The Angels and Twins open a three-game set Friday night at Target Field, with first pitch scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET. Los Angeles comes in at 37-56, while Minnesota is 46-48.
On the mound, the Twins will send right-hander Zebby Matthews, and the Angels will counter with right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. Matthews has made 10 starts this season and is 4-5 with a 4.43 ERA, a 1.164 WHIP and 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Rodriguez has six starts under his belt, going 2-2 with an 8.06 ERA, a 1.831 WHIP and 8.4 strikeouts per nine.
Minnesota brings a more productive offense into the matchup. The Twins rank ninth in baseball with 118 home runs and average 1.3 per game, while also sitting 10th in batting average at .247.
They’ve scored 459 runs, which is sixth-most in the majors. The Angels have hit 107 home runs, good for 17th, and their .239 team batting average ranks 19th.
Los Angeles has scored 415 runs, placing 16th.
A few bats stand out on each side. For Minnesota, Brooks Lee has 14 home runs and 50 RBI, Josh Bell has 13 homers and 60 RBI, and Kody Clemens has 16 home runs and 45 RBI.
Luke Keaschall and Trevor Larnach have also been steady contributors. For the Angels, Mike Trout leads the group with 18 home runs and 38 RBI, while Zach Neto has 19 homers and 45 RBI.
Jo Adell has driven in 52 runs, Nolan Schanuel has 31 RBI, and Jorge Soler has added 11 home runs.
The game can be heard on 830 WCCO. The teams will meet again Saturday and Sunday in Minnesota before moving on to their next series: the Twins head to the Cubs starting July 17, and the Angels return home to face the Tigers beginning July 17.
In Other News...
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For the Twins, the more immediate point is that they moved on and kept searching for help, while Kansas City is trying to patch together innings of its own. The Royals have one of the leagues most troubled bullpens, and that kind of need can create a quick path back to the majors for a pitcher like Topa if he shows he can stabilize things in Triple-A. [Read more 🡒]
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Twins Just Sent A Clear Deadline Message About Their Bullpen
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The move also fits the way the front office is approaching the stretch run, with the club still intent on contending rather than stepping back before the deadline. Minnesota will need to clear a spot on the 26-man roster to make room for Nance, and that kind of decision can say plenty about which arms the Twins trust most as they try to steady the late innings. [Read more 🡒]