Twins at Dodgers
Chris Taylor didn't make the Opening Day roster for the Los Angeles Dodgers in part due to the team's concern about his ability to play the outfield, but all he has done since his mid-April promotion is provide a steady outfield glove and one of the best bats in the National League. The Dodgers eye their 36th win in 42 contests Wednesday when they attempt a three-game home sweep of the Minnesota Twins.
Taylor has appeared in the lineup 71 times at five different positions since arriving in Los Angeles on April 19 and committed only one error in 48 games (47 starts) in the outfield, but his offensive contribution has been every bit as good, ranking sixth in the NL with a .321 average. The 26-year-old Virginia native continued to swing a red-hot stick in Tuesday's 6-2 victory, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs for his fourth consecutive multi-hit game while also boosting his average after the All-Star break to .512. While the Dodgers' fourth straight victory increased their major-league best home record to 43-13 and gave them a 12 1/2-game lead in the NL West, Minnesota's third consecutive defeat dropped it below .500 for the first time since April 24 (49-50). The Twins, who have lost four of five overall, trail Cleveland by 4 1/2 games in the American League Central and have surrendered 32 runs during their 1-4 stretch.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Ervin Santana (11-7, 3.26 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Brock Stewart (0-0, 0.00)
Santana has been extremely inconsistent since ending May with a 7-2 record and 1.75 ERA, giving up at least five runs five times and two or fewer runs in his other four outings. The two-time All-Star is coming off another poor turn Friday against Detroit, surrendering five runs on seven hits - including a pair of homers - and two walks while throwing 95 pitches over only 3 1/3 innings. Santana got the win with six innings of two-run ball the last time he faced Dodgers in 2014, improving to 5-4 with a 3.24 ERA in nine starts against them.
Stewart, who battled an illness over the weekend, will make his first start of the season Wednesday after six scoreless appearances out of the bullpen, including two innings of work against Atlanta on Thursday. The 25-year-old Illinois State product, who has permitted only five hits and three walks in 13 frames, struggled in his first five career starts in 2016, going 2-2 with a 6.38 ERA. Stewart, who has also thrown four scoreless innings in interleague play in his career, is allowing opposing hitters to bat only .122 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Dodgers (70-31) on Tuesday became only the fifth team in the expansion era to reach 70 wins by its 101st game of the season.
2. Minnesota 3B Miguel Sano (hand) was a late scratch Tuesday and underwent X-rays on his injured hand, which came back negative. Sano flew out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.
3. Los Angeles' starting pitchers have allowed two runs or fewer in 72 of their 101 games and one run or less 50 times.