Minnesota Twins probable pitchers & starting lineups vs. Detroit Tigers, April 12
Can the Twins quiet the roaring Tigers and start to get back on track in the AL Central?
By Josh Hill
We didn’t get any baseball on Thursday, as bad weather shifted things to Friday instead.
That’s when the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers will meet for the first time this season, and it’s already a pretty critical matchup for both sides. Detroit got off to a hot start but slowed down recently and sit in third place in the AL Central. It’s one spot ahead of the Twins, who are trying to bounce back from a four game losing streak that finally ended on Wednesday with a 3-2 win over the Dodgers.
Everyone is chasing Cleveland, as the Guardians are 9-3 and the second-best team in the AL behind the Yankees. The chase to catching them starts with beating each other, and the Twins badly need to find a way to win on Friday.
Twins vs. Tigers probable starting pitchers
- The Twins are sending Pablo Lopez to the mound for his third start of the season, and his second on the road. Last time he started against an AL Central rival on the road he shut down the Kansas City Royals in an Opening Day win. He’ll look to keep that streak alive, while also continuing to shave off his 2.84 ERA which won’t be an easy task against the Tigers lineup.
- Speaking of tough assignments, the Twins will be trying to keep the winning streak alive against one of the best pitchers in the American League. Detroit is putting Tarik Skubal on the mound, and he’ll be looking to add to his 15 strikeouts so far this season and brings with him a 2.92 ERA. Skubal going up against Lopez is going to hopefully give us a pitchers dual that the Twins find a way to win.
Minnesota Twins starting lineup, April 12
With the Twins facing a lefty on Friday, the lineup is probably going to feature more platooning of the team’s left-handed hitters. It also works in their favor, as Minnesota is slashing .239/.325/.437 against lefties this year.
They’ve only faced two left-handed starters this season and each time we saw someone other that Edouard Julien lead off.
Byron Buxton leadoff on Opening Day against Cole Ragans while Manuel Margot led off against John Paxton on Monday. Julien wasn’t in the lineup either time, which is a strategy that Rocco Baldelli will seemingly stick with against Skubal.
Batting Order | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
1 | Manuel Margot | RF |
2 | Carlos Correa | SS |
3 | Byron Buxton | CF |
4 | Ryan Jeffers | C |
5 | Jose Miranda | DH |
6 | Kyle Farmer | 3B |
7 | Austin Martin | LF |
8 | Carlos Santana | 1B |
9 | Edouard Julien | 2B |
Detroit Tigers starting lineup, April 12
Batting Order | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
1 | Riley Greene | LF |
2 | Mark Canha | RF |
3 | Spencer Torkelson | 1B |
4 | Kerry Carpenter | DH |
5 | Colt Keith | 2B |
6 | Gio Urshela | 3B |
7 | Parker Meadows | CF |
8 | Javier Baez | SS |
9 | Jake Rogers | C |
What channel is the Minnesota Twins game on tonight?
- Date: Friday, April 12th
- Start Time: 5:40pm CT
- TV Channel: Bally Sports North
- Radio: WCCO 830AM | TIBN
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