Kelly: You just lost eleven runs on the road, you’re staring down a six-game losing streak, and your entire starting rotation is either on the IL or pitching through pain. How do you fix this before the season slips away? Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network, I’m Kelly, and this is the Minnesota Twins daily show.
Gary: And I’m Gary. We are in Chicago tonight for a critical series against the White Sox. It’s not just about winning; it’s about stopping the bleeding after that 11-6 loss to Detroit where everything went wrong in extra innings.
Kelly: Tonight we break down the pitching matchup for tomorrow’s opener, look at who is actually healthy enough to play in that lineup, and figure out if there is any hope left for these guys to stop this skid. Let’s get into it.
Kelly: Okay, Gary, let’s start with the mound. The Twins are traveling to Comerica Park—wait, no, U.S. Cellular Field? Whatever they call it now—for the first game of a three-setter against Chicago. The Tigers series is done, and honestly, it was a disaster. We talked about Zebby Matthews’ near-perfect game back on August 31st, and then he just... vanished from the narrative as injuries piled up. Now we have to look at who starts tomorrow.
Gary: It’s a mess, Kelly. You look at the available arms, and it’s not pretty. Jack Flaherty is on the 15-day IL. Joe Ryan is also on the 15-day IL. Justin Verlander? He’s on the 60-day IL. Mick Abel, Burch Smith, Brant Hurter, Wenceel Perez—all on the 60-day IL. That leaves us with Bailey Ober, Dean Kremer, Connor Prielipp, and Zebby Matthews. But wait, did Zebby pitch recently?
Kelly: Right, Zebby was the hero two days ago, but he’s got to be monitored. If he doesn’t go, it’s likely Bailey Ober or maybe Dean Kremer getting the call. The White Sox aren’t exactly an offensive juggernaut, but they’ve been playing well enough to keep games close. The Twins need a quality start here to avoid going into the All-Star break—or what’s left of the season—on a six-game skid.
Gary: Exactly. And if it is Bailey Ober, we know he can eat innings, but can he handle the pressure? The Twins are 67-73, third in the AL Central. They are mathematically alive, but barely. Every run allowed feels like a death by a thousand cuts right now. I’m worried about the bullpen usage here. If the starter doesn’t go deep, Taylor Rogers and A.J. Minter are going to be working overtime again.
Kelly: Speaking of the bullpen, remember our prediction from September 1st? I said the Twins would win the series against Detroit 2-1, and Gary predicted a sweep. Well, Gary, how does that taste?
Gary: It tastes like ash, Kelly. I wanted that sweep. I thought Walker Jenkins was going to hit two more homers, and Josh Bell was going to drive them in. Instead, Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning, Javier Báez added a bases-clearing double, and Detroit won 11-6. It was a complete collapse in extra innings.
Kelly: Ouch. Okay, so the Tigers salvaged the final game of the series, but the Twins blew a lead they had built up. We saw ten runs in the sixth inning earlier in the series, but this last game... it was ugly. So, moving forward to Chicago, what is the plan? Who is starting for the White Sox?
Gary: The brief doesn't list the White Sox probable, but given the Twins' options, if Zebby Matthews is healthy and sharp, he should get the nod. He has that energy from his previous start that we talked about. If he’s not, it’s a coin flip between Ober and Kremer. The key is keeping the game within reach so the bullpen isn’t exposed early.
Kelly: Let’s talk about the lineup because, Gary, it’s decimated. Byron Buxton is on the 10-day IL. Austin Martin is on the 10-day IL. Gary Paredes is on the 60-day IL. We are missing our center fielder, our second baseman, and our shortstop/starter depth. Who is actually playing outfield for the Twins tomorrow?
Gary: It’s going to be Trevor Larnach in left, Gabriel Gonzalez in right, and Walker Jenkins in center. Jenkins is the bright spot. Remember, he hit his first MLB home run in the series against Detroit. We predicted he’d hit two more, and while he didn’t quite get those two in the finale, he’s still the most dangerous bat in this order. He’s young, he’s hungry, and he’s performing when it matters.
Kelly: Jenkins is carrying the weight of the franchise right now! And what about the infield? Royce Lewis at first base, Brooks Lee at third, Kody Clemens at second. Ryan Jeffers behind the plate. These guys have been trying to hold it together. Lewis had a big series against Detroit, right? We talked about him hitting a homer on September 2nd.
Gary: He did. And Kody Clemens had a multi-hit game too. That’s the core you have to build around. But without Buxton’s defense and range in center, and without Martin’s contact skills in the middle of the order, the team is struggling to string hits together. The offense scored ten runs in one game against Detroit, which was huge, but then they went silent in the later innings of the finale.
Kelly: So, Josh Bell is the DH. He’s a veteran presence. Can he stabilize that middle of the order? We need him to produce consistently. The Twins are 67-73, and every loss hurts. The standing is third in the AL Central, but the Tigers are right there at 63-75. This series against Chicago is a must-win to stay relevant in the wild card hunt.
Gary: Relevant is the key word. They aren’t leading the division, but they can’t fall out of the race. The bullpen is another concern. Travis Adams, Taj Bradley, Kody Funderburk, Yoendrys Gomez, Jeff Hoffman, Andrew Morris, Tommy Nance. That’s a lot of arms, but are they effective? If the starters don’t go five innings, this group is going to burn out fast.
Kelly: I’m worried about the fatigue. We saw it against Detroit. The extra innings killed everyone. Taylor Rogers and A.J. Minter have been relied upon heavily. If they are tired, the White Sox will exploit that. We need the hitters to score early and often. No more 12-inning marathons where the other team comes out on top.
Gary: Agreed. The strategy has to be aggressive base running and capitalizing on mistakes. Walker Jenkins is good at that. He gets on base, he takes extra bases. If he can get into scoring position, Royce Lewis and Ryan Jeffers need to drive him in. Jeffers had a great series against Detroit, so he’s hot. Hot bats stay hot if you feed them opportunities.
Kelly: Alright, Gary, let’s get bold. It’s September 3rd. The season is winding down. What is the one thing the Twins MUST do to win this series against the White Sox? And give me a prediction. Last time, my predictions were way off. I want accuracy today.
Gary: They must win the pitching battle. Literally. If Zebby Matthews goes, he needs to throw seven innings and allow two runs or less. If he can’t, Bailey Ober needs to step up. The White Sox are weak offensively compared to Detroit. If the Twins can limit their errors and get quality starts, they should win this series.
Kelly: Okay, so the key is pitching depth and avoiding extra innings. My prediction? The Twins split the first two games, taking Game 3. I think Walker Jenkins hits a homer in each of the first two games, and Josh Bell has a multi-hit game in the series opener. Final series score: Twins win two out of three.
Gary: I’ll go with that, but I think it’s tighter. I predict the Twins win the series 2-1, but only because the bullpen holds on in tight games. I expect Zebby Matthews to get the win in the opener. And I’m sticking with my belief that the team’s morale, fueled by Matthews’ earlier success, will turn a corner. They just need to believe they can win again.
Kelly: Well, fans, that’s the outlook. The Twins face the White Sox tomorrow night. Injuries are piling up, the skid is real, but the talent is still there. Walker Jenkins, Royce Lewis, and the rest of the squad need to step up. Go Twins!
Gary: Stay tuned to the Beatline Podcast Network for daily updates. Subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll see you after the game.