Series Preview: Cleveland Comes to Town...Let's Play Four!

[Steven Trefz]

The Twins aren't too hot, and they aren't too cold. Is there really a chance that they could get "just right" in time to bury the Guardians further down the AL Central? Four games means there's no where to hide our slumps, and everyone needs to find a way to contribute. Here's how the series sets up.

Image courtesy of David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Most Twins fans had written off the Houston series as bust, only to see a less than prodigious lineup clobber Houston's young ace Hunter Brown around the diamond. Fresh off of a series and season series win against the reigning World Series champs, the Twins took a red eye flight back home to get ready for a pivotal mid-season series against the Cleveland Guardians.

Minnesota can't change the division that they are in, so there is no shame in celebrating being in first place in the AL Central. Reality lurks just around the corner, however, as Detroit and Cleveland are one bad weekend away from taking over the top spot.

Cleveland comes to town having split their last ten games, and only sporting a 25-30 record overall. Every statistic for the Guardians screams "average." The Twins average one more run per game than the Guardians, which speaks more to the struggles of the Cleveland offense than to the success of the Twins.

Interesting Fact: In September 2022, the Twins played a five game series against the Guardians. The Twins entered the series four games behind in the division, and ended up losing four of five, all but ending their season. That's more depressing than interesting for Twins fans, but as the Twins find themselves in the opposite position, can they flip the results as well early in the season?

Weather Factor: Sunny and high-80’s at Target Field this weekend, with Friday's game being the only chance for storms currently.

Pitching Probables
Game 1 - Thursday, June 1st, 2023 – 6:40pm CDT – It's Pablo day at Target Field yet again, as Lopez (3-3, 4.11 ERA) tries to set the tone for the series. The Guardians will send RHP Tanner Bibee (1-1, 2.88 ERA) out to make his seventh career start.

The most pressing question facing the Twins will be the health of Byron Buxton. Will he be back in the lineup Thursday night? What role will Royce Lewis take on in this series? With the St. Paul Saints in Buffalo this weekend, quick call-ups across the river aren't quite as simple to make if injuries begin to linger.

Game 2 – Friday, June 2nd, 2023 – 7:10pm CDT – Twins RHP Bailey Ober (3-2, 2.68 ERA) looks to bounce back from a rough first inning last week as he faces an annual Cleveland nemesis, RHP Aaron Civale (1-1, 2.84 ERA). Civale is only making his third start of the season, while Ober already has seven innings of no-run ball and a victory against Cleveland this season.

Game 3 - Saturday, June 3rd, 2023 – 6:15 pm CDT – In the third game of the series, the Twins call upon the only starter yet to lose this season, RHP Sonny Gray (4-0, 1.94 ERA). He will face Cleveland LHP Logan Allen (2-2, 2.72 ERA), who went 5.2 innings against the Twins on May 6th, surrendering two runs in the process.

Gray looks to stay in the game longer in June than he did in May, as he only averaged five innings per outing last month. The bullpen will most likely be taxed by this point in the series, and a short start won't get the job done.

Game 4 - Sunday, June 4th, 2023 - 1:10pm CDT - The Twins close out the series with RHP Joe Ryan (7-2, 2.77 ERA). Cleveland announced on Thursday that RHP Triston McKenzie will make his season debut, . Ryan looks to continue his home cooking, and deliver a knock out blow to the Guardians as the middle months of the season begin. McKenzie had a 1-2 record, with a 5.46 ERA against the Twins in five starts in 2022.

Prediction Time!
What's your prediction for this series?  Can the Twins maintain their lead in the AL Central throughout this series? Who do you see being the biggest impact player at home this weekend? Let us know in the comments! Go, Twins!

AL Central Standings (through May 31)

View full article

[rusty boots]

Pretty sure Sunday will be McKenzie for CLE

[stringer bell]

The Twins are close to as healthy as they've been all season. I think they have superior talent on both sides of the ball. It appears that the Cleveland bullpen hasn't been as stellar, particularly Clase and Karinchak, so perhaps the Twins can turn the tables on what happened in '22.

With their positive run differential, good to great starting pitching and a lineup that has added Lewis, Polanco and Kirilloff from Opening Day, I think this club is due for a hot steak. After winning two of three from Houston, I'll predict three of four from Cleveland at home and then good play against two of the "beasts of the east"--Tampa and Toronto.

[danielp19653]

hopeful for 3 of 4, expect 2-2, Cleveland always seems to play well against the Twins regardless of who is hot or cold coming in. I also just don't trust this lineup to not get shutout at least 1 night

[jmlease1]

The "oh, we can't call anyone up because the Saints are in Buffalo" is pretty silly: this is a billion dollar team, not a tiny non-profit. There's plenty of flights out of Buffalo to get a player here in a few hours if needed. They're not coming in from Katmandu. 

i think the Twins take 3 of 4. (I'd love the sweep, but I'm not gonna be greedy) Their starting pitching will keep them in every game and I'm starting to feel some confidence in the offense again. twins are a good home team and have been a little unlucky so far this year (only 4-10 in 1-run games). Time to get it in gear.

Predictions: Gallo breaks out of his slump and clocks 2 dingers this series, Polanco comes back hitting, and because I keep talking about how we probably need to move on from him Max Kepler makes me look like a fool and has his best series of the season. Lopez goes at least 6, and Joe Ryan acts like the last game never happened and goes 7.

 

[Steven Trefz]

19 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

The "oh, we can't call anyone up because the Saints are in Buffalo" is pretty silly: this is a billion dollar team, not a tiny non-profit. There's plenty of flights out of Buffalo to get a player here in a few hours if needed. They're not coming in from Katmandu. 

i think the Twins take 3 of 4. (I'd love the sweep, but I'm not gonna be greedy) Their starting pitching will keep them in every game and I'm starting to feel some confidence in the offense again. twins are a good home team and have been a little unlucky so far this year (only 4-10 in 1-run games). Time to get it in gear.

Predictions: Gallo breaks out of his slump and clocks 2 dingers this series, Polanco comes back hitting, and because I keep talking about how we probably need to move on from him Max Kepler makes me look like a fool and has his best series of the season. Lopez goes at least 6, and Joe Ryan acts like the last game never happened and goes 7.

 

True, but the drive Wallner over after an afternoon game to play a night game becomes less feasible :)

[August J Gloop]

The Twins have hit and pitched better than CLE. No reason to change that this weekend. 

[Mortimerkenny21]

2 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

They're not coming in from Katmandu. 

Maybe they want to go to Katmandu like Robert Seger.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

3 hours ago, rusty boots said:

Pretty sure Sunday will be McKenzie for CLE

Yup, could be Triston McKenzie’s season debut— Guardians are getting their #2 starter back. 

[msukirbycarew]

I think we win 3 as Bick, Correa, Kepler, Gallo and Polanco show that there is some value in proven veterans.  Time to seperae from the pack this yar compared to last year when we fieleded a AAA team when it counted.

[chinmusic]

4 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

Predictions: Gallo breaks out of his slump and clocks 2 dingers this series

Yeah, I think so too. He's certainly due, and Rocco keeps putting him in the lineup.

Also, I'd love to see Lopez have a really dominant start.

(lots of other things to wish for, but I'll leave it at that)

 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Go Twins!

let’s see:

[Sherry Cerny]

Thank you for this preview! I am at the point where every time we play them I will get nervous from here on out lol, but after reading this and tonight, I am READY. OH MAN!