Royals and Twins Meet Again For Four-Game Set in Kansas City

The Minnesota Twins (22-33) make their first trip to Kauffman Stadium this season as the American League Central basement dwellers come to Kansas City to face the Royals (27-26) for four games.

The Minnesota Twins (22-33) make their first trip to Kauffman Stadium this season as the American League Central basement dwellers come to Kansas City to face the Royals (27-26) for four games.

Pitching Probables

Thursday

Minnesota: LHP J.A. Happ (3-2, 5.24 ERA)
Kansas City: LHP Kris Bubic (1-0, 1.52 ERA)

Friday

Minnesota: RHP Matt Shoemaker (2-6, 5.90 ERA)
Kansas City: TBA

Saturday

Minnesota: RHP Jose Berrios (5-2, 3.36 ERA)
Kansas City: TBA

Sunday

Minnesota: RHP Michael Pineda (3-3, 3.40 ERA)
Kansas City: TBA

Recent Performance

Fresh off a weekend series against these same Royals, the Minnesota Twins traveled to Baltimore to face a reeling Baltimore Orioles squad. After winning their first game of the series against the O's, the Twins would drop their second game of the series and help the Orioles break their 14-game losing streak. The loss sent the Twins to 10-15 away from Target Field this season and kept them in the cellar of the AL Central with an overall record of 22-32. The Twins are an even 3-3 on the season series against the Royals as they make their first trip to Kauffman Stadium in 2021.

What to Watch For

For the second consecutive weekend against the Twins, the Royals game two starter remains a mystery. With Danny Duffy ramping up activity, there was optimism that Duffy may return to the rotation this weekend. However, The Kansas City Star reports that no return is imminent. With Brady Singer pitching the final game of the Pirates series on Tuesday, that leaves Ervin Santana or Jakob Junis as the most likely spot starters, as both have started multiple games for the Royals already this season. Santana got the nod in last Saturday's loss to the Twins, where he went three innings and allowed three earned runs. Junis's last start came on the back end of a doubleheader on May 14 against the Chicago White Sox. Junis went just 1 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs. 

Adalberto Mondesi returned to the lineup last week and tallied nine hits (five for extra bases) in his seven games back. However, he was sidelined for the series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to a tweaked hamstring. The Royals will likely play it safe with Mondesi, as he missed the first 45 games of the year with an oblique injury. With two days off in a row now, it is anyone's guess as to if he'll be re-joining the lineup for the series opener. If Mondesi is unable to go, Nicky Lopez will likely fill the void at shortstop, where he has started 43 games this season.

Two middle-of-the-order Royals bats have been heating up as we enter the month of June. Left fielder Andrew Benintendi and catcher Salvador Perez have been raking since the start of the previous Twins series. Benintendi is 8-for-23 in the last seven days with eight RBIs. He ended the front end of the homestand with a towering grand slam to break a tie ball game and subsequently, gave him his first home run as a Royal in Kauffman Stadium. 

Perez has gone 7-for-21 since the beginning of last weekend's series with the Twins. Perez also has eight RBIs during that span to go along with three home runs, two of which were hit in the series finale against Pittsburgh. Perez and Benintendi have been a nightmare for Twins pitching this season; as they have combined to hit .357 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in six games this year.

How To Follow

Thursday

First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. CST
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
Radio: 610 Sports Radio

Friday

First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. CST
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
Radio: 610 Sports Radio

Saturday

First Pitch: 3:10 p.m. CST
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
Radio: 610 Sports Radio

Sunday

First Pitch: 1:10 p.m. CST
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
Radio: 610 Sports Radio

Read More: Adalberto Mondesi Showed Flashes Following Return Despite Setback