Kody Clemens erupted for Minnesota, blasting three homers and driving in five in a wild 9-8 walk-off over Arizona. The night featured a go-ahead three-run shot in the fourth, a leadoff blast to start the ninth, and a framing sequence that turned a deflating top of the ninth into a Twins’ late-night celebration. Clemens’ 14 total bases tied a club record, and the victory vaulted Minnesota into a dramatic, momentum-shifting win.

Pablo López returned from a three‑ month shoulder injury to six solid innings, surrendering two runs on Maikel García’s homer, but Kansas City edged Minnesota 2-1. López punched out three and fired 92 pitches, a welcomed jolt to a Twins rotation that has lost its footing since the setback.

The emotional lift in the clubhouse was palpable as López took the mound, suggesting a possible turnaround for Minnesota’s pitching staff down the stretch. Minnesota’s offense stagnated again, while KC’s Michael Wacha delivered six strong innings to seal the win, with García’s timely swing delivering the decisive blow.

Buxton sparked Minnesota’s win with a daring third-base attempt, slashing into the Twins’ 20/20 club by notching his 20th steal of the season in a year where health has limited his ceiling. The 7-4 victory over the Padres at Target Field air-dropped a renewed sense of 30/30 potential, as Buxton now needs three more homers and nine steals. Trevor Larnach supplied three hits in support, while Pablo López nears a return from a teres major strain rehab, and Minnesota contends with a crowded six-man rotation, including Taj Bradley set to start next, with a note on López’s planned five-inning rehab outing and the quirky motivation of his dog Bosco.

The win featured a Padres miscue that underscored Minnesota’s late-inning surge, and Zebby Matthews worked into the seventh to seal it. The club balanced health, depth, and a path back to full strength as López advances his return plan and the staff trims the rotation to accommodate a critical late-season push.

Luis Arraez returns to Target Field as a Padre, greeted by a standing ovation and a personal nod from Rod Carew. He punctuates the moment with a single and a sacrifice fly, reminding fantasy managers that his contact-first game still translates to consistent AVG and OBP across parks. The trade that sent him to San Diego for Pablo López remains a reminder that lineup context drives fantasy value as Arraez navigates a deeper Padres order.

Meanwhile, Minnesota tightens its pitching and calls up rehab arms as September arrives, while López’s presence on the Twins’ roster continues to shape the dynamic between the two clubs. With Bogaerts on the IL and Buxton/Polanco in the lineup, owners should monitor how Arraez’s left-field approach influences runs and opportunities in OBP-heavy leagues and how López’s return stabilizes the rotation for the stretch run.