Series preview: Twins vs. Yankees

Two fourth-place teams square off at Target Field.

June 8, 2021 at 2:18AM
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge tosses his bat after a walk against the Boston Red Sox during the inning of a baseball game. Saturday, June 5, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Three-game series at Target Field

All games at 7:10 p.m. on BSN and 830-AM

Tuesday: LHP Jordan Montgomery (3-1, 3.92) vs. RHP Michael Pineda (3-3, 3.40)

Wednesday: RHP Gerrit Cole (6-3, 2.26) vs. RHP Randy Dobnak (1-5, 6.19)

Thursday: TBA vs. LHP J.A. Happ (3-2, 5.61)

Yankees update

The Bombers hit the road after being swept at home by the Red Sox. They are 3-10 in their past 13, and 25th in the majors in runs scored. … RF Aaron Judge leads the team in batting average (. 295), HRs (14) and RBI (32). … Cole is third in the majors with 104 strikeouts and has walked only 11. … 1B Luke Voit (oblique) is out, but reliever Zack Britton could make his season debut this week. CF Aaron Hicks (wrist) and starting pitchers Luis Severino and Corey Kluber (shoulder) are on the 60-day injured list. … The Yankees are 23-9 vs. the Twins since 2015 and have won nine of the past 11 series against them. New York is 59-25 (. 702) against the Twins since 2008, its best record against any American League team in that span.

Twins update

CF Byron Buxton (hip) starts a rehab stint in St. Paul on Tuesday night, and P Kenta Maeda (groin) will start for the Saints on Wednesday. … RF Max Kepler (hamstring) could return this week, but C Mitch Garver (groin) and IF-OF Luis Arraez (shoulder) are still sidelined. … The Twins had their 16-game streak of homering in a game end Sunday in Kansas City. They are second in the AL with 83 HRs, one behind Toronto. … They are 12-17 at home. … Pineda got an extra day of rest after arm tightness after his last start, when he gave up a season-high five runs in three innings vs. Baltimore on June 1. He pitched from 2014-17 for the Yankees, going 31-31 with a 4.16 ERA. He's pitched against them twice since (0-1, 5.40 ERA).

about the writer

about the writer

Chris Miller

Editor

Chris Miller supervises coverage of professional sports teams. He has been at the Star Tribune since 1999 and is a former sports editor of the Duluth News-Tribune and the Mesabi Daily News.

See More