The Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees, two formidable American League teams, are set to square off on the baseball diamond in New York City.
This matchup will take place at Yankee Stadium, a historic venue located in the Bronx, on Tuesday night, June 4, marking the start of a three-game series between the two teams.
Minnesota comes into this series on the heels of a successful road trip, securing a close 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday afternoon. This win allowed them to take the deciding game of their three-game series against the Astros.
On the other hand, the New York Yankees come into this series with significant momentum, having completed a sweep over the San Francisco Giants over the weekend. Their 7-5 victory in the final game of Sunday's series underscores their recent dominance.
Background
Earlier in the season, from May 14-16, the Yankees swept the Twins in a three-game series held on the road, adding an extra layer of intensity to this upcoming series.
The Twins, with a current record of 33 wins and 26 losses, are in third place in the American League Central division. They trail the Cleveland Rangers by six games for first place.
The Twins have shown solid form recently, winning nine of their last twelve games. In Sunday's game against the Astros, Jose Miranda was a standout, with two hits, one run and two RBI.
Carlos Santana also contributed significantly with two hits. Both Miranda and Trevor Larnach hit their sixth home run of the season, showcasing the team's offensive capabilities.
In pitching, starter Simeon Woods Richardson pitched 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits, with two walks and six strikeouts, although he did not get the decision.
Steven Okert picked up the win by getting the final two outs of the seventh inning without allowing a run on one hit. Jhoan Duran secured his tenth save of the season with a flawless ninth inning, striking out one batter.
It's all good, from Diego to the Bay.#RepBX pic.twitter.com/yO2mT10c9Z
- New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 4, 2024
Featured Pitchers
Bailey Ober will be the starting pitcher for the Twins in the next game. Ober, who has a season record of 5 wins and 3 losses, comes into the game with a 4.89 ERA and 1.105 WHIP, having issued 12 walks and struck out 58 batters in 57 innings this season.
In his last start against the Kansas City Royals, Ober shouldered the loss after pitching five innings and allowing six runs on nine hits. In his last three starts, Ober has struggled, posting a 1-2 record with an 8.36 ERA and 1.79 WHIP.
This game marks Ober's 69th career opening in the major leagues. Major League BaseballIt will be his first against the Yankees and his first at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees, with an outstanding record of 42 wins and 19 losses, lead the American League East division by three games over the second-place Baltimore Orioles.
The team is on a hot streak, winning nine of its last 11 games. In their Sunday game against the Giants, Juan Soto had an outstanding performance, with three hits, three runs and three RBI, including two homers.
Anthony Volpe and Aaron Judge also contributed significantly, with Volpe adding two runs and an RBI, and Judge scoring a run. Nestor Cortes Jr. started the game, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits, striking out seven batters.
Michael Tonkin picked up the win with two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one base on balls while striking out two batters. Clay Holmes secured his 17th save of the season with a perfect ninth inning.
The call to Luis Gil
Luis Gil will be the starter for the Yankees in the next game. Gil has an impressive season record of 7 wins and 1 loss, with a 1.99 ERA and a WHIP of 0.947. He has issued 31 walks and struck out 79 batters in 63.1 innings.
In his last start against the Los Angeles Angels, Gil pitched eight innings, allowing just one run on two hits, with two walks and nine strikeouts, winning in a close 2-1 victory.
In his last three starts, Gil has been outstanding, posting a 3-0 record with a 0.89 ERA and 0.64 WHIP. His only previous career start against the Twins came on Sept. 13, 2021, where he pitched six innings and allowed five runs on seven hits.
At Yankee Stadium, Gil has a solid track record, accumulating a record of 5 wins and 1 loss, with a 2.18 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 11 career starts.