The Minnesota Twins, despite a roster shake-up at the trade deadline, encountered a strikingly familiar and disheartening outcome against the Cleveland Guardians, suffering another walk-off defeat in a tightly contested extra-inning battle that mirrored past struggles at Progressive Field.

Friday night’s 3-2 loss saw rookie Kyle Manzardo deliver the decisive blow for the Guardians in the 10th inning, a walk-off single off Twins reliever Kody Funderburk. This marked Manzardo’s second such heroics against the Twins this season, highlighting a recurring pattern of Cleveland’s dominance in close encounters.

The defeat extended the Twins’ agonizing streak to 13 consecutive one-run losses at Progressive Field, a statistic that underscores their persistent difficulties in clutch situations against their division rivals. Cleveland has consistently found ways to secure narrow victories, accumulating 20 wins in their last 28 home games against Minnesota.

Twins starter Joe Ryan delivered a solid outing, conceding only two runs through six innings, yet his performance was overshadowed by the offensive struggles and a pre-game scare involving a mistaken trade report. Ryan, briefly believing he was dealt to Boston, learned the errant social media post was false, adding an unusual twist to his preparations.

Manager Rocco Baldelli described Friday as one of his busiest days, with the Twins promoting eight new players before the game. This influx of fresh faces led to lighthearted jokes among players about needing nametags during batting practice, reflecting the significant personnel shifts post-trade deadline.

Minnesota’s offense struggled to generate sustained pressure, managing only six hits throughout the game. Their two runs in the seventh inning came courtesy of a Cleveland error by Hunter Gaddis, whose ill-advised throw to first base allowed two unearned runs to score and briefly tied the game, showcasing a moment of fortune that wasn’t capitalized upon.

Despite the “new-look” moniker, the underlying narrative of tight losses to the Guardians, particularly in one-run affairs, remains unchanged for the Twins. This recent extra-innings defeat serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that persist for the club as they navigate a revamped roster in the competitive MLB Baseball landscape.