Orioles at Twins
The Baltimore Orioles have been waiting all season for Manny Machado to break out of his slump and continue being the superstar he was last season, and he might finally be turning the corner. Machado will try to stay hot and give the Orioles some momentum heading into the All-Star break when they close the first half by visiting the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.
Machado saw his average dip to .215 after going 1-for-5 in the series opener on Thursday but belted a pair of home runs in a 4-for-5 effort in Friday's 9-6 setback and stayed hot by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI on Saturday. Machado's effort on Saturday led to a 5-1 win that snapped a five-game slide and gave Baltimore a chance to earn a series split. The Twins were hoping to take advantage of the Orioles in their quest to get back on top in the American League Central but instead fell off offensively on Saturday after totaling 15 runs in the first two games of the series. Minnesota will try to get the bats moving on Sunday against Orioles righty Ubaldo Jimenez, who opposes Kyle Gibson.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Ubaldo Jimenez (3-4, 6.64 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (5-6, 5.82)
Jimenez is struggling to find any consistency and followed up a dominating start at Toronto on June 29 with a dud at Milwaukee on Tuesday. The Dominican Republic native scattered two hits over eight scoreless innings against the Blue Jays but was reached for five runs on six hits and three walks in five frames versus the Brewers. Jimenez was not at his best against the Twins on May 22, when he served up six runs and nine hits in four innings.
Gibson is steadily decreasing his ERA and allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his last four outings. The Missouri product earned his first win in that span on Tuesday, when he limited the Los Angeles Angels to two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 frames. Gibson went up against Jimenez on May 22 and earned a win despite allowing six runs on seven hits and four walks in five innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles RHP Chris Tillman was reinstated from the paternity list on Saturday and is available out of the bullpen on Sunday.
2. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer (back) is expected to return after the All-Star break.
3. Baltimore 2B Jonathan Schoop made his first career start at SS on Saturday after the club designated INF Paul Janish for assignment.