Game 133: Twins at Yankees

First Pitch: 12:05 PM Central Time
TV: MLB Network (out-of-market), Bally Sports North
Radio: TIBN, twinsbeisbol.com
Know Thine Enemy: Pinstripe Alley

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

No, the Minnesota Twins aren’t playing like a first-place club. But here we are, on Labor Day, with Rocco Baldelli’s squad tied with the suddenly-scuffling Cleveland Guardians atop the AL Central.

Despite a three-game skid that culminated with a 13-0 drubbing at the hands of the White Sox on Saturday night, the Twins managed to avoid a sweep in Chitown on Sunday while Cleveland continues their sudden and ongoing slide as losers of five straight and eight of their last 10.

However, things get easier for the Guardians as they head to Kansas City to take on the Royals while the Twins are in the Bronx to face the Yankees. Yes, the Yankees are already an 80-win club and were easily the best team in baseball at the All-Star Break, but they’ve dropped six of eight and just lost Andrew Benintendi to a broken wrist.

The Twins will send Chris Archer to the bump for his usual five innings, while New York will counter with Jameson Taillon (12-4, 3.97 ERA). Taillon exited his last start after being hit with a line drive, but thankfully X-rays were negative and it was ultimately diagnosed as a forearm contusion.

The strikeout numbers are way down this year for Taillon but he’s still been largely effective, and a Twins lineup that still is without Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco will need to be on their game if they’re going to get a Labor Day win at Yankee Stadium.