Minnesota @ Kansas City Preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 7, 2016 ) Kansas City 5, Minnesota 6

The Kansas City Royals may be left with just memories of last year's remarkable run to the World Series title, however manager Ned Yost's club has looked every bit the champion in the eyes of the Minnesota Twins. The Royals vie for their 14th win in 17 encounters versus the Twins on Tuesday as the American League Central rivals play the opener of a three-game series in Kansas City.

World Series MVP Salvador Perez belted his second homer in four games in Kansas City's 12-9 victory over Detroit and is batting a blistering .389 against Minnesota this season. Starter Ian Kennedy has tormented the Twins in four meetings this season, posting a 3-0 mark with a 2.31 ERA while stifling veteran Joe Mauer (2-for-14) in his career. The 33-year-old Mauer, who is mired in a 2-for-32 stretch, admitted that his playing days are numbered this season in respect to the lingering right quad injury that has plagued him for the better part of six weeks. Minnesota has dropped eight of nine to reach the triple-digit plateau is losses for the second time in franchise history (1982).

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jose Berrios (2-7, 8.88 ERA) vs. Royals RH Ian Kennedy (11-10, 3.64)

Mother Nature washed away the makings of an impressive start on Wednesday, as Berrios recorded three scoreless innings versus Detroit. The statistics weren't official and the 22-year-old rookie is left to with an 0-6 mark in his last seven outings. Berrios was shelled for five runs on a season-high nine hits in five innings of an 11-5 setback against Kansas City on Sept. 5.

Kennedy looks to rebound from his first loss in nearly two months on Wednesday, as the 31-year-old allowed three runs on a season-high 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings in a setback to Cleveland. The USC product has permitted just 18 earned runs in 11 starts since that defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels on July 25. Kennedy defeated Minnesota on two occasions during that stretch, including scattering four hits over eight sterling innings in a 10-0 romp on Aug. 20.

WALK-OFFS

1. Kansas City DH Kendrys Morales, who is batting .352 in September, is 7-for-13 with a homer, three RBIs and four runs scored in his last three games.

2. Twins LF Robbie Grossman collected three hits versus Seattle on Sunday and also had that same number in his last meeting with the Royals.

3. Kansas City RF Paulo Orlando is 7-for-17 with three RBIs and as many runs scored in his last four contests.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, Twins 1