Game 6: Twins at Tigers

First Pitch: 12:10 pm Central
Telly: Bally Sports North, MLB Network (out-of-market)
Radio: WCCO 830 AM, KMNB 102.9 FM “The Wolf”, Treasure Island Baseball Network, Audacy
Know Thine Enemy: Bless You Boys

Welcome to the Minnesota Twins’ second rubber match in as many series!

Remember that thing that Gardy always said about just trying to win series? I always kind of hated it because shouldn’t you want to win every game instead of two out of every three? Not that a .667 winning percentage is anything to sneeze at, but you get what I’m saying. At any rate, it worked okay for Gardy (for most years from 2002 through 2010, at least), and Rocco Baldelli’s Twins have a chance to go 2-for-2 on the young season in the “winning series” category.

The Twins stand at 3-2 and have lost twice by one run in the 10th inning. That, plus a couple of easy wins have the Twins’ run differential at +15 — second in baseball to the 5-1 Houston Astros.

All in all, the Twins have been impressive through five games, despite a weird combination of hamstring tweaks, non-COVID illnesses, and upper gastrointestinal issues.

Both Byron Buxton and Luis Arraez are back in the starting lineup together for the first time since Sunday, and the Twins have ace Kenta Maeda back on the bump. Maeda wasn’t his typical efficient self on opening day, but still managed to gut out 4 ¹⁄₃ innings with only one earned run allowed.

The Detroit Tigers will send lefty Matthew Boyd to the mound. Boyd beat Cleveland with 5 ²⁄₃ innings of no-run ball last week, but did walk four men to only two strikeouts. He pitched well against the Twins last year, but generally had a disappointing campaign. Factor in just how terrible Minnesota performed against left-handed starters last year, and it’s easy to see how that happened.

All that to say, anything could go down on Wednesday afternoon in Detroit, but the Twins have to feel good about sending Maeda to the mound on a getaway day.

Enjoy the game!