It’s not like its been all that good to be a Minnesota Twin this year anyways.
But the team’s bleak circumstances get even dire Monday night when they travel to face the New York Yankees to start a three-game series. It’s the beginning of a seven-game swing in which they play the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays all in one week. The Twins already own the league’s worst record at 2-7 after losing three-straight to the Texas Rangers.
It’s been feast or famine all year. Minnesota has put up 16 runs in their two victories this year, with only 12 in its two losses.
The Yankees, meanwhile, come into the series white-hot after drilling the Los Angeles Angels 11-5. Derek Jeter and Raul Ibanez both went yard and drove in three runs to pace New York to its highest run total this year. The Bombers have won 5 of 6 after a slow start.
Jeter is off to a great start, hitting 12-for-28 with six extra base hits.
Extended history doesn’t favor the Twins, either. Since Ron Gardenhire took over as manager, the club is just 7-33 in Yankee Stadium. Minnesota has been eliminated from the playoffs four times by New York during that span.
“We just play the schedule,” Gardenhire told MLB.com. “We’ll go to New York for four tough games, and then off to Tampa for three more tough ballgames. So it’s a tough road trip.”
Carl Pavano was on the Yankees when that streak started, but has since moved into Minnesota’s rotation and become a victim. He’s started four times against New York without a win, and totaled a 4.67 ERA. He gets the start tonight against Freddy Garcia, another pitcher off to a troubling start. He only went 4 2/3 innings against the Baltimore Orioles in his first start, not long enough to get a decision. Both Pavano and Garcia have ERAs over five for the year.
Minnesota’s Joe Mauer is a career .419 hitter against Garcia with two homers. He’s been fortunate against New York, and is favored by MLB’s Player Props to record a hit Monday, with a -290 payout.
“You’re going to have to face them sometime,” Mauer told the Associated Press. “It’s a tough part of our schedule. We might as well see them early.”
The Yankees are favored by Bovada’s MLB Betting Lines by 1 1/2 runs with a -190 moneyline.