Twins-Cubs series preview
Their visit to Wrigley Field includes a "Sunday Night Baseball" game on ESPN.
September 18, 2020 at 5:51AM
Friday, 7:15 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM: LHP Rich Hill (2-1, 3.81) vs. RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-4, 3.29)
Saturday, 7:15 p.m. • FSN, 830-AM: RHP Michael Pineda (1-0, 3.57) vs. RHP Alec Mills (5-3, 3.93)
Sunday, 6:08 p.m. • ESPN, 830-AM: RHP Jose Berrios (4-3, 4.15) vs. RHP Yu Darvish (7-2, 1.86)
TWINS UPDATE
This will be the Twins' first regular-season appearance in Wrigley Field since 2018, when they were swept. The heat index reached 107 degrees on that Saturday and three players left because of heat-related issues. … C Willians Astudillo made his major league debut that day and ended up in center field. P Jake Odorizzi had to pinch hit because manager Paul Molitor had no other options. … Hill spent the first four seasons of his career with the Cubs. He's faced them three times, including two starts, going 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA. … The Twins and Cubs have this in common: They both have had games delayed by a drone. One appeared over Wrigley Field on Wednesday, leading to a seven-minute delay. … The Twins will make their first appearance on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" since Aug. 22, 2010. … This is the Twins' final road series of the season.
CUBS UPDATE
Mills will be making his first start since throwing a no-hitter against the Brewers on Sunday. … The Cubs, a season-high 10 games over .500, can clinch the National League Central title this weekend under first-year manager David Ross. … 1B Anthony Rizzo has the fifth-most RBI in MLB since the start of 2015. Twins DH Nelson Cruz is second, behind Nolan Arenado. … Cubs star infielder Javy Baez and Berrios are married to sisters and are best friends, but they have never faced each other in a major league game. They have met in the past two All-Star Games, with Baez going 0-for-2. … Darvish leads the National League in victories and is second in ERA and third in strikeouts. … Hendricks has an ERA of 1.66 in September and has walked six batters all season in 65⅔ innings.
about the writer
Armando Alvarez played first base and third base in 16 games for Oakland. He ranged further in the minor leagues, where he hit .315 in Class AAA last season.
