Rays play the Twins with 2-1 series lead

Updated Sep. 5, 2024 4:02 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Minnesota Twins (75-64, second in the AL Central) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (69-70, fourth in the AL East)

St. Petersburg, Florida; Thursday, 1:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Twins: Pablo Lopez (13-8, 4.05 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 164 strikeouts); Rays: Taj Bradley (6-9, 4.35 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 121 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Twins -140, Rays +118; over/under is 7 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays take a 2-1 lead into the next game of the series against the Minnesota Twins.

Tampa Bay has a 37-37 record in home games and a 69-70 record overall. The Rays have a 41-8 record in games when they scored at least five runs.

Minnesota is 75-64 overall and 36-34 on the road. Twins hitters have a collective .321 on-base percentage, the second-ranked percentage in the AL.

Thursday's game is the seventh time these teams meet this season. The Rays are ahead 4-2 in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Christopher Morel has nine doubles, a triple, 21 home runs and 56 RBI while hitting .197 for the Rays. Josh Lowe is 13-for-36 with two doubles, a triple and two home runs over the past 10 games.

Ryan Jeffers ranks fourth on the Twins with 40 extra base hits (20 doubles and 20 home runs). Trevor Larnach is 8-for-28 with two doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rays: 4-6, .221 batting average, 4.34 ERA, outscored by six runs

Twins: 3-7, .231 batting average, 5.66 ERA, outscored by 28 runs

INJURIES: Rays: Colin Poche: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Peter Anderson Fairbanks: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Richard Palacios: 10-Day IL (knee), Jacob Waguespack: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Shane McClanahan: 60-Day IL (forearm)

Twins: Max Kepler: day-to-day (knee), Manuel Margot: 10-Day IL (groin), Chris Paddack: 60-Day IL (forearm), Joe Ryan: 60-Day IL (tricep), Byron Buxton: 10-Day IL (hip), Brock Stewart: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Alex Kirilloff: 60-Day IL (back), Kody Funderburk: 15-Day IL (oblique), Carlos Correa: 10-Day IL (foot), 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.