The Minnesota Twins will add a key player when they face the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night in the second contest of their three-game series in Minneapolis.
Minnesota (78-69) is expected to activate shortstop Carlos Correa before the game. Correa has been sidelined since July 12 because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
The three-time All-Star is hitting .308 with 13 homers and 47 RBIs in 75 games this season. His .896 OPS ranks first on the team among qualified hitters.
Correa and the Twins will face another tough test from Cincinnati (72-77), which is looking to play the role of spoiler in its final few weeks before the offseason begins.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli knows his team has an edge for the final wild-card spot in the American League. However, he is not caught up watching the standings every day.
“It’s not going to affect one thing we do,” Baldelli said of the Twins, who lead the Detroit Tigers by 2 1/2 games for the final wild card. “We’re toward the end of our season. We’re going to be pushing every game to give it whatever we’ve got to win.
“You can only give everything that you have. We’ve already stated in different conversations around here, player wise, decision-making wise, there will be some urgency in what goes on here from here on out. There has to be. … It’s time to just give it whatever you’ve got to go win.”
Reds right-hander Nick Martinez (8-6, 3.46 ERA) is scheduled to make his 14th start of the season on Saturday. He has spent much of the season coming out of the bullpen and has proved capable as a member of the starting rotation.
Martinez is coming off back-to-back wins against the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves. In his most recent start, against Atlanta on Monday, he allowed two hits, walked one and struck out five over seven scoreless innings as the Reds won 1-0.
“My mentality is always to challenge guys, and I was able to command and change speeds,” Martinez said after the performance. “(Catcher Tyler Stephenson) did a great job of recognizing swings and calling pitches. I think we did a great job keeping guys off balance and creating some weak contact.”
In five career games (four starts) against Minnesota, Martinez is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. He has given up 16 earned runs in 21 1/3 innings while walking seven and striking out 18.
The Twins will counter on Saturday with right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 3.96), who is set to make his 26th start of the season. He is looking for his first victory since Aug. 21, when he topped the San Diego Padres.
Woods Richardson gave up two runs on three hits in 4 1/3 innings Sunday against the Kansas City Royals in his most recent outing. He walked three and struck out two.
This will be Woods Richardson’s first career game against the Reds.
Twins outfielder Byron Buxton will look to stay hot in his second game since being activated from the injured list. Buxton appeared Saturday in his first game since Aug. 12 and promptly hit a solo shot into the left-field bleachers for his 17th homer of the season.
Elly De La Cruz will look to continue a strong series for the Reds. He tallied his first career grand slam in Friday’s 8-4 victory for Cincinnati.
–Field Level Media