Minnesota @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2018 ) Minnesota 3, Kansas City 10

The Kansas City Royals are playing out the string with a roster that is slowly turning over to young players, but a handful of the veterans that led the team to its last run of glory remain. The Royals will try to continue their surge and finish off a four-game sweep when they host the Minnesota Twins in the series finale on Sunday.

One of the few players remaining from the 2015 World Series-winning team is outfielder Alex Gordon, who drove in five runs in Saturday's 10-3 triumph. "We're feeling like we're a quality team right now that's playing well," Gordon told reporters. "Whether you're young or old, we're just playing together and having fun. That's really all that matters. It doesn't matter who does it, just as long someone gets it done." The Twins will need to get more out of the pitching staff if they hope to avoid the sweep after surrendering a combined 24 runs in the first three games of the series. Minnesota will turn to Kyle Gibson to fix the pitching woes while Kansas City counters with fellow right-hander Jakob Junis.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (7-13, 3.67 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jakob Junis (8-12, 4.28)

Gibson is suffering through a four-start losing streak but held the New York Yankees to one run over 5 2/3 innings on Monday. The Missouri product issued four walks and is up to a career-high 73 in 176 2/3 frames. Gibson tossed seven scoreless innings at Kansas City on May 29 but was knocked around for four runs on six hits and a pair of walks in 5 1/3 innings there on July 20.

Junis is cruising to the end of the season and has posted quality starts in each of his last three turns while allowing a total of five runs and no walks in 24 innings against Detroit, Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox. The 26-year-old, who will celebrate his birthday Sunday, has not walked a batter in any of his last four turns and struck out 23 in that span. Junis is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two starts against Minnesota this season while fanning 13 in 10 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals RHP Jorge Lopez was diagnosed with a deep bone bruise on his left rib cage after an MRI on Saturday and is day-to-day.

2. Twins rookie C Willians Astudillo is 5-for-8 in the series.

3. Minnesota C Mitch Garver has not played since suffering a concussion on Wednesday and remains day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Twins 3, Royals 2