Twins-Toronto series preview
August 3, 2015 at 4:37AM
Monday, 12:07 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM
RHP Ervin Santana (2-1, 3.78 ERA) vs. LHP David Price (9-4, 2.53)
Tuesday, 6:07 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM
RHP Phil Hughes (10-6, 4.11) vs. RHP Marco Estrada (8-6, 3.53)
Wednesday, 6:07 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM
RHP Tyler Duffey (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Drew Hutchinson (9-2, 5.42)
Thursday, 6:07 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM
RHP Kyle Gibson (8-8, 3.37) vs. LHP Mark Buehrle (11-5, 3.32)
TWINS UPDATE
The Twins took two of three from Toronto at Target Field in late May and briefly moved into first place in the American League Central after that .… The Twins will have to score runs to beat the explosive Blue Jays, but their offense couldn't be more unreliable. From the first inning Friday through the eighth inning Sunday, the Twins batted .094 vs. Seattle. … Trevor May could have been an option to move into the rotation from the bullpen when Tommy Milone was placed on the disabled list Sunday, but the Twins like what he has done in relief. May has a 3.19 ERA as a reliever and has pitched five consecutive scoreless outings. Saturday and Sunday, he had fastballs clocked at 97 miles per hour. … The Twins are 13-6 against AL East teams. … Torii Hunter has faced his Prosper, Texas, neighbor and former Twins teammate LaTroy Hawkins just three times, getting a single. … Kurt Suzuki is batting .387 with a homer against Buehrle. … Joe Mauer is batting .176 against Price. … With his next home run, Brian Dozier will tie Roy Smalley for the most homers hit by a Twins middle infielder in a season.
BLUE JAYS UPDATE
Troy Tulowitzki, David Price, Ben Revere, Mark Lowe and Hawkins. Toronto went all-in before the July 31 trade deadline as it tries to at least claim a wild-card spot and perhaps run down the Yankees in the AL East. Hitting is not a problem with this team. The Blue Jays are on pace to score 857 runs this season, which would be the most in the league since Boston scored 875 in 2011. … 2B Devon Travis will miss the series; he's on the 15-day disabled list because of a left shoulder strain. … Toronto has plenty of ex-Twins on the roster, but Danny Valencia isn't one of them. He was designated for assignment Saturday. … Buehrle is 29-19 with a 3.68 ERA in his career against the Twins. He dominated the Twins for much of his career, but the Twins had success against him later in his long career with the White Sox. That has now reversed; since 2010, Buehrle is 4-1 with a 0.96 ERA against them. He beat the Twins at Target Field on May 29, pitching a complete game. … Toronto entered Sunday 25th in bullpen ERA, one spot above the Twins.
La VELLE E. NEAL III
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The veteran lefthanded hitting Ford will be among the candidate to succeed Carlos Santana at first.
