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

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

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

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

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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