This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The Minnesota Twins won a series against the team with the majors’ best record this week. They could add a couple of reinforcements during their weekend series against the Detroit Tigers that begins on Friday night.
Minnesota took two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies, including a 5-4 victory on Wednesday. Max Kepler provided the finishing touches with a walk-off infield single.
“We’re grinding with what we have,” Kepler said. “A lot of guys are down on the injured list and we’re still competing, which is special with a group this young right now, to go through the stuff we’re going through against these top-tier teams.”
Infielders Royce Lewis and Jose Miranda could be activated from the injured list this weekend.
Lewis sustained a right adductor strain against the Tigers on July 2. Miranda has been out since July 11 with a lower back injury.
Lewis, one of the most talented young hitters in the game, has played just 24 games this season but has 10 homers and five doubles. Miranda was hitting .325 prior to being shelved.
Getting those two big bats in the lineup again would boost the Twins’ chances of catching the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central. The Twins lost two games to Milwaukee following the All-Star break before the Phillies series.
“I was glad the way that we came together these last three days against a really good team,” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Nobody let up. Nobody ever quits here, and the guys continue to play hard until we get the win.”
Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez (8-7, 4.86 ERA) will start the opener of the three-game series against Detroit. Lopez was sharp in his first post-All-Star-break appearance, limiting the Brewers to one run and four hits in seven innings on Saturday. He threw a season-high 109 pitches.
Lopez has made three career starts against Detroit, posting a 1-2 record and a 4.24 ERA. He lost to the Tigers on April 12 after allowing five runs on six hits in four-plus innings.
Keider Montero (1-3, 5.97 ERA) will get the start for Detroit. The rookie right-hander has given up five earned runs in each of his past two starts. In his first outing after the All-Star break, Montero was charged with five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings at Toronto on Sunday.
Blue Jays outfielder George Springer blasted two home runs off Montero fastballs.
“It was more about execution,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It looked like Keider was struggling with location for most of the day. Breaking balls were pulled or hung. And the two fastballs, you get into fastball counts and guys like Springer are going to get you. He got him twice.”
Montero recorded his lone major league victory against the Twins on July 3. He held them to two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The Tigers are coming off a 4-3 road trip. They split a four-game series with Cleveland, winning the finale 3-0 Thursday afternoon.
“Obviously, we’re not perfect and you always look back at the losses and think, ‘How could we have won it?’ (But) we’ve played very well for a while now and this group is having a lot of fun,” Hinch said.
–Field Level Media
