Rangers at Twins
The Minnesota Twins are on an historic home run pace and are powering their way toward the All-Star break in first place in the American League Central. The Twins will try to keep the home runs coming and clinch a series win when they host the Texas Rangers on Saturday in the second of a three-game set.
Minnesota set a major league record for home runs before the All-Star break when Luis Arraez went deep in the second inning on Friday and did not stop there as Jonathan Schoop, Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver each added homers to give the team 165 on the season. The Twins pounded out 13 extra-base hits in Friday's 15-6 drubbing to help push the team 6 1/2 games clear of the Cleveland Indians in the Central with two games left before the break. The Rangers are losers of five of their last six and dropped to 18-24 on the road with Friday's setback. Texas will hand the ball to veteran Jesse Chavez looking to slow the Minnesota attack on Saturday while the Twins counter with right-hander Michael Pineda.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Southwest (Texas), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Jesse Chavez (3-3, 2.97 ERA) vs. Twins RH Michael Pineda (5-4, 4.78)
Chavez is settling into his spot in the rotation after making 30 appearances out of the bullpen and posted back-to-back quality starts in his last two outings. The 35-year-old earned a win over Detroit on June 25 but could not get enough run support to pull out another on Sunday, when he was charged with four runs - three earned - and five hits over six innings at Tampa Bay. Chavez is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 11 career games - three starts - against Minnesota.
Pineda matched a season high with eight strikeouts and earned a win while allowing one run and four hits over six innings at the Chicago White Sox last Saturday. The Dominican Republic native bounced back after serving up five runs in as many innings to the Kansas City Royals in his previous outing. Pineda missed all of 2018 recovering from elbow surgery and is seeing Texas for the first time since June 25, 2017, when he was knocked around for seven runs in four innings to suffer a loss as a member of the New York Yankees.
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins DH Nelson Cruz (heel discomfort) was lifted from Friday's game and is day-to-day.
2. Rangers 2B Rougned Odor is 4-for-8 in the last two games, lifting his batting average to .195.
3. Minnesota CF Byron Buxton (wrist) went 2-for-5 on Friday after going 1-for-17 in his first five games back off the IL.