New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins: Series Preview

After taking three of four against the Blue Jays, the Yankees get to stay in New York for another home series. This time, it’s the Twins coming to Yankee Stadium for a four-game set.

The last time they met in Yankee Stadium was during last year’s AL Wild Card game, which the Yankees won. Earlier in the season, the Yankees also swept the Twins during a series in the Bronx. In total, the Twins have won just one game in Yankee Stadium in the last three seasons.

Like the Yankees, the Twins have had a relatively middling start to the season, sitting at 8-8. As the two prepare to meet in the Bronx, will the Yankees continue their winning ways, or will Brian Dozier and friends end their Yankee Stadium struggles?

Game 1: Masahiro Tanaka vs. Jake Odorizzi

After starting the season with two solid performances, Tanaka is coming off two consecutive bad ones. Last time out, he had arguably one of his worst games ever when you factor in that it was against the Marlins. Tanaka didn’t matchup against the Twins last season, but has had success against them for the most part.

Odorizzi has been good for the Twins so far this season after coming over in a trade in the offseason. The Yankees are plenty familiar with Odorizzi, with his previous stop having been in the AL East. Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez have both had pretty decent results against him, although neither sample size is especially big.

Game 2: CC Sabathia vs. Jose Berrios

Sabathia has made one start since returning from the DL, and was limited in it, throwing just 71 pitches despite him pitching fairly well. When he has been on the mound this season, Sabathia has done decent on the whole, it’s just been a question of how long he can go.

Berrios was once a highly-ranked prospect, and has lived up to that so far this season. He has allowed just five runs in 27.2 innings over four starts. Berrios has made two previous starts against the Yankees. In one, he held them to just one run in 6+ innings, but they knocked him out in the fourth inning the second time around. Berrios came in to pitch in relief in the Wild Card Game, where the Yankees tagged him for three runs in three innings.

Game 3: Sonny Gray vs. Lance Lynn

This season has not been the best for Sonny Gray so far. He has yet to go at least 90 pitches, and currently has an ERA hovering in the eights. He faced the Twins once last season, giving up four runs in six innings in the midst of an early season swoon last year.

Lynn was another new addition to Minnesota’s pitching staff, and he has also struggled somewhat. He threw five shutout innings in his second start, but that’s sandwiched between two starts where he’s allowed ten runs in ten combined innings. It’s been four years since he has faced the Yankees, but both Neil Walker and Giancarlo Stanton have had success against him.

Game 4: Jordan Montgomery vs. Kyle Gibson

The sophomore season has been more of the same for Montgomery as he follows up his rookie year. Other than one start against the Orioles, he has been extremely solid. Last time out, he allowed just four hits in six innings against the Blue Jays. His only other meeting against the Twins was one of the worst of his young career so far, however.

Gibson has been perfectly average this season so far, currently sitting with a 99 ERA+. He was pulled after six no-hit innings in his season debut, but everything since then has been slightly worse. Last time out, he gave up four runs in 6.1 innings against the Rays.