MINNEAPOLIS — The starting rotation, which carried the Twins to a 13-game winning streak last month that turned their season around, is now the team’s biggest concern.

Nothing went right for Bailey Ober, who surrendered a home run on his second pitch Thursday. He allowed a career-high six walks in 4 2/3 innings, two more than he issued in any of his other 101 career starts, and he gave up a career-high four homers.

It was a bad combination for Ober, and an embarrassing outcome for the Twins in a 16-3 drubbing from the Texas Rangers at Target Field. The Twins have dropped four of their past five series, and they were outscored 34-9 during their three games against Texas.

The lowest point: Position player Jonah Bride, pitching the last two innings, was hit in the left ankle by a comebacker that required a visit from a trainer.

Twins starting pitchers Pablo López and Zebby Matthews are on the injured list with separate shoulder injuries. López is out until at least August, and Matthews might not return before the All-Star break after he was shut down from throwing for two weeks.

In the eight games since López exited with a shoulder injury, Twins starters have posted a league-worst 7.07 ERA across 42 innings. The Twins have lost three of their past eight games by at least 11 runs, leaving Bride to cover five innings in the blowouts that look more like football scores.

The two injuries put a bigger spotlight on Ober, who pitched with diminished velocity in his previous two starts that he blamed on out of whack mechanics. His velocity returned to normal Thursday, but that was one of the few areas where he resembled his usual self.

Ober, who gave up a leadoff homer to Josh Smith to begin his afternoon, unraveled during a five-run, 41-pitch second inning. He permitted a solo homer to Jake Burger, who yanked a change-up over the left-field wall, then watched five straight Rangers batters reach base with two outs. Ober walked Adolis García, committed a balk and gave up an RBI single to Kyle Higashioka, the No. 9 batter in Texas’ lineup.

Wyatt Langford punctuated the second inning with a three-run homer, pulling a sinker that hit the left-field foul pole. Ober, who had walked 15 batters over his first 13 starts, threw only 16 of his 41 pitches for strikes during the inning.

After Evan Carter hit a solo homer in the fifth inning, a first-pitch slider that sailed over the seats in right field, Ober walked two more batters to end his outing. Ober, who sat alone on the dugout bench as he watched the conclusion of the fifth inning, allowed 12 runs over his last two starts.

The Rangers, who entered this week with one of the lowest-scoring offenses in the majors, scored six runs in the sixth inning against Twins relievers Cole Sands and Joey Wentz. Sands allowed three consecutive two-out singles, which included a two-run hit to Burger. García hit a three-run homer off Wentz, who walked three batters in his Twins debut after he was claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Danny Coulombe, who threw one pitch to record one out, was the only Twins pitcher who didn’t give up a run. Sam Haggerty hit a three-run homer off Bride in the ninth inning.

The Twins offense had a chance to make it a competitive game despite Ober’s poor start. Down by five runs in the second inning, the Twins loaded the bases with none out against Rangers lefty Patrick Corbin with the top of their lineup due. Byron Buxton, who drew a walk and scored in the first inning, swung underneath an elevated cutter and skied an infield pop-up.

Ryan Jeffers, the next batter, struck out on a slider in the dirt when he was unable to check his swing. Carlos Correa, who hit an RBI single in the first inning, ended the inning with a pop-up to second base, swinging at a down-the-middle sinker in a 2-0 count.

Corbin retired 12 consecutive batters until the Twins scored two runs in the sixth inning, which cut their deficit, at the time, to 10 runs.

©2025 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC