Thursday, March 28, 2024
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MLB Preview: Minnesota Twins (17-14) at Chicago White Sox (10-21)

MINNESOTA TWINS NOTES:

THE TWINS: After completing their 10-game homestand with a record of 6-4 (1-2 against the Nationals, 2-1 against the Yankees and 3-1 against the Royals), the Twins began their six-game roadtrip with consecutive losses to the White Sox in Chicago the last two nights… today, they will continue the trip with the three-game series finale on the South Side…after today’s game against the White Sox, Minnesota will travel to Cleveland to play three against the Guardians over the weekend…the Twins have gone 10-6 at Target Field and 7-8 on the road.

The Twins are looking to avoid losing their third straight game, which would match their season-long, done twice previously: April 15-18 and April 20-22.

ANOTHER TOUGH LATE LOSS ON THE SOUTH SIDE: The Twins lost to the White Sox last night at Guaranteed Rate Field by a score of 6-4, losing the three-game series, making them 5-4-1 in series play in 2023, including 1-3-1 on the road…Louie Varland made his second start of the season, allowing four runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings pitched, including a three-run homer to Luis Robert Jr. in the first inning…Griffin Jax (1-3) was dealt the loss, allowing an RBI-single to Eloy Jiménez in the seventh inning, breaking a 4-4 tie…the offense recorded eight hits and tied their season-high with six walks…they went 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position, but left the bases loaded in the seventh inning with nobody out as Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton each grounded into a fielder’s choice, followed by a Trevor Larnach strikeout.

iTWINS: Tomorrow night’s game in Cleveland will be on Apple TV+, marking the Twins’ first time on that viewing format this season…they will also play on Apple TV+ next Friday night, May 12 against the Chicago Cubs at Target Field.

LEAVE THE BROOMS ALONE: Twins are looking to avoid being swept today for the first time this season…they faced a potential sweep once this season after losing the first two to Washington from April 21-22, but won the third game…last time they were swept was in three games at
Kansas City from September 20-22, 2022…the last time the Twins were swept by the White Sox was in three games at GRF from June 29-July 1, 2021…Minnesota was swept seven times in 2022.

ROCCO-FELLA RECORDS: Rocco Baldelli needs one win to pass Paul Molitor and move into sole possession of fifth place on the Twins all-time managerial wins list…below are the Twins’ all-time managerial wins leaders (left) and Baldelli’s milestone victories (right):

TWINS MANAGERIAL WINS BALDELLI’S MILESTONE WINS
Tom Kelly (1986-2001)………………………. 1140 1……………….. March 28, 2019 vs. Cleveland
Ron Gardenhire (2002-14)…………………. 1068 50………………. June 22, 2019 at Kansas City
Sam Mele (1961-67)…………………………… 522 100……..September 27, 2019 at Kansas City
Gene Mauch (1976-80)……………………….. 378 150…………………. May 15, 2021 vs. Oakland
Rocco Baldelli (2019-)……………………….. 305 200…… September 11, 2021 vs. Kansas City
Paul Molitor (2015-18)………………………… 305 250…………………June 25, 2022 vs. Colorado
Frank Quilici (1972-75)……………………….. 280 300…………….April 23, 2023 vs. Washington

LAND OF 10,000 RAKES: The Twins have homered in a season-long 15-stratight games, since April 18, one game shy of tying the all-time franchise record (since 1901) of 16 consecutive (accomplished four times previously, last in 2021)…since that date, they have hit 24 home runs, tied for fourth most in baseball in that span…the current streak is the second longest of 2023, trailing the Rays’ stretch of 22 straight to begin the season (March 30-April 23).

STREAK DATES HOME RUNS TEAM LEADER DURING STREAK
16……………………May 20 (2)-June 5, 2021…………………..27 …………………………………………….Sanó – 5
16……………………September 1-17, 2017……………………..31 ……………………………………….. Escobar – 7
16……………………April 25-May 16, 2017 ……………………..26 …………………………………………….Sanó – 6
16……………………April 28-May 15, 1979 ……………………..28 ……………………………………….. Smalley – 6
15……………………April 18, 2023-present…………………….24 ………………………………………… Buxton – 5
NOTE: Twins have scored an AL-leading 48.6 percent of their runs via homers this season.

BUCK TRUCK ALL TUNED UP: Byron Buxton has hit safely in a season-long seven-straight games and in 11 of his last 12, since April 19…in that pan, he is hitting .311 (14-for-45) with six doubles, five home runs, 12 RBI, seven walks, a .404 on-base percentage, a .778 slugging percentage and a 1.182 OPS…below are his first 16 compared to his last 12:

AVG R H 2B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG OPS
FIRST 16 .224 10 13 1 2 6 6 25 .292 .379 .672
LAST 12 .311 10 14 6 5 12 7 11 .404 .778 1.182

TWINS AND SOX: Twins and White Sox are playing the sixth of 13 meetings this season…these two will meet for two more series’ this season, a three-gamer at Target Field from July 21-23 and a four-gamer back in Chicago from September 14-17…since 2015, the Twins have gone 80-68 against the Sox, their most wins against any opponent in that span.

Since 2019, no opponent has homered in this ballpark more than the Twins, with 72 (next is Kansas City with 42).

Christian Vázquez is hitting .345 (38-for-110) with five doubles, one home run, 16 RBI, nine walks, a .395 on-base percentage and an .813 OPS in 35 career games vs. the Sox… Vázquez is hitting .400 (22-for-55) with a .959 OPS in 18 career games at Guaranteed Rate…in his last 12 games here, he has reached base 22 times in 39 plate appearances (.564 OBP)…two of his six four-hit games (career high) have come in this ballpark.

Jorge Polanco is hitting .326 (29-for-89) with three doubles, seven home runs, 20 RBI and a 1.020 OPS in his last 23 games on the South Side…Polo’s 14 career homers and 41 career RBI at Guaranteed Rate are his most in any opposing ballpark.

Byron Buxton is hitting .360 (32-for-89) with eight doubles, nine home runs, 19 RBI, a .402 on-base percentage, a .775 slugging percentage and a 1.177 OPS in his last 24 games vs. the White Sox…Buxton’s 16 career home runs and 40 RBI against the Sox are his most against any opponent…he has nine homers and 17 RBI in his last 17 games.

STARTING PITCHER – PABLO LóPEZ #49
2023: 2-2, 4.00 ERA CAREER: 30-33, 3.94 ERA

Making his seventh start and appearance of 2023 in his sixth major league season (Miami – 2018- 22)…also his 101st career appearance (all starts).

Facing Chicago-AL for the second time this season and second time in his career…pitched 7.2 innings with two runs and three hits allowed, one walk and 10 strikeouts vs. White Sox on April 11.

Acquired by the Twins from Miami on January 20, 2023, along with infielder Jose Salas and outfielder Byron Chourio, in exchange for infielder/outfielder Luis Arraez.

A MONTH TO REMEMBER: López was among the American League leaders in several statistical categories in March/April, including strikeouts (46 – T-2nd), innings pitched (36.0 – 7th), FIP (3.94- 9th) and WAR (1.1 – 9th)…in his career, he is 7-8, 3.07 ERA (126.0 IP, 43 ER) with 31 walks, 136 strikeouts and a .218 opponent batting average in 22 starts during March/April…his career 3.07 ERA and 9.71 strikeouts-per-9.0 innings in March/April are his best numbers of any month in his career.

LAST TIME OUT: Earned the win in the Twins 8-6 victory over Kansas City on April 28 at Target Field… pitched 6.0 innings, allowing a season-high six runs on a season-high-tying eight hits with one walk and seven strikeouts…opposed right-hander Jordan Lyles, who took the loss…conceded a first-inning run for the fourth time this year when catcher Salvador Perez hit a sacrifice fly, scoring infielder Bobby Witt Jr….allowed a RBI single to infielder Nick Pratto in the fourth inning and a two-run homer to Perez in the sixth…first two batters of the seventh inning reached against López before he was relieved by Griffin Jax, who allowed both inherited runs to score…received eight runs of support, his highest total of the season and the most since May 7, 2022 with Miami at San Diego…Twins bullpen held Royals scoreless in the final two innings to secure the victory.

Recorded six-or-more strikeouts in each of his six starts this season, tied with Atlanta’s Spencer Strider and Logan Gilbert for the longest streak in baseball this year.

Allowed at least eight hits in back-to-back starts for the second time in his career, also doing so with Miami on July 31, 2022 vs. New York-NL (12 H) and August 6, 2022 at Chicago-NL (9 H).

Earned his first career win when allowing four-or-more earned runs…previous high allowed in a win was three earned runs, done five times in his career, most recently on September 27, 2022 at New York-NL.

Stopped his two-game losing streak and recorded his first career win at Target Field, giving him a win at 14 different ballparks in his career.

TWO STARTS AGO: Took the loss in the Twins 10-4 defeat vs. the Washington Nationals on April 22 at Target Field…pitched 4.0 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts… opposed right-hander Chad Kuhl, who did not factor into the decision…López allowed the first four Nationals to reach in the first inning, with Washington scoring two runs on two hits…allowed back-to-back RBI singles to infielders Joey Meneses and Luis García in the top of the second inning…marked his shortest start and the most earned runs he had allowed since September 10, 2022, when he went 3.2 innings and allowed eight runs vs. the New York Mets with Miami.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX NOTES:

WHITE SOX AT A GLANCE
The Chicago White Sox have won three straight games as they conclude a seven-game homestand this afternoon with the finale vs. Minnesota.

RHP Lucas Giolito, owns a 2.45 ERA (7 ER/25.2 IP) with five walks and 25 strikeouts over his last four starts, is scheduled to start for the White Sox.

The Sox are 3-3 on the homestand, winning the fist two games of this series after losing three of four games against Tampa Bay last weekend.

Following today’s game, the White Sox take a seven-game trip to Cincinnati (5/5-7) and Kansas City (5/8-11) before returning to Chicago for a nine-game, 10-day homestand vs. Houston (5/12- 14), Cleveland (5/16-18) and the Royals (5/19-21).

The Sox went 0-6 on their last trip to Tampa Bay (0-3) and Toronto (0-3) from 4/21-26 and 2-4 on their last homestand vs. Baltimore (1-2) and Philadelphia (1-2) from 4/13-19.

TODAY’S STORYLINES
The White Sox have recorded their first series victory of the season and are in position to record their first three-game sweep since 8/12-14/22 vs. Detroit, and first against Minnesota since 6/29-7/1/21 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Sox are hitting .333/.400/.467 (35-105) with 21 runs scored during it’s three-game winning streak.

Prior to the winning streak, the White Sox had lost 10 straight games and 15 of their previous 17.

The Sox are 19-9 at home vs. Minnesota since 2020.

The White Sox are tied with the 1978 and 1932 clubs for the fourth-worst start in franchise history.

Eloy Jiménez has hit safely in six straight games (.417, 10-24) and has recorded a RBI and run scored in four straight.

Andrew Vaughn owns a seven-game hitting streak (.333, 9-27).

ROSTER MOVES
Prior to today’s game, the White Sox placed INF Jake Burger on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique and recalled INF Lenyn Sosa from Class AAA Charlotte.

Burger suffered the injury last night during a fourth-inning at-bat … is hitting .224/.312/.612 (15-67) with five doubles, a team-high seven home runs and 14 RBI in 23 games this season.

LAST NIGHT’S RECAP
Eloy Jiménez hit a RBI single off Griffin Jax with two outs in the seventh inning, and the White Sox went on to record their season-high third straight victory, 6-4, over Minnesota.

Rookie Gregory Santos earned the win, throwing 1.1 scoreless IP and working out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh … Santos made his 12th consecutive appearance without allowing an earned run dating back to 4/12.

Kendall Graveman pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for his sixth hold, and Keynan Middleton struck out the side in the ninth to record his 14th career save and fi rst since 5/31/21 vs. Texas with Seattle.

Starter Dylan Cease posted a ND, allowing four runs on five hits with four walks and six strikeouts over 5.0 IP.

Luis Robert hit a three-run homer off Louie Varland in the first inning (first since 4/11) before the Twins tied the game with three off Cease in the third and took the lead with one in the fourth.

The White Sox collected 12 hits … Tim Anderson reached base safely four times, going 3-4 with a walk, RBI and run scored, and Yasmani Grandal added three hits.

AS TA GOES, SO GO THE WHITE SOX
Since the start of the 2020 season, the White Sox are 152-112 (.576) when All-Star SS Tim Anderson is in the starting lineup and 67-84 (.444) when he is not.

During that span, the Sox are 125-73 when Anderson records a hit, 73-32 when he records a multi-hit eff ort, 95-46 when he score a run and 27-3 when he homers.

The White Sox went 3-15 while Anderson was on the 10-day injured list from 4/11-5/1 with a sprained left knee.

Anderson needs three homers to become the fourth player in White Sox history to record 100 HR/100 SB, joining Minnie Miñoso, Alexei Ramírez and Ray Durham.

WHITE SOX VS. MINNESOTA TWINS
The White Sox lead the season series, 3-2 … all fi ve games have decided by two runs or less, including two in extra innings.

The White Sox are hitting .211/.272/.331 (35-166) with a 2.25 ERA (9 ER/36.0 IP) and have outscored the Twins, 17-16.

The Sox are 30-23 vs. Minnesota since the start of the 2020 season (19-9 at home) after going 20-37 from 2017-19.

Andrew Benintendi is a career .342/.406/.554 (66-193) hitter with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 51 games.

Luis Robert has six home runs, 18 RBI and a .557 slugging percentage in 22 career games.

LOOKING TO REGAIN CENTRAL COMMAND
The White Sox are 109-88 (.553) vs. the American League Central since 2020, including a 23-2 mark this season.

The Sox play 32 games in 33 days from 5/2-6/4, with the lone off day coming on 5/15 … 23 of the 32 games during that stretch are against American League Central teams.

The White Sox posted a losing record (37-39) against the division last season after combining to go 69-47 in 2020-21.

SEARCHING FOR HOME˨FIELD ADVANTAGE
The White Sox are 6-9 (.357) at home this season after going 37-44 (.457) in 2022, the 12th-best winning percentage in the American League … by comparison, the Sox were 53-28 (.654) at home in 2021, the best record in the AL.

Through 15 home games this season, the White Sox have been outscored, 107-70, and outhomered, 33-14.

Gavin Sheets (23 of 28) and Jake Burger (14 of 16) have combined to hit 37 of their 44 career home runs at Guaranteed Rate Field.

SOUTHPAW SUCCESS
The White Sox are batting .272/.338/.442 vs. left-handed pitching since the start of the 2019 season … during that span, the Sox lead MLB in average, rank third in on-base percentage and OPS (.780) and sixth in slugging.

Tim Anderson owns a .352/.382/.561 (141-401) slash line vs. LHP since 2019, while Hanser Alberto is hitting .343/.362/.483 (170-495) … during that span, Anderson and Alberto rank 1-2 in MLB in average vs. LHP.

Luis Robert Jr. is a career .348/.404/.609 (72-207) hitter vs. lefties … Jake Burger owns a .635 slugging percentage vs. LHP.

NO RISP, NO REWARD
The White Sox are hitting .198 (16-81) with runners in scoring position over the last 11 games.

Andrew Vaughn is batting .417/.533/.875 (10-24) with 18 RBI with RISP this season, and Andrew Benintendi is hitting .438/.526/.500 (7-16)

A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS?
The White Sox went 8-21 in March/April while playing the most diffi cult schedule in MLB, as their opponents combined to record a .632 winning percentage (STATS).

The Sox played 13 games vs. American League East teams, including seven vs. Tampa Bay and three each vs. Baltimore and Toronto, three vs. AL Central-leading Minnesota, four vs. defending World Champion Houston, three vs. NL Central-leading Pittsburgh and three vs. defending NL champion Philadelphia.

By comparison, per STATS the Sox schedule entering May rated as the third-easiest in MLB based on their .424 opponents winning percentage (see boxes at right) … 20 of their 30 games in May are vs. the AL Central.

ON DECK: AT CINCINNATI REDS
The White Sox open a seven-game trip tomorrow night at Cincinnati … RHP Lance Lynn (0-4, 7.16) is scheduled to start the opener of the three-game series.

Lynn is 11-4 with a 3.16 ERA (39 ER/111.0 IP) and 106 strikeouts in 21 career games (18 starts) against the Reds, including a 4-0 record with a 1.93 ERA (6 ER/28.0 IP) in his last fi ve starts.

The Sox lead the all-time series, 21-9, including a 13-7 record in Cincinnati (8-6 at Great American Ballpark) … they have hit 54 home runs in the 30 games.

The White Sox went 3-1 in the most recent matchup in 2021, splitting two games in Cincinnati and sweeping two at home.

STARTER – #27 LUCAS GIOLITO RHP

GIOLITO AT A GLANCE
Is scheduled to make his seventh start of the season, third at home and second vs. the Minnesota Twins.

Has gone 1-2 with a 2.45 ERA (7 ER/25.2 IP), .194 (18-93) opponents average and 25 strikeouts over his last four starts … has tossed 6.0-plus IP in each of the four starts and has allowed two runs or less in three.

Is 104 strikeouts away from becoming the 12th pitcher in White Sox history with 1,000.

Finished sixth in the American League Cy Young Award voting in 2019, seventh in 2020 and tied for 11th in 2021.

Threw the 19th no-hitter in White Sox history on 8/25/20 vs. Pittsburgh, walking one with 13 strikeouts.

Was a finalist for a Rawlings(R) Gold Glove and Comeback Player of the Year Awards and was a 2019 AL All-Star.

Won AL Pitcher of the Month honors in May 2019 and AL Player of Week for 8/24-30/20 and 5/27-6/2/19.

LAST START
Received a no decision on 4/28 vs. Tampa Bay, allowing two runs on eight hits with no walks and six strikeouts over 6.2 IP… Yandy Díaz scored on a pop-up to the second baseman in the first inning and Isaac Paredes scored on an RBI single by Manuel Margot in the fourth.

Departed the game in the seventh with the score tied, 2-2, two outs and a runner on third base … threw 97 pitches (67 strikes) … the White Sox lost, 3-2.

Owned a 75.0 first-strike percentage and 10.3 swinging-strike percentage (11 swing and misses) vs. 28 batters … threw 61 four-seam fastballs (92.4 mph avg; 93.8 mph max), 27 sliders (82.6 avg; 84.5 max), eight changeups (79.7 avg; 81.0 max) and one curveball (78.4 max).

SUMMER AT 35TH AND SHIELDS
Is making just his second start at Guaranteed Rate Field this season … earned the win his last home start on 4/18-2 vs. Philadelphia, tossing 6.0 hitless IP.

Has gone 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA (7 ER/24.0 IP) and .171 (14-82) opponents average over his last four starts at home … has allowed three runs or less in each start.

Went 5-7 with a 6.08 ERA (52 ER/77.0 IP), .294 (90-306) opponents average and 84 strikeouts in 14 home starts last season … his 6.08 ERA was the second-highest among MLB pitchers with at least 70.0 IP at home in 2022.

Threw the 19th no-hitter in White Sox history on 8/25/20 at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates … struck out a career-high tying 13, the most by a Sox in a no-hitter.

POSTING PUNCHOUTS
Has recorded 14 career starts with 10-plus strikeouts, tied with teammate Dylan Cease for fourth-most in White Sox history … needs one double-digit strikeout game to tie Juan Pizarro for third place.

Recorded consecutive 10-plus strikeout games twice in his career from 8/20-25/20 (two) and 8/16-27/19 (three).

His last double-digit strikeout game came on 5/4/22 at the Cubs (10 SO).

NOT A MORNING PERSON
Is 3-5 with a 5.51 ERA (41 ER/67.0 IP), .283 (77-272) opponents average and 71 strikeouts in his last 13 day starts dating back to 6/11/22.

Has gone 25-21 with a 3.90 ERA (143 ER/329.2 IP), .229 (285-1,244) opponents average and 351 strikeouts in 59 career starts during the day.

BITTEN BY THE LONG BALL
Has allowed 55 home runs since the start of the 2021 season, tied for the 10th-most in baseball … is averaging 1.32 HR/9.0 IP during that span.

Has surrendered four home runs over his first six starts of the 2023 season, allowing two on 4/7 at Pittsburgh and two on 4/23 at Tampa Bay … has allowed one three-run homer, one two-run and two solo shots.

Allowed a home run in 16 of his 30 starts in 2022 and multiple homers in seven … allowed 10 homers on the road and 14 at home … surrendered 16 home runs in the first half of the season, compared to just eight in the second half.

VS. MINNESOTA TWINS || A.L. CENTRAL
Is scheduled to make his 22nd career start against the Twins and 11th at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Suffered the loss in his last start vs. the Twins on 4/12 at Target Field, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and a season-high seven strikeouts over 6.0 IP.

Has gone 4-2 with a 2.39 ERA (13 ER/49.0 IP) and .185 (31-168) opponents average in his last eight starts vs. the Twins but 2-5 with a 6.05 ERA (26 ER/38.2 IP) and .243 (34-140) opponents average in his last seven at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Is 1-2 with a 2.94 ERA (11 ER/33.2 IP), .216 (27-125) opponents average and 36 strikeouts in his last six starts vs. the American League Central.

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