Injuries mount for Dodgers as Tucker, Rushing exit in win over Twins

MINNEAPOLIS — The Dodgers boarded their latest road trip carrying enough injury concerns to fill an entire trainer’s room. By the end of Monday night, they had added two more names to the list.

And somehow, they still found a way to win.

Behind six brilliant hitless innings from Eric Lauer and home runs from Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers opened their series against the Minnesota Twins with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Target Field, becoming the first team in Major League Baseball to reach the 50-win mark this season.

Shohei Ohtani CRUSHES a leadoff home run 😯 pic.twitter.com/n3XDhksMRU

— MLB (@MLB) June 22, 2026

The victory was significant on its own. The way it happened made it even more impressive.

For a club already navigating life without Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith, Monday quickly turned into another test of depth and resilience.

Before the game could fully settle in, Kyle Tucker was forced to leave with low back spasms. Alex Call entered as a pinch-runner in the second inning after Tucker’s back tightened up as the Dodgers took the field. Tucker, who signed a four-year, $240 million contract over the winter, has endured an uneven first season in Los Angeles, hitting .234 with six home runs and a .707 OPS.

Dave Roberts offered encouraging news afterward.

Roberts said he was “not overly concerned” about the injury, noting Tucker has dealt with back spasms before and is considered day-to-day. The Dodgers are not expecting imaging tests Tuesday.

The bad news didn’t stop there.

Dalton Rushing exited after taking a foul tip directly off his mask on the first pitch of the game. The Dodgers later announced he left with a concussion. Roberts said Rushing passed his initial concussion tests but must complete another round Tuesday before the team determines the next steps.

With Rushing departing, Chuckie Robinson was thrust into action. Robinson remains hitless in 11 at-bats this season and stranded two runners after striking out in a key fourth-inning opportunity.

At that point, it felt like the Dodgers were simply trying to survive the evening.

Then Lauer took over.

The Dodgers created some intrigue before first pitch by scrapping plans for Lauer to start and instead using Will Klein as an opener. The move immediately looked questionable when Byron Buxton launched a first-inning home run off Klein to tie the game.

Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Will Klein (61) deliver a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field.

For Lauer, the decision carried additional significance.

Earlier in with Toronto, Lauer openly expressed frustration with being used behind an opener. Not long afterward, he found himself on the move. So when the Dodgers elected to use a similar strategy Monday despite Lauer’s recent success in the rotation, it raised eyebrows.

But if there was any frustration, Lauer never showed it.

Instead, he delivered the kind of outing that continues to strengthen his case as one of the Dodgers’ most valuable surprise contributors.

After entering in the second inning, the left-hander completely shut down Minnesota’s lineup. Lauer fired six hitless innings, allowing only three walks while striking out two on 84 pitches.

The Twins never managed a hit against him.

Even Buxton, the player responsible for Minnesota’s only run, couldn’t solve him. Buxton lined out to Ryan Ward in one at-bat and was otherwise kept quiet as Lauer methodically worked through the lineup.

It wasn’t overpowering. It wasn’t flashy.

It was simply effective. And right now, that’s exactly what the Dodgers need.

With injuries mounting seemingly every week, the Dodgers have desperately searched for reliable innings wherever they can find them. Lauer continues to provide them.

The offense supplied just enough support.

Ohtani wasted little time getting the Dodgers on the board, crushing the second pitch of the game for his sixth leadoff home run of the season.

The game remained deadlocked until the sixth inning when Freeman reminded everyone why he’s still one of the most dependable hitters in baseball.

Freddie for the lead! pic.twitter.com/TLHAtJSBgB

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 23, 2026

Leading off the frame, Freeman launched a solo homer to center field, his 13th of the season and the 380th home run of his remarkable career.

It proved to be the difference.

From there, the Dodgers bullpen preserved the lead before Tanner Scott closed the door in the ninth inning for his ninth save of the year.

The box score will show a one-run victory.

Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) tags out Minnesota Twins center fielder Austin Martin (16) in the eighth inning at Target Field.

What it won’t fully capture is how much uncertainty surrounded the Dodgers throughout the night.

They lost their starting catcher. They lost a high-priced outfielder. They altered their pitching plan at the last minute. Their offense managed only two runs.

Yet none of it mattered.

Because Lauer gave them exactly what contenders need from unexpected contributors — stability amid the chaos.

The Dodgers have spent much of the season relying on stars like Ohtani and Freeman. On Monday night, they reached 50 wins because one of their least-heralded pitchers refused to let a difficult evening spiral out of control.

The road trip is only beginning, and the injury questions aren’t going away anytime soon.

But thanks to Lauer, the Dodgers leave Target Field with another win, another milestone, and perhaps another reason to believe they’ve uncovered a pitcher capable of becoming a major factor in the second half.

The series continues Tuesday as Justin Wrobleski takes the mound for Los Angeles against Twins right-hander Joe Ryan.