New York @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( May 16, 2010 ) Minnesota 6, NY Yankees 3
They may have identical records, but the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins find themselves in very different positions in their respective divisions.
The Yankees look to gain some ground in the AL East on Tuesday as they open a three-game series with the AL Central-leading Twins. Both teams are 26-18, but while New York trails the Tampa Bay Rays by five games in the East, Minnesota has a one-game advantage on the Detroit Tigers in the Central.
The Yankees have had the Twins’ number of late, winning 12 of their previous 13 meetings with Minnesota. That includes a sweep of last year’s first-round playoff series that featured the last game ever played at the Metrodome.
Whether the Bronx Bombers can be equally as effective at the new Target Field may come down to how their offense performs. The Yankees are hitting .279 as a team and have scored 246 runs - both tops in the American League. But they crossed the plate just six times at Citi Field this past weekend while dropping two of three games to the rival New York Mets.
They may not find much solace at Target Field, one of the toughest hitters’ parks in the majors so far this season. Teams are averaging just 1.38 home runs per game at the spacious park, third-fewest in the AL.
That should please Yankees starter A.J. Burnett (4-3), who has only surrendered four homers in 58 1/3 innings. That’s about the only thing going for Burnett these days; he’s allowed 18 runs in his last 17 2/3 innings, going 0-2 over that span while watching his ERA balloon from 1.99 to 3.86.
Burnett has enjoyed mild success in his career against Minnesota, going 2-1 with a 3.57 ERA in seven starts.
He’ll be opposed by Twins right-hander Scott Baker (4-4), who is having his share of struggles. A 15-game winner last season, Baker has dropped two straight starts, including one against the Yankees earlier in the month.
New York has been a difficult opponent for Baker, who owns a 2-2 record and a 5.14 ERA in four starts all-time against the Yankees.
The Twins may not be scoring up a storm at their new digs, but they’ve certainly enjoyed a home-field advantage of sorts. Minnesota improved to 14-7 at Target Field after taking two of three from the visiting Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend, a solid opening to its nine-game homestand.
As expected, the Twins have been led by their twin JMs. Justin Morneau leads the majors in hitting (.383) and tops the Twins in home runs (11) and RBIs (34), while defending AL batting champion Joe Mauer has been no slouch, hitting .346 with 21 RBIs.