Mick Abel ended his Twins debut season on a high note, turning in arguably the best start of his young career against the team that traded him away just two months prior. Turning six shutout innings with nine strikeouts and only three hits, Abel led the 2025 Twins to a rare complete late-season victory against the Fightin’ Phils, as Minnesota shut out the home team by a 5-0 margin.
That tally started very quickly, with Byron Buxton launching another leadoff homer in the first. For the Truck Driver,
it was bomba number 35 on his dazzling season, a round-enough number that will give him plenty to be proud of over the winter.
For his part, it also seemed to inspire some of the fringe position players on the roster to show they had a little left in the tank at the end of a long season. James Outman hit a solo homer in the fifth, and Ryan Fitzgerald hit the fourth of his career in the seventh.
Also in the seventh came a Ryan Jeffers double — number 25 on the year, fielded by Harrison Bader, and scoring Austin Martin.
Beyond that, fans enjoyed seeing the first major-league RBI for Carson McCusker, who grounded into a fourth-inning forceout that plated Kody Clemens.
The Twins had 11 hits tonight, nine of which came against Ranger Suarez in a start that did not make it through the fifth inning. Philadelphia burned four more relivers to finish the game; the Twins were able to get by with Pierson Ohl and Kody Funderburk alone.
But most importantly, the streak is finally over. The Twins decided to win a game for my last recap of ‘25 after not winning on any other Saturday since before the All-Star Break (and losing both games of a Sunday doubleheader that I covered, just for style points.) As I’m sure you’d agree, the real joy of TwinkieTown.com is not keeping up with the Twins, it’s keeping up with me.
And tonight, I’m doin’ just fine.
STUDS:
SP Mick Abel (6 IP, 3 H, BB, 9 K)
RP Pierson Ohl (2 IP, 2 H, 3 K)
DH Byron Buxton (2-for-5, R, RBI, HR)
LF Austin Martin (2-for-4, R, BB)
C Ryan Jeffers (2-for-4, RBI, 2B)
DUDS:
NO DUDS! TWINS WIN! TWINS WIN!
(The Pohlad Family)
