As the American League wild card race heats up, the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins meet for the first time since May when they begin a three-game weekend series on Friday in Boston.
The Twins (80-73) have lost six of their last 10 games and 20 of 30 after snapping a four-game losing streak in Cleveland, including Thursday’s 3-2, 10-inning contest in which they held on. three hits.
Because of this, Minnesota is in a tie for last in the AL with Detroit with nine games to play.
“It can be tough. It can be tough at times,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You can make a reasonable statement that we were in a position to win all four games here. (Winning just one) is not going to be enough, there’s no way around that.”
Although their playoff hopes have faded during their 10-20 run, the Twins can only look forward. Having the likes of shortstop Carlos Correa and center fielder Byron Buxton, both with OPS above .850, coming back from injury certainly gives cause for optimism.
A strong finish could bring more playoff baseball to Minnesota after winning the AL Central last season, but results will be needed to get past a 21-9 Tigers club in the same stretch.
“If you look at it from the outside, maybe the odds were not in our favor just because of how they were going and how we were going,” forward Matt Wallner said. “So, something has to change.”
Wallner went 0-for-3 with a triple Thursday after a 5-for-7 effort over the past two games.
Continuing his rookie season, Minnesota righty David Festa (2-6, 5.07 ERA) is expected to make his 12th career start and start against Boston on Friday.
Festa is still looking for his first win since Aug. 5, though he snapped a four-game losing streak with Sunday’s no-decision against Cincinnati. He allowed two runs on three hits while striking out four in the first 3 2/3 innings of a 9-2 Twins victory.
The Red Sox (76-77) are on the wrong end of the playoff cutoff line, entering their home series with an inferior record.
Thursday’s 2-0 loss at Tampa Bay cemented that fact, and a win for the Red Sox would have given them a chance to at least tie Minnesota for the title with a head-to-head sweep this weekend.
In a key game with a chance to clinch a spot, Boston’s batters were held to one hit and struck out 11 times en route to their seventh shutout of the season.
“It’s the same as what’s been going on for a month and a half. We’re not killing it,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “At one time, we were the best offense in baseball against righties, but now we’re not producing.”
Like the opposition, the Red Sox will start their own rookie Richard Fitts (0-0, 0.00), who has allowed just two earned runs in his first 10 2/3 big league innings.
Filling in for Tanner Houck on short notice, Fitts pitched a five-inning, two-hit shutout against the Yankees last Friday in New York.
“It was a quick transition to find out when I was starting, but I accepted the challenge,” Fitts said. “I am very blessed and very grateful to have the opportunity to wear a Red Sox uniform now and hopefully for a long time to come.”
–Field Level Media