Rangers at Twins
The Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins are one-half game apart in the American League wild card standings, but appear headed in opposite directions as they convene for a three-game series beginning Tuesday at Target Field in Minneapolis. Texas (55-55) moved into postseason contention by going 13-9 since the All-Star break to get within 3 1/2 games of the Los Angeles Angels for the final wild card spot while Minnesota (55-56) is 6-16 during that span.
Both teams dropped two of three over the weekend to teams out of contention as the Rangers took a step back in Seattle while the Twins completed a 1-6 road trip with an 8-1 loss in Cleveland on Sunday, allowing 34 runs in the three-game set. Minnesota's opponents have belted 27 homers in the last 15 games while getting hit by only two pitches in the last 12 contests. “It’s something I know (pitching coach Neil Allen) talks about,” Twins manager Paul Molitor told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “If you’re out there and you’re seeing the way these guys are teeing off on you, you would think you would try to at least make them a little more uncomfortable. I think we could probably improve on that.” Texas' Yovani Gallardo snapped a six-start winless streak (0-3) in his last turn and opposes Kyle Gibson, who has struggled coming out of the All-Star break.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest, FSN North
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yovani Gallardo (8-9, 3.47 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (8-9, 3.78)
Gallardo permitted three runs in five innings of a 4-3 victory over Houston on Aug. 4. The 29-year-old Mexican allowed five runs in each of his previous three starts following the All-Star break and hasn't pitched more than six frames since he worked 8 1/3 in a 4-0 victory in Toronto on June 27. Brian Dozier is 5-for-7 with a home run and Joe Mauer is 6-for-12 with three walks against Gallardo, who is 2-2 with a 3.52 ERA in seven starts against Minnesota.
Gibson was roughed up for eight runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 9-3 loss in Toronto on Aug. 3 and is 0-3 with an 8.59 ERA in four starts since the All-Star Game. The break interrupted a four-game winning streak which saw the 27-year-old Indiana native yield four runs in 27 2/3 frames. Gibson, who is 5-4 with a 3.13 ERA in 12 starts at home this season, is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts against Texas - both in 2014.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers 2B Rougned Odor is 16-for-34 with five RBIs and four runs scored during an eight-game hitting streak, raising his average 29 points to 283.
2. Twins CF Aaron Hicks is 8-for-21 with a home run, three RBIs and four runs scored during a five-game hitting streak after going 1-for-19 in his previous five contests.
3. Texas is 18-9 versus Minnesota since the start of 2012 after taking two of three against the Twins from June 12-14 in Arlington, and has won eight of its last 11 at Target Field.