Tampa Bay Rays vs Minnesota Twins Picks and Predictions September 2nd 2024

Rays Face Twins with Eyes on Late-Season Playoff Push

The Tampa Bay Rays wind up in a basic crossroads of their season as they plan to have the Minnesota Twins in a four-game series beginning Monday night. With the season finisher picture coming into more honed center, the Rays (67-69) are seven games behind the last two American League wild-card spots, as of now held by the Twins (74-62) and the Kansas City Royals (75-63). On the off chance that the Rays desire to stretch out their season finisher streak to six sequential seasons, right now is an ideal opportunity to begin taking their action.

Rays’ Urgent Need for Momentum

Tampa Bay is well aware of the challenge ahead. After dropping the rubber match of their three-game series against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, manager Kevin Cash emphasized the importance of the upcoming series against the Twins.

“It’s a big four games for us,” Cash said. “We’ve got to get hotter than hot. Splits aren’t going to cut it, series wins, two out of three. We’ve got to find some ways to do some really special things.”

The Rays have battled to track down consistency since the Top pick break, posting a record beneath .500 and neglecting to win multiple successive games since May. With an overwhelming timetable ahead — including series against the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cleveland Guardians — Tampa Bay necessities to benefit from this homestand to remain in the season finisher chase.

“We put ourselves in this spot where we’ve got to play really good baseball and we’ll probably need some help from some other teams,” Cash added.

Twins Riding High After Dramatic Win

The Minnesota Twins enter the series with momentum on their side, fresh off a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Royce Lewis delivered a game-changing three-run homer in the eighth inning on Sunday, turning a late deficit into a lead and ultimately securing the series win for Minnesota.

“That eighth inning brought a lot of oxygen into our room and to our dugout and, I think, into the bodies of all of our players,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Royce punctuated it. The guys before him went up and did their jobs and got on base with some really good swings against a good reliever.”

Lewis, who also played second base for the first time in his career during the game, showed versatility and poise, fielding all three grounders cleanly.

“Sometimes, you get a little tingle when you’re doing something new. It wakes you up again and keeps you on your toes,” Baldelli added.

Monday’s Pitching Matchup

The series opener will feature a pair of right-handers on the mound. The Twins will send Simeon Woods Richardson (5-3, 3.85 ERA) to the hill. Woods Richardson has been a reliable presence for Minnesota, winning back-to-back starts before receiving a no-decision in his last outing against the Atlanta Braves. In that game, he allowed four runs on just three hits over 4 2/3 innings in an eventual 8-6 loss in 10 innings.

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Woods Richardson has faced the Rays once in his career, back on June 20, when he allowed two runs on four hits in six innings. He left the game with the score tied 2-2, and the Twins eventually lost 7-6 in 10 innings.

Tampa Bay will counter with Zack Littell (5-8, 3.89 ERA), who is getting back from the 15-day harmed list subsequent to managing right shoulder irritation. Littell has been in great structure of late, permitting one procured run or less in every one of his beyond four excursions. The right-hander spent the initial three times of his vocation with the Twins, where he posted a 6-2 record with a 4.52 ERA. Littell is 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA in four games (two beginnings) against his previous group.

What’s at Stake

For the Rays, this series against the Twins could be urgent. A solid exhibition could reignite their season finisher trusts, while a terrible display could everything except smother them. The Twins, then again, are hoping to set their wild-card standing and keep up with their force as they push towards October.

With the two groups having much in question, this series vows to be a hard-faced conflict, with each game conveying critical season finisher suggestions. As the season slows down, the Rays and Twins will play with earnestness, realizing that each success carries them one bit nearer to their postseason dreams.