Leadoff hitter Josh Smith greeted Twins starter Bailey Ober with a home run and the Rangers never really stopped hitting as Texas beat Minnesota, 16-3, in front of an announced crowd of 23,995 at Target Field to win two in a three-game series.

The starting rotation, which carried the Twins to a 13-game winning streak last month that turned their season around, is now the team’s biggest concern. Nothing went right for Bailey Ober, who surrendered a home run on his second pitch Thursday.

The Red Sox swung a late-night trade with the Twins on Wednesday to bring in some additional bullpen reinforcements.

Jorge Alcala, who has pitched out of the Twins’ bullpen 166 times since 2019, was traded to the Red Sox shortly after the Twins’ 6-2 victory Wednesday over Texas. Alcala, suffering through perhaps his least effective season,

The Minnesota Twins have dealt struggling reliever Jorge Alcala to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for minor leaguer Andy Lugo