The Twins have their lineup set as they try to keep the White Sox from finishing off a sweep at Target Field this afternoon.
Minnesota turns to right-hander Zebby Matthews, who is 8-8 with a 4.86 ERA this season. Against Chicago in his career, Matthews has worked 16 2/3 innings and posted a 4.32 ERA with 15 strikeouts and six walks. With the bullpen already taking on plenty of work, the Twins will need him to stay in the game and give them length.
Chicago counters with right-hander Jordan Hicks, who comes in at 2-1 with a 3.83 ERA this season. The Twins have had better results against him than the numbers might suggest, though, as Hicks has a 6.14 ERA in 7 1/3 career innings against Minnesota.
First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m. CT at Target Field.
One of the biggest problems for the Twins through the first two games has been Andrew Benintendi, who has been a constant presence in the White Sox attack. Minnesota’s best chance to flip the script may be simply getting him out. That task looks a little more manageable on paper, since Benintendi is 0-7 with a walk in his career against Matthews.
The Twins also need some thump from the middle of the order, and Josh Bell is the obvious name to watch. Bell has one hit and three walks in his career against Hicks, and he has not homered since August 18th. If there’s a breakout swing waiting to happen, Bell is the best candidate.
At the top of the lineup, Luke Keaschall has given Minnesota something it has needed. Over his last 15 games, he has hit .311 with a 142 wRC+ out of the leadoff spot, while also posting a .358 on-base percentage in that stretch. If the Twins are going to build enough traffic to pressure Hicks, Keaschall will need to keep setting the tone.
In Other News...
Twins Face A Tough Walker Jenkins Question As Playoff Push Slips
As the Twins tried to keep their playoff push alive, one of the bigger organizational calls in August came down to Walker Jenkins and whether his bat should have been brought up from Triple-A. Jenkins was performing exceptionally well there, and the temptation to accelerate his arrival was obvious for a club looking for any edge it could find. Instead, Minnesota chose to keep him in the minors, with development and consistent playing time taking priority over an immediate jump to the majors.
The debate now is less about Jenkins talent than about timing, because the Twins did make other moves to try to improve the roster while the standings tightened. Still, leaving a premium prospect in Triple-A while the postseason chase got harder naturally invites second-guessing, especially when the lineup could have used another spark. It is the kind of decision that can look prudent in the long term and frustrating in the moment, which is exactly where this one sits for Minnesota. [Read more 🡒]
Walker Jenkins May Have Just Solved A Twins Outfield Problem
Walker Jenkins arrival gives the Twins a cleaner look in the outfield at a time when they could use one. Minnesota has promoted its top prospect, and the move immediately shifts Luke Keaschall out of center field, where the defensive growing pains have been obvious, and toward right field, where he has looked more comfortable. With Byron Buxton still day-to-day because of a hip issue, Jenkins has even stepped into center while the veteran gets a breather, giving the Twins a chance to reshuffle without forcing Keaschall into a job that has not fit well.
For Minnesota, the appeal goes beyond one temporary lineup card. Keaschalls bat remains part of the equation, but the Twins have been searching for a way to maximize him without exposing him in center, and Jenkins presence suddenly makes that easier to manage. Whether this is a short-term fix while Buxton heals or the beginning of a longer-term alignment, it is the kind of roster answer that can matter quickly for a team trying to keep its season moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Suddenly Have A Late-Game Problem They Can't Afford
The Twins have spent much of this stretch playing from behind, and the late innings have started to feel like the part of the game where their offense simply stops carrying over. Minnesota has lost four straight and slipped to a season-low eight games below .500, a slide that has left the club staring at postseason odds of just 5.0 percent. It is one thing to have a bad week in the standings, but it is another when the teams most troubling trend is becoming easier to spot by the inning.
Since the fifth, the Twins have not done enough damage against bullpens, with their late-game production lagging well behind league norms in slugging and home runs. That is a rough place to be for a lineup already operating without Byron Buxton, whose hip injury has taken an obvious bite out of the offense and whose return remains up in the air. For a team trying to stay in the race, the problem is not just scoring less, but running out of answers exactly when games tend to turn. [Read more 🡒]