9 October 2023
It’s a best-of-three now. The Twins have home-field advantage in two of those three games and they have their pitching rotation set so one ace, Sonny Gray, will pitch Game 3 and the other, Pablo López, is on track to start Game 5 back in Houston, if it’s necessary.
All that has to be comforting to the Twins, who returned back to Minnesota in the early hours of Monday morning after squaring the American League Division Series against the defending World Series champion Astros with a win in Game 2 in Houston. Game 3 of the series will begin at 3:07 p.m. on Tuesday at Target Field with Gray squaring off against Astros starter Christian Javier.
“We’ve got Sonny lined up, who arguably is top three (in the) Cy Young race this year. And then if we need a Game 5, we’ve got Pablo lined up on normal rest, so I think we like our chances,” Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers said. “We like our chances against anybody. It just so happens that we’re in a pretty good spot right now.”
Gray has pitched once already this postseason, throwing five scoreless innings in the second game of the Wild Card Series, to help the Twins advance to the ALDS.
He has faced these Astros once this year, giving up one run in seven innings while striking out 13, though that was all the way back in April in just his second start of the season.
“Coming into the game 1-1, coming back to Minnesota, it’s a big opportunity for us. It’s a big opportunity for us to go out there and play a good, hard-fought, competitive game,” Gray said. “… I’m going to go out, and I’m going to attack these guys. I’m going to come at them with my best stuff. I’m excited for this. I’m excited for the opportunity.”
Game 4 talk
Neither manager tipped his hand on which pitchers might start Game 4 during Monday’s workout day at Target Field.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said they were still going to “chat a little bit about a few things” before announcing their Game 4 starter. Though Baldelli has not said it, Joe Ryan mentioned days earlier that he expected to start that game.
Meanwhile, Astros manager Dusty Baker said they were unlikely to throw ace Justin Verlander on short rest for Game 4 and that they were still making a determination on their starter. Options include Jose Urquidy and J.P. France.
Right now, that game is scheduled for 1:07 p.m. at Target Field, though the game time could change. If the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, completing a series sweep, the Twins and Astros would instead play at 6:07 p.m.
The Rangers and Orioles are playing a night game on Tuesday beginning at 7:03 p.m., so the time of the Twins’ Game 4 will not be determined until late at night.
Briefly
Baldelli said there was “a chance” that Royce Lewis, who is dealing with a strained hamstring, could play third base this week, noting that he looked significantly better than he did a week ago. Lewis has been serving as the Twins’ designated hitter. … Former Twins pitching ace Johan Santana will throw out the first pitch on Tuesday ahead of Game 3 to his former batterymate, Joe Mauer. Gary Gaetti and Dan Gladden, members of the Twins’ 1987 World Series championship team, will do the honors on Wednesday for Game 4.
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