The Cuban left-handed pitcher Kendry Rojas delivered one of the standout performances of his rookie season this Saturday: four scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and striking out five batters in an emergency start that the Minnesota Twins urgently needed.
The designated starter Mike Paredes was ruled out at the last moment due to a strain in his left oblique, and Rojas stepped into the role without hesitation.
The Cuban retired 12 of the 14 batters he faced, and the bullpen completed the remaining five innings to secure a shutout 2-0 against the Athletics.
With that performance, Rojas has accumulated 25.2 innings pitched this season, an ERA of 2.81, 29 strikeouts, and an allowed batting average of just .195, numbers that establish him as one of the breakout pitchers for Minnesota.
The 23-year-old from Ciego de Ávila, made his Major League debut on April 19, 2026 after a long and tumultuous journey: he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in October 2020 for just $215,000, suffered injuries to his lat (latissimus dorsi) in 2022 and to his oblique in 2025, and went through several levels of minor leagues before being traded to Minnesota in July 2025.
In Double-A with New Hampshire, Rojas struck out 40% of the batters he faced in 18.2 innings, a figure that foreshadowed his potential at the highest level.
The Twins ranked him as the eighth prospect in their organization before the start of the 2026 season, and the left-hander has greatly exceeded those expectations.
Rojas joins a generation of Cuban pitchers who have made their mark in the Major Leagues this season: Orlando Ribalta made his debut with the Nationals on April 14, Franco Alemán impressed the Guardians with a fastball of 99 miles per hour, and Luis Danys Morales returned to the Athletics.
The performance on Saturday against Oakland is the most striking episode of a rookie season that confirms Rojas's maturity and composure in high-pressure situations, qualities that the scouts from Minnesota have recognized in him since he joined the organization.
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