Detroit @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2018 ) Minnesota 8, Detroit 2

The Minnesota Twins picked themselves up after a brief stumble to begin their 10-game road trip by erupting for 19 runs en route to a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers. The Twins (72-83), winners of five of their last seven overall, return to Target Field on Tuesday to face the Tigers (63-93) in the opener of their season-ending seven-game homestand.

Joe Mauer is in line for a hero's welcome should he reach base for the 3,073rd time in his distinguished career, which would snap a tie with Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew for the most in Twins history. The 35-year-old Mauer, who is 11-for-34 versus Detroit this season, registered a two-hit performance for the fifth time in his last 10 outings in Minnesota's 5-1 romp at Oakland on Sunday. The Tigers dropped five of seven on their final homestand of the season following Sunday's 3-2 setback to Kansas City. Nicholas Castellanos had 13 hits -- including seven for extra bases (five doubles, triple, homer) and five runs scored in the first six contests of the homestand, highlighted by going 6-for-11 in the previous series with Minnesota.


TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Spencer Turnbull (0-1, 10.80 ERA) vs. Twins TBA

Turnbull's first major-league start certainly didn't go the way of legend, as he answered a 1-2-3 first inning with a four-run, 36-pitch second in Wednesday's 8-2 setback versus Minnesota. In total, the 26-year-old was pierced for six runs on as many hits in four frames. Turnbull, who also balked on two occasions, told the Detroit News that "things started to speed up," and that he "just couldn't seem to get an out, and then it snowballed."

Minnesota plans to use an unannounced starter for the contest before giving way to rookie right-hander Kohl Stewart (2-1, 4.40 ERA). The 23-year-old Stewart replaced Gabriel Moya after the first inning and permitted no earned runs on three hits in six frames of a 6-1 victory at Detroit on Sept. 17. "Kind of how you would draw it up if you're hoping for success with the 'opener' format," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "Moya gets through the first. Kohl was good. He got a lot of balls on the ground."

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit has recorded 25 wins on the road, which is third-worst in the American League behind cellar-dwelling clubs Baltimore and Kansas City.

2. Twins LF Robbie Grossman had five hits and four runs scored in last week's series against the Tigers.

3. Detroit 3B Jeimer Candelario is 6-for-45 against Minnesota this season.

PREDICTION: Twins 4, Tigers 2