Minnesota @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 31, 2014 ) Minnesota 1, NY Yankees 3

Phil Hughes makes his return to Yankee Stadium on Sunday when he leads the Minnesota Twins into the finale of the three-game series with New York. Hughes, a first-round selection of the Yankees in 2004, had seven up-and-down seasons in New York, going 56-50 with a 4.53 ERA. He struggled mightily in 2011 and again in 2013 before signing with the Twins, for whom he has enjoyed a rebirth.

Hughes will be tasked with trying to give Minnesota a series win after the teams split the first two affairs. The Twins were held to four singles and could not take advantage of three Yankees errors in a 3-1 loss Saturday. New York first baseman Mark Teixeira, who missed three games earlier in the week due to right wrist inflammation, left in the sixth inning with soreness in the joint and is expected to sit out the next couple days.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Phil Hughes (5-1, 3.23 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Chase Whitley (0-0, 2.57)

Hughes had a 4.82 ERA in his career at Yankee Stadium but has excelled on the road in 2014, tossing 14 scoreless innings over his last two starts away from home. He gave up three runs in seven frames against Texas at home Tuesday in his sixth straight start without a walk over a span of 40 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old, who gave up 35 home runs in a Yankees uniform in 2012 and 24 more last season, has gone four starts (27 innings) without serving one up.

Each of Whitley's three starts since being called up in mid-May have come on the road against National League teams. He lasted through five innings for the first time Monday at St. Louis, where he allowed three runs on eight hits in a 6-4 win over the Cardinals. The Troy University product has walked just one batter in 9 1/3 innings over his last two starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees OFs Jacoby Ellsbury and Ichiro Suzuki are a combined 13-for-33 with four walks against Hughes.

2. New York C Brian McCann is 6-for-15 with three doubles and two walks in his last four games.

3. Twins LF Josh Willingham is 5-for-12 with two homers and five RBIs over a four-game span.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, Yankees 4