The Kansas City Royals are set to face off against the Minnesota Twins in a pivotal three-game series starting Friday night at Kauffman Stadium. These two teams are locked in a tight race, vying for second place in the AL Central Division behind the Cleveland Guardians. Currently, both squads are positioned in the AL Wildcard chase, making this series all the more significant. The opening game will showcase a matchup between Twins’ rookie right-hander Zebby Matthews (1-2, 7.41 ERA) and Royals’ lefty Cole Ragans (10-9, 3.46 ERA). The first pitch is slated for 8:10 PM EST.
Twins Lean on Rookie Matthews
The Minnesota Twins come into this series with a narrow half-game advantage over the Royals, holding steady in both the AL Central and Wildcard standings. They managed to avoid a sweep against the Tampa Bay Rays, clinching a 4-3 victory on Thursday afternoon. Starter Pablo Lopez impressed with nine strikeouts and allowed three runs over 6.2 innings, while Edouard Julien and Matt Wallner provided the offensive spark with home runs.
The Twins will hand the ball to rookie Zebby Matthews for the series opener. Matthews has made four starts this season, posting a 1-2 record with a high ERA of 7.41 and a WHIP of 1.47. Over 17 innings, he has given up 23 hits while walking only two and notching 18 strikeouts. However, he has struggled with the long ball, allowing five home runs in his appearances. In his most recent outing, Matthews faced a tough Blue Jays lineup and surrendered 10 hits and nine runs, which included three home runs in a lopsided 15-0 defeat.
Key Injuries: SP Joe Ryan, RP Kody Funderburk, and LF Alex Kiriloff are sidelined.
Royals Turn to Consistent Ragans
The Kansas City Royals are currently grappling with a seven-game losing streak, a challenging stretch that has tested their resolve. They managed to break that streak with a win against the Guardians on Wednesday night, thanks in part to Tommy Pham’s home run and a strong performance from Seth Lugo, who allowed just one run over seven innings.
The Royals are eager to find their footing as they welcome the Twins for this crucial series. They will rely on left-handed pitcher Cole Ragans in the opener. Ragans boasts a record of 10-9 with 28 starts this season, including 17 quality starts. He has allowed 132 hits across 161.1 innings, while striking out 197 batters and walking 56. Despite allowing 14 home runs this season, Ragans has a strong track record against the Twins, with a career ERA of 2.45 in five appearances against them. In his latest outing, Ragans pitched five innings, giving up four hits and five runs, all while striking out ten in a 5-2 setback against the Astros.
Key Injuries: RP Josh Taylor, RP John Schreiber, RP Christian Chamberlain, and RP Dan Altavilla are out.
Smart Betting Insights for Twins vs. Royals
Despite their recent struggles, the Royals may hold a strategic advantage in the series opener. Cole Ragans has demonstrated consistent performance against the Twins, sporting an impressive ERA of 2.45 in his prior matchups. He has been a cornerstone of the Royals’ pitching rotation alongside Seth Lugo. In contrast, the Twins are relying on Zebby Matthews, who has struggled this season with an ERA exceeding seven. The Twins have lost three of Matthews’ four starts, while the Royals have managed to secure victories in three of Ragans’ last five outings. Given that Ragans is expected to pitch longer than Matthews, this could allow the Royals to leverage a well-rested bullpen after their Thursday break. The Royals have shown resilience throughout the season, and this series presents another opportunity for them to bounce back.
