Los Angeles at Minnesota, Monday at 6:40 PM CT, opens a three-game set at Target Field that looks closer on paper than the records suggest. The Dodgers are 48-27 and have won 4 of 5. The Twins are 36-40 but just walked into Globe Life Field and swept the Rangers by a combined 25-7, capped by Brooks Lee's 3-run homer in a 9-3 finale.
Probable starters were still TBD as of this writing, which is part of the story. The Dodgers' rotation is a M*A*S*H unit — Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone and Landon Knack are all stashed on the 60-day, and Shohei Ohtani just gutted out a 5-inning, 4-run, 7-hit outing on a bleeding blister to finish off the Rays sweep. Whoever Dave Roberts hands the ball to in the opener is doing it with the cabinet pretty bare behind Ohtani.
Minnesota's offense has actually shown up — three straight crooked numbers in the first inning against Texas, with Trevor Larnach and Lee carrying it. The bigger question is whether they can keep that going against a Dodgers staff that, even thinned out, has been stingy: LA gave up 1, 0 and 4 in the Rays series and Freddie Freeman went deep to win the finale. If the Twins can get to whatever No. 2 or No. 3 starter the Dodgers run out behind Ohtani, this series tightens up fast.
The injury list is doing real work here, and not just on the mound. The Dodgers are also down Will Smith (neck), Teoscar Hernandez (hamstring) and Enrique Hernandez, who's looking at 6-to-8 weeks with a significant oblique tear. Minnesota is missing Ryan Jeffers behind the plate and Bailey Ober and Mick Abel from its rotation, though Abel is reportedly in line to come back this week. Both lineups are patched together — the Dodgers just have more depth to patch with.
- Day-To-DayChris Campos SP
- 10-Day-ILTeoscar Hernandez LF — Hernandez (hamstring) will take live batting practice Thursday and could be ready to begin a rehab assignment early next week, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
- 10-Day-ILWill Smith C — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that it's "unlikely" Smith (neck) will be activated from the 10-day injured list Friday when first eligible, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILEnrique Hernandez 1B — Hernandez is expected to be out for 6-to-8 weeks after sustaining a "significant tear" of his left oblique during Tuesday's 15-6 win over the Rockies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILBrock Stewart RP — Stewart (foot) will begin a rehab assignment at Single-A Ontario on Friday.
- 60-Day-ILTyler Glasnow SP — Glasnow (back) has yet to resume throwing, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
- 60-Day-ILEdwin Diaz RP — Diaz (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session this week, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
- 60-Day-ILBlake Snell SP — Snell (elbow) began playing catch Friday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayKaelen Culpepper SS — Culpepper was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday with a left hip strain, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.
- Day-To-DayRicardo Olivar C — Triple-A St. Paul transferred Olivar from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day IL on June 4 while he recovers from a right knee sprain, Twins writer Brandon Warne reports.
- Day-To-DayWalker Jenkins CF — Jenkins (shoulder) could start a rehab assignment with Single-A Fort Myers as soon as Saturday, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.
- Day-To-DayJulian Merryweather RP — Merryweather (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the Twins' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, Theodore Tollefson of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMatt Canterino SP — Canterino (shoulder) will be with the Twins in big-league spring training but isn't expected to pitch during camp as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILRyan Jeffers C — Jeffers (hand) began taking dry swings June 10, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILBailey Ober SP — Ober (elbow) is optimistic about throwing off the mound this weekend, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILMick Abel SP — Abel (elbow) will travel with the Twins to Arizona this weekend and appears in line to return from the 15-day injured list for a start Sunday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
The framing on Monday's series opener: a banged-up juggernaut vs. a sub-.500 team that's playing its best baseball in a month. The Dodgers are still the Dodgers, but if you're looking for a spot where Minnesota's price is fair, this is one — Target Field, hot bats, and a Dodgers rotation held together with tape behind Ohtani.