The New York Yankees head to Target Field on Tuesday night to open a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins, with first pitch scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET.
New York enters at 86-63, while Minnesota comes in at 70-79. The game will air on 830 WCCO.
On the mound, the Yankees are set to start left-hander Max Fried, and the Twins will counter with right-hander Bailey Ober. Fried has made 18 starts and is 4-4 with a 2.73 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP and 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Ober has 22 starts, a 7-5 record, a 4.28 ERA, a 1.249 WHIP and 6.5 strikeouts per nine.
This matchup brings together two offenses with very different calling cards. The Yankees have blasted 204 home runs, which ranks second in baseball, but their .235 batting average sits 25th in the majors. They’re also averaging 4.5 runs per game, good for 12th in MLB, with 677 runs scored.
Minnesota, meanwhile, has produced 174 home runs, ranking 13th, and is hitting .244 as a team, which places 15th in the league. The Twins have scored 683 runs this season, ninth-most in MLB.
Among the Yankees hitters to keep an eye on is Ben Rice, who has 38 home runs and 90 RBI with a .260 batting average. Luis Garcia has also been a major run producer with 30 homers and 91 RBI.
Cody Bellinger enters with 15 home runs and 69 RBI, while Paul Goldschmidt has 18 homers and 50 RBI. Jose Caballero has added 13 home runs and 47 RBI.
For Minnesota, Brooks Lee has posted 23 home runs and 79 RBI, and Josh Bell has chipped in 19 homers and 86 RBI. Kody Clemens has 26 home runs and 76 RBI, while Luke Keaschall has hit .273 with nine home runs and 44 RBI. Trevor Larnach has added 13 home runs and 48 RBI.
The Yankees’ trip continues with another game in Minnesota on Sept. 16 at 1:40 p.m. ET before they head to Arizona for a three-game series against the Diamondbacks. The Twins will see New York again on Sept. 16 before starting a four-game road set at the Angels.
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Culpepper is still recovering after being hit by a pitch, so the picture is not fully settled yet, but Minnesota clearly sees this trio as part of its long-term core. The organization also activated pitcher Kendry Rojas from the injured list at Triple-A, adding another arm to track as the Twins line up for an upcoming series against the Yankees and continue sorting out what this young group can become. [Read more 🡒]