Mariners 7, Twins 1: Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor Flip the Series

The lead

April 28, 2026 - Minneapolis - The Seattle Mariners answered Monday's blowout loss with a cleaner, later-building win, beating the Minnesota Twins 7-1 behind Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor.

Rodriguez hit three doubles, scored twice, and drove in two. Naylor had three hits, four RBI, and the swing that separated the game: a three-run homer in the eighth. Seattle trailed early, tied it in the sixth, took the lead in the seventh, and then turned a tight game into a comfortable one against the Minnesota bullpen.

How the game turned

The Twins led first when Byron Buxton homered off Logan Gilbert to open the fifth. Trevor Larnach followed with a double off the wall, but Gilbert stranded him. That missed chance mattered because Minnesota left multiple runners in scoring position during the middle innings.

Seattle tied it in the sixth. Rodriguez doubled down the left-field line, and Naylor singled him home. In the seventh, Cole Young delivered a two-out RBI single to put Seattle ahead 2-1.

The decisive inning came in the eighth. J.P. Crawford walked, Rodriguez doubled again, and Naylor launched a no-doubt three-run homer to right off Cole Sands. Rodriguez added a two-run double in the ninth to make it 7-1.

Pitching and matchup notes

Gilbert gave Seattle five innings of one-run ball in his first start since taking a line drive that left him with a bruised stomach and a cut on his left hand. He was not asked to dominate deep into the game, but he held the Twins to one run and let the bullpen take over.

Four Seattle relievers combined to retire the final 12 Twins hitters. Eduard Bazardo earned the win with a scoreless sixth, and the relief group made sure Minnesota never got a second rally after Buxton's homer.

Joe Ryan was strong for Minnesota, allowing only two runs in six-plus innings, but the Twins bullpen could not hold the game. The Mariners scored six runs over the final three innings.

Bats that changed the board

Rodriguez was the table setter and the closer. His sixth-inning double led to the tying run, his eighth-inning double put two runners in scoring position, and his ninth-inning double drove in two more. Naylor supplied the heavy damage with the homer and four RBI.

For Minnesota, Buxton continued to swing well with a homer and a single, but the Twins left too many chances unused. After a huge team game Monday, Minnesota's offense fell back to one run and has now lost 10 of 12.

AthX Engine fantasy angle

Seattle ranked fifth on the Apr. 28 AthX Engine team board with 16 team FP. Rodriguez posted 10 hitting FP, and Naylor posted 9, giving the Mariners two of the strongest hitter signals of the slate.

The important fantasy note is timing. Rodriguez and Naylor produced in the innings that decided the game, not after the score was out of reach. AthX Engine daily scoring is separate from dynamic pricing, but high-leverage production is exactly what traders notice.

What comes next

Seattle sends George Kirby into the series finale against Taj Bradley. Minnesota needs more than Buxton's power to stop the slide. For AthX users, Rodriguez and Naylor are the names from this game, while Seattle's bullpen deserves credit for turning a one-run game into a no-drama finish.

*Sources: MLB.com schedule, MLB Gameday, CBS Sports/AP coverage, and AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*