The Minnesota Twins have ended Bailey Ober‘s rehab assignment and activated him from the injured list to pitch on Saturday afternoon against the Cleveland Guardians at 3:10 p.m. CT. Ober’s return marks a critical moment as he aims to recover from a difficult stretch and a left hip impingement that sidelined him for more than a month.
Ober’s Struggles and Injury Details
Bailey Ober endured a challenging June, culminating in a particularly rough outing on June 28 in Detroit, where he gave up 11 hits, four home runs, and seven earned runs across 5.2 innings. This was part of a consistent pattern during the month, as Ober allowed 38 hits, 30 earned runs, and 14 homers in 30 innings, resulting in an alarming 9.00 ERA. His performance set an unwanted milestone, becoming the first Twins pitcher since 2008 to surrender 30 runs over five starts and tying Bert Blyleven’s franchise record with 14 home runs allowed in a single month.
While Ober appeared physically off, his strong April and May performances—where he posted a 2.43 ERA over 11 starts—suggested something was amiss. The diagnosis was a left hip impingement, which ultimately led to his placement on the injured list.
Rehab Progress and Potential Pitching Limits
Ober completed two rehab starts with the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul, allowing one earned run on six hits and issuing one walk over nine innings while striking out nine batters. His pitch counts were moderate, throwing 50 pitches in the first outing and 65 in the second, indicating the organization may monitor his workload carefully in his first start back.
Currently, Ober has a career-worst 5.28 ERA this season, a notable rise from 3.98 the previous year and 3.43 the year before. Despite the setbacks, the team retains his rights via arbitration for two more seasons beyond this one, making his recovery important to Minnesota’s pitching depth going forward.
Twins’ Upcoming Rotation and Future Plans
The Twins have announced Simeon Woods Richardson as the starter for Sunday’s series finale against the Guardians. The team has yet to name the Monday starter for their next series in Detroit. Comments from General Manager Derek Falvey suggest that recent additions Taj Bradley and Mick Abel are unlikely to start that game, leaving Pierson Ohl as a potential candidate for a second major league start.
The Importance of Ober’s Recovery for the Twins’ Season
Bringing Bailey Ober back into the rotation offers the Twins hope that one of their traditionally reliable starters can regain form and contribute meaningfully for the remainder of the season. Ober’s health and performance will be closely watched as Minnesota looks to strengthen its pitching staff amid a competitive stretch. How well he rebounds from his hip injury could significantly impact the team’s chances in upcoming games, especially as they face strong opponents like the Cleveland Guardians.