The Minnesota Twins will go for a three-game sweep towards the Chicago Cubs when the groups meet Thursday afternoon of their sequence finale in Minneapolis.
The Twins are coming off back-to-back victories — 8-1 on Tuesday and 4-2 on Wednesday. Minnesota has received 4 of its previous 5 video games to climb inside two video games of .500 with 4 video games remaining earlier than the All-Star break.
Twins supervisor Rocco Baldelli praised his gamers for being aggressive on the basepaths in Wednesday’s win over the Cubs. It’s one thing that he needs to see proceed on Thursday.
On one play, Ryan Jeffers charged arduous towards third base and was waved residence by third-base coach Tommy Watkins. On one other play, Royce Lewis scored on a delayed steal after Matt Wallner was caught in a rundown between first and second base and Lewis took off for residence.
Baldelli mentioned it was essential to fabricate runs towards high quality opponents such because the Cubs. He famous that Jeffers might need been thrown out on the plate if not for a delayed relay throw.
“You are going to need to discover a method to push some runs throughout,” Baldelli mentioned. “They are not all going to return simply.
“If the relay is executed cleanly (with Jeffers attempting to attain), who is aware of, perhaps we’re out. However what? You place the stress on the opposite facet, make one thing occur.”
In the meantime, the Cubs are desperate to make one thing occur on the plate.
Chicago has scored solely three runs within the two video games towards the Twins. That could be a important departure from their earlier sequence, once they scored 28 runs in three video games towards their division rival St. Louis Cardinals.
Cubs supervisor Craig Counsell mentioned it was essential for his hitters to get off to higher begins.
“It was a quiet evening once more,” Counsell mentioned. “The Twins have an excellent bullpen, so it is form of inherent that you just get their starters. And the primary two days of the sequence, we have now not.”
The Cubs’ subsequent likelihood will come towards Twins right-hander Chris Paddack (3-7, 4.64 ERA), who will make his nineteenth begin of the season. He’s coming off a no-decision towards the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday when he allowed two runs on 5 hits in 5 innings.
Paddack has made two begins towards the Cubs in his profession. He’s 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA in these video games, with 13 strikeouts and two walks in 10 1/3 innings.
Cubs right-hander Colin Rea (6-3, 4.13) will look to assist his group keep away from the sweep. Rea is searching for his third straight victory after beating the Houston Astros and the Cardinals in his earlier two begins.
Rea made one begin towards the Twins in 2023. He took the loss after giving up 4 runs on 5 hits in 5 innings.
Twins outfielder Byron Buxton could possibly be unavailable within the sequence finale after he was hit on the left pinky finger by a pitch on Tuesday. He initially stayed within the sport earlier than leaving.
Buxton, who is about to participate within the All-Star Sport festivities subsequent week, will not be anticipated to overlook important time after being hit on the finger.
“It seems like he’ll be OK,” Baldelli mentioned. “He had some imaging finished and it got here again all proper. He was fairly sore, although, so we’ll see (about Thursday).”
–Discipline Stage Media
