Detroit @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2018 ) Detroit 7, Minnesota 5

The Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins already have watched Cleveland sprint to the largest division lead in baseball in the American League Central and simply are trying to find some positives over the last six weeks of the regular season. The team that can find the most positives on Sunday will take either a win or a split of the series as the Twins host the Tigers in the rubber match of their four-game set.

Minnesota is showing promising signs for the future with its play of late but had a four-game winning streak come to an end with Saturday's 7-5 setback. That loss marked the fifth straight game in which the Twins scored at least five runs, and former MVP Joe Mauer is turning back the clock by going 6-for-10 with a pair of homers and five runs scored in his last three contests. Detroit is allowing plenty of offenses to have big days of late and watched its pitching staff allow at least five runs in the sixth consecutive contest on Saturday - a stretch during which the team has gone 2-4. The Tigers will try to stop the bleeding by sending Jacob Turner to the mound on Sunday while Minnesota counters with Jake Odorizzi.


TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Jacob Turner (0-1, 20.25 ERA) vs. Twins RH Jake Odorizzi (5-7, 4.44)

Turner will be recalled from Triple-A Toledo to make the start - his second in the majors since being signed by Detroit in June. The former top-10 draft pick did not last long against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 7 as he was roughed up for seven runs - five earned - and six hits in one inning to suffer the loss. Turner has posted a 2-4 record with a 4.04 ERA in 12 starts for Toledo this season.

Odorizzi snapped his five-start winless streak by holding Pittsburgh to two runs on four hits and a pair of walks in 5 2/3 innings on Tuesday. The 28-year-old fanned nine batters in that outing after failing to record one strikeout in 4 2/3 frames at Cleveland on Aug. 8. Odorizzi is facing Detroit for the second time this season as he did not factor in the decision on June 12, when he gave up two runs and five hits over five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers RF Nick Castellanos went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts on Saturday - his second three-strikeout performance in five contests.

2. Minnesota 3B Miguel Sano has homered four times in his last nine games.

3. Detroit OF Mikie Mahtook has gone deep twice in six contests since being recalled from Toledo.

PREDICTION: Twins 8, Tigers 4