Not every game is going to be perfect, as the Minnesota Twins discovered on Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals.
A 6-1 loss is never ideal, but there does not appear to be much cause for concern in Minnesota. Despite the setback, the Twins are still crushing the Royals this season and have a chance to complete a second series victory over their AL Central opponents on Thursday.
Beating the Royals would do more than simply give Minnesota an advantage; it would also keep the division battle close. Kansas City’s Twins-style offseason has resulted in a second-place AL Central record, and the Royals lead the Twins by four games heading into Thursday’s series finale.
Minnesota cannot catch the Royals in this series, but a win would help keep the Twins on track to recover while also sending a message to Kansas City that items in your rearview mirror are closer than they appear.
Twins versus. Royals’ probable starting pitchers, May 30
On Thursday afternoon, the Twins will start Chris Paddack (4-2, 4.39 ERA) in an attempt to secure the series victory. The Sheriff has been successful at Target Field, going 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA, including a strong performance against the Rangers last week. Paddack lasted five innings, allowing only two runs on two hits, which he’ll look to build on against the Royals.
Paddack will face the Royals for the first time this season on Thursday, and only his third AL Central game. He dominated the White Sox in April and tossed eight excellent innings against the Guardians before losing the game.
Meanwhile, Brady Singer (4-2, 2.63 ERA) has already faced the Twins this season and is likely eager for another opportunity. Singer was on the mound for Kansas City’s 11-0 victory over Minnesota in the season’s third game, pitching seven scoreless innings and striking out ten Twins.
That was the beginning of Minnesota’s offensive issues, and it would be appropriate for the squad to exorcise those demons against Singer on Thursday.
Minnesota Twins lineup today vs. Royals.
Here’s how the Twins plan to win their second series against the Royals and third in a row.
Manuel Margot, RF
Carlos Correa, SS.
Ryan Jeffers, DH.
José Miranda 3B: Byron Buxton, CF
Willi Castro, LF.
Kyle Farmer, second baseman
Carlos Santana (first base) and Christian Vazquez C
Manuel Margot is once again batting leadoff, which is both perplexing and consistent with Rocco Baldelli’s performance this season. It has succeeded to varied degrees, but Margot’s -0.7 WAR indicates that it is not the best idea in the world.
Still, Margot is hitting over.200, which isn’t a lofty threshold to overcome but represents a significant improvement from where he has been. Perhaps another game as the leadoff hitter will help him continue to improve his plate performance.
What time is the Minnesota Twins’ game today?
Three of Minnesota’s next four games will take place in the afternoon, the first of which is against Kansas City on Thursday. The game is set to begin at 12:10 p.m. CT, giving fans plenty of time to unwind before watching the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals later that evening.
Unlike last Friday’s game against the Rangers, this start time was initially planned and has nothing to do with the Wolves’ playoff game at Target Centre on the same day.
How to watch the Minnesota Twins game today?
With the Wolves playing later in the day and on TNT, the Twins will have the entire Bally Sports North airwaves to themselves on Thursday afternoon.
Game time: 12:10 p.m. CT.
Date: Thursday, May 30, 2024.
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Stadium: Target Field TV channel: Bally Sports North.
If Bally Sports North is not available on cable, here are other streaming choices to consider:
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