Gómez picks up 16th save of season in win over MIL

Yoendrys Gómez got a win today after recording five outs between the sixth and seventh innings, and A.J. Minter notched a hold with a scoreless eighth. Morris’s save was his first since Aug. 24, when he got one out in relief of an ineffective Gómez, and second of the second half. Jeff Hoffman, who got a save last night, is probably the best bet in the Twins pen for saves this weekend.

Gómez retired only one of the five batters he faced before being replaced by Kody Funderburk, who saved Gómez’s ERA by inducing a double play. It left with the Twins with a one-run lead entering the ninth, but that was blown by A.J. Minter in what turned into an 11-inning loss. Gómez was back in action tonight following one day off after pitching three days in a row, and the Twins are simply asking for too much from him at the moment. He’s been a great surprise for the team this year, but he’s still an average reliever at best. One imagines that Jeff Hoffman, who pitched a scoreless seventh tonight, will get a chance to take over as the Twins’ closer next year. It should have happened after he was acquired last month.

If the Twins had it to do over again, one imagines they would have stuck with Jeff Hoffman in the 10th after he got one out in the ninth. Instead, they went back to Gómez, who threw 10 pitches Tuesday and 24 on Wednesday. He walked one and gave up a game-tying hit while getting one out before being replaced. Kody Funderburk then surrendered a game-winning single to Wade Meckler. Gómez was 22-for-22 saving games this season prior to Wednesday’s affair. However, he’s now sporting a 7.54 ERA since the beginning of August.

Gómez entered the ninth with a 2-0 lead but allowed a couple of baserunners before Anthony Volpe smacked a game-tying, two-run double. The game then went to extras, and Minnesota won 5-4 in 13 innings. Gómez leads the club with 20 saves this season and has held onto the role despite the team trading for Jeff Hoffman at the deadline. His track record doesn’t guarantee he’ll enter 2027 as the preferred ninth-inning option, however.

Gómez struck out Tigers outfielder Riley Greene to begin the ninth inning before retiring the next two batters and locking down his 22nd save. He’s come out of nowhere this season to be a crucial pickup for fantasy managers. Gómez began the year with Tampa Bay, had an 6.23 ERA with the Rays and didn’t get his first save with the Twins until May 10. He just picked up his eighth save since the start of August and has a 2.44 ERA in 44 1/3 innings with the Twins.

Gómez’ save was his 21st of the season. He recorded one strikeout in a perfect ninth inning. Gómez hasn’t blown a save all season. He has a 3.56 ERA.

Jeff Hoffman set him up by striking out three out of four batters in the eighth. We thought Hoffman might close today, but the Twins thought it was fine to use Gómez for a third straight day. He picked up saves in every game of the sweep of the Braves.

Gómez pitched around a Michael Harris II double to record a scoreless ninth inning and pick up the save against the Braves on Tuesday. It was his 19th save of the season. With a 3.25 ERA, Gómez has emerged as the top reliever for the Twins this year after many different relievers recorded saves for Minnesota in the first half of the season.

Gómez walked the next batter after the Leody Taveras homer, but he then got a liner back to the mound that he turned into a double play, followed by a groundout. It’s the third time in five appearances this month that Gomez has allowed a run, though one of those was just the automatic runner in the 10th. He still hasn’t blown a save chance this year.

Gómez entered after the Twins failed to score in the top of the 10th. He intentionally walked Garrett Mitchell and then struck out William Contreras before giving up a game-winning single to Jake Bauers. It’s Gómez’s second loss in four appearances this month, but just allowing the automatic runner to score shouldn’t really be held against him. He does need to be sharp going forward with Jeff Hoffman waiting in the wings.