Cubs take on the Twins in first of 3-game series

Updated Aug. 5, 2024 4:01 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Minnesota Twins (62-48, second in the AL Central) vs. Chicago Cubs (55-59, fourth in the NL Central)

Chicago; Monday, 8:05 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Twins: David Festa (1-2, 6.98 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 21 strikeouts); Cubs: Kyle Hendricks (3-9, 6.86 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 60 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Twins -122, Cubs +102; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs host the Minnesota Twins on Monday to open a three-game series.

Chicago is 55-59 overall and 30-26 in home games. The Cubs have gone 43-20 in games when they record eight or more hits.

Minnesota has a 62-48 record overall and a 30-27 record in road games. The Twins are ninth in the majors with 134 total home runs, averaging 1.2 per game.

The teams meet Monday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Cody Bellinger leads the Cubs with a .274 batting average, and has 16 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs, 27 walks and 43 RBI. Seiya Suzuki is 13-for-37 with two home runs and six RBI over the last 10 games.

Willi Castro has 25 doubles, five triples, eight home runs and 41 RBI while hitting .265 for the Twins. Max Kepler is 12-for-36 with two doubles, a triple and a home run over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 6-4, .251 batting average, 4.45 ERA, outscored opponents by 10 runs

Twins: 7-3, .269 batting average, 4.55 ERA, outscored opponents by 15 runs

INJURIES: Cubs: Ian Happ: day-to-day (shoulder), Tomas Nido: 10-Day IL (knee), Ben Brown: 60-Day IL (neck), Luke Little: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Hayden Wesneski: 15-Day IL (forearm), Jordan Wicks: 60-Day IL (oblique), Colten Brewer: 60-Day IL (hand), Keegan Thompson: 15-Day IL (rib), Yency Almonte: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Adbert Alzolay: 60-Day IL (forearm)

Twins: Brock Stewart: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Alex Kirilloff: 60-Day IL (back), Kody Funderburk: 15-Day IL (oblique), Carlos Correa: 10-Day IL (foot), Chris Paddack: 15-Day IL (forearm), Kyle Farmer: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Justin Topa: 60-Day IL (knee), Daniel Duarte: 60-Day IL (tricep), Anthony DeSclafani: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.