Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins Picks and Prediction for Sunday, July 26, 2026

The Athletics visit the Minnesota Twins on Sunday at 2:10 PM ET at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Athletics are 44-59 and sit fourth in the AL West, eight games behind the Texas Rangers. They opened the series with a 2-0 victory on Friday after splitting their previous four games. Minnesota is 51-54 and sits third in the AL Central, 4.5 games behind the Chicago White Sox. The Twins had won two straight before Friday's loss and are 26-26 at home this season. Cash in a winner with our free MLB picks.

Athletics Pitching has been a Challenge

The Athletics have been one of the better offensive clubs in the American League despite their record, batting .247 while scoring 460 runs with 867 hits, 127 home runs, a .324 on-base percentage, and a .406 slugging percentage. Shea Langeliers leads the club with 23 home runs, while Nick Kurtz has produced a .266 batting average, 20 home runs, and a team-high 66 RBIs. Tyler Soderstrom has added 16 home runs, Jacob Wilson is batting .286, and Zack Gelof has contributed 11 home runs despite missing time. The Athletics have enough power throughout the lineup to create scoring chances in every game.

Pitching has been the Athletics' biggest challenge this season. The staff owns a 5.39 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP while allowing opponents to bat .268, the highest opponent average in Major League Baseball. The Athletics have collected 870 strikeouts but have struggled to limit hard contact and home runs. Even with those season-long numbers, the staff turned in one of its best performances Friday by holding Minnesota scoreless.

Injuries: Colby Thomas (Day-to-Day), Nick Kurtz (10-Day IL), Zack Gelof (10-Day IL), Brooks Kriske (60-Day IL), Justin Sterner (15-Day IL).

Minnesota Twins Struggling on the Mound

Minnesota has produced a balanced offense this season, batting .245 while scoring 498 runs with 869 hits, 126 home runs, a .320 on-base percentage, and a .408 slugging percentage. Byron Buxton leads the Twins with a .272 batting average and 25 home runs, while Josh Bell has driven in 62 runs. Brooks Lee has collected 92 hits with 15 home runs, Trevor Larnach is batting .294, and Kody Clemens has added 18 home runs. Minnesota can score in bunches despite being shut out in the series opener.

The Twins' pitching staff has posted a 4.71 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP while holding opponents to a .254 batting average. Minnesota has recorded 858 strikeouts and has shown the ability to bounce back after difficult outings. The club will look for a stronger overall effort after managing only two hits in Friday's loss.

Injuries: Marco Raya (15-Day IL), Connor Prielipp (15-Day IL), Garrett Acton (60-Day IL), Cole Sands (15-Day IL), David Festa (60-Day IL).

Pitching Matchup

Athletics – Jeffrey Springs

Springs is 3-9 with a 5.96 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP across 102.2 innings. He has allowed 108 hits, 27 home runs, and struck out 86 batters while walking 38. The veteran left-hander faces a difficult assignment against a Minnesota lineup with several power hitters.

Minnesota Twins – Joe Ryan

Ryan enters with a 6-6 record, a 3.38 ERA, and a 1.10 WHIP over 114.1 innings. He has allowed 101 hits while striking out 131 batters and walking only 25. Ryan has been Minnesota's most dependable starter and gives the Twins a clear advantage on the mound.

Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins Game Pick

• Minnesota Twins

Minnesota is in a favorable spot to even the series behind Joe Ryan, who owns the best numbers of either starting pitcher. Ryan has consistently limited baserunners while piling up strikeouts, and he faces an Athletics club that may be without one of its top run producers. The Athletics have struggled throughout the season on the mound, posting the highest ERA and opponent batting average in the majors. Minnesota has the stronger starting pitcher and enough offensive depth to earn a home victory.

Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins Over/Under Pick

• Over

Jeffrey Springs has allowed 27 home runs and carries a 5.96 ERA, creating scoring chances for a Minnesota lineup that has hit 126 home runs this season. The Athletics also rank near the top half of the league in home runs and have enough power to produce runs against Minnesota. With one vulnerable starting pitcher and two offenses capable of leaving the yard, this matchup will cash over the total.