The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-2, with Junior Caminero hitting a home run. The Twins struggled offensively, continuing their poor performance from last season.
Key points
Tampa Bay Rays won 6-2 against Minnesota Twins
Junior Caminero hit a home run
Twins struggled offensively
Drew Rasmussen pitched well for the Rays
Game took place at Tropicana Field
Tampa Bay RaysMinnesota TwinsJunior CamineroDrew Rasmussen
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 24: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Tropicana Field on April 24, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 24: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Tropicana Field on April 24, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Against an opposing pitcher whoâs been one of the best in the AL the last several years, you need your starter to be really sharp â Taj Bradley was doing kinda OK until he wasnât â and you need your hitters to take advantage of opportunities when they arise. These TWINS were terrible at the latter last year, and are running out mostly the same lineup now. What else would you expect to happen?
Inning-by-inning notes:
**1:** If you missed the intro, Drew Rasmussen is a darn good pitcher. That sinker/4-seam/cutter mix means three pitches in the 90s that can go in or out and theyâre all thrown hard. strikes out and two other guys hit nubbers. The onus is gonna be on Taj Bradley to throw a heckuva game.
Arenât too many ballparks where a ball hit 450 feet ainât a home run. Maybe the old Polo Grounds? (Looks it up.) Yep, the centerfield wall was 483 feet from home plate. This ainât the Polo Grounds, though. . **Rays 1-0**
**2:** Groundout, flyout, groundout. Drew Rasmussenâs career BAbip is .262. Normally, when a pitcherâs BAbip is much lower than around .300, thatâs taken as an indicator that theyâre getting lucky and are likely to come down to Earth sooner or later. So was Mariano Riveraâs .265 BAbip a fluke? It certainly wasnât.
Three outs on nine pitches is much better than 450-foot dongs.
**3:** Well, thatâs one way to get on base; walks. (Rasmussen doesnât walk a lot of guys, either.) Followed by K, ê, groundout. Sigh.
Unlucky start; squeezes one right down the left-field line and it gets by 3B for a double. Then the Rays do something I canât remember the Twins doing in years; they have the #9 hitter lay down a perfect sac bunt to move the runner to third. A grounder on a contact play gets Fortes in.
Radio actually has an interesting factoid; that RBI grounder was by , who has never hit a home run over the fence; he had three inside-the-park home runs in the minors. He hit one off Twins pitcher in Spring Training this year, but I guess that doesnât count. **Devil Rays 2-0**
**4:** Hey now â a single by and a first pitch double by puts two guys in scoring position. strikes out and I have a terrible feeling about this. strikes out and Royce Lewis bloops one into âno-manâs landâ that , who is a human man, catches.
Itâs innings like this that make me physically angry with the Twins. Like my tummy hurts. I hope the team hotel has bedbugs. OK, not that. But Iâm still angry.
off Bradley, the second long ball Bradleyâs given up this year. Notably, both homers were on balls outside of the strike zone.
Also not in the strike zone were the four straight balls Bradley threw to (after a single by ), so this inning/game are within range of getting out of hand. Smart running by DeLuca; he tags and reaches third on a foul flyout just beyond first base. Fortunately Bradley induces the groundout; still, **3-0** seems like more than these Twins can manage tonight.
**5:** FINALLY! has a nice AB and it . He fouled off or took several close pitches after falling behind 0-2. The Pride of Missouri City, TX, , singles. Nothing comes of it.
A seven-pitch inning for Taj. He really is pitching pretty well (minus that walk last inning); too bad the Twins left their good bats in Minnesota. ** 3-1**
**6:** Klobberinâ Kody Klemens has a two-out hit. Do you think it matters? Do you think anything the Twins will try to do matters? Now, tomorrow, or ever again? It doesnât.
. Same location; off the plate inside. Then singles. With two outs, Ben Williamson walks. that probably would have scored both runners BUT NOTHING MATTERS DO NOT BOTHER CARING
**7:** Kris Atteberry mentions that new RP went to Dartmouth and this fills my heart with hate. Not for Sulser. Brooks Lee has a one-out single. It doesnât matter. Byron Buxton hits a long fly. Atteberry is excited. I know not to be.
Huh. With one out and the Rays coming around for the fourth time, pitching coach Pete Maki walks out from the dugout and⊠is ejected. I dunno why. Doesnât he know that it doesnât matter?
Caminero . So what. That one wasnât off the plate, by the way, it was dead center. In comes , a relief pitcher who currently sucks at relief pitching. He is fine. **St. Petersburg Devil Rays 6-1**
**8:** Trevor Martin replaces Cole Sulser. It doesnât matter.
comes in for the team that will lose. He was traded by Tampa to Minnesota this offseason for a pitcher named Jacob Kisting. He currently has a 1.80 ERA in high-A. Good for him.
**9:** Royce Lewis improves his OPS from .726 to .771 . Good for him. Wallner singles and Lee doubles. It doesnât matter. in to pitch for the Rays. The shame of Missouri City, TX, Tristan Gray, canât hit it far enough for the runners to advance and Buxton strikes out on nine pitches and Larnach grounds out I told you it didnât matter. **Twins lose**
Studs of the game: Lee and Lewis both having dingers and . Duds: hoo boy. That last Bradley homer was bad. Caratini, Clemens, Gray and Wallner for failing to do ANYTHING with RISP and less than two outs.
COTG goes to nagurskiinnortheast the Twinsâ hitters and Zach a typically wonderful family photo. Thanks to everybody who participated in a GT for a game that was genuinely pretty boring right from the start.
Tomorrowâs game is at 3:10, featuring Shane (not Rue) against our own . Catch yâall next time!
Q&A
What was the final score of the Rays vs. Twins game on April 24, 2026?
The final score was Tampa Bay Rays 6, Minnesota Twins 2.
Who hit a home run for the Rays in the game against the Twins?
Junior Caminero hit a home run for the Rays in the first inning.
How did the Twins perform offensively in the game against the Rays?
The Twins struggled offensively, failing to capitalize on scoring opportunities throughout the game.
What impact did Drew Rasmussen have on the game for the Rays?
Drew Rasmussen pitched effectively for the Rays, limiting the Twins' scoring chances and contributing to their victory.
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