Minnesota @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 17, 2016 ) LA Angels 2, Minnesota 3

The Los Angeles Angels got a big scare on Sunday when Mike Trout left the game after being hit by a pitch, but it looks like the former MVP won’t miss much time. Trout is expected to be back in the lineup on Monday when the Angels host Minnesota Twins in the opener of a three-game series.

Trout took a fastball from Tommy Hunter off the thumb in the eighth inning of Sunday’s 8-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians but was diagnosed with a contusion after x-rays came back negative. "I'm just glad it's not broken," Trout told reporters. "When you're hit in the hand or you're hit in the finger, it's a scary thing." The Twins should be riding a nice momentum wave into California after avoiding a sweep on Sunday with a walk-off win over the Boston Red Sox. Rookie Max Kepler came up with two runners on in the bottom of the 10th and belted his first career home run over the fence in center to snap Minnesota’s three-game slide.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Ricky Nolasco (2-4, 5.17 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jered Weaver (5-5, 5.56)

Nolasco had a string of two straight quality starts come to an abrupt end against Miami on Wednesday, when he was reached for five runs and 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old allowed a total of four earned runs and nine hits over 13 2/3 innings in his previous two starts. Nolasco started against the Angels at home on April 16 and was reached for four runs and nine hits in seven innings without factoring in the decision.

Weaver continues to operate with diminished velocity and gets hit hard when he misses his location. The Long Beach State product was ripped for six runs and nine hits – two home runs – in 5 1/3 innings to suffer a loss at the New York Yankees on Wednesday and surrendered at least one homer in each of his last seven starts. Weaver went up against Nolasco on April 16, permitting four runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings without being involved in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Twins claimed veteran RHP Neil Ramirez off waivers and expect to have him in uniform on Monday.

2. Los Angeles LHP Jose Alvarez is day-to-day after taking a comebacker off the left shin on Sunday.

3. Minnesota CF Byron Buxton is 1-for-20 with 10 strikeouts in his last six games.

PREDICTION: Twins 7, Angels 6