Minnesota is building some momentum for 2022 as they head into the September 8th Twins at Indians matchup. Rocco Baldelli’s team is mired in last place in the AL Central, but they’ve won three in a row mostly behind some solid pitching.
Cleveland on the other hand has dropped four of their last five, yet are still -135 favorites in Wednesday’s tilt. The Indians do have a pitching advantage on paper with Triston McKenzie finding the zone in giving up just 5 total hits over his last three starts. Minnesota meanwhile is going with Joe Ryan in just his 2nd career MLB start.
Back the Twins Yet Again?
Minnesota was a hard team to gauge coming into this series. They looked good in taking two of three at home against Milwaukee and getting a nice pitching performance in a 3-2 makeup game win over the Tigers on August 30th. Then the Twins scored 1 total run in losing two games against the Cubs, and dropped two of three to the Rays which is understandable as Tampa Bay has the 2nd best record in baseball.
Minnesota is 29-41 on the road this season, but captured the series finale at the Rays (who are 45-26 at home on the year) and have taken the first two in Cleveland by a combined score of 8-2. It might be Minnesota who is on the business end of a solid pitching matchup in the September 8th Twins at Indians matchup though, as Cleveland’s McKenzie has been dominant lately. McKenzie did give up 6 ER to the Twins in a 10-0 Minnesota win back in May though.
The Twins may struggle at the plate Wednesday, and they also don’t know what to expect from Joe Ryan (0-1, 5.40 ERA) on the bump. The right-hander allowed just 3 hits – but also 3 ER against the Cubs in his MLB debut last Wednesday. Getting a start under your belt never hurts either.
McKenzie the Man?
The Indians look to be very streaky down the stretch, losing four of their last five even following a 4-game win streak prior to that. Cleveland has managed just two runs in dropping two straight games to the Twins, but if everything goes right on the mound they won’t need much to get a W on Wednesday.
Cleveland has been +112 and -127 over the first two losses of this series, but are -135 largely because Triston McKenzie is on the hill. The right-hander returned from shoulder fatigue to throw 6 innings of 2-hit ball last Thursday, but that was his lone start in nearly three weeks. Overall McKenzie has last three starts, but is he healthy?
Nobody on the Cleveland roster has faced Minnesota starter Joe Ryan, but Minnesota is also just 2 for 18 (.111) as a team vs. McKenzie. That is despite the 10-0 Twins win back in May.
September 8th Twins at Indians Pick
Back McKenzie and the Indians at -135 in this one? That’s exactly what 76% of public bettors are doing despite the Indians’ current stretch of four losses in their last five games. Minnesota got to the Cleveland right-hander earlier this season, and McKenzie’s strong outing last time out was on 11 days rest. How will his previous shoulder fatigue hold up to a normal schedule?
Twins 4 – Indians 3
Free Pick: Twins +115
