Minnesota @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2016 ) Minnesota 2, Cleveland 9

The Cleveland Indians are buried in a deep offensive slump but have an ideal opponent to break out of their malaise against when the reeling Minnesota Twins come to town for a three-game series beginning Monday night. Cleveland has dropped five of its last six but maintains a 4 1/2-game lead over Detroit atop the American League Central.

Although the Indians briefly broke out of their funk with a 12-run outburst at Texas on Friday night, they scored one run or fewer six times on their seven-game road trip. They could find a panacea for their offensive woes in the form of the Twins, who have dropped 10 consecutive games and set a dubious franchise record Sunday by surrendering at least eight runs for the sixth straight contest. Although Cleveland lost five of seven on its recent road trip, it owns a 39-23 record at Progressive Field and has feasted on division rivals (33-17). Third baseman Trevor Plouffe went 5-for-11 with two homers and five RBIs over the weekend for Minnesota, which scored 21 runs but coughed up 32 while getting swept in Toronto.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Hector Santiago (10-8, 5.16 ERA) vs. Indians RH Trevor Bauer (9-6, 3.88)

Santiago continues to regress since he was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels, for whom he won his last six starts and seven straight decisions. He was tagged for season highs in runs (8) and hits (11) while serving up three homers in a 10-0 loss at Kansas City to fall to 0-4 with a ghastly 10.89 in four starts with the Twins. He lost at Cleveland in his debut with Minnesota, giving up a pair of homers and four runs in five innings.

Bauer was victimized by an early five-run inning in a 5-1 loss at Oakland last time out, a setback that came after a dominating effort in which he struck out 13 and permitted two runs over eight innings in a no-decision versus Toronto. He had his worst outing of the season against Minnesota on Aug. 3, giving up eight runs in 2 2/3 innings to drop to 1-5 with a 5.86 ERA versus the Twins. Eddie Rosario is 8-for-16 against Bauer.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins OF Danny Santana was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder.

2. Indians 1B-DH Mike Napoli remains stuck on 29 homers after failing to go deep in his last 16 games.

3. Minnesota can match the third-longest skid in franchise history with a loss Monday. The team record is 14 losses in 1982.

PREDICTION: Indians 5, Twins 3