Jose Berrios vs. Dylan Cease as Twins, White Sox battle for AL Central lead

CHICAGO -- The Twins are 14-2 against the White Sox in games Jose Berrios has started, and they hope that success continues tonight (7:10, FSN) when the teams meet at Guaranteed Rate Field on the South Side.

The White Sox are a game ahead of the second-place Twins in the American League Central as the four-game series starts. Chicago built its edge with an 18-2 combined record against Kansas City and Detroit, using the same formula the Twins used last season.

Before the game, the Twins activated infielder Travis Blankenhorn and optioned pitcher Devin Smeltzer to the St. Paul site. Blankenhorn was insurance after Marwin Gonzalez (non-COVID related illness) was a late scratch.

The Twins used a three-game sweep of Cleveland to put themselves in excellent playoff position.

The White Sox will send righthander Dylan Cease to the mound tonight, hoping that he's learned his lessons from facing the Twins last season.

In 2019, the Twins torched Cease for 13 earned runs and a 16.71 ERA in two meetings with Cease, including an Aug. 29 bludgeoning during which they scored eight runs in two innings. The Twins posted a 1.262 OPS in the two games against Cease, with Max Kepler, Jake Cave and C,J. Cron hitting home runs.

But the Twins should prepare to face a different pitcher tonight. Cease is 5-2 with a 3.33 ERA, so he's made progress. But his 20 walks over 46.0 innings reveal that he can still be done in by quality at bats. And the Twins are crushing baseballs right now as well as they have all season.

And, if anyone was wondering, the Twins taxi squad currently consists of infielder Travis Blankenhorn and righthanders Edwar Colina and Sean Poppen. The squad could look different as the week goes by, as the Twins appear close to activating righthander Jake Odorizzi. Odorizzi and injured catcher Alex Avila (back) are both with the team on the trip. Catcher Mitch Garver (intercostal) and second baseman Luis Arraez (knee) aren't. It's a seven game road swing, with a weekend series at Wrigley vs. the Cubbies.

Left fielder Eddie Rosario (bruised elbow) and first baseman Miguel Sano (stiff neck) also will sit out tonight for the Twins, who have hit multiple home runs in six consecutive games, tying a team record (the franchise record is seven by the 1959 Senators). The Twins are an MLB-best 10-2 in September.

The White Sox lead the American League in almost all major offensive categories. Their lineup includes batting average leader Tim Anderson and RBI leader Jose Abreu.

TWINS

Max Kepler, RF

Josh Donaldson, 3B

Nelson Cruz, DH

Jorge Polanco, SS

LaMonte Wade, 1B

Byron Buxton, CF

Jake Cave, LF

Willians Astudillo, C

Ehire Adrianza, 2B

WHITE SOX

Tim Anderson, SS

Yasmani Grandal, C

Jose Abreu, 1B

Eloy Jiminez, LF

Edwin Encarnacion, DH

Yoan Moncada, 3B

Luis Robert, CF

Nomar Mazara, RF

Nick Madrigal, 2B

photo of Jose Berrios by Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune

WHITE SOX

Tim Anderson, SS

Yasmani Grandal, C

Jose Abreu, 1B

Eloy Jiminez, LF

Edwin Encarnacion, DH

Yoan Moncada, 3B

Luis Robert, CF

Nomar Mazara, RF

Nick Madrigal, 2B

photo of Jose Berrios by Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune