First Pitch: 6:10pm CDT
TV: FSN, and ESPN, which explains the early start.
Radio: Twins Radio Network
Know Thine Enemy: Over the Monster
One set of Sox leave, the other arrive. It's the first of three for the Red Sox and Twins at Target Field. The Twins are off Thursday, before beginning a quick six-game swing through Cleveland and Detroit.
This will be Wakefield's third chance at career win #200, which is impressive, considering that only 38 of those wins came before his 30th birthday. He turned 45 last week, but he's still wafting that knuckler up there, even making a few relief appearances in April and May before moving back to the starting rotation in the middle of May.
Scott Baker is dealing with arm soreness. He's been fairly clear about that; he also says that he can pitch through it. As the Twins fall further and further behind in the division, though, that may just be silliness, and it might be time for him to get healthy and let somebody else take a few of his turns in the rotation. He's been Minnesota's best starter this year - some might say their only truly decent starting pitcher - but he spent time on the DL around the All-Star Break, and hasn't really looked right since about the beginning of July. Last time out, he only finished three innings against the Angels, needing 77 pitches to face just 15 batters.