2019 MLB – Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees taking place? Saturday October 5th, 2019 – 21:07 (UK)
Where is Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees taking place? Yankee Stadium
What is the expected weather for Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees? Sunny, 15c
What television channel is Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees on? BT Sport 1 in the UK / MLB Network in the US
Where can I stream Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees? BT Sport subscribers can stream the match live via the BT Sport website or app in the UK / MLB.tv in the US
Where can I get tickets for Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees? https://www.mlb.com/tickets/season-tickets
What was the outcome in the last meeting? Minnesota Twins 4 – 10 New York Yankees
THE TEAM NEWS
MINNESOTA TWINS
- The Twins entered the MLB playoffs as one of the top teams on the road in all of MLB thanks to their 55-26 mark away from Target Field during the regular season. However, that wasn’t the case in Game 1 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees, where they lost by a 10-4 score. That said, they still are on a solid run of form since they have gone 8-3 in their last 11 games dating back to the regular season.
- Max Kepler, Marwin Gonzalez and Luis Arraez all saw action in this game, so Minnesota should have no injury concerns ahead of this game excepting Ehire Adrianza, who remains questionable for Game 2 of the ALDS. One player to keep an eye on is shortstop Jorge Polanco, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two walks in Game 1 of the series.
- The Twins have not announced who will start Game 2 of the ALDS, but Jake Odorizzi could be the most likely alternative to do so. He made 30 starts during the regular season and posted a 3.51 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, 178 strikeouts and a 15-7 record.
NEW YORK YANKEES
- The Yankees ended the regular season with the second-best home record in the American League (57-24), and they backed that up with an impressive performance during Game 1 of the ALDS. The Bronx-based franchise registered only eight hits, but translated that to 10 runs. Plus, they have won 11 straight playoff games against the Twins so they might have a psychological edge here as well.
- The Yankees included Edwin Encarnacion and Gio Urshela in the Game 1 lineup while James Paxton got the start, so they shouldn´t have any injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s game. One player to watch will be DJ LeMahieu, as the infielder ripped the cover of the ball during Game 1. He went 3-for-5 with one home run, four RBI and two runs scored.
- The Yankees have tabbed Masahiro Tanaka as their Game 2 starter. The Japanese hurler went 11-9 with a 4.45 ERA and 149 strikeouts during the regular season. He has been lights out whenever he has pitched in the playoffs, however, going 3-2 with a 1.50 ERA in five previous postseason starts.
THE PREDICTION
The Yankees showed what they can do at home in Game 1, and they will have a clear pitching advantage in Game 2 since Masahiro Tanaka has been excellent during the playoffs throughout his MLB career. Minnesota have enough weapons to turn things around and pull the upset but, based on what happened in Game 1, it makes sense to maintain the Yankees as favourites ahead of Game 2.
