Duffy expected to start as Kansas City hosts Minnesota
Minnesota Twins (49-26, first in the AL Central) vs. Kansas City Royals (26-50, fifth in the AL Central)
Kansas City, Kansas; Saturday, 2:15 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Twins: Jose Berrios (8-3, 2.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 94 strikeouts) Royals: Danny Duffy (3-3, 4.64 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 46 strikeouts)
LINE: Royals favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 9 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE:
The Royals are 12-19 against the rest of their division. Kansas City is slugging .404 as a unit. Hunter Dozier leads the team with a .577 slugging percentage, including 26 extra-base hits and 11 home runs.
The Twins are 17-8 against AL Central Division opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Whit Merrifield leads the Royals with 95 hits and is batting .300. Jorge Soler is 10-for-33 with a double, four home runs and eight RBIs over the last 10 games for Kansas City.
Jorge Polanco leads the Twins with 95 hits and has 38 RBIs. Max Kepler is 14-for-41 with two doubles, four home runs and 11 RBIs over the last 10 games for Minnesota.
LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 5-5, .245 batting average, 3.93 ERA, outscored opponents by nine runs
Twins: 5-5, .259 batting average, 3.77 ERA, outscored by five runs
Royals Injuries: Trevor Oaks: 60-day IL (hip), Jesse Hahn: 60-day IL (elbow), Adalberto Mondesi: 10-day IL (groin), Salvador Perez: 60-day IL (elbow).
Twins Injuries: Adalberto Mejia: 60-day IL (calf), Byron Buxton: 10-day IL (wrist), Marwin Gonzalez: 10-day IL (hamstring), Ehire Adrianza: 10-day IL (abdominal), Mitch Garver: day-to-day (heel).
