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What We Know About Ryan Jeffers’ Injury So Far
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- What We Know About Ryan Jeffers’ Injury So Far
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Minnesota Twins won on Monday night at Target Field, in their series opener against the Houston Astros . It was a victory that took patience and fight, too.
Josh Bell — whose recent slump has dropped his batting average to .223 and OPS to .647 — started the party with a second inning solo home run off Astros starter, Tatsuya Imai . Two innings later, in the bottom of the 4th, Bell took Imai deep again, this time with Trevor Larnach on base, making the score 3-0, good guys.
Josh Bell has homered in back-to-back at-bats to start the game! pic.twitter.com/0MOzDmpjSC
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— MLB (@MLB) May 19, 2026
Josh Bell helps power Minnesota Twins to second-straight victory
Then, rain hit Minneapolis and play was delayed between the fifth and sixth innings. Two hours later, the Twins offense started back up right where it left off. And yet again, it was Josh Bell lighting the match, driving in his fourth run of the game via a bases-loaded single that stretched the lead to 4-0.
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One batter later, Luke Keaschall did the same thing, driving in two more runs. Just like that (about 3.5 hours after first pitch), the Twins were up 6-0 going into the 7th inning . And that's where the Astros made their only push of the evening, scoring all three of the runs they'd eventually tally.
Luke Keaschall has a .417 on-base percentage in the month of May. pic.twitter.com/9LfoOazMzm
— Twins Ribbies (@TwinsRibbies) May 19, 2026
The 6-3 win was Minnesota's second-straight victory and sixth win in their last nine games. Given the injuries this squad has faced through the first quarter of their 2026 MLB season, and the low expectations surrounding them entering Spring Training, locker room vibes at 22-26 should be pretty damn good.
Unfortunately, that's probably not the case. Because yet again last night, their victory was soiled by a potentially devastating injury. This time, it's starting catcher Ryan Jeffers — who has caught 31 of the MN Twins' 49 games this season.
Jeffers injury overshadows MN Twins win
After he hit a double and scoring in his first at-bat, following Monday's rain delay, Jeffers was due up to lead off the 8th inning, looking to do more of the same. Unfortunately, something went wrong when he swung out of his shoes on the first pitch, a cutter that shattered his bat.
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At that moment, however, it was just another broken wooden stick. Nothing — from the time he swung, to the moment he stepped back in the box, did the Minnesota Twins catcher wince or show that he was in any sort of pain.
Strange sequence in the #MnTwins game.
Ryan Jeffers broke his bat on a swing, looked ok, took the next pitch, stepped out, called time, left the game.
Hard to tell what happened.
(📺 https://t.co/BBqYdDCQqD ) pic.twitter.com/cQJl8uPMH9— Chris Long (@ChrisLongKSTP) May 19, 2026
In between, he flipped his bat, walked over to the dugout, got a new one, and walked back to the batter's box. However, after taking the next two pitches (both called balls), Ryan Jeffers stepped out and summoned MN Twins trainers.
Related: Struggling MN Twins Slugger Can't Settle on New Bat
Moments later, Minnesota's starting catcher left the game and was replaced by backup, Victor Caratini . When the game ended, Jeffers' injury was diagnosed as a left wrist sprain, according to reporters at Target Field.
Early diagnosis on Ryan Jeffers is a left wrist sprain.
Jeffers said he'll undergo further testing tomorrow.— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) May 19, 2026
This injury hurts the Minnesota Twins on so many levels, which is why fans and those inside the organization are holding their collective breath Tuesday morning.
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Bad luck and bad timing for Ryan Jeffers
Prior to injury, Ryan Jeffers was in the middle of a career start to the 2026 season, batting .294 with a .948 OPS built off 7 homers, 26 RBI and 25 runs scored. His 1.5 WAR leads all Minnesota Twins not named Byron Buxton (1.7 WAR).
Beyond Jeffers' offensive production, losing a veteran starting catcher hurts any team. Because they are one of just two positions involved in every single pitch, catchers are natural leaders in most dugouts, making this injury potential that much more devastating.
It being on his left wrist is concerning too, since that is the wrist tasked with absorbing the force of hundreds of 95+ MPH fastballs via MN Twins pitchers on a near-daily basis.
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