Kansas City @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Oct 4, 2009 ) Kansas City 4, Minnesota 13
The Minnesota Twins have had little trouble adjusting to playing baseball outside the comfort of a domed stadium.
The Twins christened newly-opened Target Field by taking two-of-three games from the Boston Red Sox and in the process improving to 7-3 on the young season.
Minnesota will welcome a familiar foe to town for a three-game set in the Kansas City Royals, who happen to be the last team to oppose the Twins at the Metrodome before its closing in 2009.
The Twins will get the best the league has to offer as reigning AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke takes the hill in the series opener on Friday.
Greinke won his first six starts of last season, but took a no-decision in his opening start and followed it up with a shaky performance in which he allowed four runs over 6 2/3 innings in a loss to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
The right-hander is 3-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 11 career starts against Minnesota.
Carrying the Royals offensively has been outfielder Jose Guillen, who homered for the fourth consecutive game in Wednesday’s win over Detroit and is 9-for-17 with eight RBIs in that span.
It’s been a nice bounce-back campaign thus far for Guillen, who was limited to 81 games last season because of injuries and batted .242 with eight homers.
Drawing the task of slowing him down is Twins right-hander Scott Baker.
Baker has enjoyed success in his career against Kansas City, going 7-3 with a 3.16 ERA in 12 starts.
He will be making his third start of the season after splitting the first two games while posting a 3.86 ERA.
Last year’s AL MVP Joe Mauer has wasted little time in rediscovering his form through 10 games for Minnesota. Mauer is batting .353 with five doubles and is tied for the team-lead with seven RBIs.
Delmon Young, once a highly prized prospect whose career has yet to take off, is batting .346 with two homers and seven RBIs in the early going.
Even with closer Joe Nathan out for the season because of Tommy John surgery, the bullpen hasn’t missed a beat. The relief corps has yet to lose a game and Jon Rauch is a perfect 5-for-5 in save opportunities.
The Royals pen has been less effective as their relievers have been on the hook for four of the squad’s five losses.