Series opener preview: Cleveland vs. Twins at Target Field

Cleveland (68-46, second in the AL Central) vs. Twins (70-44, first in the AL Central)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m.

TV: FSNorth. Radio: WCCO (830 AM)

Tickets: Twins website | StubHub | Ticket King

PITCHING PROBABLES: Indians: Mike Clevinger (6-2, 3.07 ERA) Twins: Kyle Gibson (11-4, 4.02 ERA)

BOTTOM LINE: Division rivals Minnesota and Cleveland will play on Thursday at Target Field in the first of four games.

The Twins are 27-13 against AL Central opponents. Minnesota has slugged .501, good for first in in the MLB. Nelson Cruz leads the club with a .654 slugging percentage, including 51 extra-base hits and 32 home runs.

Cleveland is 31-19 in division games. The Cleveland pitching staff as a whole has an ERA of 3.70. Shane Bieber leads the team with a 3.32 earned run average.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jorge Polanco leads the Twins with 133 hits and has 55 RBIs. Cruz is 13-for-30 with three doubles, six home runs and 16 RBIs over the last 10 games for Minnesota.

Francisco Lindor leads Cleveland with 47 extra base hits and is slugging .527. Jose Ramirez is 9-for-36 with five doubles, three home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games for Cleveland.

LAST 10 GAMES: Twins: 7-3, .266 batting average, 4.50 ERA, outscored opponents by 19 runs

Cleveland: 6-4, .243 batting average, 2.93 ERA, outscored opponents by 13 runs

Twins Injuries: Michael Pineda: 10-day IL (triceps), Sam Dyson: 10-day IL (bicep tendinitis), LaMonte Wade Jr: 10-day IL (thumb), Byron Buxton: 10-day IL (shoulder), Willians Astudillo: 10-day IL (oblique).

Cleveland Injuries: Danny Salazar: 10-day IL (groin), Jefry Rodriguez: 60-day IL (shoulder), Dan Otero: 60-day IL (shoulder), Tyler Olson: 10-day IL (undisclosed), Corey Kluber: 60-day IL (arm), Carlos Carrasco: 60-day IL (leukemia), Cody Anderson: 60-day IL (elbow), Bradley Zimmer: 60-day IL (shoulder), Jordan Luplow: 10-day IL (hamstring), Christian Arroyo: 60-day IL (forearm).