Athletics at Twins
The Minnesota Twins are heading home with some confidence after pulling off a 4-1 road trip behind the big bat of 23-year-old slugger Miguel Sano. The Twins, who are just 5-7 at home, will try to carry that momentum into a six-game homestand that begins when the Oakland Athletics visit on Tuesday.
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Sano is one of several young players the Minnesota front office was hoping would have a breakout season, and the Dominican slugger is doing just that while ending April on an 11-for-17 tear with three home runs and 11 RBIs over the last four games. "He had a heck of a trip," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor told reporters of Sano. "I don't know how many hits or RBI, but they are piling up. He has been a big force for us." Trying to stop that force for the Athletics on Tuesday will be right-hander Sonny Gray, who is making his season debut after sitting out the first month with a back injury. Gray returns to an Oakland squad that is averaging 2.3 runs while going 1-6 in its last seven games and is set to face Twins ace Ervin Santana.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports California (Oakland), FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Sonny Gray (2016: 5-11, 5.69 ERA) vs. Twins RH Ervin Santana (4-0, 0.77)
Gray was a Cy Young candidate in 2015, when he went 14-7 with a 2.73 ERA, but he never managed to get on track in 2016 and made just 22 starts while battling injuries. The Vanderbilt product seemed healthy in two rehab starts, totaling three hits allowed, no walks and 13 strikeouts over 11 scoreless innings across two levels. Gray is 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA in four career starts against Minnesota but held Sano hitless in four career at-bats.
Santana is a Cy Young candidate early in 2017 while leading the majors in ERA, and he allowed a total of three runs and 13 hits across 35 innings in April. The 34-year-old followed up a one-hit shutout of the Chicago White Sox on April 15 with two more dominant performances and held the Texas Rangers to one run over seven innings in a win on Tuesday. Santana went 1-1 in two starts against Oakland last season while posting a 1.69 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 16 total innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins closer Brandon Kintzler allowed his first run in 11 appearances this season on Sunday but still converted his seventh save.
2. Oakland 3B Trevor Plouffe, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Twins, is making his first trip back and is batting .207.
3. Sano's seven home runs in April were the most for Minnesota since Torii Hunter slugged nine in 2002.