Mets 10, Twins 8: Bullpen blows Jeffers’ late heroics

TL;DR

The New York Mets defeated the Minnesota Twins 10-8, despite a grand slam from Ryan Jeffers. The Mets' bullpen struggled again, allowing late runs that nearly cost them the game.

Key points

Mets won 10-8 against the Twins
Ryan Jeffers hit a grand slam for the Twins
Bo Bichette had a bases-clearing double for the Mets
Mets' bullpen has struggled recently
Twins' pitching staff is facing challenges

New York MetsMinnesota TwinsRyan JeffersBo Bichette

Apr 23, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Minnesota Twins pinch hitter Ryan Jeffers (27) hits a grand slam home run during the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images There were Twins littered on the bases all night, but as has been the case this series, they just couldn’t seem to find the one key hit to put up a crooked number. Until Ryan Jeffers came up with the bases juiced. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Making his first start after two years away recovering from a torn UCL, Mets SP Christian Scott had no feel for any of his pitches. Scott walked four Twins in the first frame, including Austin Martin which drove in the opening run of the game, but Minnesota couldn’t find the hit they needed to knock out New York’s starter. A walk, a balk, and a HBP to start the second inning ultimately did in Scott without allowing a hit. Also unfortunate: Joe Ryan. The Twins’ ace did not have his best stuff tonight, repeatedly leaving pitches down the middle of the plate. Three of the first four players he faced reached base, highlighted (or lowlighted, in our case) by Brett Baty’s three-run blast to put the Mets right back on top. Ryan did allow three more runs in the second inning, but all of those were unearned after a dropped strike three from Ryan Jeffers prolonged the inning. A solo homer from rookie outfielder Carson Benge was the final run added to Ryan’s tally, but he was clearly fighting it all night. Despite all the aforementioned baserunners, the Twins were only able to scrape across two runs in the middle innings while rookie pitcher Andrew Morris pitched a couple scoreless frames to keep Minnesota in striking distance. And boy, did Ryan Jeffers strike it well. Bases juiced, two outs, tying run at the plate. Take it away, Cory Provus. Game tied at 7, Morris came back out after retiring six straight Mets, but like in his previous outing, was just left out there one inning too many. New York went single, sac bunt, single, to put runners at the corners with one out. A short fly from kept the score tied with two outs, but manager Derek Shelton turned to to get the final out of the frame. And Banda, it should be noted, is bad. He walked pinch hitter , who hasn’t been a good hitter in half a decade. Then the Mets got some heroics of their own with big offseason acquisition delivering a bases-clearing, three run double to suck the remaining life out of the Twins. Down to their final strike in three separate ABs, , , and all delivered two-out hits in the 9th to put Buxton on second as the tying run, but closer got swinging to secure the Mets’ second win in the past two weeks. The bullpen is the biggest weakness on this team and it has shown for the past week, blowing late leads in four of the last five ballgames. There are potential reinforcements on the way with returning from paternity leave. Additionally, and are beginning rehab assignments, but neither of those pitchers is a proven relief option despite some internal optimism within the organization. If the Twins can hover around .500 until the trade deadline, there will be plenty of options to find relief help then, but we have a long way to go until July. **STUDS**

Q&A

What were the key moments in the Mets vs. Twins game on April 23, 2026?

Key moments included Ryan Jeffers hitting a grand slam for the Twins and Bo Bichette delivering a bases-clearing double for the Mets.

How did the Mets' bullpen perform in the game against the Twins?

The Mets' bullpen continued to struggle, blowing late leads in four of their last five games, but managed to secure the win against the Twins.

What is the status of the Twins' pitching staff after the game?

The Twins' pitching staff is facing challenges, with Joe Ryan struggling and potential reinforcements like Kody Funderburk and others beginning rehab assignments.

Who were the standout players in the Mets vs. Twins game?

Standout players included Austin Martin and Brooks Lee for the Twins, and Bo Bichette for the Mets, who had a significant impact on the game's outcome.