The Twins, after dropping seven straight, finally got on the winning side again taking two of three in Washington this week.
Now they'll return home to take on Texas, who is struggling a bit so far. The defending world champs are in second place in the west but come in three games under .500.
The Twins have slid Friday night's game up an hour to accommodate the Timberwolves Game 2 at Target Center against Dallas in the Western Conference Finals to avoid a crush of fans for both teams coming downtown at the same time.
Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers has had quite a start to the season and he tells WCCO's Vineeta Sawkar that his focus on mechanics has him rolling.
"Kind of finally feeling comfortable, being able to focus on my approach and stay after that," says Jeffers who is leading the team with 10 home runs and an .878 OPS so far.
Jeffers says even though there have been ups and downs for the Twins already in 2024, it's a long season and he's confident they'll find more success over the summer.
"You just try and stay as consistent as you can. Everbody kind of stays positive over the early parts of the year, knowing how long the season is in the end," Jeffers explains.
Jeffers is also one of the initiators of the team's home run sausage. He says it's been fun for the team.
"It came out of nowhere, but again, it's such a long season you have to find things that are fun, and bring happiness and life to a long, grueling season," Jeffers says. "Nobody expected it to be a sausage, to bring us this good stretch of baseball games, but whatever it is, it works."
As for the state of the sausage?
"It hasn't looked great but as we keep winning baseball games we keep on doing it," Jeffers said.
SERIES PREVIEW
Texas Rangers (24-27, second in the AL West) vs. Minnesota Twins (26-23, third in the AL Central)
Minneapolis; Friday, 6:10 p.m. on WCCO Radio and the Audacy App (in-market restrictions apply).
PITCHING PROBABLES FRIDAY: Rangers: Jose Urena (1-3, 3.29 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 24 strikeouts); Twins: Bailey Ober (4-2, 4.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 49 strikeouts).
Saturday: Lorenzen (TX) vs. Paddack (MN)
Sunday: TBD (TX) vs. Lopez (MN)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Twins -155, Rangers +130; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Texas Rangers will try to stop their six-game road losing streak in a matchup against the Minnesota Twins.
Minnesota has an 11-11 record in home games and a 26-23 record overall. The Twins have a 13-2 record in games when they did not allow a home run.
Texas has gone 12-14 on the road and 24-27 overall. The Rangers have gone 18-8 in games when they record at least eight hits.
Friday’s game is the first time these teams meet this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Willi Castro leads the Twins with a .262 batting average, and has 11 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 12 walks and 16 RBI. Max Kepler is 9-for-30 with a home run and four RBI over the last 10 games.
Adolis Garcia has nine doubles, 12 home runs and 36 RBI while hitting .253 for the Rangers. Corey Seager is 11-for-36 with four home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Twins: 3-7, .191 batting average, 4.70 ERA, outscored by 18 runs
Rangers: 2-8, .201 batting average, 4.50 ERA, outscored by 29 runs
INJURIES: Twins: Brock Stewart: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Daniel Duarte: 60-Day IL (tricep), Zack Weiss: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Royce Lewis: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Justin Topa: 15-Day IL (knee), Anthony DeSclafani: 60-Day IL (elbow), Josh Winder: 60-Day IL (shoulder)
Rangers: Jon Gray: 15-Day IL (groin), Cody Bradford: 60-Day IL (back), Austin Pruitt: 60-Day IL (knee), Max Scherzer: 60-Day IL (back), Josh Sborz: 15-Day IL (rotator cuff), Wyatt Langford: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Nathan Eovaldi: 15-Day IL (groin), Brock Burke: 60-Day IL (hand), Justin Foscue: 60-Day IL (oblique strain), Joshua Jung: 60-Day IL (wrist), Tyler Mahle: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jacob deGrom: 60-Day IL (elbow), Carson Coleman: 60-Day IL (elbow)
The Associated Press contributed to this story.