Luke Keaschall returns to hit his first career homer, leading Twins past Tigers

Bobby Nightengale, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Aug 5, 2025

Published in Baseball

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DETROIT – Stepping into a major league batter’s box for the first time in 103 days, Luke Keaschall welcomed himself back with a home run in his first at-bat.

Facing former teammate Chris Paddack at Comerica Park, Keaschall fouled the first pitch he saw Tuesday night. He hammered the next pitch, an 89-mph cutter, and sent the ball sailing over the left-field wall for a two-run homer. Keaschall didn’t break into a smile until he returned to the dugout after his first career homer, letting out a few cheers as he walked through a line of high-fives.

If the Twins had Keaschall all season, especially hitting the way he has hit, maybe they don’t end up trading away Paddack and nine other big-league players.

Oh well, better late than never.

Keaschall, playing in his first game since he was hit by a pitch that broke his forearm April 25, added an RBI single in the fifth inning during the Twins’ 6-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Zebby Matthews, who isn’t quite as new as Keaschall, allowed one run in five innings.

Paddack, making his second start with his new team, was pulled after four innings and 57 pitches. He allowed six hits and four runs while he generated zero strikeouts and only one swing and miss.

Keaschall’s origin story with the Twins started before he was picked in the second round of the 2023 MLB amateur draft. He sat down with Twins officials during the pre-draft combine, like many players, and left such an impression that scouting director Sean Johnson told the group when he left the room, “That guy’s a big leaguer.” It was the only time he’s said that following a combine interview.

It seems obvious now.

Keaschall has reached base in all eight games he has played in the major leagues. He’s the first Twins rookie to begin his career with a seven-game hitting streak since Miguel Sanó in 2015.

The Twins had three consecutive two-out hits against Paddack in the first inning. Ryan Jeffers and Kody Clemens hit back-to-back doubles before Keaschall drilled his 402-foot homer. Keaschall still has two souvenir baseballs, from his first hit and first double, sitting inside his locker at Target Field. Now he’ll have another he can add to his collection.

Trevor Larnach pulled an 88-mph cutter from Paddack into the right-field seats in the fourth inning for his second homer in as many days. Larnach has six hits and four RBI in four games this month.

Matthews was sharp against a Tigers team that entered Tuesday with the best record in the American League, striking out four of his first eight batters. His slider and cutter were effective weapons, paired with a fastball that averaged 96 mph.

Detroit scored a run in the third inning, benefiting from some poor outfield defense. Colt Keith hit a one-out double after Larnach came up empty on a diving attempt in left field. With two outs, Austin Martin dropped a fly-ball, which allowed Keith to score.

The Twins scored two runs in the fifth inning off Tigers reliever Rafael Montero, acquired from Atlanta at the trade deadline. Jeffers hit an RBI double and Keaschall followed with a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield.

In the eighth inning, there were two runners on base with two outs when Jahmai Jones lined a ball into center field. Martin, who was caught stealing at third base to end the seventh inning, made a bad decision to dive for a ball that was out of his reach. Jones ended up with a two-run triple on the misplay, but Cole Sands finished the inning with a flyout.

Michael Tonkin, Kody Funderburk, Sands and Justin Topa — the four bullpen holdovers who weren’t shipped away at the trade deadline — handled the final 12 outs.

Topa earned his fourth career save, his first since 2023.

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