Minnesota Twins vs Miami Marlins Picks and Predictions September 26th 2024

Thursday’s interleague matchup between the Marlins and Twins has a first pitch of 7:40 PM ET from Target Field in Minneapolis. The Twins are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -252, while the Marlins are +209 underdogs. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.

Miami will be looking to pull off the upset with a lineup that has them 5th in the NL East. The Twins are 82-76 this season, and David Festa will be on the mound for them. The Marlins are starting Valente Bellozo. BSFL is carrying this one on TV.

Miami vs. Minnesota Key Information

Miami is sending right-hander Valente Bellozo to the mound today as he faces the Twins on the road. Bellozo has made 12 starts this year and has a record of 3-4 with a 3.82 ERA. In his 12 appearances, he has turned in two quality starts and is averaging 5.94 strikeouts per nine innings. Bellozo’s most recent outing came on September 20th, where he picked up the win, going 5 1/3 innings and giving up three earned runs. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. So far, he has been better on the road, with a record of 1-2 and an ERA of 3.89 compared to 2-2 with a 4.74 ERA at home.

Over the past seven games, Jake Burger has been swinging a hot bat for the Marlins, going 8/27 with three homers and six RBIs. For the season, Burger is batting .247 with a team-high 72 RBIs. He is also 13th in the league in homers. Jesús Sánchez is also batting .247 for the Marlins, and his 18 homers are the 2nd most on the team.

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As a team, the Marlins are averaging just 3.8 runs per game, which is 28th in the league. Their team on-base percentage of .298 is also one of the worst marks in the MLB. So far, the Marlins have been a better offensive team at home, averaging 4.2 runs per game.

Right-hander David Festa is getting the start for the Twins today as he faces the Marlins at home. He has made 12 starts this season and has a record of 2-6 with an ERA of 4.80. Festa’s WHIP for the season is 1.28, and opponents are batting .227 this season. Festa’s last outing came against the Red Sox, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up one earned run in five innings of work. He has finished with a no-decision in each of his last three outings. Per nine innings, Festa is averaging 10.8 strikeouts and 3.3 walks.

Carlos Santana comes into the game as the Twins’ leader in home runs, but he has struggled at the plate of late, hitting just .179 over his last 10 games. This comes at a time when the Twins could use some more production from him, as he is also their leader in RBIs this season. Willi Castro and Ryan Jeffers are also near the top of the Twins’ home run leaderboard, but both are hitting below .250 for the season.

Minnesota’s most consistent hitter of late has been Byron Buxton, who has gone 10/33 in his last eight games and is currently on a five-game hitting streak. During this stretch, he has one home run and four RBIs. Castro has also been swinging the bat well, going 10/35 in his last 10 games.

As the Twins host the Marlins today, we are leaning towards the Twins picking up the win at home. We also have this as the 2nd highest-scoring game of the day and are leaning towards taking the over. Looking at the starters for this matchup, we have David Festa as our 11th best strikeout pitcher compared to Valente Bellozo, who is 2nd best.

Twins Turn to David Festa in Pivotal Meeting with Marlins

With the playoff race heating up, every game counts for the Minnesota Twins as they aim to secure a spot in the American League wild-card race. Their latest crucial test will come on Thursday night as they host the Miami Marlins in the deciding game of a three-game series in Minneapolis.

The Twins (82-76) remain two games behind the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers in the wild-card standings. With only four games left in the regular season, Minnesota’s postseason hopes hinge on winning their remaining matchups.

Minnesota’s Comeback Win Sparks Optimism

Minnesota is coming off an 8-3 victory on Wednesday night, where they bounced back from an early 3-0 deficit. The win was a crucial confidence boost for the team, showing resilience under pressure.

“There’s some tough-mindedness there,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said after the game. “The guys stayed at it. It’s not easy when you are down and you’re down early. The ability to refocus our attention on what we needed to do was very good.”

Carlos Santana’s bases-clearing single in the seventh inning was key to breaking the game open, allowing Baldelli to rest some of his top bullpen arms ahead of Thursday’s finale.

Festa Aims for First Win Since August

The Twins will turn to rookie right-hander David Festa (2-6, 4.80 ERA) in the series finale. Festa is seeking his first win since August 5 against the Chicago Cubs. In his most recent outing, Festa took a no-decision, allowing one run on four hits over five innings in a 4-2, 12-inning victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Thursday’s game will be Festa’s first career start against Miami, and the Twins will be hoping for a strong performance from their young pitcher to keep their playoff chances alive.

Marlins Send Bellozo to the Mound

Miami (58-100), having long been out of postseason contention, is playing for pride as they head toward the season’s end. The Marlins will counter with rookie right-hander Valente Bellozo (3-4, 3.82 ERA), who is coming off a win against the Atlanta Braves. Bellozo gave up three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings during that 4-3 victory.

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Like Festa, Bellozo is making his first career start against his Thursday night opponent, Minnesota. The Marlins will look to him for another strong outing to potentially spoil the Twins’ playoff ambitions.

Twins Bullpen Ready for Action

Baldelli indicated that key relievers Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran could play prominent roles in Thursday’s game. Both pitchers appeared in Wednesday’s win, but Santana’s clutch hit allowed Baldelli to rest them down the stretch.

“That hit was big,” Baldelli said. “It allowed us to get those guys out without really having to stretch those two out… It leaves us in a better situation tomorrow with Jax and Duran.”

Marlins Reliever Bachar Embraces His Role

Marlins reliever Lake Bachar, who threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings in the series opener, hopes to continue his strong performance. The 29-year-old has nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings this season and is grateful for his opportunity at the major league level.

“Through the past nine years, I’ve always thought I could pitch at this level, and being trusted in those situations, I’m really grateful for that,” Bachar said. “I’m just very grateful for every opportunity.”