Twins Notebook 9/26: Twins Look to Slow Streaking Castillo, Maintain Lead in Division

[Tom Froemming]

Tonight, the Twins matchup against Luis Castillo, one of the best pitchers in baseball. Michael Pineda takes the mound for the Twins, who are 4-0 in games he’s started this season. Keep reading for more on today’s game as well as a look around the rest of the American League.LAST NIGHT’S RECAP

CIN 7, MIN 2: Twins Lose Game, Donaldson, Buxton

 

SEE ALSO

Records the Twins Can Set This Weekend

If These Three Excel, the Twins Will Go Far This October

Taking a Temperature Reading of the Twins Bats Heading Into October

This Season Is a Culmination of the Front Office's Successes

On Deck: Wild Cards Who Can Fold the Twins' Playoff Run

Ranking the Twins Postseason Opponents and their Chances

How Have Twins Handled Their Best Mound Opponents?

 

TRANSACTIONS

Luis Arraez has been activated from the injured list and Devin Smeltzer has been recalled. To make room on the roster, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Edwar Colina were optioned.

 

TODAY

Twins (35-23) vs. Reds (30-28), 6:10 pm CT

 

Michael Pineda, RHP

Download attachment: Pineda.png

The Twins are undefeated in games Pineda has started this season, going 4-0. Three of those wins have come against opponents with winning records (White Sox, Cleveland and Cubs). Last time out, Pineda gave up one run on four hits over five innings. He struck out just one batter, but didn’t walk anybody. In fact, Pineda has walked just four of the 93 batters he’s faced this season.

 

Over his last 15 starts, Pineda is 9-1 with a 2.86 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. The Twins will try to avoid losing back-to-back home games for the first time this season.

 

Luis Castillo, RHP

Download attachment: Castillo.png

This guy was my preseason pick for NL Cy Young. He’s not going to win that award, but Castillo has been pitching up to that level so far in September.

 

Castillo entered this month with a 4.10 ERA, but has delivered four straight quality starts for the Reds. He’s 4-0 with a 1.26 ERA while holding opponents to a measly .163/.234/.245 batting line (.479 OPS) over that stretch.

 

Over his career, Castillo has dominated same-sided hitters, but he tends to give up some damage to lefties. Southpaws have a .746 OPS against him, which is 152 points higher than right-handed hitters.

 

LINEUP

 

AROUND THE AL CENTRAL

 

Last night’s results:

CLE 4, PIT 3

CHC 10, CHW 0

KCR 3, DET 2

 

AL Central Standings:

1. MIN 35-23

2. CLE 34-24 (-1)

2. CHW 34-24 (-1)

4. KCR 25-33 (-9)

5. DET 22-34 (-11)

 

Today’s AL games of interest:

MIA (Rogers) at NYY (Garcia), In progress

SEA (Sheffield) at OAK (Minor), 3:10 pm CT

SEA (Blackburn) at OAK (Dunn), Game 2

BAL (Means) at TOR (Shoemaker), 5:37 pm CT

HOU (TBD) at TEX (Gibson), 6:05 pm CT

PIT (Musgrove) at CLE (Civale), 6:10 pm CT

CHC (Lester) at CHW (Dunning), 6:10 pm CT

 

American League Playoff Standings

1. TBR 38-10

2. OAK 35-22

3. MIN 35-23

4. CLE 34-24

5. NYY 32-26

6. HOU 29-29

7. CHW 34-24

8. TOR 31-27

 

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[ANDwon]

Anybody else nervously watching the twins and Yankees move up and down the standings, almost in synch, nearly always matched up somehow?

[Trov]

Crazy last 2 games.  If we win 1 game, we have home field for first round.  If we win 1 and Chicago loses 1 game we win the division.  If we lose both games, and Chicago wins 1 and Cleveland wins 1 we win division.  If we lose 1 but Chicago wins both and Cleveland loses 1 we lose division. If we lose both but Cleveland wins both we lose division and Cleveland wins it.  If we lose both, Chicago wins both and Cleveland wins both we are 7th seed and Cleveland wins division.   My head kind of hurts thinking about it.  At least we in, lets win at least 1 and let chips fall where they may. 

[Danchat]

It's good to see Arraez back, but Castillo will be a difficult opponent... though they did pull Mahle really early yesterday, so they might not let Castillo pitch very long. I would imagine their postseason rotation is Bauer-Gray-Castillo, then Mahle?

[mikelink45]

That line up really looks weak.  I would have kept Wade another day and waited on Smeltzer.  I am tired of seeing Adrianza and Gonzalez in the lineup together this season.  

[Otto von Ballpark]

I would imagine their postseason rotation is Bauer-Gray-Castillo, then Mahle?

I saw that speculated, although Gray is in an odd spot — he missed some time on the IL, then returned last Tuesday. His next turn would be Sunday, and if that game is meaningful (if they could pass the Cardinals for 2nd place), maybe they start him then? He could actually still pitch in the wild card game 3 on regular rest then...

 

Edit: Gray on Sunday is now official:

 

https://twitter.com/nightengalejr/status/1309951244719489026?s=20

[h2oface]

Oakland loses first game of today's double header with the Mariners.... Twins now tied with them at 35-23 with 2 games to go for both of them.

[insagt1]

I think IMHO that they should be keeping Wade. Anyone have an update on Bux and Donaldson?