Minnesota Twins vs Baltimore Orioles Picks and Predictions September 27th 2024

Friday’s matchup between the Orioles and Twins is set to get started at 8:10 PM ET from Target Field in Minneapolis. The Twins are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -173 compared to the Orioles at +144. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.

This one will be televised on BSN, and Cade Povich will be starting for the Orioles, while the Twins are sending Pablo Lopez to the mound. The Orioles are 88-71 and in 2nd place in the AL East, while the Twins are 82-77 and in 4th place in the AL Central.

Baltimore vs. Minnesota Key Information

Left-hander Cade Povich is starting for the Orioles today as he faces the Twins on the road. He has made 15 starts this season and has a record of 2-9 with an ERA of 5.59. Povich’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.50. In his 15 starts, he has turned in three quality starts and is averaging 8.15 strikeouts per nine innings. Povich most recently pitched on September 21st, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up two earned runs in five innings of work. Before that outing, he had lost three straight starts.

Anthony Santander has been the Orioles’ top power threat this season, as his 44 home runs are the 3rd most in the league. However, he has really struggled at the plate of late, hitting just 5/33 in his last nine games. Gunnar Henderson has been swinging a hot bat, going 12/38 in his last nine games. For the season, he is batting .284 and has the 2nd most homers on the team (37).

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As a team, the Orioles are 2nd in the league in home runs and are averaging 4.8 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5 runs per contest. Overall, they have the league’s 2nd best Isolated Power figure and are 3rd in slugging percentage.

Pablo López will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Red Sox, as he gave up seven earned runs in four innings of work. In that outing, he gave up three homers. Before that start, he had pitched well, going 7 innings in back-to-back outings and giving up a combined three earned runs in those starts. Lopez’s record for the season is 15-9, and his ERA is 4.11. This year, he has made 31 starts, and opponents are batting .248 vs. López this year. The right-hander has a BB/9 figure of 1.9 compared to 9.52 strikeouts per nine innings.

Carlos Santana comes into the game as the Twins’ leader in home runs this season, with 22 long balls, but he is batting just .234. Ryan Jeffers is right behind him with 20 homers but is also struggling at the plate, hitting just .225. Willi Castro is batting .248 for the season and is 3rd on the team with 60 RBIs.

Byron Buxton has been swinging the bat well of late for the Twins, going 9/33 in his last seven games with a home run and three RBIs. Carlos Correa has also been hot, batting .344 over his last eight games and is currently on a three-game hitting streak.

We have this Twins vs. Orioles matchup as the 5th lowest-scoring game of the day, but with the line sitting at 8.5 runs, we are still leaning towards taking the over. As for a straight-up pick, we like the Twins to come out on top. Pablo López is our 12th ranked starting pitcher in terms of strikeouts, and he has the 5th best odds to pick up a win among today’s starters.

Twins Look to Keep Faint Playoff Hopes Alive vs. Orioles

The Minnesota Twins face long odds but will try to keep their playoff hopes alive when they open a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night in Minneapolis. Minnesota (82-77) is in a must-win situation and will need help from other teams to secure an American League wild-card berth.

To stay in contention, the Twins need to sweep the Orioles while hoping either the Kansas City Royals or Detroit Tigers lose all three of their remaining games. The Royals will face the Atlanta Braves this weekend, and the Tigers will meet the Chicago White Sox.

Rocco Baldelli: “We Are Not Eliminated”

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli remains determined despite the team’s 8-6 loss to the Miami Marlins in 13 innings on Thursday. The loss put Minnesota on the brink of elimination, but Baldelli insists that his focus is solely on winning out the remaining games.

“We are not eliminated right now, at this point,” Baldelli said after the defeat. “My intention is to win out … and see what happens.”

Baltimore’s Playoff Preparations

The Baltimore Orioles (88-71) have already secured a playoff berth and will begin their wild-card series next week. While the Orioles had hoped to win the American League East, they were officially runner-up to the New York Yankees, who clinched the division title on Thursday following a 10-1 victory over Baltimore.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde emphasized his team’s excitement for the postseason, even though they fell short of winning the division. “They played better than us in the second half, and we’re excited to be in the playoffs,” Hyde said.

Corbin Burnes Looks Ahead to Playoff Matchup

Baltimore right-hander Corbin Burnes expressed confidence in a potential postseason matchup with the Yankees. “We’re going to face them again,” Burnes said. “The only way I think we’re going to move on is (we) have to go through them. We played great against these guys in the regular season, so there’s no reason why we can’t do it in the postseason.”

Before the playoffs, however, the Orioles will wrap up their regular season with three games in Minnesota.

Starting Pitchers: Pablo Lopez vs. Cade Povich

Minnesota will turn to right-hander Pablo Lopez (15-9, 4.11 ERA) in Friday’s series opener. Lopez has already set a career-high in wins this season and needs just 10 more strikeouts to reach 200 for the second straight year. However, he’ll be looking to rebound from a tough outing last Sunday, when he gave up seven runs on nine hits in four innings in an 8-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

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Lopez has had success against the Orioles in the past, going 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA in three career starts against Baltimore.

The Orioles will counter with rookie left-hander Cade Povich (2-9, 5.59 ERA), who is set to make his 16th start of the season. Povich, who was drafted by the Twins in 2021, will face his former team for the first time. He is coming off a solid outing against the Detroit Tigers, where he allowed two runs in five innings.