Minnesota Twins pitcher Taj Bradley etched his name into franchise history on Tuesday night in Sacramento, becoming the first player in team history to record an “immaculate inning.” Bradley achieved the feat in the fifth inning against the Oakland Athletics, striking out three consecutive batters on exactly nine pitches.
Despite Bradley’s milestone—which included a season-high 11 strikeouts over 6⅔ innings—the Twins fell to the Athletics, 4-2. The loss at Sutter Health Park marks the team’s fourth defeat in their last five games during their current West Coast road trip, leaving the Twins with a 64-69 record. They now sit 2½ games out of a wild-card position and 5½ games behind in the American League Central race.
The evening was further dampened by an injury to center fielder Byron Buxton. During the seventh inning, while pursuing a ball hit by Henry Bolte into the right-center gap, Buxton appeared to sustain an injury as he reached for the ball. The hit resulted in a triple after the ball bounced past him toward the wall. Buxton was attended to by a trainer and manager Derek Shelton before exiting the game directly to the center field clubhouse.
Buxton has struggled with durability throughout the season, having already spent two stints on the 10-day injured list since early July due to persistent right hip pain. Tuesday’s game was only his 11th appearance since returning from his most recent IL assignment. The team has not yet provided a formal diagnosis or a timeline for his return, leaving his status for the remainder of the playoff push uncertain.