Twins-Chicago White Sox series preview
June 5, 2018 at 4:45AM
Tuesday, 3:10 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM: RHP Fernando Romero (2-2, 4.15 ERA) vs. RHP Reynaldo Lopez (1-4, 3.80)
Tuesday, following first game • FSN, 830-AM: RHP Zack Littell (major league debut) vs. RHP Lucas Giolito (3-6, 7.53)
Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM: RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-2, 4.14) vs. LHP Hector Santiago (1-2, 5.10)
Thursday, 12:10 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM: RHP Jose Berrios (6-5, 3.86) vs. RHP James Shields (1-6, 4.48)
Twins update
The Twins began this 11-game homestand by taking three of four from Cleveland to pull within 3½ games of the Indians in the AL Central. … LF Eddie Rosario is hitting .378 (48-for-127) with 10 HR and 28 RBI over his past 31 games. He has 21 multi-hit games after his three-homer outing Sunday, and he is among the top 10 in the AL in batting average (.317) and RBI (40). … Littell, the 22-year-old acquired from the Yankees last July, struggled at Class AA Chattanooga this year before going 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA in five games at Class AAA Rochester. … Romero gave up eight earned runs in 1⅔ innings Wednesday at Kansas City. … C Cameron Rupp signed a minor league contract Monday and was assigned to Class AAA Rochester. Rupp, 29, hit 30 homers in 2016-17 with Philadelphia. He began 2018 with Texas' Class AAA Round Rock team but was released Friday.
White Sox update
At 18-38, the White Sox have the second-worst record in the major leagues, ahead of only Baltimore (17-41). They have lost five of seven but did take two of three at home from NL-best Milwaukee over the weekend. Chicago is starting a stretch of 22 games in 21 days. … Tuesday's doubleheader was caused by the mid-April blizzard that wiped out three of four games at Target Field. A split doubleheader is scheduled Sept. 28, and the White Sox will come back for one more game Aug. 20. … 1B Jose Abreu is hitting .300 on the season. His .366 average in night games is best in the majors. … The White Sox lead the majors with 50 stolen bases and are third in success rate (.819). They also lead the AL in triples (18), with 3B Yolmer Sanchez having an MLB-high six. They are on pace to hit 190 home runs, which would be their most since 2012.
Chris Miller
about the writer
The eight Twins headed for arbitration are Royce Lewis, Joe Ryan, Jhoan Duran, Bailey Ober, Ryan Jeffers, Willi Castro, Griffin Jax and Trevor Larnach.
