Minnesota Twins vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Predictions August 9th 2024

Guardians Look to End Slide in Doubleheader Against Twins

The Cleveland Guardians, as of now leading the American League Central, will attempt to halt their season-high five-game long string of failures as they take on the Minnesota Twins in a crucial day-night doubleheader on Friday. This four-game series in Minneapolis comes at a pivotal second for the two teams, with the Guardians holding a 3 1/2-game lead over the Twins as the end of the week starts.

Guardians Try to Switch Ongoing Adversities

The Guardians are falling off a harsh stretch, having been cleared in a doubleheader by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Notwithstanding the new misfortunes, Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt remains hopeful about his team’s performance.

“The consequences of the last five days we could do without, yet the way we’re playing, especially allowing ourselves an opportunity to tie the game and take the lead, I was unable to ask for anything more,” Vogt said after Wednesday’s defeats. “I’d lie in the event that I let you know we are in general happy at this moment, and yet, every team goes through these stretches. I believe it’s not the way we’re playing, it’s the outcomes.”

The Guardians had Thursday off, giving them a genuinely necessary chance to rest and refocus before this critical series. The team trusts that the break will help them recharge and get back to the structure that has kept them atop the division.

Twins Hoping to Return quickly

The Minnesota Twins, meanwhile, are also hoping to return quickly after losing back to back games to the Chicago Cubs. Manager Rocco Baldelli faces the challenge of navigating this series without one of his vital participants, shortstop Carlos Correa, who remains sidelined with a heel injury. Correa isn’t supposed to return this end of the week, as he keeps on working his way back to original capacity.

“He’s ramping up his running right now,” Baldelli said on Wednesday. “He’s not sprinting yet. When he’s able to sprint and run the way he needs to, he’s going to go on a rehab assignment and go get some at-bats. Then he’ll be on his way back at that point. He has not hit that point yet.”

Baldelli acknowledged the difficulty of remaining patient without one of his top hitters, but emphasized the importance of focusing on the long-term goals for the team. “Every game feels like the most important thing, and it is at that moment, but the long game for us, with the players that we have, is probably more important at this point in the season,” he added.

Pitching Matchups: Varland vs. TBD, Ober vs. Cobb

For the first game of the doubleheader, the Twins are expected to promote right-hander Louie Varland to the mound. Varland, who has struggled at times this season with an 0-4 record and a 6.58 ERA, showed promise in June with a 1.93 ERA over 9 1/3 innings. He has a modest 4.50 ERA in two career games (one start) against Cleveland and will be looking to deliver a strong performance in the opener.

The Guardians have yet to announce their starter for the first game, but they might call up a pitcher from their Triple-A affiliate, similar to the Twins’ approach. One potential option is right-hander Triston McKenzie, who has a 3-5 record with a 5.11 ERA this season.

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In the nightcap, the Twins are supposed to go to right-hander Bailey Ober, who has been in astounding structure lately. Ober, with a 11-5 record and a 3.69 ERA, has won three straight choices and has posted eight successive quality starts. His career numbers against Cleveland are strong, with a 2.53 ERA more than six starts, however he has only a 1-2 record to show for it.

The Guardians will counter with Alex Cobb in the subsequent game. This will be Cobb’s season debut after he was acquired from the San Francisco Giants on time. The 36-year-old right-hander didn’t pitch for the Giants this season due to offseason hip medical procedure, however he carries insight to the hill with a career 4-3 record and a 4.86 ERA in 10 starts against the Twins.

High Stakes in Minneapolis

The primary game of Friday’s doubleheader is a makeup game from an April 7 delay, adding an extra layer of importance to an already critical series. Both the Guardians and Twins are feeling the squeeze to perform, with Cleveland aiming to maintain their division lead and Minnesota hoping to close the gap.

As the two teams square off in this key AL Central standoff, the result of the doubleheader could have significant implications for the division race. For the Guardians, snapping their horrible streak is essential to keep their hold on the lead position. For the Twins, these games address a superb chance to gain ground and reassert themselves as competitors in the division.