It’s not exactly surprising a mediocre team would get worse after the front office completed a trade deadline tear down. That has forced Rocco Baldelli to use a roster filled with less-than-ideal talent. It also hasn’t stopped players from getting injured.

Ryan Jeffers left Friday night’s game with a head injury, and the diagnosis has now gotten worse.

Ryan Jeffers dealing with concussion, MN Twins shuffle roster

What was originally called just a head contusion has turned worse for Ryan Jeffers. He now has a full-blown concussion and is being placed on the injured list.

#MNTwins roster moves:

– C Ryan Jeffers placed on concussion injured list
– RHP Brooks Kriske designated for assignment
– COF Carson McCusker recalled from Triple-A
– RHP Pierson Ohl recalled from Triple-A

Mickey Gasper and Jhonny Pereda are now the Twins' catching duo.

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) September 7, 2025

It was unlikely that Jeffers would have reached a new career-high in games played this season. He sits at 114 with the team having just 20 to go. However, it’s now likely he has played his last game of the season.

Jeffers owns a .262/.353/.394 slash line with nine homers on the season. It’s bee an overall productive year at the plate, though his lack of power has been confusing. With 1.9 fWAR, he was Minnesota’s best chance to be the second player to surpass the 2.0 threshold this season.

The catching situation is now grave for Baldelli. Despite Jhonny Pereda having previously been promoted, he went unused behind the dish. Instead the Twins have opted to look at Mickey Gasper and his abysmal 35 OPS+.

Related: Twins Fans Happy to See Carlos Correa Traded?

Now Pereda and Gasper are the only catchers on the roster, and for 20 games Baldelli will have no one else to turn to. Christian Vazquez would like to return from an emergency surgery spurned by an infection, but time has all but run out.

Fringe additions come after latest DFA for Minnesota Twins

Rather than add anything of substance when rosters expanded, Minnesota chose to promote holdovers and leave their uninspiring talent in the mix. Since, Noah Davis continued to be terrible and was DFA’d. Brooks Kriske has finally seen the same fate.

We have seen Pierson Ohl before, and the results have been mixed (5.66 ERA 4.83 FIP in 20 2/3 innings). Still, there is future function there, and Minnesota using the September runway to play him makes infinitely more sense than what they have been doing for the past couple of weeks.

Related: MN Twins Fans Make Hatred for Pohlads 98.5% Loud and Clear

McCusker has been promoted previously, and drawn excitement from fans due to his ridiculous power. His season has flamed out substantially since his initial hot streak (.761 OPS last 18 games, .601 OPS in 49 games after initial demotion), but he’ll finally be given a bit of runway to end the year.

He’s not much of an outfielder, but a right-handed bat with pop could certainly be infused into the lineup.

Thankfully there was some good news on Tuesday as infielder Luke Keaschall is active for the first time since he broke his arm at the end of late-April. He’s joined by recently claimed Thomas Hatch.

Now the Twins scoured the waiver wire once again and landed on yet another veteran arm. Welcome to the circus Brooks Kriske.

Brooks Kriske joins Minnesota Twins active roster.

Minnesota is considering adding former Chicago Cubs closer Ryan Pressly. He would represent the best arm in their depleted bullpen. Brooks Kriske is not that, but he’s the arm joining them for now.

The Twins claimed RHP Brooks Kriske off waivers from the Cubs. He pitched six scoreless innings over four appearances.

He’s expected to be available in Detroit on Wednesday.

— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) August 5, 2025

Kriske was a sixth round pick by the New York Yankees way back in 2016. He debuted when no one could watch him pitch during 2020. This season the 31-year-old made four appearances for the Cubs.

Witch Chicago, Kriske turned in six scoreless innings allowing just two hits. Unfortunately he walked five and struck out just four. Across 31 2/3 innings at Triple-A Iowa, Kriske owned a 3.13 ERA with a 52/10 K/BB.

Related: Luke Keaschall Activated by Minnesota Twins

If the Twins get the Triple-A version of Kriske there may be something to work with. He’s a veteran journeyman with an 8.78 ERA in 27 2/3 innings across four big league seasons though. I certainly wouldn’t hold my breath.

Minnesota completes six pack of roster moves

When you have a roster full of holdover talent, it’s pretty simple to shuffle deck chairs like you’re on the sinking Titanic. After a 6-3 loss against Detroit on Monday night, Minnesota made another group of roster moves.

We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/fZ3kPLeZV2

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 5, 2025

We knew about some of them, but it was Darren McCaughan who was DFA’d to make room for Kriske. Earlier this year McCaughan pitched for the Twins and he turned in 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball on five hits. He had a 6/1 K/BB and showed a bit more upside than Kriske brings.

Related: Byron Buxton Rejected Multiple Trade Inquiries Before Deadline

Either way, the Twins appear content to change faces in the bullpen and will hope to catch lightning in a bottle long enough to survive down the stretch.