The series keep getting bigger for the Minnesota Twins, now in a tie for the last Wild Card spot after dropping three (heartbreakers) of four in Cleveland this week. They fell in 10-innings Thursday after failing to score with the bases loaded in the top half. Cleveland won on a walk-off and clinched a playoff berth.
"I mean, going through those games, it can be, it can be hard, it can be excruciating at times," says Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli. "We went in here, can make a pretty reasonable statement like you're in the spot to win all four games. You want that. You're playing against a team that's in first place that has one of the best records in the league. We got four chances to win four games and we walk out with one. It's not gonna be satisfying there."
Now it's on to Boston, one of the teams chasing the Twins for a wild card spot now with just over a week left in the regular season. Boston is currently four games back of the Twins. Seattle is two back of the Twins and Detroit. Kansas City holds the first wild card spot, two games up on the Twins and Tigers.
"We have to continue to regroup when you lose, whether you lose in tough fashion or you get blown out of the water," Baldelli said after Thursday's loss. "It doesn't matter. You have to be able to regroup and you have to be able to come out and play a better baseball game the next day."
That next day is just as important and the Twins will try to get back in the W column in Boston Friday night.
SERIES PREVIEW
Minnesota Twins (80-73, fourth in the AL Central) vs. Boston Red Sox (76-77, third in the AL East)
Boston; Friday, 6:10 p.m. 5:30 p.m. pregame on WCCO Radio and the Audacy app (in-market restrictions apply)
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Friday- Twins: David Festa (2-6, 5.07 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 66 strikeouts); Red Sox: Richard Fitts (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, four strikeouts)
Saturday- Twins: Matthews, Red Sox: Pivetta
Sunday- Twins: Lopez, Red Sox: Crawford
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Twins -113, Red Sox -107; over/under is 9 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Red Sox host the Minnesota Twins to open a three-game series.
Boston is 76-77 overall and 35-40 in home games. The Red Sox have a 56-11 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents.
Minnesota is 80-73 overall and 38-40 on the road. The Twins have a 30-12 record in games when they did not give up a home run.
The matchup Friday is the fourth meeting between these teams this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jarren Duran has 45 doubles, 13 triples, 21 home runs and 73 RBI for the Red Sox. Tyler O’Neill is 6-for-36 with two doubles, four home runs and eight RBI over the last 10 games.
Carlos Santana has 25 doubles and 22 home runs for the Twins. Kyle Farmer is 11-for-27 with three doubles and two home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Red Sox: 4-6, .211 batting average, 3.21 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs
Twins: 4-6, .226 batting average, 4.34 ERA, outscored by four runs
INJURIES: Red Sox: Rob Refsnyder: day-to-day (wrist), Brennan Bernardino: 15-Day IL (elbow), Isaiah Campbell: 60-Day IL (elbow), David Hamilton: 10-Day IL (finger), Luis Garcia: 15-Day IL (elbow), James Paxton: 60-Day IL (leg), Bryan Mata: 60-Day IL (hamstring), Garrett Whitlock: 60-Day IL (oblique), Liam Hendriks: 60-Day IL (elbow), Chris Murphy: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lucas Giolito: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Twins: Max Kepler: 10-Day IL (knee), Kody Funderburk: 60-Day IL (oblique), Chris Paddack: 60-Day IL (forearm), Joe Ryan: 60-Day IL (tricep), Brock Stewart: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Alex Kirilloff: 60-Day IL (back), Carlos Correa: 10-Day IL (foot), Justin Topa: 60-Day IL (knee), Daniel Duarte: 60-Day IL (tricep), Anthony DeSclafani: 60-Day IL (elbow)