Payano expected to start for Texas against Minnesota
Minnesota Twins (72-48, first in the AL Central) vs. Texas Rangers (60-60, third in the AL West)
8 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Twins: Devin Smeltzer (1-2, 3.66 ERA) Rangers: Pedro Payano (1-1, 3.86 ERA)
BOTTOM LINE: Texas and Minnesota will square off on Thursday.
The Rangers are 35-22 on their home turf. Texas hitters have posted a team on-base percentage of .319 this season, led by Shin-Soo Choo with a mark of .368.
The Twins are 36-22 on the road. Minnesota has slugged .498, the highest in the American League. Max Kepler leads the club with a .536 slugging percentage, including 59 extra-base hits and 32 home runs.
TOP PERFORMERS: Elvis Andrus leads the Rangers with 125 hits and is batting .285. Danny Santana is 9-for-41 with three doubles, three home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games for Texas.
Kepler leads the Twins with 32 home runs home runs and is slugging .536. Eddie Rosario is 13-for-42 with three doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs over the last 10 games for Minnesota.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 4-6, .187 batting average, 4.47 ERA, outscored by 15 runs
Twins: 4-6, .254 batting average, 5.20 ERA, outscored by 10 runs
Rangers Injuries: Edinson Volquez: 60-day IL (elbow), Jeffrey Springs: 60-day IL (biceps), Yohander Mendez: 60-day IL (elbow), Nate Jones: 60-day IL (forearm), Taylor Hearn: 60-day IL (elbow), Luke Farrell: 60-day IL (jaw), Jesse Chavez: 10-day IL (elbow), Jesse Biddle: 60-day IL (shoulder), Joey Gallo: 10-day IL (wrist).
Twins Injuries: Michael Pineda: 10-day IL (triceps), LaMonte Wade Jr: 10-day IL (thumb), Byron Buxton: 10-day IL (shoulder), Nelson Cruz: 10-day IL (wrist), Willians Astudillo: 10-day IL (oblique).
