Minnesota (43-35) at Arizona (38-40)
When: Tuesday, June 25th 2024
Where: Chase Field,
Phoenix, AZ
Time: 9:40 ET | TV: MLB.tv
Opening Odds: Minnesota -110/8
The surging Minnesota Twins will continue their nine-game road trip on Tuesday night when they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first of a three-game set at Chase Field. Minnesota received great starting pitching over the weekend in taking two-of-three from the Oakland A’s. Bailey Ober retired the final 17 batters during a complete-game victory on Saturday and Pablo Lopez retired the first 17 A’s while striking out 14 over eight shutout innings on Sunday. The 34 consecutive batters retired set a franchise record. The Twins have now won 10-of-14 and are currently the second wild card team in the American League.
Arizona returns home after a 3-3 road trip in which they lost the final two in Philadelphia by a combined 16-2 margin. The D’backs scored five runs in each of its three wins during the trip and just one in each of the three setbacks. Ketel Marte had an RBI single for the lone run on Sunday. Outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has five consecutive two-hit games despite sitting out on Saturday. He returned to the lineup on Sunday and had two of Arizona’s six hits. The Twins won all three matchups against Arizona in 2023.
Pitching Matchup
Twins – Joe Ryan (5-5, 3.13)
Diamondbacks – Brandon Pfaadt (1-1, 4.58)
Ryan has been very consistent all season and is on a 3-2, 2.54 ERA run over his past six starts and has allowed two runs or less in five of them. He’s coming off a no-decision against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday when he gave up one run and six hits over six innings. Ryan, who has a 2.49 ERA on the road, will be facing Arizona for the first time.
Pfaadt has been struggling of late and the D’backs are just 6-9 in his 15 starts this season. He has a 4.99 ERA over his past five outings and has allowed three runs or more in seven of his last nine starts. Pfaadt is coming off a loss on Wednesday to the Nationals when he gave up three runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings. This will be his first time seeing the Twins.
I like the way Minnesota is playing right now and they have the pitching edge in this one with Ryan. The Twins have a well-rested bullpen also after two superb outings by Ober and Lopez over the weekend. Pfaadt has been terrible on the road this season, going 1-5 with a 5.03 ERA. I’ll take the hotter team with the better pitcher here.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for today.
Pick: Twins -115
