrent Rooker (DH) — Rooker will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/17
• 60-Day-ILBrooks Kriske (RP) — Kriske (shoulder) began a throwing progression Thursday, MLB.com reports.06/16
• 60-Day-ILGunnar Hoglund (SP) — Hoglund (knee/back) will be sidelined for the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery on his left hip Monday.05/20

Minnesota Twins

(9)

• Day-To-DayVictor Caratini (C) — Caratini was removed from Wednesday's game against the Guardians with an apparent knee injury, Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints.com reports.07/23
• 15-Day-ILMarco Raya (RP) — Raya (shoulder) struck out two and allowed two earned runs on one hit and one walk across one inning in a rehab appearance Saturday with Triple-A St. Paul.07/20
• 15-Day-ILConnor Prielipp (SP) — Prielipp (finger) struck out three and allowed no hits and one walk over three scoreless innings Sunday in a rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul.07/20
• 15-Day-ILAnthony Banda (RP) — Banda underwent surgery to repair his left lat strain and will miss the remainder of the 2026 season, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.07/09
• 15-Day-ILCole Sands (RP) — Sands (forearm) tossed a perfect inning in his rehab appearance with Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday.07/08
• 60-Day-ILDavid Festa (SP) — Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said that Festa (shoulder) is scheduled to visit Dr. Robert Bowers in Atlanta on Tuesday and Wednesday to receive an additional medical opinion after the right-hander recently showed symptoms of a potential recurrence of thoracic outlet syndrome, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.07/20
• 60-Day-ILMick Abel (SP) — The Twins plan to re-evaluate Abel (elbow) on Sept. 1, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.07/20
• 60-Day-ILGarrett Acton (RP) — Acton (shoulder) struck out a batter and allowed three earned runs on one hit and three walks over two-thirds of an inning in a rehab appearance Tuesday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.07/15
• 60-Day-ILPablo Lopez (SP) — The Twins placed Lopez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.05/08

At 43-59, Oakland's season is about evaluation at this point, not contention. Minnesota's 51-53 mark keeps them in the wild-card conversation if they can string together weeks like this one. A series win here does more for the Twins' outlook than it does anything for the Athletics, who just need bodies to stay healthy through August.