Two teams that are moving in opposite directions, the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins, will open a 3-game set tonight at Target Field. The 86-63 Yankees have won 5 of their last 6 and have a firm hold on the top AL wild card spot and can still catch the Tampa Bay Rays for the AL East title. New York sits 4 games back of Tampa with 13 games left and they have one more 3-game set with the Rays in the Bronx. The 70-79 Minnesota Twins’ post-season aspirations are starting to look bleak. They are 5.5 games back of the Cleveland Guardians for the third AL wild card spot and have only 2 wins in their last 7 tries. Minnesota’s expected starter is former Oriole Dean Kremer. There is a reason the Orioles sent the right-hander packing. Kremer is 3-5 with a 5.65 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. The Yankees are expected to counter with Will Warren. Warren comes in at 10-6 with a 4.05 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP, and in his last turn against the Colorado Rockies he pitched 6 strong innings allowing only 4 hits, 1 run, with 8 K’s and the Bombers went on to a 6-1 victory. New York has played well on the road, at 44-31, and are especially dangerous now that the best player on the planet, Aaron Judge, is back in the lineup.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES