Game 153: Twins at Reds

First pitch: 11:35 AM CDT

TV: Bally Sports North

Radio: TIBN

Know thine enemy: Red Reporter

Nothing like some baseball with your breakfast (at least for me out on the West Coast). The Twins are trying to reduce their magic number to 2, while Cincinnati is fighting to stay alive in the NL Wild Card Race. After last night’s loss, they sit a game back of the final playoff spot, behind both the Marlins and the Cubs.

Some quick pre-game notes:

• The Twins haven’t won a Wednesday game in over 2 months, the last one coming the week after the All-Star Break.
• Carlos Correa is on the IL and Royce Lewis is day-to-day after leaving the game yesterday, so both of them aren’t in the lineup today.
• Trevor Larnach was recalled to fill Correa’s spot. Correa and the Twins have said he plans on being back for the playoffs, while Royce is still TBD.
• Chris Paddack, Brock Stewart, and Jorge Alcala are all available and ready to be activated, it’s just a matter of if/when the Twins want to do it. All three pitchers are on the 60-day IL, meaning 40-man roster spots would have to be cleared to add any of them.
• Of that group, Paddack and Stewart are most likely to be added, and there’s a few moves that could free up spots, such as designating Dallas Keuchel or Joey Gallo for assignment.
• Byron Buxton is also hitting, throwing, and running with the goal to get him playing games in St. Paul this week. At this point, it’s about pain management for Buck, but he and the Twins are doing everything they can to have him on the postseason roster.

Goooooo Twins!