Bailey Ober’s latest struggles raise new rotation questions as the Minnesota Twins navigate injuries to key starters in their rotation.

The Minnesota Twins are facing mounting concerns in their starting rotation, and Bailey Ober’s latest outing only added to those worries.

After surrendering seven earned runs to the Texas Rangers in fewer than five innings on Thursday, the right-hander offered a candid reflection in The New York Times’ Aaron Gleeman’s postgame report.

“I think I’ll be fine,” Ober said. “I mean, obviously if I keep pitching like this, then probably not.”

It was a revealing moment in what’s been a concerning stretch for the 6-foot-9 starter. Ober surrendered four home runs and walked six batters—both career highs—in a 16–3 blowout loss.

The outing marked his third straight start with reduced fastball velocity and minimal command, troubling signs for a pitcher the Twins rotation had counted on to help weather the losses of Pablo López and Zebby Matthews to injury.

Minnesota has now dropped four of its last five series and gone 10–12 since its 13-game win streak ended on May 18th. During that span, the pitching staff owns a 5.22 ERA, and Ober’s individual ERA has ballooned from 3.41 to 4.89 following three rocky starts.

The declining velocity is particularly notable. In Thursday’s game, Ober averaged just over 90 mph on his fastball and relied heavily on off-speed pitches. Texas batters didn’t miss, hammering 10 balls with exit velocities over 100 mph. His changeup and slider were both taken deep, further highlighting pitch execution issues.

The pitching depth within the Twins organization is being tested. With López not expected back until at least mid-August and Matthews sidelined into July, Ober’s struggles could force the team to consider internal reinforcements. But options like Andrew Morris and Travis Adams come with experience concerns, and skipping Ober’s next turn could strain an already-thin staff.

Despite the setback, Ober is slated to start next week in Cincinnati. Whether that happens could depend on how the team weighs his current struggles against the lack of clear alternatives. If the Twins are going to stay near the top of the AL Central standings, they’ll need answers from their rotation—and soon.