Series Preview: Rays vs Twins

eighty-seven games down, seventy-five to go.

After a prolonged stretch as the best team in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays have suddenly dropped back-to-back series to teams with records below .500. The Rays will hope to right the ship as they get back on the road and travel up to Minnesota where they’ll take on the Twins in a three game series.

The Twins have endured an up-and-down 2025 season thus far. They finished April just below .500 and then put up one of the best records in baseball during May; however, they plummeted back to Earth in June with a record that was almost the opposite of their scorching May. Since the start of play on June 12th, the Twins own the worst record in baseball at 5-14.

Despite this, the Twins are in second place in the AL Central with a 41-45 record, but sit 12.5 games back of the Detroit Tigers; the Twins are 4 games back in the Wild Card chase.

The Rays meanwhile are 48-39 and are currently a half game back of the Blue Jays and Yankees, who share the division lead. The Rays do possess the 2nd Wild Card currently with a 2.5 game lead over the 3rd Wild Card team.

The Twins have been led this season by a healthy Byron Buxton, who is hitting .277/.341/.553 with 19 HR and 15 SB, registering a 145 wRC+ and accruing 3.3 fWAR over 69 games. Buxton has been complimented in the lineup by Willi Castro and Kody Clemens, who are both having solid seasons.

Meanwhile on the rubber, Joe Ryan is having an excellent season as the ace of the Twins’ staff (the Rays face him on Sunday) with Pablo Lopez serving as a solid #2. In the bullpen, Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax are among the most effective tandem of high-leverage relievers in the game.

Stats were entering play on Thursday, the Twins played the Marlins on Thursday afternoon. The Yankees and Blue Jays also had a game on Thursday.

Frivolities

• The top players by career bWAR to have played for the Rays and Twins:

1. Nelson Cruz
2. Denard Span
3. Jason Bartlett
4. Carlos Gomez
5. Jake Odorizzi

• The Rays best player offensively against the Twins all-time (min. 25 PA):
  Logan Morrison: .400/.475/1.057 with 7 HR over 40 PA
  The next four are Casey Kotchman, Randy Arozarena, Rich Butler, & David DeJesus
• The Rays most previous transacation with the Twins:
  — 3/26/24: Rays acquire Niko Goodrum from the Twins for cash considerations
• The Rays first transaction with the Twins:
  — 11/28/07: Rays acquire Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, and Eddie Morlan from the Twins for Brendan Harris, Jason Pridie, and Delmon Young

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Probable pitchers are projected by FanGraphs

GAME ONE

Friday, July 4th
4:10 pm EDT

RHP Zack Littell vs RHP Chris Paddack

GAME TWO

Saturday, July 5th
2:10 pm EDT

RHP Taj Bradley vs RHP Connor Gillispie

GAME THREE

Sunday, July 6th
2:10 pm EDT

RHP Drew Rasmussen vs RHP Joe Ryan