After being swept by the San Diego Padres in three games at Petco Park this past weekend, the Minnesota Twins are set to begin a three-game series against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, Calif., at 8:40 p.m. CDT on Monday. The Athletics are the worst team in the American League with a 51-80 (.389) record. They are coming off a 2-1 series victory over the Houston Astros at Daikin Park.
As the Twins prepare to take on the Athletics, let's take a look at the latest news surrounding the team.
Twins fall out of playoff spot after Padres series
Before the Padres series, the Twins were the third American League Wild Card team with a 63-65 record. Minnesota is no longer in playoff position, but the team isn't too far out.
Here are the AL Wild Card standings (Aug. 24):
Team | Record | Games Back |
|---|---|---|
New York Yankees | 74-56 (.569) | +9.5 |
Boston Red Sox | 71-59 (.546) | +6.5 |
Cleveland Guardians | 65-66 (.496) | |
Texas Rangers | 65-66 (.496) | |
Toronto Blue Jays | 64-68 (.485) | 1.5 |
Minnesota Twins | 63-68 (.481) | 2.0 |
Baltimore Orioles | 63-68 (.481) | 2.0 |
Seattle Mariners | 62-69 (.473) | 3.0 |
Detroit Tigers | 61-69 (.469) | 3.5 |
Meanwhile, the Twins are 5 1/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox for first place in the American League Central.
Twins place LHP Kendry Rojas on 7-day IL
The Minnesota Twins placed left-hander Kendry Rojas on the 7-day injured list, according to the southpaw's transaction log on MLB.com. Rojas suffered a right oblique strain, per AaronGleeman.com's Aaron Gleeman.
Twins placed left-hander Kendry Rojas on the Triple-A St. Paul injured list with a right oblique strain.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) August 22, 2026
Yet another injury hit to the Twins' already minimal starting rotation depth. And now Rojas' ability to play a major-league role of some kind down the stretch is in question.
Rojas exited his Friday start with Triple-A St. Paul in the second inning due to his oblique injury.
While Rojas has primarily served as a bulk reliever/spot starter for the Twins this year, he has recently been operating as a starter with the Saints.
The 23-year-old has posted a 3.34 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 22 walks over 29 2/3 innings with Minnesota this year. He has recorded a 3.18 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 10 walks over 34 innings at the Triple-A level this season.
It'll be interesting to see what the Twins do with Rojas if he returns this year. While he has been getting stretched out as a starter lately, Minnesota could be interested in his services as a reliever for the postseason if the team makes it that far.
Twins promote 2026 No. 3 overall pick Vahn Lackey
The Twins quietly announced they promoted catcher Vahn Lackey to High-A Cedar Rapids. Lackey, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, slashed .204/.389/.370 with one home run, nine RBI and five stolen bases across 15 games with Low-A Fort Myers before being promoted.
While Lackey's batting average and slugging percentage in his short stint with Fort Myers weren't great, his strong 19.4% walk rate is impressive for a 21-year-old in his first 15 professional games.
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