Twins-Kansas City series preview
June 3, 2021 at 3:47AM
All games on FSN, 830-AM
Thursday, 7:10 p.m.: LHP J.A. Happ (3-2, 5.24 ERA) vs. LHP Kris Bubic (1-0, 1.52)
Friday, 7:10 p.m.: RHP Matt Shoemaker (2-6, 5.90) vs. RHP Brad Keller (5-4, 5.68)
Saturday, 3:10 p.m.: RHP Jose Berrios (5-2, 3.36) vs. LHP Mike Minor (4-2, 4.65)
Sunday, 1:10 p.m.: RHP Michael Pineda (3-3, 3.40) vs. RHP Brady Singer (3-4, 5.06)
Twins update
The Twins lost two of three to Kansas City last weekend at Target Field. Happ beat the Royals 6-5 on Saturday, giving up only three hits in five innings. … They will be without five Opening Day starters — CF Byron Buxton (hip), RF Max Kepler (hamstring), C Mitch Garver (groin), LF Luis Arraez (shoulder) and RHP Kenta Maeda (groin). … Entering Wednesday night's game, OF Alex Kirilloff was hitting .500 (17-for-34) with runners on base and .455 (10-for-22) with runners in scoring position; both led the majors. … Before Wednesday, the Twins bullpen had a combined 4.69 ERA but had a more respectable ERA of 3.00 in the past 15 games.
Royals update
Kansas City has won 11 of 17 after an 11-game losing streak to sneak back above .500 (27-26). Last season, the Royals went 26-34. … 2B Whit Merrifield leads MLB with 16 stolen bases. He has played in 360 consecutive games. … The Royals bullpen has a 1.80 ERA (13 ER in 65 innings) over the past 19 games. … LF Andrew Benintendi hit the team's first grand slam of 2021 in Tuesday's victory over Pittsburgh. C Salvador Perez homered twice in that game and has an RBI in five consecutive games. … RF Jorge Soler (groin) and SS Adalberto Mondesi (hamstring) sat out Tuesday. … LHP Danny Duffy (arm) and RHP Josh Staumont (knee) are on the IL.
Chris Miller
about the writer
Coulombe returns after pitching effectively the past two seasons for Baltimore, but he’s coming off elbow surgery.
