Twins look to build on strong resume vs. visiting Padres
Even with Tuesday night time’s loss within the sequence opener, the Minnesota Twins have a better profitable share towards the San Diego Padres than vs. another Nationwide League staff because the begin of interleague play in 1997
General, the Twins are 16-8 towards the Padres, a .667 clip, and so they’ll look so as to add one other win on Wednesday night time when the groups meet in Minneapolis within the second recreation of a three-game sequence
However these are usually not the Padres of previous seasons. These are the big-spending Padres, the Padres of Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Xander Bogaerts, Jake Cronenworth, Josh Hader, Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish and extra
“Everybody is aware of what the Padres have carried out to enhance,” Twins supervisor Rocco Baldelli mentioned just lately. “They’re extra gifted and deeper than they have been. Which is why the brand new schedule is sweet
“In previous years, you may get a neater interleague schedule one 12 months and a harder one the following. Now it is balanced. The one distinction is the place you get them.”
The Twins get the Padres and Chicago Cubs at dwelling this week. Then it is off to face the Dodgers in Los Angeles
“Going through the Padres and Dodgers six instances in a span of 9 days is a troublesome a part of the schedule,” Baldelli mentioned
Wednesday night time, it will likely be a matchup of right-handers with Seth Lugo (3-2, 3.21 ERA) beginning for the Padres towards Pablo Lopez (2-2, 3.77). The Twins will look to snap their third three-game dropping streak of the season and of the previous three weeks
In the meantime, the Padres will attempt to construct on some momentum created by Tuesday night time’s 6-1 win. The Padres altered the highest of their batting order for one of many few instances this season
Padres supervisor Bob Melvin moved Cronenworth up into the second spot within the order behind Tatis, enabling the Padres to alternate right-left batters all through the order. The one time they’d hitters back-to-back from the identical aspect is when No. 9 Austin Nola and No. 1 Tatis batted
“We will attempt to discover the correct mix till we get it proper,” Melvin mentioned of his lineup. “We wished to see what we might do with somewhat extra stability. You are all the time looking for one of the best construction. We’ve not carried out in addition to we’d have anticipated, so generally you shake it up.”
Tuesday’s shakeup produced the primary four-hit recreation by Juan Soto because the Padres acquired him in a commerce with the Washington Nationals final August
For the Twins, Lopez will make his eighth begin of the season. He has averaged greater than six innings a begin, giving up 18 runs on 37 hits and 10 walks with 54 strikeouts in 43 innings. He’s 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in 12 2/3 innings over two profession begins towards the Padres
Lugo will make his seventh begin of the season. In 12 profession appearances (one begin) towards the Twins whereas with the Mets, he’s 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 4 walks
–Discipline Degree Media
