Game Thread: Twins @ Red Sox, 9/5/19 @ 6:10 CT

[Mill1634]

The Cleveland Indians were just beaten by the White Sox in a one hit game in which was a solo shot, and the Twins now lead by six games. They have a chance to extend the division lead back out to six and a half games with a win tonight against Boston, so please win Twins!!

 

 

The Pitchers

Martin Perez (9-6, 4.89 ERA, 120 K's) vs Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 6.23 ERA, 46 K's)

 

Martin Perez was not good his last time out against the Tigers in which he didn't manager to get through three innings, and gave up eight runs in that outing. However, prior to that matchup Perez strung together multiple good starts in a row, so lets hope that showing was just an off night for him. He did mention that his slider wasn't on that night and we all know how important that pitch is to Martin. If he can get his cutter rolling again he should be a good matchup against the Red Sox. However, we all know this lineup we are going against has a fantastic top of the order. Eovaldi isn't fully stretched out for the Sox, but was really good in four innings tossed against the Angels in which he struck out eight batters in four innings. He was a savior for them in the postseason last year out of the pen, but has since returned to the rotation. If he has his stuff working he will be really good. If he doesn't, he is wild and will issue free passes. It is tough for me to get a gauge on how this game will play out.

 

The Lineups:

 

Twins

 

RF Max Kepler L
SS Luis Arraez L
DH Nelson Cruz R
LF E. Rosario L
3B Miguel Sano R
C Mitch Garver R
CF Jake Cave L
1B C.J. Cron R
2B J. Schoop R

 

Red Sox

 

RF Mookie Betts R
SS X. Bogaerts R
3B R. Devers L
DH J. Martinez R
C C. Vazquez R
LF A. Benintendi L
1B Sam Travis R
CF G. Hernandez R
2B Brock Holt L

 

Luis Arraez will be taking the place of Jorge Polanco at shortstop for the time being, as he was removed from the game last night. However, this is just a short term thing and Polanco should be back in the Twins lineup before too long. I am surprised that Ehire isn't getting a start at short as he is a very good fielder, and Arraez isn't exactly that. It is interesting that Cave is in center and Kepler is in right. I wonder if it has something to do with the wacky right field fencing that takes place in Fenway, or if they think this is the better alignment overall. Max Kepler has two homers in six appearances vs the Sox starter. No Red Sox hitter has homered off of Martin Perez, and most of the lineup only has a few at bats against the Twins southpaw. However, Mookie Betts is hitting over .350 in 11 AB's against Perez. That is a matchup that scares me a lot, but Mookie scares me against any Twins pitcher. 

 

Mill's Moments

1. Dyson Downtime

Sam Dyson was sent back to Minnesota yesterday as he is dealing with a soreness in his shoulder, and this is something that is concerning to me. I am not sure if Minnesota knew that he was dealing with an injury before being shipped over, and if they did that is on them. Why would you trade for someone you knew is dealing with shoulder problems? However, if they didn't know, and it turns out that San Fran did, I wonder if the Twins could alter the deal or receive some additional compensation. I was very excited when we brought him over, and still am if we can get him right. However, if he isn't available to pitch down the stretch here that is a very concerning sign for the Twins bullpen. 

2. Playoff Rotation

Jose Berrios has been very bad for the past two months, and that makes me question what the playoff rotation would look like when they arrive. There is no way you can run Berrios out there as your ace with the way he is pitching now, so there are two options. Put him on the DL/rest him and skip a start, or hope he figures out what is going on. His velocity was back up last night, which is an encouraging sign. However, he was missing over the heart of the plate and was all over the zone last night. At this point I believe that rotation for the playoffs should be set up to be Big Mike followed by Jake Odorizzi, and then Jose Berrios. I don't know if that is what will happen a month from now, or if the Twins will opt that route, but with the way things are going right now they might not be left much of a choice come October.

 

This Day in History: 2010 - In the top of the ninth, the Twins recover from blowing a 6-0 lead, when Jason Kubel's two-out pop up lands behind the pitcher's mound untouched by the Rays' middle infielders for the go-ahead single in the team's eventual 8-6 victory. The odd play, a result of the ball ricocheting off a catwalk and changing direction 190 feet above Tropicana Field, will prompt a change of the ground rules for postseason games played in Tampa Bay.

 

Pick to Click - Nelson Cruz provides some late inning magic? What kind? I don't know, but I know it'll be magical. 

 

Go Twins!!!

[VATwinsFan]

Time to hammer the stake into Cleveland's heart and drink adult beverages from their jewel encrusted skulls.

 

Is that a bit harsh?

[MMMordabito]

 

Time to hammer the stake into Cleveland's heart and drink adult beverages from their jewel encrusted skulls.

 

Is that a bit harsh?

 

Are they human skulls?

 

Are they specific human skulls?

 

Just trying to keep the lid on this can of worms. 

[VATwinsFan]

 

Are they human skulls?

 

Are they specific human skulls?

 

Just trying to keep the lid on this can of worms. 

I was speaking metaphorically.

 

Sort of.

[gocgo]

I hate the White Sox....but right now I love the White Sox...in about 10 days I'll hate the White Sox again.

[gocgo]

Play .500 ball over the next 10 games....then play our best ball over the last 13 games.

[Puckett34]

 

I hate the White Sox....but right now I love the White Sox...in about 10 days I'll hate the White Sox again.

I'll take the under on those 10 days

[operation mindcrime]

Magic #17 Thank you White Sox!!!!!

[John Kelsey]

Perez vs. the Red Sox. What could go wrong????

[blindeke]

Have Arraez and Astudillo ever been in the lineup at the same time? I don't think they have. Maybe they are secretly the same person and cannot be in the same room at the same time. 

[FlauerPauer]

 

Have Arraez and Astudillo ever been in the lineup at the same time? I don't think they have. Maybe they are secretly the same person and cannot be in the same room at the same time. 

 

Wish Arraez would hit better when he is Astudillo...

[yarnivek1972]

Have Arraez and Astudillo ever been in the lineup at the same time? I don't think they have. Maybe they are secretly the same person and cannot be in the same room at the same time.

Like Bruce Wayne and Batman...

[operation mindcrime]

Perez vs. the Red Sox. What could go wrong????

Everything?

[operation mindcrime]

Like Bruce Wayne and Batman...

Like Anthony Weiner and Carlos Danger!

[Bomba2026]

The A team is back so I guess the Mgr knows we need to keep winning and win the division. I liked that new Geritol (name?) pitcher from last night. He gets rid of the ball pretty fast and pretty fast! Is he a starter? Cant be any worse then what we got now....The Bombas will fly tonight and the Twins will win big!

[gocgo]

 

Have Arraez and Astudillo ever been in the lineup at the same time? I don't think they have. Maybe they are secretly the same person and cannot be in the same room at the same time. 

Alter ego?  I mean I can't imagine Arraez swinging at a pitch that hits him.

[ScrapTheNickname]

 

The A team is back so I guess the Mgr knows we need to keep winning and win the division. I liked that new Geritol (name?) pitcher from last night. He gets rid of the ball pretty fast and pretty fast! Is he a starter? Cant be any worse then what we got now....The Bombas will fly tonight and the Twins will win big!

He'll be a starter next year, this year brief relief stints only.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I hope we win.

[snepp]

 

I hope we win.

 

Sounds like a reasonable hope to me.

 

I concur.

[blindeke]

 

I hope we win.

Aw...

 

 

[LVTwinsfan]

Lots of runs needed for Twins tonight

[ashbury]

Betts grounds out? That's UnPossible!

[LVTwinsfan]

Bogaerts needs 3 hits to reach 1000. I hope he gets all three over the weekend

[PDX Twin]

Who are these clowns that Perez is getting out? Surely not the same players that batted against Berrios last night.

[ashbury]

I liked that new Geritol (name?) pitcher from last night.

No, Geritol is our DH.

[Nine of twelve]

10 pitches for Perez, 1-2-3. That's a good sign. We could use about 8 more of those.

[LVTwinsfan]

8 more innings like that and Perez is a hero

[LVTwinsfan]

No, Geritol is our DH.

best offseason pickup since Jim Thome

[ashbury]

Who are these clowns that Perez is getting out? Surely not the same players that batted against Berrios last night.

 

I'm inclined to wonder if last night Jose and Willians were egging each other on subtly, not willing to back down from throwing strikes to Betts early in the count.

[ashbury]

10 pitches for Perez, 1-2-3. That's a good sign. We could use about 8 more of those.

Innings, you mean. 8 more innings. Right?