Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians Series Preview

Bullpen matchups

For Cleveland
The Minnesota Twins bullpen has not exactly been considered an elite group this season, but since the All-Star break, the bullpen has been doing very well, especially in the month of August. In August, the bullpen has sported a 2.03 ERA in 44 1/3 innings with a 5/46 BB/K ratio and a 0.79 WHIP as an entire unit. In no month of the season thus far has the bullpen’s ERA been under 4 or the ERA under 1.20 this season, so the recent streak has been quite a bit better than season-long performance.

Cleveland’s hitters with at least 5 PA against Minnesota bullpen members:
Austin Jackson vs. Matt Belisle – .200/.200/.200, 0/1 BB/K, 5 PA
Jason Kipnis vs. Buddy Boshers – .143/.143/.143, 0/2 BB/K, 7 PA
Abraham Almonte vs. Tyler Duffey – .182/.250/.182, 0/3 BB/K, 12 PA
Edwin Encarnacion vs. Tyler Duffey – .100/.100/.100, 0/2 BB/K, 10 PA
Yan Gomes vs. Tyler Duffey – .000/.000/.000, 0/3 BB/K, 5 PA
Jason Kipnis vs. Tyler Duffey – .200/.294/.267, 2B, 1/6 BB/K, BB/K, 17 PA
Francisco Lindor vs. Tyler Duffey – .150/.227/.200, 2B, 2/6 BB/K, 22 PA
Roberto Perez vs. Tyler Duffey – .333/.333/.667, HR, 0/5 BB/K, 9 PA
Jose Ramirez vs. Tyler Duffey – .400/.381/.450, 2B, 0/3 BB/K, 21 PA
Carlos Santana vs. Tyler Duffey – .200/.304/.250, 2B, 3/3 BB/K, 23 PA
Giovanny Urshela vs. Tyler Duffey – .250/.500/.500, 2B, 2/0 BB/K, 6 PA
Jay Bruce vs. Dillon Gee – .167/.167/.417, HR, 0/4 BB/K, 12 PA
Edwin Encarnacion vs. Dillon Gee – .000/.167/.000, 1/1 BB/K, 6 PA
Austin Jackson vs. Dillon Gee – .600/.500/.600, 6 PA
Jason Kipnis vs. Dillon Gee – .500/.600/.750, 2B, 5 PA
Francisco Lindor vs. Dillon Gee – .500/.600/.500, 1/0 BB/K, 5 PA
Jose Ramirez vs. Dillon Gee – .000/.000/.000, 5 PA
Carlos Santana vs. Dillon Gee – .400/.400/1.000, HR, 5 PA
Edwin Encarnacion vs. Ryan Pressly – .286/.286/.286, 0/1 BB/K, 7 PA
Yan Gomes vs. Ryan Pressly – .500/.500/1.500, 2B, HR, 1/0 BB/K, 6 PA
Jason Kipnis vs. Ryan Pressly – .600/.778/.600, 4/1 BB/K, 9 PA
Francisco Lindor vs. Ryan Pressly – .286/.375/.286, 1/0 BB/K, 8 PA
Jose Ramirez vs. Ryan Pressly – .250/.571/.250, 2/0 BB/K, 7 PA
Carlos Santana vs. Ryan Pressly – .333/.300/.444, 2B, 10 PA
Jason Kipnis vs. Taylor Rogers – .333/.333/.333, 0/1 BB/K, 6 PA
Francisco Lindor vs. Taylor Rogers – .000/.143/.000, 1/1 BB/K, 7 PA
Carlos Santana vs. Taylor Rogers – .400/.400/.500, 2B, 0/1 BB/K, 10 PA

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For Minnesota
Cleveland’s bullpen is what carried the Indians to the World Series last year. Cleveland’s bullpen ace Andrew Miller is out with injury right now, but that does not take away from the depth of the Indians bullpen, which is deep in quality arms. Let’s take a look at the Twins with 5 plate appearances or more against members of the Indians bullpen:

Jason Castro vs. Cody Allen – .000/.200/.000, 1/3 BB/K, 5 PA
Brian Dozier vs. Cody Allen – .231/.333/.538, 2B, HR, 2/6 BB/K, 15 PA
Eduardo Escobar vs. Cody Allen – .111/.111/.111, 0/5 BB/K, 9 PA
Robbie Grossman vs. Cody Allen – .200/.200/.200, 0/3 BB/K, 6 PA
Joe Mauer vs. Cody Allen – .125/.500/.125, 6/0 BB/K, 14 PA
Eddie Rosario vs. Cody Allen – .444/.444/.556, 2B, 0/3 BB/K, 9 PA
Miguel Sano vs. Cody Allen – .167/.375/.167, 2/2 BB/K, 8 PA
Jason Castro vs. Zach McAllister – .333/.333/.500, 2B, 0/1 BB/K, 6 PA
Brian Dozier vs. Zach McAllister – .190/.217/.476, 2 HR, 1/7 BB/K, 23 PA
Eduardo Escobar vs. Zach McAllister – .500/.571/.667, 2B, 1/0 BB/K, 7 PA
Robbie Grossman vs. Zach McAllister – .200/.200/.400, 2B, 0/2 BB/K, 5 PA
Joe Mauer vs. Zach McAllister – .333/.444/.400, 2B, 3/2 BB/K, 18 PA
Eddie Rosario vs. Zach McAllister – .500/.556/.875, 2B, 3B, 1/2 BB/K, 9 PA
Miguel Sano vs. Zach McAllister – .125/.222/.500, HR, 1/5 BB/K, 9 PA
Brian Dozier vs. Dan Otero – .100/.083/.400, HR, 0/4 BB/K, 12 PA
Eduardo Escobar vs. Dan Otero – .333/.333/.444, 2B, 0/1 BB/K, 9 PA
Robbie Grossman vs. Dan Otero – .167/.143/.167, 0/1 BB/K, 7 PA
Joe Mauer vs. Dan Otero – .143/.400/.143, 3/1 BB/K, 10 PA
Eddie Rosario vs. Dan Otero – .500/.600/.500, 1/1 BB/K, 5 PA
Miguel Sano vs. Dan Otero – .222/.222/.556, HR, 0/3 BB/K, 9 PA
Byron Buxton vs. Bryan Shaw – .000/.000/.000, 0/3 BB/K, 5 PA
Brian Dozier vs. Bryan Shaw – .136/.333/.273, HR, 7/4 BB/K, 30 PA
Eduardo Escobar vs. Bryan Shaw – .222/.417/.444, 2 2B, 3/2 BB/K, 12 PA
Robbie Grossman vs. Bryan Shaw – .200/.200/.200, 0/2 BB/K, 5 PA
Joe Mauer vs. Bryan Shaw – .143/.250/.214, 2B, 2/2 BB/K, 16 PA
Eddie Rosario vs. Bryan Shaw – .600/.600/1.800, 2B, 3B, HR, 5 PA
Miguel Sano vs. Bryan Shaw – .083/.154/.083, 1/7 BB/K, 13 PA
Brian Dozier vs. Joe Smith – .200/.273/.200, 1/0 BB/K, 11 PA
Joe Mauer vs. Joe Smith – .375/.500/.625, 2 2B, 2/1 BB/K, 10 PA

Next: Winter Free Agent Plans

As you can see, the series really has some very even match ups when all is set out. It should be a very interesting series, and hopefully the Twins can nail down a full sweep and really get themselves back in the race!