Kansas City @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2019 ) Kansas City 12, Minnesota 5

The Minnesota Twins may have the easiest remaining schedule of any team in the majors as they close in on their first American League Central crown since 2010, although their once-reliable bullpen has made things a bit more interesting this weekend. The Twins hope to rebound from a rough finish to Saturday's setback in time to secure a series victory on Sunday, when they host the Kansas City Royals for the finale of their four-game set.

Minnesota (95-60) has a magic number of five to clinch the division with four games remaining against Kansas City (57-99) and three versus Detroit (45-109), but the club's relief corps has struggled to seal the deal in this series. The Twins gave up two unearned runs in the eighth inning on Friday before holding on for a 4-3 victory but completely fell apart in Saturday's 12-5 defeat, allowing the Royals to erupt for seven runs in the ninth inning - including three against closer Taylor Rogers. Making matters worse for Minnesota was the bullpen's 3.01 ERA in its previous 33 games entering Saturday - the second-lowest mark in the majors over that span. Ryan O'Hearn homered among his three hits and knocked in three runs for the Royals, who won for only the second time in nine overall contests and improved to 4-11 against the Twins this season.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jorge Lopez (4-8, 5.93 ERA) vs. Twins LH Martin Perez (10-7, 4.92)

Lopez worked six scoreless frames before failing to record an out in the seventh inning at Oakland on Tuesday, eventually giving up two runs in his first loss since July 4. The 26-year-old Puerto Rican has settled into a bit of a groove since rejoining the rotation at the end of August, going 2-1 with a 3.27 ERA over his last four turns. Nelson Cruz has homered twice in three at-bats versus Lopez, who has yielded three runs over 7 2/3 innings in three relief appearances against Minnesota in 2019.

Perez began the month with a strong effort in a win at Boston, but he has surrendered eight runs on 16 hits and three walks over 9 2/3 innings in his last two starts. The 28-year-old was fortunate enough to come away with a no-decision Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox after permitting three runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 frames. Hunter Dozier has hit a pair of home runs in six at-bats versus Perez, who is 0-1 with a 7.02 ERA in three starts against Kansas City this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Twins (894) passed the 1930 Washington Senators (892) for the most runs in a season in franchise history on Saturday.

2. Kansas City 2B Whit Merrifield is 4-for-28 during the club's seven-game road trip, but his double on Saturday leaves him three hits short of recording the eighth 200-hit season in club history.

3. Cruz is one home run shy of becoming the 26th player in major-league history with 40 or more homers in at least four seasons and the 57th player ever to reach 400 in a career.

PREDICTION: Twins 7, Royals 5