MLB Game Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates (38-56) vs. Minnesota Twins (45-48)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (38–56) travel to Target Field to face the Minnesota Twins (45–48) on Friday, July 11 at 8:10 PM ET, opening a three-game interleague series. With both teams outside the playoff picture but featuring elite starting pitchers, this matchup promises a tightly contested duel between Paul Skenes and Joe Ryan.

Team Form & Standings

Team	Record	Last 5 Games	Home/Away Split
Minnesota Twins	45–48	2–3	26–19 (Home)
Pittsburgh Pirates	38–56	0–5	12–35 (Away)

• Twins dropped their series finale to the Cubs but remain solid at home.
• Pirates have lost five straight, including a sweep in Kansas City, and own one of the worst road records in MLB.

⚾ Starting Pitchers

Minnesota Twins – Joe Ryan (RHP)

• Record: 8–4
• ERA: 2.76
• WHIP: 0.89
• Last Start: 6 IP, 2 ER vs Tampa Bay
• Note: 3 straight quality starts; opponents hitting just .193

Pittsburgh Pirates – Paul Skenes (RHP)

• Record: 4–7
• ERA: 1.94 (MLB-best)
• WHIP: 0.92
• Last Start: 5 IP, 0 ER vs Seattle
• Note: 12 quality starts; opponents hitting .186

Key Players to Watch

Minnesota Twins

• Byron Buxton: .270 AVG, 20 HR, 53 RBI – team leader in all major categories
• Ryan Jeffers: .248 AVG, 7 HR – hitting .471 over last 5 games
• Trevor Larnach: .253 AVG, 12 HR – consistent power threat

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Oneil Cruz: 16 HR – ranks 36th in MLB; .230 AVG
• Bryan Reynolds: 46 RBI – team leader; .259 AVG
• Andrew McCutchen: .259 AVG – veteran presence in the lineup

• Twins are 25–19 when favored by –119 or more
• Pirates are 21–38 as underdogs at –101 or worse
• Under has hit in 7 of Pirates’ last 10 games

Game Storylines

• Pitching Duel: Two of the AL and NL’s top strikeout artists face off; both average over 9.7 K/9 and rank top 5 in WHIP
• Offensive Struggles: Pirates rank last in MLB in slugging (.340), home runs (64), and runs scored (319)
• Twins’ Home Edge: Minnesota is 26–19 at Target Field and has a better team OPS and run production than Pittsburgh
• Buxton vs Skenes: A marquee matchup between Minnesota’s top slugger and MLB’s ERA leader

Game Details

• Matchup: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Minnesota Twins
• Date: Friday, July 11, 2025
• Time: 8:10 PM ET
• Venue: Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
• Broadcast: SportsNet PT / MNNT / MLB.tv