The Twins made a postseason run in 2023 that eventually came to a halt at the hands of the Houston Astros.
Now the Twins and 'Stros will renew that rivalry for the first time in 2024 this weekend in Houston. Neither of last year's AL Division Series participants are lighting it up so far. Each team is in 3rd place in their division, but the Twins have the better record so far. Houston is struggling a bit at just 25-32.
Ryan Jeffers homered twice and Carlos Correa added a two-out, bases-clearing triple in the sixth inning as the Minnesota Twins rallied from a four-run deficit for a 7-6 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.
Reliever Chris Stratton (2-3) allowed pinch-hitter Max Kepler’s RBI single and walked two batters to load the bases with two outs.
Correa lifted a 3-1 fastball down the right-field line to break a 4-4 tie. It was Correa’s second triple of the season.
“Key at-bat in the game; I was just trying to stay inside the ball,” Correa said during a postgame interview with Bally Sports North. “I felt like I was pulling off the first couple at-bats, so I had to make an in-game adjustment and try to stay inside the ball on that one, and good things happened.”
Jeffers’ first home run of the game, a two-run blast into the left-field bullpen in the bottom of the fourth, cut the Royals’ 4-0 lead in half. Jeffers, who leads the Twins with 12 home runs, had gone 5 for 43 since his previous homer on May 14.
SERIES PREVIEW
Minnesota Twins (31-25, third in the AL Central) vs. Houston Astros (25-32, third in the AL West)
Houston; Friday, 7:10 p.m. Pregame 6:30 p.m. on WCCO Radio and the Audacy App (in-market restrictions apply).
PITCHING PROBABLES:
FRIDAY- Twins: Pablo Lopez (4-5, 5.25 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 69 strikeouts); Astros: Ronel Blanco (5-0, 1.99 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 51 strikeouts). SATURDAY- Ryan (Twins), Valdez (Astros). SUNDAY- Richardson (Twins), Brown (Astros).
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -112, Twins -107; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros host the Minnesota Twins on Friday to open a three-game series.
Houston has gone 14-15 in home games and 25-32 overall. The Astros have the third-ranked team slugging percentage in the AL at .412.
Minnesota is 15-12 on the road and 31-25 overall. The Twins have gone 10-4 in games decided by one run.
The matchup Friday is the first meeting this season between the two teams.
TOP PERFORMERS: Yordan Alvarez has 11 doubles and nine home runs for the Astros. Kyle Tucker is 6-for-36 with three home runs over the past 10 games.
Ryan Jeffers has 12 home runs, 14 walks and 36 RBI while hitting .254 for the Twins. Jose Miranda is 10-for-35 with a double, two home runs and seven RBI over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 4-6, .234 batting average, 3.06 ERA, outscored opponents by two runs
Twins: 7-3, .245 batting average, 3.94 ERA, even run differential
INJURIES: Astros: Cristian Javier: 15-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jose Urquidy: 15-Day IL (forearm), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Twins: Justin Topa: 60-Day IL (knee), Brock Stewart: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Daniel Duarte: 60-Day IL (tricep), Zack Weiss: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Royce Lewis: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Anthony DeSclafani: 60-Day IL (elbow)
The Associated Press contributed to this story.