Twins' Dean Kremer aiming to give new team boost vs. Royals

Perhaps a change of scenery in Minnesota will help Dean Kremer find a rhythm on the mound.

Meanwhile, the Twins hope they finally can get the best of Kansas City's Noah Cameron.

Making his debut with Minnesota, Kremer tries to help his new team avoid a fourth straight loss Wednesday night when they face Cameron and the host Royals.

Kremer (1-4, 6.50 ERA) broke into the majors with Baltimore in 2020 and went 42-44 with a 4.37 ERA in 133 appearances (130 starts) with the Orioles before he was dealt to postseason-contending Minnesota last weekend.

"I'm happy to be here," the 30-year-old right-hander said.

"These guys have been working their tails off and really making a push for the playoffs. So, I'm happy to help them."

Kremer has made just seven starts during a 2026 campaign in which he was out from April 23 to July 1 with a right quad strain. He allowed 14 runs and 16 hits over 10 innings of his final two starts with the Orioles.

However, Kremer is 2-2 with a 2.96 ERA in five career starts versus Kansas City, a team he last faced in 2025.

Minnesota dropped to 4-7 against the Royals this season after falling 8-2 in Tuesday's series opener.

Out since June 20 with low-back tightness, Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. returned and had three hits with two RBIs for Kansas City, which is last in the American League Central but amid an 8-1 stretch at home.

"Kind of like Opening Day again. I was excited to get back," Witt told Royals.TV. He is batting .311 with 19 RBIs in 29 career home games against the Twins.

Witt is 4-for-14 versus Kremer, with one of those hits was a home run. Teammate Kyle Isbel, who returned from a nearly two-month injury stint on Tuesday with two hits and an RBI, is 1-for-8 against Kremer. Michael Massey is 4-for-7 with two doubles against Kremer.

Cameron (5-8, 4.59) has yielded three hits over 15 innings of his last two starts.

After being used in a bulk-innings role following an opener at Detroit on July 24, the left-hander didn't allow his only hit of the game until Ryan Jeffers opened the seventh with a single Thursday at Minnesota. Cameron walked two and struck out seven over eight innings during that stellar effort, but the Royals lost 4-3 on Kody Clemens' two-out, walk-off grand slam against Matt Strahm.

"We were just attacking the zone, attacking guys and keeping guys off balance," said Cameron, who posted a 7.97 ERA in seven starts from June 13 to July 19.

"I think I'm just kind of tired of not pitching well. So, just have a chip on my shoulder a little bit, trying to pitch a little bit more angry."

Cameron has allowed just three runs (two earned) while striking out 31 over 31 1/3 innings in going 3-0 over five career starts against the Twins.

Minnesota's Royce Lewis is 2-for-13 against Cameron, but he had four hits Tuesday. Lewis is batting .382 with six extra-base hits during a nine-game hitting streak.

Twins teammate Josh Bell has five hits in his last three contests and snapped a 21-game home run drought with his 14th of the season Tuesday.

--Field Level Media