Twins-Cleveland series preview
July 30, 2018 at 4:05AM
Monday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM
RHP Ervin Santana (0-0, 5.40) vs. RHP Shane Bieber (5-2, 4.80)
Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM
RHP Kyle Gibson (5-7, 3.42) vs. RHP Trevor Bauer (9-6, 2.32)
Wednesday, 12:10 p.m. • Facebook, 830-AM
RHP Lance Lynn (7-8, 5.10) vs. RHP Carlos Carrasco (12-5, 3.89)
Twins update
These are the first of 10 games remaining with the division leaders, and the final ones at Target Field this year. The Twins are 6-3 against the Indians this year, including 1-1 in Puerto Rico and 3-1 in Minneapolis. They travel to Cleveland for a four-game series beginning next Monday. … In eight starts with the Twins against Cleveland, Santana owns a 2.82 ERA. … OF Eddie Rosario's .305 batting average ranks seventh in the AL. … Eight of OF Max Kepler's 49 career home runs have come against Cleveland, but none this year. He is 6-for-33 (.182) against the Indians in 2018. … 3B Miguel Sano, back in the majors following Friday's trade that sent Eduardo Escobar to Arizona, is a career .186 hitter (33-for-177) against Cleveland, with 30 strikeouts. But he has homered seven times. … RHP Fernando Rodney is 22-for-28 in save opportunities but has blown three of his past eight. … Wednesday's game will not be televised but will be available online at Facebook.
Cleveland update
The Indians are only 5-4 since the All-Star break but still own a nine-game lead in their quest for a third consecutive AL Central title. … They are 24-26 on the road but 7-2 away from home in July. … LHP Brad Hand, a graduate of Chaska High School, was acquired along with RHP Adam Cimber on July 19 from San Diego. Hand, who has one save and has given up one run in 3⅓ innings since joining the Indians, has only one career major league appearance at Target Field. … 3B Jose Ramirez is second in the AL in home runs (30), third in RBI (73) and second in stolen bases (23). … Bieber has made only eight major league starts, but the first two were against the Twins. Bieber has a 3.97 ERA in those games, but Cleveland won both. … Carrasco has started three games against the Twins in 2018, and the Twins have won them all. … The Indians are without OF Lonnie Chisenhall (calf), OF Tyler Naquin (hip), RHPs Danny Salazar (shoulder) and Josh Tomlin (hamstring) and LHP Andrew Miller knee).
PHIL MILLER
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Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and Aaron Judge earned his second American League honor on Thursday.
