Twins at Yankees
The Central Division-leading Minnesota Twins own the best record in the American League and are coming off a 6-1 homestand, but they will be entering their personal house of horrors when they open a three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. Minnesota has been dominated by the New York Yankees in the Bronx, losing 50 of 64 meetings (playoffs included) since 2002.
The Twins enter the series on a roll after taking three of four from the Houston Astros to improve to 10-3 over their last 13 games. “If you want to be the best, you've got to beat the best," second baseman Jonathan Schoop said. "We believe we're the best team in the league, so we're going to go out there and have fun and compete." New York was in the midst of its best stretch of the season, winning nine of 10, before closing out a nine-game road trip with a two-game sweep by the Arizona Diamondbacks. “It was obviously a long West Coast trip that overall was very successful," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said as his team braces for a stretch of 30 games in 31 days. "That will be a challenge for us, but a challenge we welcome.”
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (2-0, 4.88 ERA) vs. Yankees LH James Paxton (3-2, 3.38)
Gibson has rebounded strongly after opening the season with three ragged efforts in which he was tagged for 13 runs and 14 2/3 innings but managed to escape with a no-decision each time. He earned his first win with six innings of two-run ball against Baltimore on April 21 and was even better in a rematch seven days later, allowing one run and three hits in seven innings. Brett Gardner is 5-for-13 against Gibson, who has labored against New York with a 1-5 record and 6.86 ERA in eight starts.
Paxton just missed a third straight quality start in his last outing, pitching 5 2/3 innings and giving up three runs on five hits while striking out eight in a win at San Francisco. He was overpowering in his previous two turns, striking out 12 over six scoreless innings in a no-decision versus Kansas City and dominating Boston with 12 strikeouts over eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball. Byron Buxton is 3-for-8 against Paxton, who is 3-1 with a 2.51 ERA in five starts versus the Twins.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Twins are tied for third in the majors with 52 home runs.
2. Yankees 1B Luke Voit is riding a 41-game on-base streak, the longest for the team since Mark Teixeira in 2010.
3. Minnesota's rotation turned in six quality starts during its seven-game homestand.