2 min read • April 30, 2022
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The Minnesota Twins will face-off with the Tampa Bay Rays for the the second in a three game series after a 6-1 drubbing Friday night. After managing just one run on three hits, the Twins will try to break out of their road run-scoring slump while the Rays look to extend their three-game home win streak.
Minnesota Twins - 11-9, 1st in AL Central
The 21st ranked offense has stumbled on the road scoring almost a full two runs less than at home. The Twins have lost three of the last 4 on the road including the first game of the current Rays series.
Oft-injured OF Bryon Buxton has returned from a recent knee injury, posting 7 hits in the six games since returning including three straight hitless outings. Buxton will need to find his groove against the Rays to help lift the Twins muted road offense.
On top of the poor offense, Minnesota will be down two power arms this series in SP’s Sonny Gray and Bailey Ober. The newcomer Gray started twice this season before picking up a hamstring injury and landing on the 10-day IL. Young arm Bailey Ober recently picked up a groin injury in his last start but has yet to be placed on the the 10-day and currently listed as day to day.
Veteran Chris Archer will pitch today, holding a solid 3.18 ERA in three starts.
Tampa Bay Rays - 12-8, 3rd AL East
The Rays have endured an up and down first month of the season but after winning 4 out of their last 5 games, things are trending in the right direction. Tampa won the first game of the series score 6 runs which is the most the team has produced since April 20th versus the Chicago Cubs.
An issue that has been the cause of most of the downs in April is the amount of pitchers piling up on the Injured List. Rays currently have 10 pitchers on the IL with 7 on the elongated 60-day IL. Crucial names like Tyler Glasnow, Luis Patino, and Ryan Yarbrough will miss crucial chunks of the season and you can already see the aftermath of missing the key arms.
Big man 1B Ji-man Choi has enjoyed fantastic success to start the season batting .357 along with 10 RBIs but is sitting to start the Saturday matchup due to a back issue. Harold Ramirez may be the likely beneficiary to start with Choi sitting out, but potentially available to pinch hit.
Lefty Shane McClanahan will take the mound for the Rays and will look to build on his 31 strikeouts which is tied for 6th in the MLB.
With the lack of arms, the Twins hold the health advantage going into the second game of the series:
Injury-based Plays
Twins ML (+164) - The Twins have the healthier squad and could still a game late with the lack of quality arms in the Rays bullpen
Rays -0.5 F5 - The Rays may start the game hot and may even lead the game but the bullpen will likely falter late, take safe side with McClanahan pitching
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